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A split photo featuring Mary Njoku (ROK Studios CEO) in a pink suit on the left and Juliet Ehimuan (Beyond Limits CEO) in a red blouse on the right. Both women are named to the Cannes Lions 2026 jury.
If there was ever a moment to feel proud of the women Nigeria is putting forward on the world stage, this is it. Two Nigerian executives have been confirmed for prominent roles at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, and the appointments reflect the scale of influence they have built across media, business, and innovation.
Mary Njoku, Founder and Managing Director/CEO of ROK Studios, a Canal+ subsidiary, has been named a LIONS Scholarship Jury Member for Cannes Lions 2026. Separately, organisers of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity have announced the appointment of Juliet Ehimuan, Founder and CEO of Beyond Limits Global, to the 2026 Awarding Jury, where she will serve in the prestigious Innovation category. The festival is scheduled to hold from 22nd to 26th June in Cannes, France.
The LIONS Scholarship gives young creatives and marketers access to a fully funded place in either the Creative Academy or Brand Marketers Academy at Cannes Lions 2026. Ten winners from ten countries will be selected, with applications open to candidates aged 30 and under.
Mary Njoku, the Nigeria-based founder of ROK Studios and Nollywood executive, seated in a light pink pantsuit. She has been named a LIONS Scholarship Jury Member for the 2026 Cannes Lions Festival. Photo Credit: Mary Njoku/Instagram
As a jury member, Mary Njoku will join global industry leaders responsible for selecting the next group of emerging talent.
The role aligns closely with her track record. Njoku founded ROK Studios in 2013 and built it into one of Africa’s most prolific production companies, with a catalogue spanning more than 3,000 hours of original content across film and television. In 2019, she oversaw the acquisition of ROK Studios by Canal+, widely regarded as the largest international deal involving a Nollywood brand. Canal+ retained her as Managing Director following the acquisition.
Her appointment places a Nollywood executive at the centre of a programme focused on identifying and supporting future creative leaders.
If the LIONS Scholarship focuses on emerging talent, the Awarding Jury is tasked with recognising the best work already shaping the industry. The Innovation Lions is among the festival’s most high-profile categories, spotlighting ideas that redefine the relationship between technology, creativity, and problem-solving.
Juliet Ehimuan brings decades of tech leadership to France as she joins the 2026 Cannes Lions Awarding Jury for the Innovation category, judging ideas that redefine the intersection of technology and creativity. Photo Credit: Juliet Ehimuan/Instagram
Juliet Ehimuan brings extensive experience to that responsibility.
She was appointed Google’s Country Manager for Nigeria in 2011, later rising to Director for West Africa in 2017, and led the company’s operations in the region for 12 years. During that time, Google delivered free digital skills training to more than six million people and advanced training to over 100,000 developers across Africa.
Since leaving Google, she has founded Beyond Limits Global and serves as a Non-Executive Director at Zenith Bank. She has also been recognised by Forbes as one of the top 20 power women in Africa, by London Business School as one of 30 people changing the world, and by MIPAD as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent.
On her appointment, Ehimuan said: “Innovation is a fundamental driver of progress and a core pillar upon which I have built my career over the last three decades. Cannes Lions represents the pinnacle of global creative excellence. And as the industry evolves, the diversity of voices at the table becomes our greatest asset in defining what’s next.”
Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, captured the weight of the jury’s role: “The impact of the Cannes Lions Jury can’t be underestimated. Their time and expertise in recognising groundbreaking work sets the global creative benchmark for the year ahead and provides a view of the future shape of creativity.”
With these appointments, Nigeria will be represented across two influential areas of Cannes Lions 2026: developing future talent and recognising innovation at the highest level.
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