Panos Pagonis

Creative Director, McCann Athens

Panos Pagonis is a father to Cynthia and Ionas, an AdNerd, and Group Creative Director (Art) at McCann Worldgroup. In 2025, he was named Creative Director of the Year at the Golden Drum Festival, becoming the first Greek creative to receive the title.

Throughout his career, his work has achieved a series of historic firsts for Greek advertising, including the country’s first Cannes Lions Grand Prix, its first Eurobest Grand Prix, its first four Golden Drum Grand Prix, its first Gold Cannes Lion in the Glass category, its first Gold at the London International Awards, and its first ANDY Award.

In 2023, he was ranked the #2 Associate Creative Director in the Middle East and Africa by The One Show. He was selected for the Creative LIAisons mentorship programme at the London International Awards in 2022. Creativepool named him “Emerging Talent of the Year” in 2021 and included him among the “10 Best Art Directors in the World,” before recognising him as “Next Gen Talent of the Year” in 2022.