CANNES, FRANCE - JUNE 24: (L-R) Hoda Kotb, host of the new iHeartPodcasts show "Joy 101," Zoe Lazarre, CMO of Genentech, Shannon Womack, Head of Commercial Marketing at Delta, Lia Dean, President of Banking & Premium Products at Capital One, and Jamie Cutburth, Executive Vice President of Marketing at iHeartMedia, attend iHeartMedia's "Building Influence & Connection" session with Malcom Gladwell and Diplo moderated by Conal Byrne (iHeart) at the iHeartCafé | La Californie during the Cannes Lions Festival on June 24, 2026 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Is content creation the next act for C-Suite executives?

For the last several years, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which takes place every June in Cannes, France, has been synonymous with advertising's biggest agencies, global brands, and celebrity influencers. But walking down the Croisette this year, another type of creator was increasingly commanding and seeking attention. What was once a field of fashion influencers, travel vloggers, and TikTok personalities is now lined with an increasing number of CEOs, founders, chief marketing officers, and senior executives.

The creator economy is no longer just for creators. Instead, it's becoming a strategic leadership skill for C-Suite executives.

This year’s Cannes Lions reflected that shift. Focused less on whether executives should have a public voice and more on how they should use their voices and storytelling skills to inspire. From Microsoft Gardens and LinkedIn’s Rooftop to HarbourView Equity’s Yacht and The Female Quotient Beach, dozens of creator-focused activations revealed one theme: audiences, both internally and externally, increasingly want to hear directly from leaders. When I was at the iHeartCafe at Cannes, I met Hoda Kotb, who was there to launch her Joy 101 Podcast. I was excited to share with her that I was a big fan, as was my mother, when she said, “Let’s make a video!” And in that moment, she exclaims, “Hi Mom!" and blows kisses and smiles into an iPhone video for me. It was something that my Mom will never forget, and in the moment, I could see the power of personal connection in action.

And it is those experiences that are much less about one-way corporate communications or being the voice of the organization through press releases, earnings calls, and crafted speeches. And more about using simple, effective, everyday communication to connect and humanize on social media.

According to FleishmanHillard’s License to Lead Leadership Playbook, brand stakeholders, both internal and external, want to know what leaders believe, what they are building, and how they think. This is especially true in an era when 99% of CEOs expect to reduce their headcount due to AI over the next two years.

This reality is creating a new category of influencer: the executive content creator. One signal to watch is a CEO’s LinkedIn, where a personal post will generate 8x more engagement than a similar post on their company's branded page.

Unlike traditional influencers, their currency isn’t lifestyle - it’s expertise. And their followers are looking for leadership lessons, career advice, market insight, and authentic stories that build trust. Today, people are more likely to trust individuals than institutions, making trust one of the most valuable assets in business.

That shift has created space for what might be called "white-collar creators"—leaders whose content is rooted in professional expertise rather than personal lifestyle. Turning executive storytelling into leadership competency.

Many Executives Are Still Hesitant

Some worry that creating content feels self-promotional. Others believe social media belongs to younger generations or marketing departments. Still others fear saying the wrong thing in an era where every post can be scrutinized.

While understandable, the greater risk may be remaining invisible. If leaders don’t shape and humanize their own narratives, someone else inevitably will. While that doesn’t mean every CEO should become a full-time influencer, it does mean leaders should be intentional about what and where stories are told.

Stories that build trust reveal judgment, humility, and experience rather than polished corporate messaging, while the most effective executive creators must have content that lives at the intersection of business and humanity.

The executives who thrive in this moment won’t necessarily be the loudest voices online. They will be the most consistent, the most generous with their insights, and the most willing to share knowledge rather than simply promote themselves.

As Cannes Lions continues to evolve from an advertising festival into a global gathering of business, culture, technology, and media, one trend seems increasingly clear.

The next generation of influencers may not come from Hollywood or social media, but instead come from the corner office.