Round 1 Jury
KRAFT HEINZ
Monika Nikolova, Sr. Brand Manager, Kraft Heinz
A brand builder at heart with strong track record of working on iconic food brands across multiple markets, Monika currently works on the Heinz brand across Europe & Pacific Developed Markets. She specializes in creating distinctive, bold and effective brand platforms which drive impact at scale. With a natural affinity for creativity, Monika has led award-winning pan-European work that strengthen brands and delivers growth.
Kubra Kilicel, Brand Lead, Kraft Heinz
Kubra is the Heinz Brand Lead for Europe & Pacific Developed Markets with expertise in brand strategy and communication. She has led brand-building work across iconic global brands such as Heinz, Coca-Cola and Dove in multiple regions. She brings strong focus on strategic clarity, creative effectiveness, and long-term brand impact, driven by delivering the best possible consumer experience.
Julie Veryser, Sr. Director Brand Build, Kraft Heinz
From leading and building iconic brands at companies like Tony's Chocolonely and Google, Julie now leads the Europe & Pacific Brand team at Kraft Heinz, in Amsterdam. She drives brand strategy, media, our in-house creative agency, campaigns and capabilities so we can continue being one of the world's most loved and chosen brands. A champion of insight-driven storytelling and iconic brands, Julie is huge believer in bold ideas that drive talkability, inviting the consumer to be part of our brand story.
Johann Schwella, Creative Director, The Kitchen
Johann has made quite a lot of ads in his time. Some good, some bad. A few that worked harder than they had any right to. And every now and then, one that reminded him why he does this at all.
Things Johann likes: creative ideas that make you think.
Things Johann doesn’t like: writing in the third person. It feels a bit odd.
Johann is looking forward to seeing your work, preferably in the first person.
AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES
Agnieszka Gozdek, Strategy Director & Partner, 180heartbeats Jung v. Matt
She has built her expertise in strategy through work at Kantar, as a Strategist at Leo Burnett, and later as Strategy Director at Isobar and Grey. For ten years, she worked as a marketing strategy consultant at Stratosfera Added Value, where she was responsible, among other things, for the market launch of the Play brand as well as the positioning and brand portfolio strategy of ING.
She has delivered lectures for the Polish Society of Market and Opinion Researchers and for Puls Biznesu. Her articles have been published, among others, in Harvard Business Review Polska. She is a multiple Effie Award winner, including awards for the launch of the Play brand, IKEA communication, and the YES Grand Prix. She has served multiple times as a jury member of the Effie Awards, Euro Effie, and KTR competitions. She is also a lecturer at the SAR Brand Strategy School.
Anna Ostapenko, CEO, Media First Ukraine
Anna Ostapenko is the CEO of Media First Ukraine (BetterSvit Holding) — a leading media agency that has been ranked #1 in the Effie Awards Ukraine in 2019, 2021, 2024 and placed #16 in Europe according to Effie Index 2024.
Anna is a media expert with over 12 years of experience across multiple industries, including FMCG, healthcare, retail, telecommunications, finance, and others.
She has served multiple times as a jury member for Effie Ukraine and as a speaker at IAB and Best Marketing Practices conferences. She has also been a jury member at Ukrainian Student Advertising Festival several times.
Alexander Faxø, Senior Brand Activation Strategist, Robert/Boisen & Like-minded
Alexander is a Senior Brand Activation Strategist at Robert/Boisen & Like-minded, an independent Danish agency. In his role, Alexander collaborates with a diverse portfolio of commercial clients, as well as numerous NGOs and governmental organizations dedicated to driving positive change. Some notable clients include the Danish Cancer Society and the Danish Patent & Trademark Office.
At the inaugural Effie Awards Denmark, Alexander was the primary author of several gold winning cases, and previously his work has been recognized for its effectiveness in both Eurobest, Danish Advertising Effectiveness Award and Danish Creative Circle.
