The One Club Promotes Adam Izen to New Chief Awards Officer Role

Feb. 12, 2026

The One Club for Creativity announced the promotion of Adam Izen to the newly-created position of Chief Awards Officer, responsible for the vision, integrity, and impact of the nonprofit organization’s entire global and regional awards ecosystem. 

Previously Director of The One Show awards, Izen now has executive oversight of that prestigious program as well as the Art Directors Club ADC Annual Awards, Art Directors Club of Europe ADC*E Awards, ONE Asia Creative Awards, Type Directors Club TDC competition, Young Ones Student Awards, ADC Young Guns, and Next Creative Leaders program.

The position was created to unify, elevate, and future-proof the organization’s portfolio of programs, uphold standards, reinforce trust, and expand the public relevance of creative excellence.

Izen is tasked with strengthening and aligning The One Club's brand, standards, and reputation across all awards programs, redefining how creativity is celebrated, communicated, and experienced, and transforming the club’s awards into visible, influential platforms that reflect creativity’s evolving role in culture and business.

Some of his specific responsibilities include leading the evolution of show categories, disciplines, and award structures to reflect modern creative practice, championing initiatives that expand global participation while maintaining the highest standards, and supporting experimentation with new formats and recognition models that extend beyond traditional awards cycles.

The One Club CEO Kevin Swanepoel said that beyond governance and judging, Izen will play a critical role in reshaping how the awards are presented to the world.

Swanepoel said:

"Adam will ensure they function not only as competitions, but as powerful cultural platforms that amplify creativity, elevate creative voices, and generate lasting value for the industry. He has a proven record of success in growing club membership and The One Show, and we look forward to him successfully bringing his strategic vision to the benefit of all of our global and regional shows."

 

Izen said:

"As our industry continues to evolve, recognizing the ingenuity, craft, and effectiveness of human-born creativity has never been more essential. I’m honored to work alongside the dedicated teams across The One Club’s competitions to further strengthen our standards and elevate our role as the foremost authority in celebrating creative excellence."

 

Izen joined The One Club in 2022 as Membership Director, responsible for growing Corporate and Individual membership. His prior experience includes serving as Vice President at Brand Assembly.