Jury Presidents for Pitcher Awards 2025 announced
By Amos Oladele
Pitcher Festival of Creativity has announced the first set of its distinguished Jury Presidents for the Pitcher Awards 2025 holding from 15th to 17th of May.
Their names and brief profiles are:
Entertainment Jury President – Obi Asika
Obi Asika is Nigeria’s Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture.
He brings over 30 years of experience as a key driver and leader of Nigeria’s creative industries. Recognized by millions across Africa as a Judge on the popular Nigerian Idol TV show, Obi’s impact has been vast, from building Storm 360/Storm Records into a successful entertainment brand to co-founding Social Media Week Lagos. He has been involved in significant cross-sector collaborations and held numerous government positions, contributing to the growth of Nigeria’s creative and cultural space.
Obi Asika’s greatest impact in the creative sector has been as a builder, investor and visionary leader. He is an ecosystem builder who has been involved in cross sector collaborations for over a decade, before he entered public officer he convened and launched the Omniverse, a multi sector collaboration platform underlined by the tech ecosystem and bringing the storytelling power of the creative industries to the fore. He is a passionate leader and focused on the huge opportunities that Nigerian soft power can unlock and how we can enable economic growth.
In 2015, Obi Asika became the first person appointed by the President to a Cabinet-rank position overseeing the portfolio of digital policy & social media. He has since served on more than 15 Government committees across different Administrations, including Chairman, Technical Sub-Committee of the Federal Government of Nigeria Audience Measurement Committee; 2019. National Coordinator, Technical Working Group, Culture, Creativity, Hospitality & Tourism, Nigeria Agenda 2050; Member, Review of Nigeria Broadcast Corporation Code 2020 and Member, Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Olympic Committee since 2021. From his work with the National Sports Policy and the NESG he became a non-executive director of Sport Nigeria which is incubated from the NESG. His team also led the policy that was accepted for the national development plan 2020-2050 as it affects the CCHT (Culture, Creative, Hospitality and Tourism Industries).
He has also contributed to the development of the creative and cultural space through his leadership as a director of the board of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), 2012-2017. Trustee, Online Publishing Association of Nigeria, co-Convener of the Africa Soft Power Project and founder of Iba Ajie, a cultural, arts and innovation hub in Onitsha. An internationally renowned thought-leader on the African creative and cultural economy, Obi Asika was appointed in 2014 to the Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. and recently joined the boards of Africa No Filter and DAAR Communications PLC. Additionally, he has delivered presentations at the London Business School, Harvard Business School, Wharton School of Business, MIT, Corporate Council on Africa USA-Africa Summit, and Soccerex among others.
A recipient of numerous local and international honours, Obi Asika was recognized by the African Leadership Network in 2012; named by top US publication Black Enterprise as one of their 100 Modern Men in 2016, and inducted into the Afrobeats Hall of Fame in 2022. Obi Asika was a member of the Cannes Lion Jury for Music in 2024 which is the premium music and innovation platform on the planet.
Craft Jury President – Mike Miller
Leading the Craft Jury is Mike Miller, Executive Creative Director of X3M Ideas, Lagos, Nigeria. Mike has been putting ideas in front of people for over 30 years, from big brand campaigns to hard-hitting retail promotions. He is strategic, creative, and has won many international awards.
He has this to say about himself, “I have been putting ideas in front of people for over 30 years. From big brand campaigns and cool product launches, to hard hitting retail promotions and information driven websites. From traditional media platforms to the latest in digital, experiential, shopper, and social. I am strategic, I write, I design, and have won many International awards. I have led teams of up to 80 people, both agency and client side, to do the same. I have handled the recruitment and structuring of many creative departments, been responsible for the career paths of those in it, and been financially responsible for salary negotiation, award budgets, equipment procurement, and the general well-being and happiness of my staff. I have been told I present well, and more importantly listen well, all the way to the C-suite.
“I was born and educated in the UK, spent 20+ years in Australia, currently live and work in Nigeria, having worked in the UK, Taiwan, Kenya and Australia, as well as creating work for India, China, Germany, EMEA, North America and many other Asian countries”.
Mike shared his excitement about his appointment as Jury President thus, “I am delighted to be the President of the Craft Jury and look forward to seeing the excellence that’s been put into the details in all aspects of craft. Thanks for the opportunity to celebrate the best of our industry across the continent”.
