MUMBAI: In 2014, Cannes Lions launched See It Be It. A programme that responded to the gender imbalance in the advertising industry - only 25% of agency creatives are women, and just 11% reach creative director level. The stats for India, being woefully lower.

Every year, 15 future leaders from all over the world are chosen to be part of this programme. And this year, Sakshi Choudhary from OgilvyOne, Mumbai, has made it as India’s sole representative.

Following a series of written submissions and a rigorous interview, Sakshi secured her place at See It Be It from among hundreds of entrants across the globe. The programme involves a series of specially curated sessions at Cannes Lions that include workshops, behind-the- scenes with jury members and one-to-one mentoring with leaders from the global advertising fraternity.

A delighted OgilvyOne Worldwide president Vikram Menon said: This is truly wonderful news. It is a proud moment for all of us at Ogilvy. Sakshi has been a stand-out performer ever since she became part of the Ogilvy family and this is just reward for years of commitment to her craft. Hopefully, this inspires many more women to push for leadership positions in the coming years.

Sakshi Choudhary is at present the creative supervisor at OgilvyOne Mumbai where she manages some of the agency’s iconic brands including Dove and Coca-Cola. A multiple award-winner, she has also been recognised among ‘India’s Top 30 under 30’ – a listing of the country’s 30 Most Promising Young Achievers in the Media and Advertising Industry under the age of 30. Outside her day job, Sakshi is the founder of The Seesaw Project – an initiative that seeks to simplify the complex issues of gender bias, using art.