Akira Kagami and Jon Wilkins confirmed as Spikes Asia 2010 jury heads

The appointments confirm the final two of six jury presidents in total. Rei Inamoto and William Rosen will lead the Direct and Promo juries respectively along with David Lubars as head of the TV/ Cinema, Print, Outdoor, Radio and Integrated jury and Bob Greenberg as design jury president.

Commenting on the appointments, Terry Savage, chairman of Cannes Lions, said: “With an in-depth knowledge of the region’s communications industry and work, both Akira and Jon’s experiences are paramount to leading the juries whose decision will ultimately be influential to these awards and to the business.”

Akira Kagami has been with Dentsu for 30 years during which time he has worked on almost every category imaginable.

During his time with the agency, Kagami has picked up numerous prizes, including awards at Cannes Lions, Clio, and One Show, as well as three Grand Prix at AdFest. He has served on the jury at Cannes Lions, Clio, One Show, D&AD, Media Spikes, and many other international awards, as well as being jury chair at Cannes Lions and AdFest. This year, he will receive the New York Festivals Lifetime Achievement Award.

Commenting on the importance of craft, Kagami reckons that whatever the changes in media, there will always be a need for it. "I hope that this year’s Craft category will feature work that is contemporary yet traditional, Asian yet universal, at a level never seen before,” he adds.

Prior to crossing into advertising and his first role at BMP DDB, Jon Wilkin worked at Granada TV and Disney. During his time at BMP DDB, Wilkin worked across local and global accounts, and was part of the team that started what has become Tribal DDB. In 1997 he left to work at PHD and was later promoted to joint managing director in 1999.

One year later in 2000, Jon started multiple award-winning creative communications agency Naked Communications along with John Harlow and Will Collin. Naked has offices across the world and count big brands Nokia, Coca Cola, Unilever, Kimberly Clark and Johnson and Johnson among their clients.

Wilkins currently lives in Sydney where he continues to be global chairman of Naked focusing on growing the Asia-Pacific business.

According to Wilkins: “Asia is the most exciting part of the world to work in, with dynamic growth across the length and breadth of the region - it all contributes to the heady cocktail that is Spikes 2010.”

The Spikes Asia Advertising Festival provides the region’s growing creative and advertising industry with a platform to network and exchange ideas, bringing together some of the finest creative thinkers from across the region and around the world. This year's festival will take place at Suntec City in Singapore from 19 to 21 September.