FreeWheel Cannes

The FreeWheel Beach at Cannes Lions

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

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the FreeWheel Beach at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2026.

We hope you enjoyed a week full of bold conversations, fresh perspectives, and plenty of excitement. We loved exploring what’s next in adtech and AI together. And we had a blast partying on the beach with you!

We are so grateful to our speakers, panelists, partners, clients, and guests who helped make the week so meaningful. Your ideas, questions, and conversations are what continue to move our industry forward.

Until next year!

Agenda

Throughout the week, we heard from global experts on the power of TV and where the industry is headed.

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, 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.

Mark Eamer
Vice President of Global Growth Sales, Partners and Sales Go to Market, Amazon

James Rooke
President, Comcast Advertising

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

Matt Strauss
Chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group

Marc Brodherson
Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company - Moderator

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 - 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"