LA Times Studios, in partnership with .monks, brought a creative series of discussions to this year’s Cannes Lions, specifically about how AI-driven orchestration is affecting brands in a rapidly shifting economy – shaping efficiency, transparency and awareness in every facet of the story, from ideation to delivery.
Our event took place at Les Monks Cafe at 5 Sq. Mérimée (right across from the Palais) from June 16 through the 20. Several thought-provoking panels brought together thought leaders on branding, fusion, transparency and more.
See below for panel details and recaps.
MONKS | LA TIMES STUDIOS @ CANNES LIONS SCHEDULE
MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2025
BRAND IS BACK: BRAND STORYTELLING & CONSUMER IMPACT
5:30 – 6:15 P.M. CEST
A compelling conversation on the power of brands to move audiences responsibly and shape culture. Hear directly from industry leaders as they share how they are not only reaching audiences, but also influencing cultural conversations through the strength of their brand presence. Take a behind-the-scenes look into top brands build narratives that connect with consumers on a deeper level, along with actionable takeaways for content marketing that drives real-world impact.
Speaker
Ziad Ahmed
Head of Next Gen at UTA
Speaker
Adam Faze
Co-founder of Gymnasium
Speaker
Amy Powell
President at VICE Studios
Speaker
Lauren Wood
President of The Yogi Foundation
Moderator
Anna Magzanyan
President, LA Times Studios
FUSION IS THE NEW F WORD: HOTAF – FIRESIDE CHAT WITH COMMONWEALTH FUSION SYSTEMS
6:15 – 6:45 P.M. CEST
Get an inside look at how Commonwealth Fusion Systems is shaking up the energy conversation. In this dynamic fireside chat, CMO Joe Paluska and Creative Director Jennine Willett sit down with Kristen Berke, VP, Entertainment and Branded Content Partnerships at LA Times Studios, revealing the bold strategies behind making fusion energy relevant and accessible to consumer audiences. Discover how creativity and storytelling are helping to rebrand a complex technology, spark public interest and position fusion as the “hottest” topic in clean energy. Be inspired by the ways disruptive marketing can ignite curiosity and drive real change.
Speaker
Joe Paluska
Chief Marketing Officer at Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Speaker
Jennine Willett
Creative Director at Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Moderator
Kristen Berke
VP, Entertainment and Branded Content Partnerships, LA Times Studios
TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2025
THE FUTURE OF CREATIVITY & AI: A FIRESIDE WITH SIR MARTIN SORRELL & will.i.am
10:45 – 11:15 A.M. CEST
This compelling conversation speaks to how brands and leaders can harness AI to move audiences and shape culture. Discover how industry pioneers are redefining collaboration and innovation at the intersection of imagination and technology. From democratizing knowledge to transforming global culture, learn how these trailblazers are shaping the future of human creativity. This is your front-row seat to a visionary dialogue on the power of AI, and the next frontier of influence.
Speaker
will.i.am
Founder & CEO of FYI.AI
Speaker
Sir Martin Sorrell
Executive Chairman of S4 Capital
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: THE REAL ROI OF MEDIA TRANSPARENCY IN THE ERA OF AI
5:30 – 6:00 P.M. CEST
Today’s CMOs need a Bloomberg Terminal for their brand content: real-time, always-on and fully transparent. This session explores why media transparency isn’t a nice-to-have but a business imperative, and how true performance visibility starts with end-to-end collaboration between brands and platforms. We unpack what it takes to build a content intelligence loop that gives marketing leaders the same clarity on their campaigns that CFOs have on their portfolios. Because in 2025, if you can’t see your content ROI by the hour, you’re already behind.
Speaker
Millie Chu
Sr. Director of Media Analytics at T-Mobile
Speaker
Jay Pattisall
VP of Principal Analyst at Forrester
Speaker
Meredith Zhang
Measurement Partner at TikTok
Moderator
Linda Cronin
EVP, Global Head of Media at Monks
FUTURE-PROOF OR FALL BEHIND: THE AI INVESTMENTS THAT BUILD RESILIENT BRANDS
6:00 – 6:30 P.M. CEST
Smart technology investments are crucial for ensuring business resilience and growth, especially in uncertain times. This panel explores how forward-thinking companies leverage AI-driven solutions, such as generative AI for content creation and performance optimization, to unlock efficiencies and reduce costs. Participants address how strategic allocation of budgets that focus on high-ROI initiatives, like cloud and AI transformation, empowers brands to build resilience and extend competitive advantages. AWS, Monks, NVIDIA, and more help uncover how integrating cutting-edge technology and agile methodologies can drive sustained growth in challenging economic times.
