From Ideas to Influence: Chandu Rajapreyar’s Path to the Innovation Lions Jury

Chandu Rajapreyar’s selection to the Innovation Lions Jury at Cannes Lions 2025 – widely regarded as the world’s most prestigious festival for creativity in marketing and communications – marked more than a personal milestone. It reflects a shift in what defines creative leadership - perspective.

Now serving as Group Executive Creative Director of Hakuhodo Group Vietnam, Chandu’s path has spanned Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia. And now more than ever, he believes in the power of human creativity – because it’s the one thing that can’t be faked in a world where AI can already write, code and paint.

Creativity endures when it blends innovation with emotional truth and cultural context. That’s what makes ideas matter – not just impress.

It's a mindset that found its match at Hakuhodo Group Vietnam.

Drawn to the global network agency’s Sei-katsu-sha philosophy – which sees people as whole individuals, not just consumers – Chandu joined not for prestige, but for alignment. Hakuhodo’s vision matched his own: creativity should go deeper, more thoughtful, more useful.

His selection for Innovation Lions Jury fits that trajectory. As one of the most future-facing categories at Cannes Lions, Innovation celebrates work that pushes the boundaries of technology, business models, and creative application. It’s where ideas meet invention – often experimental, always bold.

But for Chandu, the most powerful innovations begin not with technology, but with empathy. His lens isn’t just technical – it’s human.

Mr. Chandu Rajapreyar shares his perspective on creativity. Photo: Hakuhodo Group Vietnam.

“Data tells us what worked or failed. The future lives in what hasn’t been tried yet.”

With over 25 years in the industry, Chandu moves fluidly between creative instinct, strategic thinking, and business acumen – always with a view to real-world relevance. His work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, Clio, Effies, Spikes, Communication Arts, and more. Campaign Brief Asia named him one of Vietnam’s top 10 creative minds in 2023.

His leadership has helped agencies win multiple Agency of the Year titles and top rankings on the Effies Global Index. Beyond advertising, he has co-founded tech ventures delivering AI and blockchain solutions globally, across the U.S., Singapore, and India.

What stands out isn’t the accolades – it’s his consistency in using creativity to make things clearer, sharper, more human. That same philosophy shapes how Hakuhodo Group Vietnam operates in one of Asia’s fastest, most competitive markets: an agency that listens before it creates, values relevance over reaction, and works with brands that want to connect deeply, not just broadly.

For decision-makers facing shifting markets and rising audience expectations, this kind of thinking offers more than campaign ideas. It offers focus. Foresight. A clearer starting point.

In both Chandu’s view and Hakuhodo’s way of working, the frontier of innovation isn’t louder. It’s smarter. More human. More aware.

That’s the kind of thinking that earns a place on the Cannes stage. For brands seeking relevance with responsibility, it’s not just thinking that wins attention – it earns trust. And it lasts.