HERO’S Ben Lilley Recognised in B&T’s Best Indie Agency Leaders From Across Ad Land
B&T’s Best of the Best has recognised the top leaders running Australia’s independent creative agencies, including HERO Founder Ben Lilley. These founders and CEOs have built something remarkable without the safety net of a holding company. The independent creative sector has never been more competitive. As the global holding companies restructure, it’s local Australian indies like HERO that have been quietly eating their lunch.
Cannes Lions 2026 Juror
A creative by trade, Ben founded HERO in 2020. Today he’s a regular speaker and mentor on creativity and effectiveness, including as a Creative LIAisons Coach and Copyschool tutor. And as a judge at local and global award shows, including most recently at the 2026 Cannes Lions, as well as the London International Awards and as Jury President at the World Independent Advertising (WINA) Awards.
A passionate advocate for creative effectiveness, Ben was previously Creative Leadership Chair for McCann Asia Pacific, overseeing creative excellence across Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. As well as Chairman and CEO of McCann Australia after IPG acquired his agency SMART in 2011.
AustrAlia’s First Top 10 Agency at The Global WINA Awards
Both HERO and McCann Australia have achieved local and global recognition for their creativity and effectiveness, including at the Cannes Lions and Agency of the Year at D&AD, New York Festivals, APAC and Australian Effies, London International, Spikes Asia, Campaign Asia, Campaign Brief, Mumbrella, AdNews, B&T and AWARD.
Under Ben’s leadership, McCann Australia made history as the world's most awarded agency for campaigns including the globally acclaimed "Dumb Ways to Die" and is the only Australian agency to have ever been awarded the Cannes Lion Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness. HERO also made history as the first Australian agency to ever rank in the Global Top 10 at the World Independent Advertising (WINA) Awards, placing 6th overall.
Ben started out as a creative with some of Australia’s leading agencies, including George Patterson Y&R, McCann and DDB, before launching SMART in 2000. Described by AdNews as “one of the best known independent advertising success stories in Australia”, SMART was recognised in numerous local and global creative, effectiveness and agency of the year awards, as well as the BRW Fast100 and B&T Employer of the Year awards.
Ben’s involved in the broader business and local communities through the Young Presidents (YPO) Organisation as well as inspirational Australian charity Igniting Change and Richard Branson's foundation Virgin Unite. He’s served on the board of the Advertising Federation of Australia and featured in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, AdNews’ Top Forty Under Forty, Mediaweek Creative Agency 50 Power List and CEO of the Year Awards.