End of an era: Terry Savage to leave Cannes Lions chairman role after 2018 Festival next June

In what many industry punters around the world will agree is the end of an era, Terry Savage, Chairman of Cannes Lions, will leave the Festival following the 2018 event.

Savage has been associated with Lions for 33 years, initially as the representative for Australia, then as CEO, and for the last decade as Chairman.

Says Savage: “Creativity has been central to everything I believe in and having spent a large part of my career involved with Lions I leave in the knowledge that creativity in all of its varied forms will continue to thrive and be centre stage at Cannes Lions. The Festival has always evolved, and I am certain it will continue to evolve as the industry changes, and thrive as it has for 65 years.

“Post Cannes, through the business opportunities I have before me, I will continue to ensure that the profound commercial and social impact of creativity takes a preeminent place in organisations around the world, and look forward to helping others achieve a like-minded position.”

Says Philip Thomas, CEO of Ascential Events, owner of Cannes Lions: “Terry has been a huge figure in the history of Cannes Lions for decades – those who know him will know he is a big personality with a big passion for creativity and for the Festival he has worked on for so long. He leaves with our best wishes for the future, and we look forward to working with him as closely as ever in the run up to the 2018 event.”

Campaign Brief has been covering the Cannes Lions since 1988 when Savage was CEO of Val Morgan Cinema Advertising in Sydney and Cannes Lions only awarded TV and cinema commercials. Says CB publishers Michael Lynch and Kim Shaw: “Cannes Lions without Terry Savage is like Formula One without Bernie Ecclestone. We wish him all the very best wherever his stellar career heads next.”