FreeWheel Cannes

The FreeWheel Beach at Cannes Lions

Plage Goéland, Boulevard de la Croisette
Monday 22 – Thursday 25 June 2026

About

We’re thrilled to announce the FreeWheel Beach will be returning to Cannes Lions in 2026.

We’ll showcase recent industry advances, predict what’s next in advertising, and soak up the sun on the French Riviera.

Agenda

Join us throughout the week for a series of standout content sessions featuring an incredible lineup of speakers. Expect insights, perspectives, and debate on the industry’s hottest topics – with more names coming soon.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Note: Only small bags will be allowed (no suitcases). No unauthorized external cameras and/or camera crews are permitted. Access throughout the week is at FreeWheel's discretion and subject to capacity.

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

Building What’s Next: The Developer Playbook

FreeWheel’s platform was built for builders. In this session, we bring together the innovative developers who are creating new solutions on top of the FreeWheel ecosystem - tools and capabilities designed to help clients move faster, unlock smarter workflows, and deliver stronger results. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at how these teams are shaping what comes next in advertising technology.

Matt Adams
Global CEO, Stagwell Media Platform

Stephane Bismuth
Co-Founder, VizNet.tv

Joe Hirsch
CEO, Swivel

John Hoctor
CEO/Co-Founder, Newton Research

Ying Wang
General Manager, Advertising, Xumo

David Dworin
Chief Product Officer, FreeWheel - Moderator

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Comcast Advertising Happy Hour with Universal Ads and Xumo

9:00 am - 10:00 am

Televisionaries: The TV Leaders Panel

Join the UK’s commercial TV chiefs for a very special Televisionaries panel. Leaders from Channel 4, ITV, Sky, and more will come together for a candid and thought-provoking discussion on the future of TV. They’ll explore TV’s latest developments, the impact of streaming, how the TV companies are collaborating in new and innovative ways, and the opportunities for brands keen to get the best out of today’s TV.

Karen Eccles
Managing Director, Sky Media

Rak Patel
Chief Commercial Officer, Channel 4

Lee Sears
President International Advertising and Brand Studios, Paramount Global

Kelly Williams
Managing Director, Commercial, ITV

Lindsey Clay
Chief Executive, Thinkbox - Moderator

10:15 am – 11:30 am

Full Velocity: Winning at the Pace of AI

Opening Remarks

AI is speeding everything up in the media world, and it’s changing the way we all work. New ideas can become real products faster than ever, and there’s a huge opportunity to stand out with smarter solutions that actually make a difference. Of course, that also means the pressure is on—everyone’s trying to move first and move fast.

James Rooke
President, Comcast Advertising

Acceleration in Action

James Rooke, President of Comcast Advertising, will lead a discussion on new advancements in automated intelligence that are making it easier than ever for advertisers to use data and technology to drive proven outcomes and optimize for greater success.

James Rooke
President, Comcast Advertising

Special guest to be announced

The AI Ad Revolution: Aligning Buyers and Sellers for What’s Next

As one of the largest buyers and sellers of media in the U.S., Comcast takes center stage as executives from Xfinity (the buyer) and NBCUniversal (the seller) come together for a candid, no-holds-barred conversation on the future of advertising—moderated by a leading voice from McKinsey & Co. on the advertising’s AI-driven future.

Jon Gieselman
Chief Growth Officer, Comcast

Marc Brodherson
Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company - Moderator

Special guest to be announced

The Future of Agentic Advertising, Today

AI-driven, agentic media planning and buying is on everyone’s lips - but how far has it really come? This panel pairs a Fox media executive with the head of Universal Ads to discuss the massive inroads that both companies have recently made in making premium video more accessible and performative for advertisers of all sizes.

James Borow
General Manager, Universal Ads

Stephano Kim
Chief Strategy and Operations Officer, Fox Ad Sales

Soo Jin Oh
Chief Commercial Officer, FreeWheel - Moderator

Faster. Smarter. Further. Advertising Beyond Borders

Executing unified, global media campaigns has never been easy - especially in premium TV and video. But in an AI‑fueled world, both the urgency for global coordination and the ability to deliver it are accelerating fast. Thomas Bremond, Managing Director of Comcast Advertising, International, leads this panel exploring how the industry is responding, and what it takes to make global campaigns work at scale today.

