King of Cannes Michael Kassan on AI disruption and what makes a successful modern media company
Michael Kassan isn’t called the “King of Cannes” for nothing.The founder and chief executive of strategic advisory firm 3C Ventures has been coming to Cannes Lions for 26 years – and remembers when the event was just an awards ceremony with a few parties thrown by ad agencies. With Kassan’s help, the event has roared through the ages bringing creatives, marketers, media brands, tech giants and celebrities to the French seaside town. Kassan spoke to The Post about the evolution of Cannes Lions, the challenges facing the industry and how 3CV works with clients to thrive in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing environment.Q: You founded 3C Ventures in 2024, after having spent decades advising the biggest media and marketing companies.
What gaps in the market has 3CV been uniquely positioned to fill?Michael Kassan: Leadership teams have always dealt with complexity.What feels different today is the pace of change and the degree of interconnectedness across the business, much of it accelerated by AI.Technology, consumer behavior, media, commerce, talent, and economics are all evolving simultaneously, often in ways that influence one another.
A decision in one area can quickly create implications across several others.That’s where 3C Ventures comes in.We built the firm around an operator’s lens — a team of seasoned executives who have run businesses, managed growth, and delivered results through transformation.
We don’t view strategy as the finish line.We spend as much time focused on implementation, partnerships, and execution as we do on the recommendation itself.
In a market where so many decisions have become interconnected, our role is helping leaders translate insight into action and create tangible business outcomes.Q: What specific industry problems are your clients asking you to help solve?MK: The question we hear most often is simple: “What should we do now?”That can mean a lot of things.It can mean rethinking an agency model, buildin...