Bobby Petrov, Creative & Strategy Director, All Channels Group
Bobby has been working in media and communications for nearly 15 years. No matter how hard he tries to escape advertising, it always finds a way to pull him back in. For the past 9 years, he has been planning and delivering integrated communication strategies for brands that want to connect with their audiences in a more authentic way—sometimes online, but always effectively.
His work at All Channels Group has placed him in several roles over the years, including Group Digital Strategist and Managing Director of the digital agency Datenwerk Bulgaria. Today, he holds the challenging position of Creative & Strategy Director of the group, where he focuses on bringing his love for simple, bold, and effective creative ideas into everyday work.
Claudiu Dobrita, Executive Creative Director, WOPA
Executive Creative Director with over two decades of experience shaping award-winning work across Romania and the wider Central & Eastern Europe region. Known for elevating creative standards, mentoring emerging talent, and contributing to the international advertising community as a juror, lecturer, and thought leader.
A seasoned evaluator of ideas with deep expertise in integrated creative ecosystems, cultural insights, brand storytelling and craft. Frequently invited to serve on juries and to contribute to the evolution of both creative work and creative leadership.
Dafni Prosalika, Partner, REBORRN
Dafni is a Partner at REBORRN, where she helps Fortune 500 companies reinvent how they operate, rethinking customer experience, marketing, and commercial models for the digital age. Before joining REBORRN, she led Marketing and Growth for a leading B2B FMCG company in Southeast Europe and headed Commercial for Greece’s largest digital agency, ATCOM.
Earlier in her career, she founded Sigmund, a boutique communications agency that grew to represent global clients including DIOR, BP, Turkish Airlines, and Thomas Cook.
A psychologist and criminologist by education, Dafni is endlessly curious about what drives people's choices. When she’s not working, you’ll find her hiking, skiing, or spearfishing, usually somewhere off the beaten path.
Personal LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dafni-prosalika-a0a75336/
Reborrn LinkedIn Profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/reborrn/
Reborrn Webpage: https://www.reborrn.com/
Daniel Vachuna, Head Of Digital, THIS IS LOCCO
Dano Vachuna started his career in creativity and gradually expanded into strategy and KPIs. Over 15 years in advertising, he has learned that the most successful campaigns are built on the strong connection between creativity, strategy, and effectiveness. This approach has led to more than 80 creative and effectiveness awards, including Global Effie, Euro Effie, Golden Drum, ADCE, and the New York Advertising Festival, among others, both locally and internationally.
Diogo Brandao, Senior Creative, HeimatTBWA
Diogo Brandao, a creative head based in Berlin. Started working as a Creative in Madrid, changing then to Berlin. Currently working as a Senior Creative @HeimatTBWA working with global campaigns for Brands like BOSCH, Hilton and Zurich. In love with thinking Ideas and Concepts, working every day to break the industry with another disruptive campaign.
Francesco Policoro, Creative & Strategy Manager, NextDifferent
Specialized in communication strategy, branded entertainment, and cross-media storytelling, he discovered the branded entertainment ecosystem during a FPA in Boston—an experience that marked the beginning of his decade-long career. He later contributed to the launch of the Osservatorio Branded Entertainment (OBE) and developed integrated communication projects as a freelance and within communication agencies. In 2020, he joined Next14, working across strategy and creativity; in 2023, he also became Strategy Director at Magneto – the TikTok agency. Since 2024, he has been Creative & Strategy Manager at NextDifferent, where he leads cross-media communication strategies for national and international brands.
Joanna Okła, CEO, EssenceMediacom Poland
Joanna Okła is the CEO of EssenceMediacom Poland, a leading media agency that ranks among the top three media agencies in Poland. With 23 years of experience in the industry, she has previously overseen collaboration with market-leading clients such as the Danone Group, Mars Wrigley, The Coca-Cola Company, Procter & Gamble, and Haleon. Her expertise also extends to strategy and product development. Joanna is passionate about challenging misconceptions in the media sector by distinguishing between what is truly effective and what only appears to be so. She is a graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics and holds an MBA in Data & Innovation from the UVU Woodbury School of Business.
