Following the announcement of Jury Presidents and global judging locations, the awards now confirm the professionals who will sit across 15 in-person jury sessions worldwide, evaluating the work that will shape the benchmark for creativity in 2026, says the awards.

From creatives and strategists to producers, filmmakers, brand leaders and social specialists, the jury aims to represent the full breadth of the communications industry — reflecting the diverse perspectives that the Gerety Awards was founded to champion, adds the awards.

Executive judging sessions will take place in London, Auckland, Toronto, New York, Paris, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Dubai, Madrid, Milan, Mexico City, Bangkok, Los Angeles, Berlin and São Paulo. Each session aims to bring together influential regional voices who understand how work resonates locally, while collectively contributing to a global creative standard, says the awards.

"Serving as Jury President for the Dubai Executive Jury of the Gerety Awards is incredibly meaningful to me, both professionally and personally. The super-talented women joining this jury are not only exceptional creative leaders — they are bold thinkers, changemakers and voices actively shaping the future of our industry. What excites me most is the richness of perspective in this room: different backgrounds, different experiences, but a shared belief in the power of creativity to make a positive impact," says Vidya Manmohan, Founder and CCO of V4GOOD.

"To lead this session in Dubai, a city that thrives on ambition and possibility, feels truly special. I'm looking forward to the conversations, the debates and ultimately championing work that challenges norms and raises the bar for what creative excellence can be," adds Manmohan.

More than 260 judges from 50 countries will join the 2026 Gerety Awards. According to the Gerety Awards, members of the executive jury for Dubai are:

  • Vidya Manmohan: Founder and CCO at V4GOOD
  • Oyinade Osobajo: Head of Commercial Banking at Optimus Bank Limited
  • Aya Ahmad Maher: Head of Research and Innovation at Whizz Film
  • Toni Hughes: Executive Creative Director of Ogilvy One
  • Damayanti Purkayastha: Head of Strategy at Mullenlowe MENA
  • Marisa Lawson: Head of Growth at Publicis Groupe MENA
  • Mirna Eskarous: Regional Director and The Studio MENA Creative Director of Burson
  • Nelly Saad: Regional Managing Director MEA at .Monks
  • Theodora Gabrah: Senior Manager, Corporate Communication of Emirates Global Aluminium
  • Giorgia Fattoracci: Creative Director and Creative Strategist of Edelman, and
  • Megan Fowkes: Global Prompt Engineering Champion of Serviceplan Middle East.

Beyond Judging — The Gerety Community Comes Together

Alongside the judging sessions, Gerety will host a series of industry events and talks in several of the host cities like London, Bangkok, New York, Berlin, Melbourne and Paris — aimed at creating space for conversation, connection and shared thinking around the ideas shaping creativity today, says the awards.

Gerety welcomes submissions across all categories, including the newly introduced Moments Cut — celebrating work that captures the cultural moments shaping our world right now. The Early Bird deadline is Friday, 13 March. Entries can be submitted via the Gerety Awards website.

Eligible entries must have been broadcast, published or released in a commercial environment with client approval between Thursday, 1 January, and the final entry deadline. Work is judged on two core principles: the originality of the creative idea and the quality of its execution, concludes the awards.

For more information, visit www.geretyawards.com. You can also follow the Gererty Awards on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor