Programming Announced for Variety In the C-Suite in Collaboration With Canva at Cannes Lions

Jun 8, 2026 10:47am PT

Programming Announced for Variety In the C-Suite in Collaboration With Canva at Cannes Lions

Alan Cumming and C-level executives from LEGO, Unilever, Mastercard, Walmart, Netflix, and more set to participate.

Variety returns to the Croisette to once again host Variety in the C-Suite in Collaboration with Canva conversations at Cannes Lions from Monday, June 22, through Wednesday, June 24. Top C-Suite executives from the world’s leading brand and media companies will gather to share industry-leading insights, with conversations taking place at the Canva Creative Cabana.

“Building on the momentum of previous years, we are proud to bring back Variety in the C-Suite in collaboration with Canva, featuring a remarkable lineup of executives who are actively shaping the future of their industries across the globe,” said Michelle Fine-Smith, SVP, Global B2B Partnerships at Variety. “We are deeply grateful to Canva for its commitment to creating a platform where executive leaders can share candid, forward-looking insights with audiences who matter. Variety has long been the destination where the world’s most influential executives come to share their vision, drive conversation, and set the agenda for what’s next. As a brand at the forefront of culture, we are uniquely positioned to spotlight the leaders who are defining what comes next, and this series is a natural extension of that legacy.”

“Cannes Lions is one of the few places where creativity and business ambition actually collide,” said Meghan Gendelman, CMO B2B at Canva. “We’re in a moment where creativity is being completely reshaped by AI, speed, and scale. That creates enormous opportunity, and also real questions about taste, craft, and what stays authentically human. The Creative Cabana is the place where those conversations happen honestly, not just performatively. Whether you’re a solo creator or a global brand, everyone is trying to solve the same tension: how to move faster without losing what makes the work good. The best ideas usually come from smart people engaging in interesting ways. That’s the conversation we want to have at Cannes.”

This year, executive pairings include:

Monday, June 22

Julia Goldin, CMO, LEGO & David Tinson, Chief Experience Officer, Electronic Arts

Leandro Barreto, CMO, Unilever & Amy Reinhard, President, Advertising, Netflix

Chris Beresford-Hill, Global Chief Creative Officer, BBDO Worldwide & Mark Kirkham, CMO, PepsiCo U.S. Beverages

Leonardo Aizpuro, CMO, Nespresso & Fabiola Torres, CMO, Gap

Tuesday, June 23

Rita Ferro, President Global Advertising, Disney & Michelle Mesenburg, Chief Brand Officer, Target

Todd Kaplan, CMO, Kraft-Heinz & Taylor Montgomery, CMO, Taco Bell

Alan Cumming, Actor and Filmmaker, “The Traitors” & Frances Berwick, Chairman, Bravo & Peacock Unscripted

Ndidiamaka Oteh, CEO, Accenture Song & Asmita Dubey, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, L’Oreal

Gabrielle Wesley, CMO, Mars-Wrigley North America & William White, CMO, Walmart

Wednesday, June 24

Jill Kramer, CMO, Mastercard & Marissa Thalberg, CMO, Constellation Brands

Darren Schillace, CMO, FOX & Shelley MacIntyre, CEO Brands and Licensing, BBC

Robert Stanichi, EVP and Chief Global Brand Officer, Mattel & Claudia Calori, Head of Marketing, Phillips

In addition to these conversations, Variety and Canva will also host its annual Supper on the Croisette presented by AWS on Monday night. The invite-only dinner will be attended by participants of the conversations as well as other senior brand marketers and VIP guests.

Register to attend these conversations live at the Canva Creative Cabana at https://www.canva.com/events/cannes/. All conversations from the Variety In the C-Suite in Collaboration with Canva series will be posted on Variety.com following the event.

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