Young Director Award announces chairman for 2020

The Young Director Award, in partnership with shots, can today announce that the chairman of the 2020 YDA jury is the Partner, Executive Producer and MD of Advertising at Indiana Production, Karim Bartoletti. 

The Swiss-born, Iran-, Italy- and US-raised Bartoletti is a multi-award-winning producer with great international experience. He has worked for agencies including DDB Chicago and Y&R Chicago, where he was made SVP/Director of Broadcast, the youngest such person in that role at any global network agency in the US at the time.

Being able to preside over this incredible show, and be surrounded by the talent that the YDA aggregates, is very special for me.

In 2002 Bartoletti left agency life to take up the role of Partner/Executive Producer at Filmmaster in Milan before, in 2015, moving into his current position at Indiana. Bartoletti has won nine Cannes Lions, six Clios, as well as trophies at Eurobest, D&AD, Epica, along with a host of other awards. 

Above: Karim Bartoletti and Francois Chilot.

"It’s an honour to be selected as YDA chairman for 2020," says Bartoletti. "I am incredibly flattered because I have been one of YDA’s biggest fans, and being asked to preside over this one-of-a-kind award is a real honour. I have followed and participated and attended the YDA ever since its inception 23 years ago and being able to chair this incredible show, and be surrounded by the talent that the YDA aggregates, is very special for me." 

In the past 23 years the YDA showed all of us curious and creative industry people the best of the creative, interesting and trendsetting work.

Asked why he thinks the YDA is an important event in the advertising calendar, Bartoletti was full of admiration for the show's ability to adapt to changing times. "In the past 23 years the YDA showed all of us curious and creative industry people the best of the creative, interesting and trendsetting work created and produced by the most diverse and international young talent," he said. "This positioned the YDA ahead of its time at it has continued to be very relevant and contemporary.

Our business has changed... but among all this change there is something that has stayed constant about the YDA and that is its search for young talent.

"Our business has changed, the way we create moving images has changed, the amount of images that we create and the way we see images has changed, and, in the past years, the YDA has adapted to these changing times. But, among all this change there is something that has stayed constant about the YDA and that is its search for young talent." 

Francois Chilot, President of the YDA since its inception, was delighted that Bartoletti accepted the invitation to chair this year's jury, saying; "I've known Karim for a long time and always liked and admired that he has such a multi-cultural approach to advertising, as well as to life. 

"We need someone with his experience and skills to be able to convey the message of the YDA across the world with the passion, intelligence, humour and charisma that Karim has in abundance. He has experience across various forms of filmmaking, and with the YDA's ongoing expansion into different formats and lengths, we share the same vision. I am delighted that he is this year's jury chairman."

We need someone with his experience and skills to be able to convey the message of the YDA across the world with the passion, intelligence, humour and charisma that Karim has in abundance.

"I look forward to seeing the best work that the young directors around the world are doing and being able to judge it through the rule of 'the three Rs'," concluded Bartoletti. "Respect; Reward; Recognition. Respect the work, reward the best, recognise the talent. It’s going to be great."

This year's YDA will take place in Cannes on Thursday June 25, at the JW Marriott from 3.30pm.