Introducing the 2026 Pitcher Awards Jury Presidents
- Jan 26
- 2 min read
The Pitcher Festival has announced the Jury Presidents for the 2026 Pitcher Awards, unveiling a distinguished group of industry leaders who will oversee the judging process for one of Africa’s most respected creative accolades. This year’s edition is particularly notable with the introduction of the new Care category, expanding the scope of the awards to include health‑focused creativity and innovation.
The 2026 Jury Presidents were selected for their proven leadership, deep industry expertise, and influence across advertising, media, digital innovation, entertainment, and purpose‑driven communication. Their appointments set the stage for a rigorous and inspiring evaluation process.
2026 Pitcher Awards Jury Presidents
Care - Kerstin Trikalitis, CEO & Co‑Founder, Out There Media
Channel - Dozie Okafor, MD/CEO, PHD Nigeria & President, Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN)
Craft - Yash Deb, Co‑Founder & Creative Partner, The Bar Africa, Kenya
Culture - Anand Badami, SVP & Growth Lead, Emerging Markets & Innovation, Publicis West Africa
Digital - Karim Yermeche, CEO, Lotus Conseil, Hydra, Algeria
Good & Effectiveness - Dawn Rowlands, CEO, Dentsu Africa
Entertainment - Steve Babaeko, CEO/CCO, X3M Ideas & Vice President, Area Director for Africa, IAA
Heritage - Maxwell Ngari, Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Creative Kenya
Care - Kerstin Trikalitis, CEO & Co‑Founder, Out There Media Channel - Dozie Okafor, MD/CEO, PHD Nigeria & President, MIPAN Craft - Yash Deb, Co‑Founder & Creative Partner, The Bar Africa, Kenya Culture - Anand Badami, SVP & Growth Lead, Emerging Markets & Innovation, Publicis West Africa Digital - Karim Yermeche, CEO, Lotus Conseil, Hydra, Algeria Good & Effectiveness - Dawn Rowlands, CEO, Dentsu Africa Entertainment - Steve Babaeko, CEO/CCO, X3M Ideas & Vice President, Area Director for Africa, IAA Heritage - Maxwell Ngari, Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Creative Kenya
Kerstin Trikalitis, who will lead the inaugural Care jury, said she was honored by the appointment and emphasized the importance of creativity in advancing health and wellbeing. She noted that she looks forward to recognizing work that “helps people with ideas that heal, educate, and expand access with dignity, inclusion, and impact.” Kerstin also brings extensive experience in mobile-led health communication, including Out There Media’s global COVID‑19 public education campaign delivered in partnership with the World Health Organization through Out There Impact.
Heritage Jury President Maxwell Ngari also expressed enthusiasm, noting that he was excited to chair the category “among a very talented jury.” Ngari, who has served on the Pitcher Awards jury multiple times over the years, brings deep familiarity with the festival’s standards of excellence. Under his creative leadership, Dentsu Creative Kenya has consistently excelled at the Pitcher Awards, earning multiple Ad Agency of the Year titles - an achievement that underscores both his expertise and the strength of the team he leads.
Chairman of the Pitcher Festival, Dr. Nnamdi Ndu, said the appointments reflect the festival’s mission to champion creativity that shapes culture, business, and society. He added that the 2026 Jury Presidents bring a wealth of experience that will help ensure a fair, insightful, and forward‑looking evaluation of the work submitted.
With entries now open, agencies, brands, production companies, media companies, and independent creators are encouraged to submit their work if they have not already done so. The Pitcher Awards remain open to all projects created, released, or implemented anywhere in Africa, as well as work developed outside the continent but intended for African markets or global African diaspora communities.
The 2026 edition also marks the return of the awards for Brands and Marketing Companies, including Brand of the Year and Marketing Company of the Year across both national and multinational categories.
To begin your submission, visit www.pitcherfestival.com and click the “Enter Awards” button to access the entry portal. We look forward to celebrating the outstanding creativity that will define the 2026 Pitcher Awards.