Ethical, transparent and respected, the awards are judged by esteemed industry experts who follow a robust two-step judging process that includes pre-scoring to establish a shortlist and judge discussion to determine winners and in some cases silver awards.
None of our award judges can take part in the competition and any conflicts of interest must be declared.
The Global Digital Excellence Awards have been accredited ‘Outstanding’ by the Independent Awards Standards Council – Awards Trust Mark.
To apply to become a judge, fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
Aditya Patil is a seasoned data scientist with a rich background in developing AI-driven solutions and scalable data infrastructure. Currently at Apple, he leads initiatives focused on building applications powered by large language models, while optimizing data pipelines and APIs to support global operations. With prior experience at Wayfair, he implemented innovative machine learning models like Siamese neural networks for texture recognition, significantly enhancing product matching systems. Aditya’s professional journey began with roles in product management and analytics at InCred and Housing.com, where he led data-driven product launches and predictive modeling for revenue and user behavior. He holds a Master’s in Information Systems and Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Bombay, consistently demonstrating a strong analytical foundation and a passion for impactful technological innovation.
Alan Pilkington | CEO | The Digital Facilitators
Alan Pilkington is an accomplished digital strategist and eCommerce specialist with extensive experience helping businesses unlock their online potential. As the CEO of The Digital Facilitators, he bridges the gap between brands and the technology, agencies, and solutions they need to succeed in today’s competitive landscape. In addition to leading digital transformation initiatives, Alan’s passion for new business development and process optimization has enabled him to support a wide range of global eCommerce ventures. His keen insight into emerging trends, combined with a commitment to delivering tangible results, makes him a valued judge for digital awards that celebrate innovation and excellence in the online space.
Alex Natthaphon Kanjarnavoranun | Consultant in SEO, Digital marketing, and Digital transformation | Foundmatic UK
Alex Natthaphon is a highly experienced SEO expert, digital marketing specialist, and management role in marketing. TechNation UK has endorsed him as the highest-tier Exceptional Leader of UK Global Talent Visa in the Digital Technology category. He has achieved multiple successful career paths in different industries, including Finance, E-commerce, Travel, Education, Automotive, and more. Alex was VP of Digital Campaign Planning & Execution Manager at SCB bank, focusing on digital banking automation and transformation. He is a founder of ABACTODAY, an ed-tech and e-learning platform for students. He was head of SEO and digital marketing at multiple Unicorn startups in Southeast Asia. He has led and provided digital marketing consultants internationally; for instance in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, US, and UK. Not only online marketing, but he was also AVP Head of Omni-channel Marketing which focused on digital transformation at one of the biggest department stores in Thailand and UK.
Andy Green | Co Founder | AndyGreenCreativity
Andy Green FCIPR FRSA is cofounder of the Dublin Conversations, the Modern Cockney Festival, and wrote 21years ago, the very first book on ‘Creativity in Public Relations’. He is a consultant in identifying purpose, brand storytelling, creativity, and managing Fake Purpose to enable his clients to fulfil their greater potential and make the most of opportunities. He is also a part-time university lecturer. Andy has written six books, translated into eight languages and believing inspiration can come from the unlikeliest of sources, even runs creativity classes on the London Tube.
A seasoned Technical Product Lead with over a decade of experience spanning SaaS, eCommerce, and Payments industries, Apurva Shrivastava currently serves as a Senior Product Manager for Amazon Business Prime. With a proven track record at industry leaders including Visa and Amazon, Apurva has spearheaded critical initiatives from compliance technology that protects marketplaces from bad actors to innovative payment solutions that streamline chargeback processes. Beyond his corporate achievements, Apurva contributes to the product management community as a mentor through adplist.org, has published research on using GenAI in Product Management, and shares his expertise as a speaker at multiple product conferences and university programs. His technical versatility encompasses API integrations, multiple programming languages, and analytics platforms, positioning him as a well-rounded product leader who combines technical depth with strategic vision.
Ashley Hannaway | SEM Consultant |
Ashley has over 9 years of multi-channel digital marketing experience, with a focus on paid search and paid social. Throughout her career, she has been able to learn from both agency and in-house work. She has helped multiple brands grow their paid digital efforts, and exceed goals through well-developed growth strategies and a keen attention to detail.