Jordan McDowell, Head of Strategy, McCANN Manchester
Jordan McDowell is Head of Strategy at McCann Manchester, where he leads a multidisciplinary team of strategic thinkers working across FMCG, retail, health and other regulated categories.
Throughout his career he has shaped strategy for major brands and helped clients drive commercially effective work that connects insight, culture and creativity, work recognised by industry bodies including Effie UK and Effie Europe, where he also serves as a judge.
Laura Iane, Executive Creative Director, pastel
Executive Creative Director with 19+ years in advertising, leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver integrated campaigns across media, markets, and regions. Deeply invested in nurturing fresh talent through agency leadership and academic teaching, I bridge industry practice with education. As a trained coach, I’ve deepened my understanding of human behavior and creative processes, with a particular interest in the intersection of creativity and neuroscience and how behavioral insights can shape more meaningful, resonant ideas. Committed to craft, bold thinking, and cultural relevance.
Leticia Ungaro, Corporate Strategy & Planning Director, Innocean
Loredana Andrei, Senior Strategic Planner, McCANN Romania
With over 12 years of experience in the industry across categories such as FMCG, Retail, Energy, Telecom, QSR, Banking, and Industrial Goods, I have contributed to the development of integrated campaigns, and I have built brand positionings tailored to the market and cultural context.
Manuel Castillo, Creative Director, McCANN Spain
Manuel Castillo joined McCann as Creative Director in September 2024. Previously, he worked at Grey on global accounts such as Coca-Cola (as part of the team that created Coca-Cola’s 2022 global Christmas campaign), Corona (creating the first-ever global beer campaign for the Olympic Games), as well as other clients including Volvo, Pringles, and HSBC.
Earlier, he spent six years at Lola MullenLowe, working with national and international clients such as Magnum, Burger King, Mattel, San Miguel, and Pescanova. He was part of the team that helped the agency become the best agency in Latin America at El Ojo and El Sol, the ninth most creative agency in the world according to Cannes Lions, and the best agency in Europe according to WARC.
Before that, he worked at Uncle Grey Copenhagen and at McCann London.
Throughout his career, Manu has been recognized at the world’s leading creativity festivals, including Cannes Lions (where he has won nine Lions), D&AD, The One Show, Clio, Andy Awards, El Sol, LIA, CdeC, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, and New York Festivals, winning more than 100 awards.
In addition, he has been a lecturer at the Brother creativity school since 2021.
Marta Fitak, Senior Account Manager, TBWA The Disruption® Company
Marta Fitak embarked on her professional journey during her studies, initiating her career in loyalty programs. As she took on progressively challenging responsibilities, Marta evolved into a project manager within a small agency. Her fascination lies in the ability to connect with potential customers through diverse communication methods.
For nearly five years, Marta has assumed the role of Project Manager in the Client Service team for the main TBWA Warsaw clients - Nissan and Philips. These projects encompass online and offline campaigns, social media support, and local activities.
Matt Lucas, Managing Director, REBORRN
Matt is a Managing Director at REBORRN, where he partners with global brands drive growth through marketing transformation, customer experience, and commercial strategy. He leads senior client relationships, shapes market entry and growth agendas, and helps organisations turn ambition into execution with pace and confidence.
Before joining REBORRN, Matt held senior leadership roles across the Publicis Groupe and WPP networks. He has led large-scale marketing transformation and customer-led change for brands including EE, Ford, Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC, Adobe, LG, and Apple, with full P&L ownership and board-level accountability.
Matt’s work sits at the intersection of marketing transformation, customer experience, and lifecycle strategy, with a focus on driving commercial change through clarity, validation, and delivery rather than theory.
Outside of work, he likes to keep stretching himself, cooking his way through different cultures, getting lost in new surroundings, and making sure there’s always something worth looking forward to on the calendar.
