Irish Bautista Named 2025 Next Creative Leader for Empathy-Driven Work

From a shoemaker's workshop to global acclaim, Bautista's journey redefines creativity. Her work merges social impact with bold, human-centered design.

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2026 March 27 . 10:02 PM

1 min read

The image shows a poster for the Wikisound Audio Speaks Campaign, featuring text and pictures. The... — The image shows a poster for the Wikisound Audio Speaks Campaign, featuring text and pictures. The poster is brightly colored with a blue background and yellow and white text. The text reads "Winners" in bold, capitalized letters, and there are several pictures of people in the center of the poster. The people are smiling and appear to be celebrating the winners of the campaign.

Irish Bautista Named 2025 Next Creative Leader for Empathy-Driven Work

Irish Bautista, an Associate Creative Director at BBDO Guerrero, has been named one of the 2025 Next Creative Leaders (NCL). The programme highlights bold, gender-expansive creatives who are changing advertising and design through meaningful, purpose-driven projects. Bautista's work blends empathy with craft, earning her a place among this year's honorees.

Bautista's creative journey began in her father's shoemaker workshop in Marikina City, Philippines. That early influence shaped her approach to storytelling and design. Over time, she has built a reputation for campaigns that combine emotional depth with technical skill.

One of her standout projects is *Ambisyon Natin 2040*, created for the National Economic and Development Authority. The campaign reflects her ability to merge social impact with creative execution. She has also contributed to Coca-Cola's *Women Reach* and Philippine Airlines' *Fly With Her* initiatives. Beyond advertising, Bautista explores creativity through fiction writing. Books allow her to engage with words in a more personal way. She sees technology as a tool for democratising creativity, linking artists with global audiences and communities. Her achievements extend to industry competitions. Bautista has represented the Philippines in Young Spikes and New Stars events. She also won the Lotus Roots award at ADFEST, further cementing her influence in the field. This year, she joins other Asia-Pacific creatives like Rebecca Morriss, Samyu Murali, and Phoebe Sloane in the NCL cohort.

The full list of 2025 NCL winners is available online. Bautista's recognition underscores her role in shaping modern advertising with empathy and innovation. The award positions her alongside other leading creatives driving change in the industry.