Dan Saunders | Director of Digital | Evergreen Finance London
I've worked in Digital for 18 years. Within Digital marketing I work closely with the directors and heads of service to identify new business opportunities and Strategies. Having an in-depth understanding of different markets and competitors in the area to maintain a competitive advantage which is used to work alongside key stakeholders in managing the translation of the business strategy into clear plans. Proactively researching markets, competitors within different regions and establishing ways to develop a competitive advantage within our strategies. Within Stanley Black and Decker, I am a catalyst for change, I plan and execute UK market E-commerce and digital marketing activities to increase sales, grow online channels, and grow new and existing online customers managing substantial 6 figures budgets over many different groups. As an international keynote speaker in the Digital sphere, I inspire and lead a large team of specialists, drive the delivery of brilliant digital products and services, mentoring at levels from executives to C suite. I utilize analytics and insight tools to evaluate end-to-end customer experience across multiple customer touch points. Working with trade marketing teams to analyse product categories and make appropriate product mix recommendations and effectively contributes to SEO, PPC, UX and CRO. I have built, nurtured and lead a diverse, multidisciplinary team to deliver digital transformation across the Stanley Black and Decker group. Defining the required digital capabilities across our people, their processes, and the technology we use. With Stanley Black and Decker being a multinational corporation, I make myself a visible leader by holding regular lectures and Q and A sessions with entry executives all the way up to C suite teams.
Jaime Hill | Former Head of Ecommerce | Oak Furnitureland
Jaime has over two decades of experience as a Marketing & Ecommerce professional with a successful track record leading teams and developing strategy to transform organisations’ digital capability and channels to market. She has had success in roles at brands including Avis, Barclays, Dairy Crest and Oak Furnitureland, and across a wide range of B2B and B2C vertical markets. Most recently, Jaime was Interim Head of Ecommerce & Trading at Monsoon. A graduate of the Institute of Digital Marketing and qualified Executive Business Coach, Jaime's professional passion is for making life easier for the customer at every touch point
Janna Pugh | SEO Manager | Vintage King Audio
Janna Pugh is a SEO Manager with a history of agency and in-house work. She has recently been nationally recognized as the Industry Rising Star in Conductor's 2022 C2 Summit and regularly speaks with college classes about the essentials of organic marketing. With her passion for SEO, she knows firsthand how to make the smallest and largest websites succeed organically. Her areas of focus specialize in enterprise SEO, with scalability and automation for both small and large SEO teams. Her varied approach to SEO combines on-site content with off-site brand management. In her free time, she loves trying out new recipes and reading mystery novels.'
Jessica Tochi Orika-Owunna is a content marketing strategist and senior writer with 8 years of experience. She specializes in bottom-of-funnel and product-led content for growth-stage PLG companies. Her work has driven measurable revenue impact and helped brands like Hotjar, Contentsquare, Softr, and Vena Solutions increase signups and enable sales. Jessica is also the founder of SaaS Content Brand, a consultancy that helps product-led companies turn internal user and SME insights into content that converts. She actively mentors entry-level marketers via ADPList and contributes to communities like the Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries.
Joelle Irvine | Growth Advisor | Ji Growth Marketing
Joelle Irvine is the Director, Growth Marketing at Moz, a leading SEO software company, part of the Ziff Davis Group. With over 15 years of brand, agency, startup, and SaaS experience, she finds creative solutions and strategies to improve customer experiences and grow businesses through data, insight, content, and technology. Previously at Bookmark (WPP), a global content and communications agency, she worked with top brands including Air Canada, Birks, Fairmont Hotels, IG Wealth Management, Lindt, and Mercedes-Benz. As a past speaker at MozCon, BrightonSEO’s eCommerce SEO Summit and Social Media Week, member of the judging panels for The Drum Search Awards and the Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition, and ongoing mentor for Women in Tech SEO, Joelle is passionate about sharing knowledge and supporting her community. Beyond digital marketing, she also loves the great outdoors, inspired design, obscure pop culture references, and all the latest gadgets. Follow Joelle on twitter @joelleirvine and on Linkedin.
Jordi Badrenas | Managing Partner | Orvit Digital
Jordi is a digital marketing consultant, co-founder and managing partner of Orvit Digital. At Orvit Digital, he designs and implements 360º digital strategies to help companies make business online. He is a specialist in SEO, SEM and digital analytics. He is also a digital marketing teacher at public and private schools and provides custom training to companies.