Personal LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-f-lucas/
Reborrn LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reborrn/
Reborrn Webpage: https://www.reborrn.com/
Michal Bílik, Growth Leader, WPP Media
I work at WPP Media as Head of Growth & Commercial, and I also serve as Managing Partner at Mindshare. With over 18 years of experience in media strategy and growth leadership, I focus on driving innovation and fostering collaboration across teams. I’m passionate about developing impactful campaigns and mentoring emerging talent to excel in the dynamic marketing landscape. Outside of work, I love basketball and triathlon.
Rósa Hrund Kristjansdóttir, Executive Creative Director, Hvíta húsið
Rósa Hrund Kristjansdóttir is the Executive Creative Director at Hvíta húsið Ad Agency – the leading and longest-operating agency in Iceland. During her carrier, Rósa has won many awards and nominations for both advertising and theatre.
Since graduating from Iceland University of the Arts in 2004, Rósa has worked as a creative at the agency, with a few breaks dedicated to creative development. She used that time to learn different aspects of creativity, from designing costumes and stages for The National Theatre to teaching ideation and branding at the University of the Arts since 2009. In 2012-2013, she studied Interactive Art Direction at Hyper Island in Stockholm. She is also a proud mother to three kids who have been her best teachers in creative development.
Rósa’s passion is ideas; ideas that solve problems, make the world a better place or just make life a bit more fun. She loves working in groups and building great and effective teams. She believes that a supportive culture is the key to ground-breaking work.
Hvíta húsið has been named Agency of the Year in Iceland many times and has won numerous awards, both domestic and international.
Roosmarijn Janssen, Creative Lead, Kantar Netherlands
As a creative researcher at Kantar based in Amsterdam, Roos works closely with brands to help them get the most out of their creative ideas. In her role, she supports clients such as Heinz by translating creative performance data into clear guidance. Having been part of Heinz’s creative journey over the past few years, she has seen firsthand how strong ideas evolve and make an impact. She is excited to be part of the Edcom Adventure jury and looks forward to discovering the new wave of creative thinking this year.
Tommaso Mangiarotti, Account Executive, Dentsu Creative Italy
Tommaso Mangiarotti, an advertising professional hailing from Italy, presently serves as an Account Manager at Dentsu Creative Italy.
His journey into the world of marketing kicked off when he joined a small Video Games marketing company in Tokyo, where he discovered his passion for all things marketing. Since then, Tommaso has continued to develop his career in Italy, taking on the role of client manager in communication agencies, with a focus on integrated campaigns, audio-video production, digital and print advertising.
Since 2024, he co-chairs the EACA Young Board, leading the Campaign4Good Project launched in 2025.
Samuel Räikkönen, Creative Director, SEK
Samuel Räikkönen is a Creative Director who believes most people hate advertising, and that his job is to make them love it. For nearly two decades, he has helped Nordic brands earn attention through brave, culture-driven ideas that sparked conversation and pushed the boundaries of modern advertising and brand fame.
Sarah Corleta, Strategic Planner, TBWA Italy
With an academic background in psychology and UX design, and a passion for reading classics and daily observation of social trends, I joined TBWA\Italia in 2022 as a Strategic Planner, specializing in Brand and Data Strategy.
Working on transforming cultural insights into clear and effective narrative strategies within multidisciplinary teams that combine creativity, media, and data has allowed me to blend strategic thinking, attention to people's behavior, and creative flair. My goal is to develop solid, relevant ideas and communication projects capable of generating concrete results for the brand.
Svitlana Stepanenko, Managing Partner, BetterSvit
Svitlana is a strategic leader with a creative soul and over 20 years of experience in marketing communications.
Together with her teams, she has created 100+ breakthrough and social-impact projects. Their work has been recognized with 200+ creative awards and 73 Effies, including the Grand Prix Effie Ukraine 2024, two Golds and a Silver at Effie Europe.
She leads agencies that consistently rank among the industry’s best. In 2025, BetterSvit became Independent Agency of the Year at Effie Europe. In the Effie Index 2024, BetterSvit ranked #2 in Ukraine, #5 in Europe, and #13 globally. Media First Ukraine has been recognized as the most effective media agency in Ukraine three times (2019, 2021, 2024).
