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B&T's Best of the Best Nominations 2026

Who is the Best of the Best in their respective roles? Tell us below. You can be as long and obtuse or as short and as pithy as you like.

All we need to get started in our deliberations is a name.
1.Holdco media agency leaders

Scope: CEOs or equivalent local leaders of Australian & New Zealand holding company-owned media agencies.

Considered in ranking: New business success, size of accounts, sway and profile in industry.

Publish date: 27 May 2026
Last year's list.
2.Indie creative agency leaders

Scope: CEOs or equivalent local leaders of Australian & New Zealand independently owned media agencies.

Considered in ranking: New business success, size of accounts, sway and profile in industry.

Publish date: 3 June 2026
Last year's list.
3.Indie media agency leaders

Scope: CEOs or equivalent local leaders of Australian & New Zealand independently owned creative agencies.

Considered in ranking: New business success, size of accounts, sway and profile in industry.

Publish date: 10 June 2026
Last year's list.
4.Adtech & Martech leaders

Scope: A new list for this year, it looks at the leaders of advertising and/or marketing technology businesses who are based in Australia & New Zealand. The business itself does not need to be headquartered in Australia or New Zealand.

Considered in ranking: Has the reputation of the body grown since last year? Is it showing leadership across its key areas?

Publish date: 17 June 2026
5.Agency Account Directors

Scope: Another new list, this instalment will look at the account managers, directors, group account directors and chief client/customer officers at agencies in Australia and New Zealand. Not the CEOs.

Considered in ranking: New business success, size of accounts, sway and profile in industry.

Publish date: 24 June 2026
6.People & Culture Leaders

Scope: Agency, client, platform or vendor-side people and culture leaders.

Considered in ranking: The happiness of staff and metrics such as the WGEA Gender Pay Gap figures.

Publish date: 1 July 2026
Last year's list.
7.AI, Innovation & Technology leaders

Scope: A revised and expanded list from last year, this list will look at chief product and/or technology officers from agencies, agency groups, media owners, platforms or vendors as well as anyone demonstrating genuine technological innovation in the advertising, marketing and media spaces.

Considered in ranking: Innovation displayed by the businesses they work for as it relates to advertising, marketing and media.

Publish date: 8 July 2026
Last year's list.
8.Social Changemakers

Scope: Leaders from across the industry who have actively and deliberately created change that goes beyond themselves and the industry.

Considered in ranking: The positive societal change driven by individuals that goes beyond the advertising, marketing or media industries - though this change can be driven by advertising and marketing executions.

Publish date: 15 July 2026
Last year's list.
9.Project Managers

Scope: Agency, client, platform or vendor-side staff who organise and lead others towards deliverable outputs.

Considered in ranking: Consistent strength and quality of executions, as well as showing increased scope of projects over time.

Publish date: 22 July 2026
Last year's list.
10.Recruiters

Scope: Independent recruiters who place senior and specialist staff at agencies, client-side marketing roles or media owners.

Considered in ranking: Standing within the industry, as well as the quality and longevity of the talent placed in roles.

Publish date: 29 July 2026
Last year's list.
11.Film & TVC Directors

Scope: Another new list this year looking at the directors who shoot TV commercials (as well as other films).

Considered in ranking: Scale, scope and prestige of work within advertising.

Publish date: 5 August 2026
12.Media owner sales bosses

Scope: Sales leads at Australian media owners.

Considered in ranking: Standing within the industry, as well as consistent, quality results for clients delivered. Innovation within agency and brand relationships considered.

Publish date: 12 August 2026
Last year's list.
13.Media agency investment bosses

Scope: Chief investment officer or equivalent staff at Australian & New Zealand media agencies.

Considered in ranking: Standing within the industry, the size of accounts, results driven for clients, longevity of client relationships and innovation shown within work for clients.

Publish date: 19 August 2026
Last year's list.
14.Creative agency growth chiefs

Scope: New business leads (excl. those with CEO, CSO, etc. job titles) at Australian & New Zealand creative agencies irrespective of ownership.

