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Our 2026 Judging application in now Closed

Our 2026 Judge Chairs

Group 1 - Disciplines
A commercial marketer with over 20 years’ experience in FMCG, Jo has a strong passion for creating impactful, effective communications that build SME brands. Having held senior marketing roles at Eat Natural and Shaken Udder, Jo has driven growth by reaching and engaging new consumers.

Jo Abram – Marketing Director | Shaken Udder

Best use of Brand Experience
A dynamic marketing leader with over 15 years experience of building globally iconic brands, specializing in driving cultural relevance with youth audiences. With key roles at Jack Daniel’s and Dr. Martens, Michael has delivered award-winning campaigns that connects brands with the next generation through a deep understand of brands role in culture and to ultimately keep them relevant. Most recently, as Global Head of Media, Michael has led agency roster management and media strategy across EMEA, the Americas, and APAC - achieving record levels of Global brand awareness, familiarity and ownership in his time in role.

Michael Boaler – Head of Marketing & Global Media | Dr Martens

Best use of Media

Adam Hetherington – Senior Agency Manager & Head of Industry Intelligence | Google

Best use of Google

Lee Nelson, VP of Marketing and Communications | DHL

Best Use of PR
Group 2 - Craft
Media, digital, marketing and communications strategic leader currently employed as Chief Digital Officer at the FA. Formerly employed as the as Director of Digital Media and Audience Development at the Premier League. and Communications and Marketing Director at the All England Club and The Championships, Wimbledon.

Alex Willis – Chief Digital Officer | The FA

Best Idea / Concept

Matt Saegert – Brand Marketing Director | PepsiCo

Best use of Art Direction and Design
Group 3 - Sectors
Richard is the Marketing Director for Northern Europe at Bel with 24 years experience in the marketing industry with organisations including Heineken, KFC, Bacardi, Carlsberg, C&C group (Magners Cider) & Allied Bakeries. Richard is looking forward to reviewing work which evokes an emotional consumer response, delivered by bringing a consistent brand world and distinctive brand assets to life and achieves tangible results.

Richard Barnes – Marketing Director | Bel Group

Best FMCG Campaign
Richard is an accomplished leader in brand, partnerships, and marketing, with more than 20 years of experience creating impactful sponsorships, brand experiences, and campaigns. He began his career in New Zealand and has spent the past ten years in the UK, leading Canon EMEA’s brand team.

Richard Sceats – Brand, Partnerships & Experiential Marketing Manager | Canon Europe

Best B2B Campaign
Paul has worked in retail marketing, design and experience creation on both the agency and client side. Creating experiences for visitors that will be remembered for lifetimes

Paul Porter – Global Chief Experience Officer | Hamleys of London

Best Retail Campaign
Lisa Johnstone is Director of Priority, Loyalty & Rewards at Virgin Media O2, where she leads Priority, the award-winning loyalty platform. Priority has over 7 million registered members, with more than one million engaging monthly, delivering over £33m in customer value in 2025. With 25 years’ international experience across entertainment, gaming and media, Lisa is a recognised leader in customer engagement and growth strategy, shaping how loyalty drives commercial performance and long-term competitive advantage.

Lisa Johnstone – Director Priority, Loyalty & Rewards | Virgin Media O2

Best Entertainment, Leisure and Travel Campaign

Aditi Hilgers – Taste Elevation and Masterbrand Director | Kraft Heinz

Best use of B2C
Sarah Batters is a senior sports business leader and Managing Director of London City Lionesses, with nearly 20 years’ experience driving commercial growth, brand strategy, and organisational transformation in elite sport. She began her career at Procter & Gamble in marketing, building a strong foundation in global brand and consumer strategy, before moving into football with leadership roles at Southampton FC and City Football Group. Sarah is also a Trustee of Kick It Out and a passionate advocate for the growth of women’s football.

Sarah Batters – Manging Director | Lionesses

Best Purpose Driven Campaign

Oliver Lester – Senior Marketing Consultant | Direct Line

Ben Stead – Head of Brand and Experience | NEOM

Best International Campaign
Lisa Johnstone is Director of Priority, Loyalty & Rewards at Virgin Media O2, where she leads Priority, the award-winning loyalty platform. Priority has over 7 million registered members, with more than one million engaging monthly, delivering over £33m in customer value in 2025. With 25 years’ international experience across entertainment, gaming and media, Lisa is a recognised leader in customer engagement and growth strategy, shaping how loyalty drives commercial performance and long-term competitive advantage.

Lisa Johnstone – Director of Priority, Loyalty & Rewards | Virgin Media O2

Best Entertainment, Leisure and Travel Campaign
Special Awards
Nishma Patel Robb has spent thirty years making brilliant people unmissable. A decade of those at Google UK as Senior Director of Brand and Reputation Marketing, as well as leading B2B marketing and building trusted relationships and partnerships across industry, culture and society. At Google she also helped launch the UK's first generative AI product (Bard / Gemini v1) and built campaigns including This Is My YouTube that still run today. She is the founder of Unmissable, the brand advisory and speaking practice behind her mission. She is also the founder of Glittersphere, the events-led community for women who want to be unmissable and proficient with AI. And co-founder of HERA Media, the UK's first female-focused, female-led AI and video podcast network. A Fellow of The Marketing Society and the IPA, the 101st President of WACL, and President of the History of Advertising Trust (the world's largest archive of advertising), she is equally at home in a keynote, a comedy club, or a DJ booth. She has been known to wear sequins to all three.

Nishma Patel Robb – Founder, CEO & Chief Sparkle Officer | Unmissable & Glittersphere

Independent Agency of the Year
Becky is the Managing Director of Oystercatchers, a trusted advisor to brands and intermediary partner. Prior to joining Oystercatchers in 2024, Becky built her career in client side, agency and inhouse environments. She has run in house content and production studios for The FT and The Economist, founded and run the marcomms agency Ambition London, been a global client lead for WPP and run brand-side marketing teams in the travel, entertainment and publishing sectors. Never happier than connecting people and supporting talent of all ages and stages, Becky is a Campaign 40 over 40 winner,and now judge, an AdWeek Future is Female Winner, a supporter and judge of the BD100 Awards, the Chair of Governors at a girls’ school and a qualified Executive Coach.

Becky McKinlay – Managing Director | Oystercathers

Independent Agency of the Year (Under £1mill)

Alex Gerrity – Global Head of Communications | Ben & Jerry’s

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