Meet the man behind Cannes Lions’ most exclusive parties

Unik Ernest doesn’t exactly fit the mold of Cannes’ archetypal power broker. Tall, reserved, more listener than talker — he doesn’t shout status. But on the Croisette some call him the fixer. Spend five minutes at one of his parties and it becomes clear why.

“The first Cannes Lion party I did was for Paris Hilton, and Nike paid for that party,” he said. “I remember another time Pepsi wanted to break into the electronic dance music scene, so I put on an event for them: I rented out a castle in St Tropez and hired Steve Angello from Swedish House Mafia to DJ.”

Over time, Ernest has built a business around creating access — and doing it quality. Whether it’s flying private with Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg or arranging spa weekends for tech CEOs, the headline moments aren’t the point. What stands out is how he runs the room. He greets guests himself. He remembers names. He stays long after the music starts. 

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