Considered in ranking: New business success, size of accounts and defensibility of accounts.

Publish date: 26 August 2026
Last year's list.
15.Media agency growth chiefs

Scope: New business leads (excl. those with CEO, CSO, etc. job titles) at Australian & New Zealand media agencies irrespective of ownership.

Considered in ranking: New business success, size of accounts and defensibility of accounts.

Publish date: 2 September 2026
Last year's list.
16.Creative Agency Strategists

Scope: Chief strategy officers (or equivalent) in Australian & New Zealand creative agencies, irrespective of ownership.

Considered in ranking: Quality, consistent work for clients as well as innovation in creative executions.

Publish date: 9 September 2026
Last year's list.
17.Media Agency Strategists

Scope: External or in-house media agency strategists in Australia & New Zealand.

Considered in ranking: Quality, consistent work for clients as well as innovation in media executions.

Publish date: 16 September 2026
Last year's list.
18.Independent consultants

Scope: Independent & external consultants to agencies, brands or individual marketers offering advice and guidance on corporate strategy, marketing strategy, M&As etc.

Considered in ranking: Standing within the industry and the scale and scope of projects worked on.

Publish date: 23 September 2026
Last year's list.
19.Creator & influencer agency leads

Scope: External or in-house agency leaders focused on creators, influencers and social either as an agency or division within an agency.

Considered in ranking: Quality and consistency of work delivered for clients, as well as innovation and broader thinking within the space.

Publish date: 30 September 2026
Last year's list.
20.Creators

Scope: Social media creators whose main source of income is the content produced for brands and in partnership with brands.

Considered in ranking: Consistent, innovative work for brands and a deep understanding of social trends.

Publish date: 7 October 2026
Last year's list.
21.Consumer PR agency leaders

Scope: External PR agency leaders.

Considered in ranking: New business success, size of accounts, sway and profile in industry.

Publish date: 14 October 2026
Last year's list.
22.Experiential agency leaders

Scope: External or in-house experiential agency leaders.

Considered in ranking: New business success, size of accounts, sway and profile in industry.

Publish date: 21 October 2026
Last year's list.
23.Directors of first impressions

Scope: A list resurrected from the Best of the Best of years gone by, this list celebrates the invaluable front of house, office managers and more who are all-too-critical for setting the tone when someone arrives at an office.

Considered in ranking: Testimony from colleagues and reputation within the industry.

Publish date: 28 October 2026
24.Independent agency creatives

Scope: Chief creative officers and ECDs at Australia & New Zealand's best independently owned creative agencies.

Considered in ranking: Size and scale of accounts, as well as innovation and originality in creative executions.

Publish date: 4 November 2026
Last year's list.
25.Holding Company Agency Creatives

Scope: Chief creative officers and ECDs at Australia & New Zealand's best holding company-owned creative agencies

Considered in ranking: Size and scale of accounts, as well as innovation and originality in creative executions.

Publish date: 11 November 2026
Last year's list.
26.In-house agency leaders

Scope: The best in-house agency leaders (CEO or equivalent) from across Australia & New Zealand.

Considered in ranking: Standing within the industry, as well as originality of work and distinctiveness in the market.

Publish date: 18 November 2026
Last year's list.
27.Media agency planners

Scope: Independent or holding company media planners/buyers from across Australia & New Zealand.

Considered in ranking: Quality and consistency of work delivered for clients, as well as innovation with media placements and executions.

Publish date: 25 November 2026
Last year's list.
28.Business support execs

Scope: Staff in businesses across the industry whose primary role is to support others - roles such as personal assistants, executive assistants, etc.

Considered in ranking: Importance to the organisations that they work for, testimony from those they support and wider role within the business and industry.

Publish date: 2 December 2026
Last year's list.
29.Spin doctors

Scope: Crisis comms specialists, corporate comms leaders & government relations experts.

Considered in ranking: Scale, scope and prestige of the businesses they work for or the clients that they work with. Testimony from those in the industry.

Publish date: 9 December 2026
Last year's list.