The Talent
From Junior Creatives to ECDs, delve into career highlights (and lowlights) in our in-depth profiles.
Liam Ratliff: Variety is the spice of advertising life
Australian senior creative and copywriter Liam Ratliff has worked at M&C Saatchi, Ogilvy and By All Means, all in Melbourne. Recently relocating to the UK, he talks about his experience of London, his influences, and how a minor brush with the police led to a more creative career.
Pelle Sjoenell: From the launderette to the Film Lions
For Pelle Sjoenell, seeing Levi’s iconic spot starring Nick Kamen was the point at which he fell in love with advertising. After leading the creative output of the agency that made it, as well as Droga5 and Activision Blizzard, he’s now leading this year’s Cannes Lions Film jury. Here, he talks to Danny Edwards about how Launderette seduced him, why Sweden gave him a creative head start, and why awards still matter.
King of the Hill
As Jury President of the Entertainment Lions at Cannes, BBDO Worldwide Chief Creative Officer Chris Beresford-Hill has the task of assessing work that doesn’t just compete with other ads, but sits alongside the media people choose to spend time with. Here, he tells Jamie Madge how strong foundations make room for creative flourishes, and why protecting the value of a Lion is central to his judging process.
The people who make the spots you love, covering all aspects of production, post and sound.
Rob Galluzzo: A head full of dreams
Rob Galluzzo, Founder of Australian production company FINCH, discusses the power of freedom, how the advertising industry might change, but also remains the same, and how his belief in adventure, imagination and compassion is what keeps FINCH moving forward.
Alfie Whiteman: Moving the creative goalposts
Former professional footballer, Somesuch director and photographer Alfie Whiteman talks to Amy Hey about creative ruts, toe wrestling tournaments and exposing his insecurities.
Nils Leonard: Living dangerously
Uncommon founder and industry icon Nils Leonard believes the age of landfill advertising is over. Here, he talks to Amy Hey about his bohemian upbringing, radical craft, and why agencies can’t afford to play it safe anymore.
Sydney Cohen: Embracing eccentricities
Now ACD at Chicago indie agency Highdive, where she started as an intern in 2021, Dallas-born art director Sydney Cohen has already bagged a prodigious amount of awards and, along with her creative partner Jordan Fishel, made this year’s AdWeek Creative 100 list. She talked to Carol Cooper about finding inspiration in a good pun, animatronic fish, and the simple beauty of watching people being people.
Bryan Buckley: Commercials chaos and conviction
Hailed for his talent as well as his activist work by all awards bodies and even the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Bryan Buckley is as driven by commitment as he is by making work with ‘wow’. He talks to Carol Cooper about improv, instinct and injustice, and finding humour amid the horror.
Eve Ashwell: Cutting out the noise
One of the UK’s most respected editors and partner at post production studio tenthree, Eve Ashwell, talks to Amy Hey about surviving the brutal assistant years, how she protects her alone time in the editing suite, and the missing women in post production.
Eden Read: Making the cut
Eden Read is an award-winning editor at the assembly rooms, whose work is as much about human emotion as it as about creative precision. Here, the Young Arrows winner talks to Jonathan Grant about concentration, collaboration and emancipation.
Max Miechowski: Border force
London-based photographer Max Miechowski mixes long-form projects such as Burgess Park and the book and exhibition Land Loss, which explore relationships between people and place, with commercial and editorial work. Here, he talks to Tim Cumming about working within defined parameters, learning to expand those boundaries, his output and its preoccupations.
Peter Thwaites: The chemistry of creativity
The Corner Shop’s Co-Founder Peter Thwaites talks to Tim Cumming about his four decades of creative adventures. First, he discusses life as a DP, working magic in the analogue days of film before becoming a director of spots for the likes of Audi, Honda, Guinness and more. Then he talks of setting up The Corner Shop to face the challenges and innovations of the digital present.
What's your first memory? Who were your influences? Find out more about your favourite creatives in our in-depth series.
The Way I See It: MJ Delaney
Merman director MJ Delaney can count the Clintons, Spice Girls, Ted Lasso, and the new Christmas M&S ad among her oeuvre, but did you know she had slightly more canine ambitions as a child? Here, she talks to shots about the Welsh breakthroughs, words of wisdom, and perspective-altering baubles that have shaped her career.
The Way I See It: Ellen Kuras
The Corner Shop director and DP Ellen Kuras reflects on her career and creative philosophy, tracing her path from history student to pioneering filmmaker, spanning documentaries, commercials, TV and features. Discussing her feature directorial debut, Lee, she explains how cameras can be used to create meaning and challenge traditional narratives.
