Judging

Colin Baker, Ireland AM’s long established gadget guy has not a fashionable bone in his body. His cooking skills have left more than a sour taste in many mouths. But what he doesn’t know about almost every aspect of technology isn’t worth knowing. He started and runs Ireland’s largest IT support and tech repair business, Back from the Future and rattles on about his favourite subject regularly on television and radio

A Lecturer in the School of Computer Science at the Technological University of Dublin for over twenty years. As a researcher he has authored over 70 research papers, looking at topics such as digital ethics, blended learning, universal design, computer security, sabermetrics, and eLearning. He is also the co-editor of a book on computer science education in China, and in 2020 contributed two chapters on ethics to the book “97 Things about Ethics Everyone in Data Science Should Know: Collective Wisdom from the Experts”. Before starting as a lecturer, he worked in the computer industry, and was employed variously in the roles of Software Developer, Business Systems Analyst, Technical Team Leader, and Implementation Consultant.

Darren is a Sketch comedian, Actor, writer and podcaster from Dublin and has been creating content online for 10+ years. Most recently in the last two years he has launched his podcast ‘Stall It’ which went straight to number one upon release. Recently Darren performed his hit podcast in a sold out Liberty Hall. He has also co-wrote and starred in RTÈ Players hit show ‘Free Gaff’ which is the most streamed series on The Player, season two is scheduled for release August 2022. Darren has wrote and preformed with numerous agencies promoting brands and businesses, and his portfolio of work is ever growing. He also appeared as ‘Christie the Crinkler’ in last years Hunky Dory television advert that has played nation wide & in cinemas. Darren has racked up millions of views through the years creating original comedy sketches for social media and his growing his audience to this day.

Emmet Ryan is a Sunday Business Post and editor of the paper’s Connected magazine, Ireland’s leading IT publication. Emmet is also the paper’s columnist for betting and beer. In 2009 Emmet won the IIA NetVisionary journalist award and has covered technology and digital media in all of its forms for over a decade.

Kevin’s career commenced with Defence Forces prior to moving to Print Options to take on the role of Managing Director. In addition to this Kevin has worked in quality and project management roles with both Brookfield Printing and Microprint, managing director of FM2 and as head of print and digital media at DIT. He was Head of Department of Management at TU Dublin before taking on his current role at the University . Kevin has also held various non-executive director roles.

Edel is the Head of Digital Marketing for EY Ireland, leading on the digital strategy, roadmap, online activity and activations for the Firm.
Edel’s background is multifaceted, hailing from Agency and following to SaaS Tech. She has built and managed multiple brand online presences along with management of their social/digital strategies, campaigns, demand generation and pipeline building. Her passion is digital brand development and thrives on creating and managing 360 digital strategies.
Edel’s passion for digital communication originated while she was an English teacher, where she identified an opportunity for digitally supported classes (visual // auditory // sensory focused) to support and energise varied learning styles. She followed on to lecture in Digital Marketing alongside her primary role, and regularly hosts Firmwide Training Sessions and Learning Bites in her current position.

Having grown and sold two digital agencies over a twenty-five year career, Gareth writes, speaks and consultants on digital leadership and its relationship with innovation and customer experience.

He founded Fathom in 2011 as a dedicated user experience and service design agency, selling it to Low&Behold in 2021. Previously he was the MD of Ionology, a leading digital strategy consultancy, headquartered in Belfast and with major clients in 15 countries. Prior to that he was the MD of Tibus, one of the largest and most successful web development agencies in Ireland, from 2002 to 2009 when it was sold to UTV plc.

Gareth sits on the board of Dot IE, the Irish Domain Registry. He is former Board Member of Irish Internet Association, and Chairman of WeddingsOnline.ie. He has written for Silicon Republic, SyncNI and Business Eye and has judged the Spider Awards, the Digital Media Awards, the DANI Awards and the IIA Net Visionary Awards.

Graham is the Founder of Connexus Recruit, a leading Digital Recruitment Consultancy based in Dublin as well as the Co-Founder of Conscia Training.
With almost 30 years of experience in the recruitment industry, Graham has gained invaluable knowledge and insight over the years.
Graham has been sharing these insights with clients in both the public and private sector through Courses and Workshops run by Conscia over the past number of years as an industry expert

A native of Co. Roscommon, John is a lecturer and researcher in the Galway
International Hotel School, Atlantic Technological University (ATU). John has worked
with tourism, hospitality and event organisations abroad and in Ireland and he
regularly conducts research and provides consultancy services. John teaches
marketing, public relations and management modules on a variety of programmes in
ATU and is a Fellow of the Irish Hospitality Institute.

