The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced a significant addition to its 2025 agenda — the launch of the inaugural Lions B2B Summit, in partnership with LinkedIn as the headline sponsor and Stein IAS as the supporting partner. Scheduled for June 17, 2025, the half-day summit will gather top global B2B marketers, decision-makers, and creative leaders to discuss and shape the future of B2B advertising.
This landmark initiative marks a new chapter in Cannes Lions’ ongoing commitment to elevating the B2B space. Following the successful introduction of the Creative B2B Lions in 2022 — an idea in discussion since 2013 — the summit is a natural next step. With B2B digital ad spend projected to nearly triple its pre-pandemic levels by 2026, the industry is seeing explosive growth and increasing demand for creativity-led brand solutions.
Simon Cook, CEO of Lions, emphasized the importance of this move:
“Launching the Lions B2B Summit is a natural next step in bringing the global B2B community together in Cannes. We’re proud to have LinkedIn as our official Lions B2B Partner for 2025 — their support since the B2B Lions launch has been pivotal in spotlighting creativity and effectiveness in this space.”
The summit promises a dynamic lineup of speakers and panelists, with sessions focused on how creativity can power brand reputation, the importance of influence and connections in B2B, and why bold storytelling offers a distinct competitive edge.
LinkedIn’s Vice-President of Marketing Solutions, Matthew Derella, added:
“We’re thrilled to headline the first-ever Lions B2B Summit at Cannes Lions 2025. This partnership will amplify the powerful stories and transformative ideas that are redefining B2B marketing globally.”
This summit is expected to be a cornerstone event, reinforcing Cannes Lions’ role as a global platform for creative excellence — now with an intensified focus on B2B innovation.
