New York, NY February 5, 2026 – New York Festivals Advertising Awards and Paul Marobella, unveil the 2026 season of the podcast series “State of the Biz” a sharp, unfiltered look at how creativity, culture, and commerce are colliding in real time. Led and hosted by Marobella, a long-time industry CEO and CMO, currently the Global Head of WPP Studio X, the series cuts through industry noise to explore disruption, hard decisions, and what it takes to build modern brands from the front lines.
For 2026’s launch, Paul leads a powerhouse roster of A-list creative and leadership minds offering sharp analysis and engaging discussions on the full scope of today’s advertising landscape.
Season 2026 of State of the Biz opens with Sean McBride, Chief Creative Officer of Arnold Worldwide. Catch the newest episode HERE.
New episodes featuring trailblazing leaders include:
- Andrea Diquez, Global Chief Executive Officer, GUT / 2026 NYF Advertising Awards Executive Jury President
- Pete Gosselin, Chief Creative Officer, CAPE
- Colleen Shaw, EVP, Media; Senior Consultant, Omnicom
- Tyler DeAngelo, Chief Creative Officer, StrawberryFrog
- Shannon Washington, Chief Creative Officer + Partner, 11 Ounces
- Cory Nacco, Founder & Head of Brand Strategy, 11 Ounces
- Joe Lazer, Author & Chief Marketing Officer, Pepper
- Sylvain Tron, Managing Director, CYLNDR Studios
- Lenore Moritz, Founder, Momentum
“Having these insightful conversations with our industry’s finest about the State of The Biz is timelier now than ever before. We are at such an inflection point of brand-building and creativity, and learning from how the best brands and agencies are innovating is invaluable to our collective industry as we move into uncharted territory. Thank you to New York Festivals for providing the inspiration and platform to make it happen.”—Paul Marobella, Global Head of WPP Studio X
Paul Marobella is a Bentley-trained executive and globally recognized creative leader known for blending modern creativity, AI innovation, data fluency, and transformational leadership. With a career spanning both agency and brand sides, Paul brings a rare hybrid perspective shaped by years of building new enterprise marketing platforms and business models while leading high-performing teams.
Currently, Paul serves as Global Head of WPP Studio X, part of Open X, created for The Coca-Cola Company. His leadership journey includes eight years as CEO of Havas North America and seven years with Accenture Song’s Wirestone.
Deeply inspired by the mindset of elite athletes and the wisdom of spiritual advisors, Paul applies lessons in resilience, focus, and purpose to modern leadership, team building, and brand growth. He believes in the duality of leading an enterprise while helping shape the future of the industry, all while staying true to core values.
“We’re extremely proud to share this season’s dynamic conversations led by visionary leader Paul Marobella. Paul has brought together some of the industry’s most influential innovators to offer candid perspectives and thought-provoking insights into where our industry is headed,” said Scott Rose, President, New York Festivals. “These new episodes serve as a blueprint for the future of brand building and are not to be missed.”
The official deadline to enter the 2026 New York Festivals Advertising Awards is April 23, 2026. For more information on categories, rules, and regulations, visit HERE. View the 2025 Advertising Awards winners’ showcase.