Digital Jury President – Yash Deb
The Digital Jury, Yash Deb, is Co-Founder & Creative Partner of The Bar Africa, Kenya. With experience across 12 countries and 4 continents, Yash has earned a reputation for his creative leadership. He has led award-winning campaigns for top brands and believes in falling madly in love with a problem to bring great ideas to life. His innovative spirit and deep understanding of digital landscapes make him a perfect fit to lead this category.
Yash’s experience and reputation as a creative leader belies his age. Learning his trade and craft at agencies like Hakuhodo, TBWA and Dentsu, Yash created memorable campaigns for blue-chip brands such as Nike, P&G, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Diageo, Standard Chartered, Safaricom and Toyota. He then setup Isobar in the region, an agency he led to the Agency of the Year gong within 5 years.
Next came the opportunity to head Ogilvy Africa’s creative department where he created history being the tour de force behind Lesso Lessons; a campaign that won East, West and Central Africa’s very first Gold Lion at Cannes and a coveted Yellow Pencil at D&AD. This apart, he also has wins at The One Show, Clio’s, Loeries, Spikes, Ad Stars and CAG, served as jury member at the African Cristals, Loeries, LAIF Awards and APA, and even featured in The Business Daily’s 40 under 40 list. Yash believes that to bring great ideas to life, one must first fall madly in love with a problem.
Good & Effectiveness Jury President – Dawn Rowlands
Dawn Rowlands, CEO of Dentsu Africa, will preside over the Good & Effectiveness Jury. Recognized as Business Woman of the Year, serial entrepreneur, and wine lover, Dawn is passionate about innovating to impact society. She looks forward to awarding work that showcases creative brilliance and brings about positive societal impact. “Look forward to awarding work that innovates to impact society, brands, and the planet,” she said.
Culture Jury President – Nthabiseng Lekoaletsoe
Nthabiseng is Business Director, Ogilvy Social Lab Africa. She is passionate about building brands and pushing boundaries. Following an outstanding performance as Culture Jury President in 2024, she will once again lead the jury in 2025.
Speaking of her expectations for the 2025 jury, she said “we’ll be looking for creative work that embodies cultural marketing, deeply connects with consumers, and showcases our distinct yet diverse African creativity, pushing boundaries and creating social impact.”
And about herself, she has this to say, “I have over 16 years’ experience in the advertising and marketing industry globally and across Africa. I have a passion for building brands constantly looking for ways to push the boundaries. Staying at the forefront of ever-changing market and cultural trends is important in creating cutting edge work for brands and consumers. I have had the privilege to lead and work across a wide spectrum of some iconic and celebrated brands, stretching across industry and category”.
In the words of Dr. Nnamdi Ndu, Chairman of the Pitcher Festival, “Pitcher Festival is set to once again showcase and celebrate ideas that will hopefully surpass those of the past. We’re delighted to be working with some of the best talents on the continent, which reassures us that we will definitely exceed expectations”.
ABOUT PITCHER FESTIVAL OF CREATIVITY:
Pitcher Festival of Creativity is an annual events and awards programme that promotes Africa’s creativity in marketing, advertising, media, PR, digital, entertainment and related fields. Annually, the Festival presents the prestigious Pitcher Awards, the Pan-African benchmark for creative excellence, to deserving ad agencies, brands and individuals for campaigns and initiatives created or implemented in Africa.
The festival programmes include:
Pitcher Awards – the new Pan-African benchmark for creative excellence.
Future Creative Leaders Academy – an intensive professional immersion and competitions for university students on their way into the creative industries.
Young Professionals Academy – intensive training sessions and life-changing competitions for creative, media, digital and marketing professionals under 30.
Creative Leaders Compass – A series of sessions and workshops designed to guide and inspire current and emerging leaders in the creative sector.
Creating a Better Africa – an initiative aimed at mobilizing the private sector towards greater participation in development projects in Africa.
Pitcher Talks – provides a unique regional platform for leading industry professionals to deliver top-notch seminars and conduct hands-on workshops that address critical issues affecting the industry. To speak at any of the festival platforms, please let us know by completing the form.
For sponsorship and partnership details, please send email to [email protected]
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