The Way I See It: Edgar Wright
Spaced, Shaun Of The Dead, Scott Pilgrim, Last Night In Soho; regardless of your Edgar Wright entry-point, the frenetic filmmaker’s wit and passion makes fans of all who view his work. With a recent eyebrow-raising McDonald’s spot (shot through Moxie Pictures) an indication of more commercial work on the horizon, we caught up with Wright to chat about working with legends at an early age, the creative testbed offered by music videos, and how making yourself your own ‘dream viewer’ is the way to please those crowds.
The Way I See It: Sharon White
Sharon White, current Chair of John Lewis Partnership, is the first ever female to hold this position. Previously she’s held such notable roles as Chief Executive of British media regulator Ofcom and was the first Black person – and the second woman – to hold the title of Second Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury. In 2020 she received a Damehood in the New Year Honours List. She talked to shots about her pride in the John Lewis Partnership, car-crash weeks as a working mum and inspiration drawn from Michelle Obama.
The Way I See It: Luke Scott
From a boy on the set of his dad’s film, Alien, Luke Scott, award-winning director and the CEO of the Ridley Scott Creative Group, has gone on to gain his own valuable perspectives on filmmaking. His two-decade career has encompassed art directing, set building and directing TV (Raised By Wolves), features, ads and viral content for Prometheus and Blade Runner 2049. He shares his views on panopticons, prime ministers and the folly of space travel.
The Way I See It: Dede Laurentino
The multi-award-winning, Brazilian born Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy UK, André 'Dede' Laurentino, tells us about a difficult adolescence, life-changing trips to Europe, the feelings of inadequacy he has often struggled with, and why every creative person is punching back at the world.
RVBBERDUCK: From postroom to After Party
RVBBERDUCK, also known as Ben Doyle, is the Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director of creative production company After Party Studios. He swapped delivering packages around BBH London for delivering stand-out content for the likes of Sky, Revolut, O2, Netflix and Channel 4. Lucy Aitken took delivery of his story.
Diane McArter: Holding a torch for tomorrow’s talent
Kicking off our Icons and Innovators series of profiles, Diane McArter, President of Furlined, tells Lucy Aitken how her business is not just about doing well but about doing good, praises the supporting hand of Ridley Scott, and explains the importance of championing new talent.
Michael Ritchie: Sign of the times
Revolver built on an impressive 2024 with a phenomenal 2025, full of attention-grabbing work and a healthy clutch of prestigious awards. Lucy Aitken spoke with Co-Founder Michael Ritchie to find out what Revolver’s aiming for in 2026.
Take a step into Ward’s World
Mal Ward is Jury Chair for this year’s Young Director Award. He talks to Lucy Aitken about the thrill of sharing new talent, overcoming his existential dread of AI, and how the streamers are rewriting the production playbook.
Pip Smart: Smart Talk
Revolver’s Pip Smart is the Jury President for the Film Craft Lions. She spoke with Lucy Aitken about working with icons on Play It Safe, finding your voice and the enduring power of human-made work.
Emma Wright: Blaze of glory
The Bear Meets Eagle on Fire lead producer talks to Tim Cumming about the secrets and strategies of producing award-winning campaigns as the shots Awards Asia Pacfic Agency of the Year, 2025.
Blockhead's altered images
Stefan Coory [left] and Nigel Mortimer [right], partners at Australian VFX company Blockhead, talk to Tim Cumming about campaigns, creativity and ensuring that AI is your servant, not your master.
Skin in the game: Anthony Yano Hays
Splitting his time between Tokyo and Los Angeles, bilingual filmmaker and shots Awards Asia Pacific New Director of the Year 2025, Anthony Yano Hays, talks to Amy Hey about props made from human flesh and how he keeps commercial work fun.
Daniel Eatock: The generosity of creativity
Art Practice's Daniel Eatock is a director, artist, author and creator who says he's a "specialist generalist" who blends his work life with his home life. Izzy Ashton speaks to the man who delights in playful unpredictability.
Cut to the joke: André Rodrigues
From short films exploring 17th-century queer subculture to gothic beauty campaigns, OkayStudio editor André Rodrigues slices and dices his work with humour, rhythm and an innate sense of playfulness.
Rogers on a roll
Steve Rogers, Co-Founder of Revolver and winner of shots Awards APAC 2025 Director of the Year, claims he’s not a fan of commercials. Lucy Aitken met him to find out how, on his quest to make ads that aren’t ‘annoying’, he’s shot some of the most popular spots of recent times.
Ben Gregor: Rooted in play
From cult comedy shorts to Cannes-winning commercials and now just down from climbing The Magic Faraway Tree, Ben Gregor has spent his career making the borderline absurd feel human. Here, the Knucklehead director talks to Jamie Madge about performance, play and why good chaos needs structure.
Making it playful: Paloma Rincón
Multidisciplinary visual artist Paloma Rincón crafts bright, bold and deliciously playful photographic and moving image projects for global brands from Heineken to IKEA. She talks to Amy Hey at OFFF Festival Barcelona about experimentation, handmade craft and making people smile.