Olivier Jollet
Executive Vice President, Pluto TV, Paramount Skydance

Katty Roberfroid
Director General, egta

Roberto Stanichi
EVP and Chief Global Brand Officer, Mattel

Dawn Lee Williamson
CRO, Media Solutions, Comcast Advertising

Thomas Bremond
Managing Director, Comcast Advertising, International -Moderator

9:30 am - 11:00 am

Must See Moments Live: Comedy, Confessionals & Fandoms with NBCUniversal

Opening Remarks

Matt Strauss
Chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group

Comedy in Culture: Seth Meyers & Colin Jost on the Business of Funny

LIVE from FreeWheel Beach in Cannes, Colin Jost and Seth Meyers join NBCUniversal’s Katie Hockmeyer for a candid conversation on the power of comedy in today’s cultural landscape - and why brands should be paying attention. From building loyal audiences to driving conversation and creating memorable moments that break through the noise, they’ll explore why humor remains one of the most effective tools for connecting with consumers in an increasingly fragmented media environment. Expect sharp insights, behind-the-scenes stories, and plenty of laughs along the way.

Colin Jost
Writer/Weekend Update co-anchor, "Saturday Night Live"

Seth Meyers
Host/Writer, "Late Night with Seth Meyers"

Katie Hockmeyer
Executive Vice President, "Late Night Programming", NBCUniversal - Moderator

Podcast Kick-Off Remarks

Frances Berwick
Chairman, Bravo & Peacock Unscripted, NBCUniversal

Cannes Confessionals: Live Podcast Taping with Virtual Reali-Tea

Join Page Six’s Virtual Reali-Tea for a live podcast taping from FreeWheel Beach, where pop culture, fandom, and unfiltered conversation take center stage. Lindsay Hubbard and Mia Calabrese will join hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real for a candid conversation on life in the spotlight — from friendships and fashion to fan culture and behind-the-scenes moments audiences can’t get enough of. Expect sharp takes, surprise moments, and plenty of tea — all set against the backdrop of Cannes. The taping will be followed by an exclusive meet-and-greet with attendees.

Mia Calabrese
Cast Member, "Summer House"

Lindsay Hubbard
Cast Member, "Summer House" and "In The City"

Danny Murphy
Host, Page Six "Virtual Reali-Tea"

Evan Real
Host, Page Six "Virtual Reali-Tea"

Closing Remarks

Mark Marshall
Chairman, Global Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Scheduled meetings only

Speakers

Matt Adams

Global CEO, Stagwell Media Platform

Frances Berwick

Chairman, Bravo & Peacock Unscripted, NBCUniversal

Stephane Bismuth

Co-Founder, VizNet.tv

James Borow

General Manager, Universal Ads

Thomas Bremond

Managing Director, Comcast Advertising, International

Marc Brodherson

Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company

Mia Calabrese

Cast Member, "Summer House"

Lindsey Clay

Chief Executive, Thinkbox

David Dworin

Chief Product Officer, FreeWheel

Karen Eccles

Managing Director, Sky Media

Jon Gieselman

Chief Growth Officer, Comcast

Joe Hirsch

CEO, Swivel

Katie Hockmeyer

Executive Vice President, "Late Night Programming", NBCUniversal

John Hoctor

CEO/Co-Founder, Newton Research

Lindsay Hubbard

Cast Member, "Summer House" and "In The City"

Soo Jin Oh

Chief Commercial Officer, FreeWheel

Colin Jost

Writer/Weekend Update co-anchor, "Saturday Night Live"

Stephano Kim

Chief Strategy and Operations Officer, Fox Ad Sales

Mark Marshall

Chairman, Global Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal

Mark McKee

General Manager, FreeWheel

Seth Meyers

Host/Writer, "Late Night with Seth Meyers"

Danny Murphy

Host, Page Six "Virtual Reali-Tea"

Rak Patel

Chief Commercial Officer, Channel 4

Evan Real

Host, Page Six "Virtual Reali-Tea"

Katty Roberfroid

Director General, egta

James Rooke

President, Comcast Advertising

Roberto Stanichi

EVP and Chief Global Brand Officer, Mattel

Matt Strauss

Chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group

Ying Wang

General Manager, Advertising, Xumo

Kelly Williams

Managing Director, Commercial, ITV

Dawn Lee Williamson

CRO, Media Solutions, Comcast Advertising

Be Inspired

We’re looking forward to welcoming
you to the FreeWheel Beach.

Join us

Cannes Lions Delegate access hours:
Monday 22 June: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Tuesday 23 June: 9:00 am – 11:15 am
Wednesday 24 June: 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Thursday 25 June: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Speak to your FreeWheel representative to book a meeting or for any queries [email protected].