Motion Sickness Partner and Head of Strategy Hilary Ngan Kee selected for Cannes Lions 2026 See It Be It cohort

Cannes Lions has announced the cohort for the 2026 See It Be It talent programme, designed to accelerate the careers of women and non-binary talent.

Representing Aotearoa New Zealand is Hilary Ngan Kee, Partner and Head of Strategy at Motion Sickness, who joins 19 other creatives from 15 markets. Serbia and South Korea are represented in the programme for the first time.

Taking place at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, between 22 and 26 June 2026, the programme includes mentorship opportunities and private masterclasses with industry leaders, as well as backstage access and sessions tailored to each participant’s career goals.

The cohort will be supported by Alumni Tutors Leena Gupta, Creative & Founding Member, Talented Agency, India, and Natasha Lashly, Founder & ECD, Piña Colada, Venezuela.

Commenting on her appointment, Lashly said: “The week I came back from Cannes, I wrote a little ‘moonshot’ in my notebook: come back one day as a SIBI Tutor. This programme has a way of changing you. You arrive for the professional growth, but you leave with something deeper: confidence, clarity, and a global sisterhood. Being a tutor now feels like the most beautiful full-circle moment. My role is simple: hold the space, share the sunshine, and remind every brilliant woman and non-binary creative that they truly belong here.”

Gupta added: “Being part of See It Be It 2025 shifted something fundamental in me. It reminded me that the right room can change the trajectory of a career. Coming back as a Tutor feels like a full-circle moment. I’m excited to hold space for twenty extraordinary women as they question bigger, speak louder, and build braver. If SIBI 2025 taught me anything, it’s that when women see what’s possible, they don’t just rise; they smash the ceiling.”

Says Frank Starling, Chief DEI Officer, LIONS: “The See It Be It programme is a cornerstone initiative at Cannes Lions, embodying our unwavering commitment to elevating underrepresented talent in the creative industry. This year, the programme welcomes a dynamic cohort representing a broad range of creative disciplines and global markets. Their unique perspectives and experiences will undoubtedly enrich our SIBI community – a network dedicated to fostering career development and paving the way forward for women and non-binary talent in the industry. Congratulations to the 2026 cohort, we look forward to welcoming you at the Festival.”

Since its inception in 2014, more than 150 women and non-binary talent from 44 markets have participated in the programme. Designed to combat the gender imbalance of creative directors in the industry, the programme has expanded to include See It Be It Connect events. From Kenya to India, the Connect events offer regional touchpoints that extend the impact of the programme year-round, helping foster a global community set on achieving real change. This year, the programme further extended into the APAC region with See It Be It Connects: Spikes Asia running in Singapore earlier this month.

See It Be It is open to all women and non-binary people*.

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