Cannes Lions 2025 names Amazon CEO Andy Jassy as media person of the year
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced that
Andy Jassy
, president and chief executive officer of
Amazon
, will be honored with the 2025
media person of the year
award. The award recognises individuals who have significantly shaped the global media and creative communications landscape.
Jassy's leadership at Amazon has coincided with the company's substantial expansion beyond e-commerce into a prominent force in the media and advertising sectors. Amazon's advertising revenue has shown consistent growth, driven by initiatives like sponsored product ads and a concerted push into TV advertising via
Prime Video
. The introduction of sponsored TV in 2024, a self-service tool for brands to create campaigns across multiple streaming platforms, further broadened Amazon's reach in the advertising space.
Philip Thomas, chair, Lions, commented on the selection, stating, "Historically, each year, Cannes Lions has honored outstanding leaders who have reshaped the media industry. This year, we are proud to recognise Andy Jassy and the entire Amazon organisation. Not only is Amazon the largest media platform globally, but it has also set new standards for scale, creativity and influence, effectively creating a new model for media. Andy's visionary leadership continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in media, and we are excited to honor him for his extraordinary contributions."
Under Jassy's tenure as chief executive officer since 2021, Amazon has reported strong financial performance, with notable growth in its advertising division. The company's expansion into diverse media offerings, including streaming content and an extensive advertising portfolio, reflects a deliberate strategy to integrate commerce and content.
Jassy will be present at the festival to participate in a fireside chat at the Debussy Theatre on Wednesday, June 18, before formally receiving the media person of the year award during the evening's awards ceremony. He joins a roster of past recipients that includes figures such as Salar Kamangar (YouTube), Jack Dorsey (Twitter), Eric Schmidt (Google), Mark Zuckerberg (Meta) and Steve Ballmer (Microsoft).
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