September 27, 2023 – As the only major competition to eliminate prescriptive categories, ideas transcend confines and represent all corners of the globe, The ANDY Awards serve as a launchpad for exceptional campaigns that push creative boundaries to ensure that ground-breaking work gains the global acclaim it deserves.

The International ANDY Awards, the inaugural advertising accolade show of each year, has announced Ali Rez, Chief Creative Officer of IMPACT BBDO will lead SWANA in the 2023-2024 Regional Competition. 

Named Creative Person of the Year twice by Campaign magazine, Ali Rez is the most awarded creative leader in the Middle East, and currently leads creative output for the IMPACT BBDO Group across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan region. He is the first jury president ever at Cannes Lions to represent the Middle East, and in 2023 won the Middle East’s first Best-in-show for Bravery at the ANDY Awards. 

“The ANDY’s have always been one of the most respected shows in the world, because they’re so damn difficult to win,” said Ali. “It’s an honor to be the SWANA chair alongside an incredible line-up of jurors, all looking to award the one biggest principle in our industry: the big idea.”

All Regional Chairs have been announced and include: 

AFRICA: Steve Babaeko, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, X3M Ideas

APAC: Tara Ford, Chief Creative Officer, The Monkeys

EUROPE: Richard Brim, Chief Creative Officer, adamandeveDDB

GREATER CHINA: Alice Chou, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Creative Taiwan

LATAM: Joaco Cubria, Partner & Chief Creative Officer, GUT

SWANA: Ali Rez, Chief Creative Officer of IMPACT BBDO

Tiffany Rolfe, Global Chair and Global Chief Creative Officer of RGA will lead the Global Jury in her second year of Chairship. Full Regional Juries and Global Jury will be announced soon. 

The ANDY Awards Regional Competition acts as a crucial first part to a two-prong vetting process. First, work is reviewed free of charge to entrants by a Jury that represents creative leaders from the region who dig deep into cultural context to assess whether the work can win big by being shortlisted.  Those shortlisted works then have the opportunity to compete in the Global Competition in the new year.

Learn more about the Regional Chairs at https://www.andyawards.com/jury/. Regional entries are free of charge and currently being accepted at www.andyawards.com/ until December 1st, 2023.