Observed Signal · Mar 25, 2026 · Awards / Event · Source: ExchangeWire · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Positive
The Wires 2026 Announces New Judging Panel
ExchangeWire has revealed the newest members of The Wires 2026 judging panel as the awards reach their tenth year. The panel spans EMEA, APAC, MENA and the US and includes senior media, agency and commerce leaders from organisations such as Publicis Groupe, Spark Foundry, SG retail, Carwow Group, Omnicom for Philips, UM Indonesia and Heroiks. Judges said they will prioritise entries demonstrating authentic storytelling, measurable business outcomes and clear use of technology — calling out practical AI, programmatic excellence, retail media innovation, robust measurement and first-party data use. Ieva Butenaite returns for a third year. The announcement frames this year’s awards as focused on demonstrable impact, creative rigour and real-world commercial value rather than hype alone.
Announcement of an awards judging panel highlights industry priorities (AI, programmatic, retail media, measurement) but is primarily a sector event announcement with limited operational impact.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- The Wires 2026 marks the awards' tenth anniversary.
- ExchangeWire assembled a multinational judging panel covering EMEA, APAC, MENA and the US.
- New judges include Ci En Lee (Senior Strategist, Publicis Groupe); Emma Glenn (Head of Programmatic, Spark Foundry); Alex Knapman (Senior Consultant, SG retail); Victoria Bruce (Head of Media, Carwow Group); Ieva Butenaite (Executive Director, Commerce Strategy, Omnicom for Philips); Melliana Utami (Associate Media Director, UM Indonesia); and Hicham Auajjar (Founding Partner & CEO, Heroiks).
- Judges emphasised a preference for entries that show authentic explanations, measurable outcomes, practical uses of AI, programmatic innovation, retail media impact, and strong measurement frameworks.
- Ieva Butenaite is returning to the judging panel for her third consecutive year.
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ExchangeWire Names Final Judges for The Wires 2026
ExchangeWire has revealed the final judging panel for The Wires 2026 and summarised what judges will be looking for in entries. The panel includes senior brand, agency and publisher figures who emphasise creativity anchored in measurable commercial outcomes, cultural relevance, strong strategic thinking and thoughtful execution. Judges highlighted ethical uses of AI, proof of AI in practice rather than theory, robust measurement and attribution (noting CTV measurement interest), and the importance of human-centred insight. The announcement names individual judges and captures their evaluation criteria ahead of The Wires awards submission period and ceremony.
Judges Reveal Criteria for The Wires 2026 Awards
ExchangeWire published judges' perspectives for The Wires 2026 awards, collecting criteria that the jury will use to evaluate entries. Judges from IBM, UM Qatar, Currys, Marriott International and independent consultancy emphasize clarity of purpose, innovative and outcome-driven use of data and AI, measurable business results, human-centric design, and responsible AI governance. They seek work that blends creativity with operational efficiency, demonstrates scalability and market relevance, and reflects cultural nuance and cross-functional collaboration. The piece is intended to guide submissions and highlights the awards' focus on measurable, trustworthy, and ethically designed marketing and technology work.
Agencies Rethink Ownership of Agentic AI and Data
At Programmatic IO in New York, agency leaders debated the future of data and AI tool ownership. Executives from S4 Capital, Horizon Media, Dentsu, and WPP agreed that agencies should avoid owning client data and AI models to maintain neutrality and avoid conflicts of interest. They highlighted a shift from FTE-based compensation to outcome-based pricing and licensing AI tools to clients. The panel also discussed AI's impact on DSPs, with WPP's McAndrew noting a move toward agent-to-agent interactions and increased supply-chain compression. Sorrell warned of Big Tech platforms like Meta becoming end-to-end threats, pushing agencies to become validators. The discussion reflects a broader industry trend away from data ownership, contrasting with Publicis's acquisition of LiveRamp.
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