Svitlana cares deeply about the future of the industry. She serves on the Supervisory Board of the All-Ukrainian Advertising Coalition, overseeing professional education, and as Deputy Chair of IAMI. She lectures at several Ukrainian universities and mentors young talent at student festivals.
In 2025, she launched Klekit.org — an educational search navigator for marketing, advertising, and creative industries, helping students and professionals find the right learning opportunities in just two clicks.
Tatjana Baranovska, Head of Strategy and Partner of the agency, White Label
Tatjana Baranovska is an award-winning strategist with a remarkable career spanning over 19 years in the advertising industry. As Head of Strategy and Partner of the agency White Label, she has been instrumental in crafting and executing high-impact campaigns in the Baltic region and beyond.
With nine years of experience in market research and ten in brand campaign strategy, she has helped secure numerous industry prizes such as Adwards, Golden Drum, and Effie Awards Europe, making her one of the most awarded strategists in 2023. Tatjana’s deep and perceptive insights into consumer behavior have consistently driven business growth and brand recognition
ACADEMICS
Betty Tsakarestou, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Greece
Betty Tsakarestou is an associate professor and co-initiator director of the Advertising and Public Relations Laboratory – ADandPRLAB at the Department of Communication, Media and Culture, associate director of the interdisciplinary postgraduate program MA Digital Transformation: e-Diplomacy, e-Campaigning and Digital Law, Department of Communication, Media and Culture, scientific coordinator of CREATIVE+ the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub and member of Technology Transfer Office of Panteion University. She is serving as Branding Chair & European Research liaison at the International Communication Division of AEJMC, board member at edcom- the European Institute for Commercial Communications Education, member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Institute of Communication, mentor at The People's Trust and member of the expert team at Envolve Entrepreneurship, member of the Board of Directors at insidestory.gr
Betty is also an International Exchange Alumna of the Study of U.S. Institutes on Journalism and Media with the support of US Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Athens, and Alumni TIES grantee for the research project "The Room Where It Happens" Project to address disinformation that is developed and disseminated in closed encrypted apps in the fields of politics, communication and commercial messages, influencer communication and the infodemic (in the period of Covid 19) and religion.
Her academic (teaching and research) interests focus on advertising and public relations, strategic and corporate communication and reputation management, crisis management, responsible-sustainable consumption and experience in physical and digital environments, immersive branding & story-doing, city branding, startup entrepreneurship and social innovation with a human-centric and technological approach (human tech) and based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, ESG.)
Boryana Gigova, New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria
With a passion for marketing that transcends profession into personal hobby, Dr. Boryana Gigova brings over 15 years of international expertise in strategic marketing, branding, business development, and communications across diverse regions including the USA, Canada, France, South America, and the UAE.
Her journey seamlessly intertwines professional experience with academic achievements. Boryana holds a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in political management and public policy from the New Bulgarian University. She further solidified her academic prowess with a PhD in branding, a testament to her commitment to excellence.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Boryana shares her knowledge and insights as a lecturer at the New Bulgarian University and University of York, City College, spanning three departments. Her dedication to education extends to her involvement in volunteering and professional endeavors, blending her passion for advertising and branding seamlessly.
Boryana Gigova is renowned for her adeptness in transforming and innovating brands, boasting a remarkable track record in developing and launching new digital brands through compelling storytelling, engaging gamification strategies, and impactful influencer marketing campaigns. As a licensed Meta, Google, TikTok, and Spotify optimizer, she remains at the forefront of cutting-edge marketing technologies and strategies, consistently driving impactful results and elevating brand experiences.
Dagmar Weberova, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Czech Republic
Dr. Dagmar Weberova is a distinguished academic and practitioner in the fields of management and marketing communication. A graduate of the Faculty of Arts at Comenius University in Bratislava, she began her academic career in 2000 at the Faculty of Management, Comenius University, Slovakia, where she served as Head of the Department of English Language. Since 2014, she has been an Associate Professor at the Department of Marketing Communications, Faculty of Multimedia Communications, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Czech Republic.