Lukas Adamec | Performance Marketing Manager | DACH at Zendesk
Lukas Adamec has been working within Paid Digital for 11+ years, during which he transitioned from an employee to a freelancer & CEO of Abadam Marketing. In the last 5 years Lukas has focused on Consultancy - working with established agencies to deliver client growth. His focus is particularly on international paid opportunities, from Google to Yandex, from Naver to Baidu, from Yahoo JP to Seznam. Lukas is a firm believer in knowledge sharing and enjoys discussing experiences with established online marketers as well as providing training to new colleagues. During his time off, Lukas recharges his energy by being disconnected from online influences and instead spends his time on wildlife photography.
Louise Joseph | Digital Marketing Executive | IP Global
Louise is a Digital Marketing Professional with nearly four years of experience driving successful, data-led marketing strategies across paid, organic, and email channels. Currently a Digital Marketing Executive at IP Global, she leads multi-channel, end-to-end digital campaigns consistently achieving strong lead conversion rates and measurable business impact. She is driven by a passion for using data-led strategies and creative thinking to deliver impactful marketing that drives growth and builds lasting audience engagement.
Lucasz Rogala | SEO/SXO Visioner & Strategist |
During his 13-year adventure in the SEO industry, he learned all the "shades" of activities carried out for clients. Knowledge of how to work in-house and in an agency allows him to provide high-quality and non-standard tactics for clients. Currently, he is developing his boutique SEO and Content agency, VerticalSEO, and is responsible for technical SEO for Warner Bros. Discovery in Poland. In the past, he planned and implemented SEO activities for the largest brands in Poland, and also supported them in their activities abroad. He prefers content SEO for breakfast, technical SEO for lunch, and linkbuilding for dinner. This allows him to maintain a good work-life fit. ;)
Meriem Nacer is the founder of 4M Digital Consulting Ltd, where she applies 13+ years’ paid media agency experience to provide cutting-edge PPC, Display, YouTube, and Paid Social advertising strategies. A Google Ads and Microsoft Ads specialist, Meriem's expertise extends from strategic consultancy and audits to hands-on management and training for global brands and retailers. Her budget management skills are exemplary, having handled weekly budgets from £500 to £3M, amounting to over £150M annually. Meriem's work encompasses a diverse range of sectors, including retail, cosmetics, luxury, travel and finance, making her a versatile and sought-after digital marketing consultant. She is also a published author and certified PTLLS-accredited trainer, recognised for her contributions to digital marketing knowledge and education.
Neville Hobson | Social Media Strategist & Communication Adviser and Mentor |
Neville Hobson is a UK-based communication professional, consultant, and podcaster with extensive experience in digital marketing and social media strategies. Over three decades in corporate communication, he has been a prominent figure in how emerging technologies, and social media, shape business, communication, and marketing practices. Neville co-founded the popular business podcast For Immediate Release (FIR) in 2005, offering insights and opinions on public relations, social media, and digital communication to a global audience. Known for his expertise in external and internal communication and the evolving role of AI, Neville has helped organisations use podcasting to enhance their communication and engagement strategies. An early adopter and advocate of digital communication, Neville has been blogging since 2002 and sharing insights at industry and other public events. He is a frequent speaker at client events where he discusses the intersection of technology, communication, and business, and future trends. As a long-serving judge for multiple communication awards contests, he brings a seasoned perspective to evaluating digital communication excellence.
Nicola Morkel | Head of Digital | Regal
Nicola Morkel is a seasoned digital leader with expertise in inbound marketing and consumer-focused social media strategies across APAC, MENA, and UK markets. As Head of Digital at Regal London, she focuses on optimising campaigns to operate as lean machines—cutting costs while driving quality and fostering an organic social media brand culture. Her efforts have delivered impressive results, including reducing meta campaign CPLs by over 30% while improving conversion rates. She has also led major rebranding projects and introduced digital tools tailored to the real estate industry to enhance the virtual experience for international buyers. Having lived and worked in multiple markets, Nicola brings valuable cultural insight to create strategies that resonate globally. Passionate about digitising real estate and navigating the complex lead journey for high-value goods, she combines strategic thinking with a hands-on approach. Her expertise includes implementing attribution models and leveraging advanced CRM systems to optimise communication and marketing efforts. Featured in major publications like The Telegraph for her insights on real estate marketing, Nicola holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from the University of Cape Town and advanced training in Digital Product Management from Boston University and MIT. Her proven track record makes her an ideal judge for social media awards.