Speaker
Jamie Allan
Director, AdTech & Digital Marketing Industries at NVIDIA
Speaker
Matt Carter
Head of Industry at AWS
Speaker
Christian Fraser
Broadcaster and Writer at BBC
Speaker
Bobby Mohr
Vice President of Revenue at Twelve Labs
Moderator
Lewis Smithingham
SVP of Strategic Industries at Monks
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2025
PLAYING IN PERFECT SYNC: ORCHESTRATING AI AND CREATIVE INTELLIGENCE
5:30 – 6:00 P.M. CEST
As marketers face mounting pressure to deliver high-quality, consistent content at speed and scale across a fragmented digital landscape, experts from Monks, NVIDIA, and AWS joined together on stage to discuss how orchestration partnerships are transforming marketing operations by consolidating the content supply chain through AI-driven innovation and platforms like Monks.Flow. The panel highlights how collaboration among these industry leaders is empowering brands to deliver exceptional customer experiences while upholding brand integrity. Watch to get an exclusive preview of new Winterberry Group research on the measurable value of creative investment in today’s era of personalization and media complexity, further demonstrating how orchestration unlocks the full potential of creative intelligence. Explore how the seamless integration of talent, technology and creativity is setting new benchmarks for marketing efficiency.
Speaker
Dave Carey
Global EVP Studio & Embedded Solutions at Monks
Speaker
Matt Groshong
Business Development Director, AdTech & MarTech at NVIDIA
Speaker
Victoria Milo
SVP, Media Solutions & Emerging Technology at Monks
Speaker
Jon Williams
Global Head of Agency Partner Development at AWS
Moderator
Bruce Biegel
Senior Managing Partner at Winterberry Group
WHERE CREATIVITY MEETS AUTOMATION: AI AND THE FUTURE OF MARKETING WORKFLOWS
6:00 – 6:30 P.M. CEST
In this session, explore how the evolving relationship between creativity and AI-driven automation is transforming marketing workflows. Here, panelists discuss the symbiosis among foundational creative workflows, generative AI and AI-powered agents to create a more intelligent, responsive marketing ecosystem. Understanding how to successfully activate AI-powered content production and AI agents together empowers creatives and marketers to accelerate innovation, deliver highly personalized experiences, and unlock new levels of creativity. Explore how the intersection of creativity and AI is redefining marketing strategies and shaping a more dynamic, collaborative future.
Speaker
Hannah Elsakr
Intrapreneur, GenAI at Adobe
Speaker
Olga Mykhaylenko
SVP Operations at Monks
Speaker
Pat Murphy
Founder and CEO at MurphyCobb
Moderator
Tanya Bogin
EVP, Global Head of Studio at Monks
THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2025
TIMELESS, NOT STATIC: EVOLVING BRAND IDENTITY WITH PURPOSE
5:30 – 6:00 P.M. CEST
Staying true to your core doesn’t mean standing still. Unpack the blueprint for maintaining relevance and evolving as an organization without sacrificing authenticity. Industry leaders explore how they are refreshing their brand identities – not through reinvention, but through intentional, values-driven evolution. The discussion was moderated by the President of LA Times Studios, Anna Magzanyan.
Speaker
Robert Nathan Fried
Chief Executive Officer of Niagen Bioscience
Speaker
Brendan Ripp
Chief Executive Officer of Pushly
Speaker
Meridith Rojas
Chief Marketing Officer of VidaCorp North America
DIGITAL ALCHEMY: TRANSFORMING EXPERIENCES THROUGH AI
6:00 – 6:30 P.M. CEST
As the pace of innovation accelerates, leading companies are no longer just adapting to emerging technologies – they’re boldly harnessing them to unlock new levels of empowerment for employees, deepen client engagement, and elevate experiences. In this forward-looking conversation, we explore how AI and next-generation tools are reshaping the very architecture of modern brand-building. From internal enablement to external activation, panelists share real-world examples of how intelligent systems and immersive platforms are creating more agile, inspired, and high-performing organizations. This session also spotlighted how thoughtful integration of AI is augmenting – not replacing – human ingenuity, and why the companies thriving today are those that view innovation not as a tool, but as a culture. The discussion was moderated by the President of LA Times Studios, Anna Magzanyan.
Speaker
Karan Chetal
Chief Growth Officer, Technology Services at Monks
Speaker
Michael Cohen
Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Plus Company, AIOS
Speaker
Patrick Marzullo
Senior Director, Creative Studio at Coinbase
Speaker
Ganesha Rasiah
Chief Strategy Officer at HP
STUDIO INTERVIEWS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Please submit any questions to eventinfo@latimes.com.
Do I need a Cannes Lions Badge to attend?
No, an official Cannes Lions badge is not required to attend. However, all attendees must register and receive confirmation to gain entry.
I would like to learn more about speaking opportunities with LA Times Studios. Who should I contact?
If you’re interested in speaking opportunities at LA Times Studios, please contact helya.askari@latimes.com.
Who can I contact about sponsorship inquiries?
For all sponsorship inquires, please contact helya.askari@latimes.com.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
