Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast

The Cannes Debate: what is sport's place at the 'Festival of Creativity'?

Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast

Show Notes

What's the point of Cannes for the sports industry? As the marketing world prepares to descend on the French Riviera for the annual 'festival of creativity' that is Cannes Lions, sport has becoming increasingly central.

Kenny Annan-Jonathan, the newly installed Cannes Lions Sports Director, joins co-hosts James Emmett and Alex Charkham, who runs strategy and consulting for global sports and entertainment marketing agency Fuse, for this first edition of the Cannes Debate.

On the agenda: why and how sport has taken a central position in brand marketing and communications; the evolving trends that should see sport dominate the marketing agenda; and the best examples of sports entities navigating the marketing and media landscape to create true cultural impact.

Also: what to wear, where to watch the World Cup, how to discern the gobbets of insight from the globules of BS, and why the role of 'Creative Director' is seeping into the mainstream across sport.

More from Leaders Worth Knowing Podcast

Oct 22, 2026

The International Olympic Committee has revealed the process and timeline for selecting the host of the 2036 summer Olympic Games, and James Emmett and David Cushnan are on hand to discuss why a more open bidding contest is a good thing.

Oct 20, 2026

Bex Smith, CEO of multi-club women's football ownership group Crux Football, is the next guest in the series, from Leaders and research agency GWI, exploring demographics, attitudes and priorities amongst fans of women’s sport.

Oct 16, 2026

Netflix has acquired the exclusive broadcast rights in Spain to the 2030 men's Fifa World Cup, a move which underlines its live sports ambition and marks a first foray into football in Europe.

Oct 15, 2026

Simon Crownshaw is Microsoft’s international factotum: Worldwide Director for Media & Entertainment, CTO, and AI evangelist, he is also the key to the sports and entertainment marketing arsenal at Microsoft.

Oct 9, 2026

The curtain has fallen on Leaders Week London at Stamford Bridge, and James Emmett and David Cushnan are joined by an all-star lineup to reflect on the major themes of the Summit.

See all episodes →