Nicolas Monti-Potsolakis | International SEO Consultant | Black Lantern s.r.o. | Linked In | X Profile
Nicolas is an International SEO Consultant. He is a self made person and has worked as Events Manager, MarTech Specialist and jack-of-all-trades digital marketing specialist before naming SEO his true calling. He has been around SEO since 2009 and founded Black Lantern Marketing and NMP Consulting in 2018. Some of the clients in his portfolio are: Estee Lauder, Clinique, MAC, Darphin, Aveda, Tom Ford, Four Seasons, Vodafone, Kantar Media, NN Group, Fortuna Entertainment Group and Finixio. He is also an SEO Instructor for iED Academy and coaches Business Owners on SEO and how it brings value to their business. And he is co-founder of TAO Rodina, an import-export company of goods from Indonesia. He holds an MBA, an MSc in Digital Marketing and a BA in Marketing Management from the University of East London. He is originally from Greece and Italy but lives in Prague with his family.
Omer Khan | Senior Data Scientist | Meta
Omer Ahmed Khan is a seasoned Senior Data Scientist with a strong background in software development, data science, and entrepreneurship. He began his career as a software engineer before transitioning into data science, where he has contributed to the digital industry through strategic decision-making and innovative product development. He has worked with major product firms like Symantec and Meta, solving complex challenges, including securing millions of users’ data. With international experience across five countries, he has driven digital growth, conducted impactful research, and shaped key product metrics. An active public speaker, he has presented at conferences like PyCon, sharing insights on data science and technology. Recognized for his expertise, he mentors emerging talent and continues to influence the global tech landscape.
Phil Bacon | Marketing Director, Strategist, and Consultant | Marketing Managed
I'm a marketing strategist with over 20 years of experience spanning in-house roles, agency collaborations, and consultancy. My career has taken me across diverse sectors, including education, food, technology, engineering, and manufacturing, where I’ve been involved in almost every aspect and channel in marketing, whether that has been hands-on or managing multiple agency and freelance relationships. Before founding Bacon Marketing in 2020, now Marketing Managed, I've worked in senior marketing roles for various companies, both in-house and agency-side. These roles allowed me to hone my skills in campaign execution, lead generation, and strategic planning. Over the years, I’ve led high-stakes marketing initiatives, including complex multi-product and brand launches, digital marketing transformations, and multi-channel campaigns that have consistently delivered results.
Rejoice Ojiaku | SEO Manager | Nelson Bostock UNLIMITED
Rejoice Ojiaku is an SEO Specialist & Content Strategist, as well as the Co-Founder of B-DigitalUK – a platform for showcasing and empowering black talent in the UK digital marketing scene. Her expertise lies in SEO, Diversity and inclusion, all bolstered by strong personal branding both online and offline.
Ronit Cyjon | Director of Product Design UX writing & Research | monday.com
Driving exceptional customer experiences is at the core of my leadership approach. I lead teams to create lovable products and experiences that place the customer at the center of everything we do, while delivering delightful, memorable interactions. With over 15 years of experience as a design executive, I’ve built and led high-performing design teams across tech organizations and design firms. My expertise spans Product Design, UX Research, Branding, Creative Marketing, Visual Content Design, and Business Strategy, with a strong focus on User Insights. I specialize in leading user insights through qualified and quantified research, ensuring data informed decisions that drive impactful customer outcomes. What drives me is my love for creating delightful products and my passion for developing teams. I’m committed to mentoring and fostering inclusive environments where everyone is valued for their unique skills and potential. For me, it’s about building spaces where people can grow, collaborate, and feel confident bringing their best selves. I emphasize collaboration, aligning design teams with business goals to create meaningful, measurable results. Specialties: SaaS B2C/B2B, customer experience design, organizational design, user insights, building healthy teams, innovation, hyper growth company dynamics.