Dagmar's academic expertise spans cross-cultural management, intercultural communication, international marketing, consumer behaviour, and globalisation. Her research and pedagogical work reflect her commitment to advancing these areas of study. Additionally, she actively contributes to business practice by offering consultation services on international business negotiations and workforce diversity within multinational corporations. Since 2022, she has also been a proud member of the Edcom organization, where she contributes to strengthening the link between academia and professional practice.
Dagmar firmly believes that meaningful work should combine professionalism with a sense of playfulness, fostering creativity and innovation. Her dedication is driven by a desire to influence society positively—whether through her teaching, mentoring, or research activities. Guided by this philosophy, she strives to inspire students, colleagues, and collaborators to achieve excellence, bridge cultural divides, and contribute to building a more connected, understanding, and equitable world.
Joanna Desmet, Howest, Belgium
Joanna started her career in research & strategy and worked for Ogilvy, DDB, P&G, Ford among others. She has been teaching Advertising & Strategy for 25 years at Howest in Belgium. Where others go fetch a drink or leave for a visit to the toilet during commercial breaks, she sticks right in front of the television (oh yeah, she still watches linear tv although she ain’t no boomer 🤔). The Superbowl is her yearly fix appointment with some of the world’s best advertising shows 😎. She holds a Master degree in History of Art and that’s why you find her in musea and theaters most of the time. She has been coaching her students in the Ad Venture Competition for several years now but is still waiting for that one victory to happen.
Georgia Miliopoulou, American College of Greece, Greece
Dr. Georgia Miliopoulou, Ph.D, is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Education & Employability. She is the author of the book Creative Advertising Concept & Copy: A Practical, Multidisciplinary Approach, by Routledge (https://www.routledge.com/Creative-Advertising-Concept-and-Copy-A-Practical-Multidisciplinary-Approach/Miliopoulou/p/book/9781032362045).
Joachim Traun, University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Mag. phil. Joachim Traun is Program Director of the Master’s programme Business
Innovation & Brand Experience Marketing at the University of Applied Sciences Wiener
Neustadt (Campus Wieselburg).
He combines academic leadership with extensive practice in brand and experience
management: he previously worked for more than a decade as a customer and brand
experience consultant with companies like Miele, dm or Coca Cola/HBC.
His work centers on analyzing brand presences across touchpoints (e.g., POS, brand
lands, trade fairs) and steering optimization processes in brand experience design.
In teaching, training, and applied research, Joachim focuses on topics such as customer
experience, innovation practice, retail design and strategic dramaturgy—delivered
across a range of academic and professional contexts (including workshops and
lectures at institutions such as IMC Krems, PH Niederösterreich and Sigmund Freud
University Vienna).
John Bredican, King's College Business School, UK
Dr John Bredican is a distinguished academic and marketing professional with extensive experience in media, advertising, communications, and strategic innovation. With 15 years of lecturing experience, he currently serves as a Senior Lecturer of Marketing at King's College.His academic credentials include a PhD from KTH University, an MBA from RSM Erasmus University, and a BA in English Literature and History. Dr. Bredican's research concentrates on marketing, mobile communications and education.
Previously, he held strategic roles in media and telecommunications, including management positions at GCap Plc and leadership of a pioneering podcasting start-up. As general manager of Studio Time, a leading audio recording studio, he developed innovative strategies that significantly expanded consumer engagement.
With nearly two decades of experience across media, communications and academic sectors, Dr. Bredican brings a unique blend of practical expertise and scholarly insight, consistently driving innovation and strategic thinking in communication and marketing landscapes.
Madalina Moraru, University of Bucharest, Romania
Her PhD. focused on the mythical dimension of the advertising. Further, she authorized 2 books in Romanian and over 20 articles in English, few chapters, and she took part in many international conferences (around 25 in the last 7 years). She is active by getting involved in the industry’s projects, and being invited to the most important events: Advertising Day, Fibra award,member in Romanian Effie Juries. She is mostly in charge with working with students for AdVenture and Thesis competition.
