Announcing the Roger Hatchuel Student Academy Class of 2026
Find out who made it this year.
After a rigorous selection process, this year’s Roger Hatchuel Student Academy cohort has been announced.
We’re welcoming 31 students from 31 different countries to Cannes Lions 2026, where they’ll learn firsthand from the world’s greatest brands, creative minds and industry leaders. Through the Roger Hatchuel Student Academy, they’ll kick-start their creative careers by exploring different avenues of the industry – with topics including the value of diversity, building your personal brand and working with purpose.
This year’s cohort sees first-time representation from Georgia, Ghana and Mongolia. Plus, Poland is participating for the first time since 2010, South Korea since 2016 and Puerto Rico since 2017. Each student was nominated by our partner organisations in their respective countries and then chosen by our global selection panel.
See who’ll be part of it:
Name
Country
Institution
Partners
Yana Cholakova
Bulgaria
University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
Bulgarian Association of Communications Agencies
Qiudan Wang
China
Shanghai Normal University
China Advertising Association
Daniela Solano
Costa Rica
Universidad de Costa Rica
Comunidad
Elene Tabagua
Czech Republic
Prague School of Creative Communication
Lionhearted
Angel Cabrera
Ecuador
Universidad Casa Grande
El Universo
Hoda Hany
Egypt
Benha University
Creative Industry Summit
Ivette Leetma
Estonia
University of Westminster
Northern Lights Group
Saara Pennanen
Finland
Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences
Marketing Finland
Elene Piralishvili
Georgia
Georgian Institute of Public Affairs
Cannes Lions Georgia
Berfin Buyukbingol
Germany
Berlin School of Business and Innovation (BSBI)
Weischer
Amaris Shekinah Bedwei
Ghana
Lancaster University Ghana
Advertising Association of Ghana
Sin Yi Wu
Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of Hong Kong
Polly Buckley
Ireland
National College Art & Design
IAPI
Chiara Marabini
Italy
IED Milano
ADCI
Hamisi Juma
Kenya
Catholic University of Eastern Africa
The Quollective
Tasnim Shahtout
Kuwait
American University of Kuwait
International Advertising Association
Indira Batjavkhlan
Mongolia
The National University of Mongolia
Mongolian Marketing Association
Paula Haid
Netherlands
Willem de Koning Academy
Orange Lions
Teodor Veum
Norway
Kristiania Professional College
CAPA Kinoreklame AS
Lance Christian Andrade
Philippines
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde
4AS Philippines
Weronika Targońska
Poland
Akademia Leona Koźminskiego
SAR
Beatriz Brito
Portugal
IADE Faculdade de Design, Tecnologia e Comunicação
MOP – Multimédia Outdoors Portugal
Julia Cabezas
Puerto Rico
Northeastern University
Asociación Publicitaria de Puerto Rico
Julieta Calota
Romania
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi
The Alternative School for Creative Thinking
Subin Ahn
South Korea
Hanyang University
A&F Korea
Rocío Ruiz
Spain
Miami Ad School
SCOPEN
Noreen Chang
Taiwan
Chengchi University
Kleinerfisch
Ela Seki
Turkey
Yeditepe University
Kapital Medya Hizmetleri A.S.
Iman Abu Iqran
United Arab Emirates
University of Wollongong in Dubai
Motivate Val Morgan Cinema Advertising
Juliana Vieira
United States
VCU Brandcenter
VCU Brandcenter
Francisco Pereira Richa
Venezuela
Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB)
FEVAP
The 2026 selection panel included:
Lissy Calienes, Associate Instructional Professor & Senior, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, United States
Tekle Gujabidze, Junior Art Director Intern, Antoni_, Germany
Merlee Jayme, Founder/Creative Chairmom, The Misfits Camp & Jayme Headquarters, Philippines
Zizwe Vundla, Head of Brand & Marketing, Safaricom, Kenya
Astelie Ngarambe, Head of Commercial, KOKO Networks, Rwanda
Maks Kallhed, Freelance Strategy & Innovation Consultant, United Kingdom
Juliana Oliveira, Global Marketing Manager, L'Oréal, France
Joanna Uniwersal, Chief Strategy Officer, FCB Warsaw, Poland
Julia Rayeb, ECD, Accenture, Argentina
Virgilio Flores, Group Creative Director, Alma, United States
If you’re a student and you’re interested in getting involved next year, get in touch with your country representative. We’d love you to be part of it.
Interested in a career in advertising but don’t know where to start?
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