Sutherland said: "I am immensely honoured by this appointment and not a little daunted. Stepping into Steve Harrison's sensibly priced shoes is never easy at the best of times, and last year's winners set a bar that will be difficult to raise."
Sutherland has spent his entire career at Ogilvy, having joined at as a graduate trainee in 1988, and was appointed executive creative director of OgilvyOne in 2002. He became vice-chairman of Ogilvy Group UK in 2006.
Terry Savage, executive chairman of the Cannes Festival, said: "Rory will have the challenging role of overseeing the largest jury in Cannes. His excitement about customer engagement, expertise in direct marketing and great sense of humour are must-have assets for this position."