Maroles van Grotel, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands
Marloes van Grotel is a Senior Lecturer at Fontys University of Applied Sciences (NL), where she serves as a Coordinator for the Corporate Communication program. In addition to co-developing the Strategy curriculum, she organized a Blended Intensive Program (BIP) on Crisis Communication and is currently involved in shaping a revised vision for internationalization within the department. Her career is built on over 15 years of professional experience in PR, corporate branding, and crisis communication across both profit and non-profit sectors. This includes roles such as Manager of External Communication at ALDI and strategic positions at leading insurance company Interpolis and national public broadcaster BNNVARA. Marloes holds an MSc in Strategic Communication and specializes in reputation management and brand strategy. As an edcom judge, she looks for a clear, logical connection between research and strategic execution, with a particular interest in whether students have considered potential reputation-sensitive matters for Heinz within their proposed campaigns.
Melanie Gray, University for the Creative Arts, UK
Professor Gray has extensive experience in Higher Education and the creative sector and has led a number of significant organisational improvements and transformational changes in both Universities and Industry. Driven by her passion for creating aspirational, energised, and inclusive cultures she is dedicated to ensuring outstanding learning environments for students which prepare them for successful careers in the creative industries.
She is vice chancellor at the university for the creative arts with a remit for taking the university forward, delivering a place of excellence in practice-based learning by empowering and facilitating success amongst the community of students and staff. Before joining UCA, Professor Gray served as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Creative Computing at Roehampton University and as the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Media and Communication at Bournemouth University.
She has a PhD in Brand Management within the Media Industries and has a number of research and industry publications linked to the development of media and creative brands, as well as the role of women in the creative industries.
She is the Co-Founder of the ‘Women and Leadership in the Creative Industries’ academic conference and network. Furthermore, she is an elected board member of the European Institute for Commercial Communications Education (edcom).
In addition to her academic roles, Professor Gray has been a business owner and brand leader, working for and with organisations such as sky, meta, WPP, channel 4.
Inge Barkmeijer, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
Curious by nature, marketeer by heart, lecturer and creative coach by profession.
• Key interests: Branding, Marketing, and Creative Thinking.
• Typically Inge: Creative, Curious, Creating possibilities, and Cheerful (The 4 C’s).
After ten years of work experience in the field of Marketing and MarCom, Dr. Inge Barkmeijer has been lecturing at The Hague University. She is often found at conferences where topics like neuromarketing, branding, social media marketing, creative thinking, and, lately, AI are discussed. This allows her to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments, which she then shares with her students. Inge is dedicated to helping students develop into young marketing professionals who can confidently navigate change.
As a juror in the AdVenture competition, she pays particular attention to participants' ability to identify a consumer insight—that "Aha" moment that can only be uncovered through thorough research. She values understanding why people behave the way they do and how a client’s product can become part of their lives. In the marketing communication campaigns, it should be evident who the target group is, how well the participants understand them, and how this knowledge is translated into the campaign. Inge encourages participants to continually ask themselves, "Does this help to reach our client's objectives?
Rebecca Dry, ISCOM, France
Steven Meel, Thomas More, Belgium
Dr. Steven Meel has over 20 years of experience in the media and advertising industry, advising international brands and organisations on strategic touchpoints and creative translation.
As a C-level consultant, he has guided impactful campaigns worldwide.
Currently, he coordinates the International Communication and Media program at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, inspiring the next generation of marketing and communication professionals.
Tim Hoppen, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
After having worked as a travel agent for some years, I became a lecturer and joined academia in 1995. I have a background in communication and linguistics and have always had a keen interest in branding, advertising and marketing communication.
I work at the marketing program of the The Hague University of Applied Sciences. I have taught (business) communication, marketing communication and critical thinking and I tutor many internships. Currently I am responsible for the final (thesis) project of our program.
Internationalization in (higher) education is key in my opinion. Today’s challenges are global and complex, that not one single country or discipline will solve. We must teach our students to be culturally sensitive and to collaborate with students form other countries and disciplines.