Sam Prakesh Bheri | Principal Program Manager | Microsoft Azure
A highly rationale and skilled Technical Program and Product management expert with more than 18 years’ experience leading mission-critical initiatives to enhance cloud + AI scalability, quality, and efficiency. I am working as Principal Program Manager at Microsoft Azure focusing on cloud computing and AI driving reliability and availability for global enterprises and organizations. I have worked in various top tier tech organizations such as Microsoft, Amazon and HPE labs and graduated with an MBA in Information Technology from Virginia tech.
Steve Kuncewicz | Partner and Head of Creative, Digital & Marketing | Glaisyers ETL
Steve is a Partner and Head of Creative, Digital and Marketing at Glaisyers ETL in Manchester. He specialises in intellectual property, media social media and privacy law and is listed as a "recommended lawyer" in the Legal 500, and was a oo-founder pf the Bulletproof Agency Network. He is a regular media spokesperson, and has given interviews to the local and national press through BBC Breakfast, Sky News, ITV, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live and LBC London. Steve is also the Manchester Publicity Association’s Honorary Solicitor.
Tom Wilson | Founder | Agency Index
Tom is the founder of Agency Index, a platform that helps businesses connect with the best digital marketing agencies in the UK. Through Agency Index, he supports brands in finding the right partners to drive their marketing success. Alongside this, Tom is an experienced SEO consultant, specialising in technical SEO, content strategy, and organic growth.
With an unusual path, my career in digital marketing began in 2018, 2 years after completing my Degree in Philosophy.After a course in digital marketing with an internship, I ended up working at the agency where I interned.With 5 years of experience and dozens of clients, I worked as a PPC manager and content manager.3 years on I decided to focus exclusively on paid campaigns. Throughout this time I developed experience in lead gen in the B2B market and later in brand development, traffic increase, and purchase generation in the B2C market.I am currently responsible for the PPC department at MintySquare, where I develop marketing strategies for several fashion brands and campaigns that aim to increase brand awareness and generate purchases.
Veronika Höller | Head of Demand Generation | Tresorit | Linked In | X Profile
I'm a Global Senior SEO-Manager and I have worked in SEO and PPC marketing for over 14 years. I started as a copywriter and PPC Manager in a little Ads Agency. I have continuously developed myself further into the direction of SEO. Over the years, I have worked as a digital marketing manager in agencies and international companies, including CompuGroup, where I’m now. International SEO, technical SEO, and the optimization of landing pages are top of my priority list. I view SEO as a whole puzzle and not just individual sub-areas, hence why I trained myself in all areas – content, technology, PPC, SMM and UX. All these pieces are important t o have a strong domain and building strong brand worldwide –only when all the pieces of the puzzle come together, the rankings goes up, and you make money with your website.
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“This award is a symbol of what we stand for at Ruby Digital. It’s a result of the collective effort, creativity, and client-focused determination that our team brings to the table every day. We are honoured by this recognition, and it serves as an inspiration for us to push the boundaries even further. We are already channeling the insights gained into refining our craft, ensuring that we bring even more value to our clients and continue setting new standards for the industry.”Justin Lester, CEO & Founder Ruby Digital
"Being shortlisted for the Global Digital Excellence Awards not only boosts our confidence but also underscores our dedication to developing transformative business models for our global brand.”Srikanth Kaja ACENTRIK
"We have dedicated significant time and resources to develop a platform that utilizes the power of AI, designed to optimize partner quality and drive exceptional results. It’s truly amazing to see how AI is revolutionizing the mobile marketing industry, and we are grateful to be leading this change. The GDEA’s recognition of our innovative platform further validates our efforts and inspires us to push the boundaries of what is possible in mobile."Florian Elmies, co-founder Gamelight
"To the Inspired Marketing team, the Global Digital Excellence Award nomination is an affirmation of their expertise and the collaborative spirit they pride themselves on." Fiverr Enterprise
"Participation in the Global Digital Excellence Awards is more than recognition; it’s a celebration of our team’s dedication and innovation. Beyond statistics, it’s a testament to our unwavering passion for crafting exceptional digital solutions. Being shortlisted reflects our team’s ability to blend design finesse with technical prowess." Rant
"Being shortlisted for the In-House Team of the Year means so much to both myself and the team. It hasn’t been the easiest journey, but with a lot of hard work and resilience shown by the team, we’re finally here. Winning this award would be a great way to celebrate year one."Michael Colby NatWest Email Development Team Lead
