How agencies stay relevant in an agentic world
A fireside with Sir Martin Sorrell & Tom Triscari · hosted by C Wire
Two of the sharpest minds in the agency business sit down for 45 minutes on what AI agents change, what they don't, and how holdcos, indies and in-house teams must reposition before the next cycle.
About the fireside
Generative models were the warm-up. The real shift is agentic — software that plans, negotiates, buys media, briefs creative and reports back, with humans supervising the edges rather than driving every step.
That is an existential question for agencies. The billable hour, the FTE model, the holdco scale advantage and the relationship monopoly all assume a world where execution is hard. Once buying agents do the execution, the value chain reorders.
Sir Martin Sorrell built the world's largest communications group, then walked away to build a digital-first, AI-native challenger. Tom Triscari has spent two decades dissecting the programmatic supply chain. For 45 minutes, they will say what most agency leaders will not say on stage.
Three questions every agency leader has to answer in 2026
The agency P&L in an agent-mediated world
Where revenue compresses, where it expands, and which billable hours simply stop existing once buying agents take over execution.
What human craft still owns
The strategic, creative and relational work that does not commoditize — and how to organize a modern agency around it.
Holdcos, indies and in-house, repositioning
How the major holding companies, independents and in-house teams are each rewriting their operating model — and who is moving fastest.
Two voices that move the room
Sir Martin Sorrell
Founder & Executive Chairman · S4 Capital · Founder, WPP
Built WPP into the world's largest communications group over 33 years; now leading S4 Capital, the digital-first, AI-native challenger to the holding-company model.
LinkedIn
Tom Triscari
Programmatic Economist · Lemonade Projects
One of the sharpest independent voices on programmatic economics, supply chains and the structural shifts AI agents are about to force on the buy side.
LinkedInGood to know
- 45 minutes
- Fireside chat
- Doors at 9:45 AM
- Thursday, June 25, 2026 · 10:00 – 10:45 AM CET
Location
by Opti Digital
35 Rue Bivouac Napoléon
06400 Cannes, France
6-minute walk from the Palais des Festivals
Frequently asked
Who can attend?
Agency leaders, brand-side marketers, founders, investors and senior adtech / media professionals attending Cannes Lions 2026.
Is there a cost?
No. The fireside is free with limited seating. Reserve via the Eventbrite checkout on this page.
Will the session be recorded?
Yes — the fireside will be recorded for editorial use. Audience Q&A is off the record unless attendees explicitly consent.
How do I get there from the Croisette?
The AdTech Chill House at 35 Rue Bivouac Napoléon is a 6-minute walk from the Palais des Festivals. Doors open at 9:45 AM CET; the fireside starts at 10:00 sharp.
See the full Cannes Lions 2026 program at the AdTech Chill House.
45 minutes. Two people who actually know.
Limited seats at the AdTech Chill House. Reserve yours.