Joe is an online content creator, award winning actor, producer, and podcaster, among other things. His podcast, “Stall It with Darren & Joe” went straight to number 1 in the podcast charts in Ireland and has been growing steadily ever since. His hugely popular comedy sketch show “Darren & Joe’s Free Gaff” has 2 seasons on the RTE Player, and was the most watched RTE Player original series in 2021. He has also featured in the Doireann Project, Reeling in the Fear, and Callan’s kicks. Joe is the lead role of an upcoming comedy horror feature film, Bad Things in the Middle of Nowhere, to be released later this year. Joe’s success came off the back of his viral online comedy sketches that he creates with some of the biggest online comedians in Ireland. His back catalogue of sketches trace back over the last 12 years, making it tricky to accumulate all the statistics, but the views across all platforms are easily over +250 million and growing. Some of the sketches were so widely spread that national broadcasters in USA, Australia, to Germany used them in national TV shows. Joe has collaborated with many different brands an agencies to help create engaging content for social media, and has a love for the art of comedy online.

Karen Conway, is a Sr Sales Manager for LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, with over 20 years media experience, Karen started her career in Media Planning & Buying, developing her digital skills by planning for accounts such as Microsoft, Xbox and Mars. She then pivoted from media agency to digital sales and Publisher Management for brands such as LinkedIn, MTV, VEVO & 3Mobile. Karen then moved into LinkedIn when they started to grow their Marketing Solutions teams in their EMEA HQ here in Dublin. Karen has been leading Sales teams in LinkedIn for the last 6 years, working initially on a number of EMEA markets; UK, Ireland, France, Netherlands & Israel. She now leads the Venture Tech UK & Irish team, coaching and nurturing her team to deliver customer value and results across their enterprise level account base account.

Keith is a Director at Connexus Recruit, a leading Digital Recruitment Agency based in Dublin.
He has over ten years experience working within digital marketing recruitment in Ireland as well as globally.
Throughout his career to date he has been working with and helping a large portfolio of clients from major multinationals, digital agencies as well as start-ups and SME’s across all industries.

Dr. Marija Grishin is an Assistant Professor of Marketing and an Academic Director of the MSc in Marketing and Retail Innovation Program at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. She teaches Digital Marketing and Social Media Marketing and her research is in the domains of consumer welfare, advertising, and the digital technologies that affect consumer decision-making.

As a Partner with Reputation Inc, the leading international reputation management consultancy, Martyn works in all areas of corporate reputation management for his Irish and international clients in the financial services, FMCG, retail, consumer goods, professional services, pharma and tech sectors. His expertise areas include strategic issues and crisis advice, digital reputation, stakeholder engagement, executive profiling and long-term reputation management programmes.
Since early in his career, Martyn has been passionate about reputation management and its benefits for his clients. His enthusiasm for his profession coupled with his client work has seen him represent Ireland at the Cannes Lions. He was the inaugural winner of the PRII/PRCA/CIPR Young Communications Professional of the Year for Ireland. He was also the first Irish based professional to feature on PR Week UK’s 30 Under 30. A former board member of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland, Martyn is also a regular speaker at industry events and is a guest lecturer on corporate reputation in UCD Smurfit School.

Mark is a seasoned engineer and product leader with 12+ years of experience. He excels in creating thrilling apps, platforms, and products. As the former Head of Development at ZOO, he collaborated closely with marketing and design departments to deliver award-winning digital experiences. At Eaton Corporation, he led the development of innovative power management products, integrating Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for sustainability. Currently, Mark leads a team of product managers at Pond5 (recently acquired by Shutterstock), overseeing AI and data projects

Megan O Riordan is a B2B Growth Leader at Accenture Song with over 12 years of experience in the digital media industry.
She has dedicated her career to the digital media ecosystem – working publisher side, Adtech platform side, creative agency side and now a Director with Accenture Song. She works with global B2B clients to grow company revenue and increase the customer base by creating connected strategies across marketing, sales and support. She is passionate about fusing creativity, data and technology to delight customers and drive smart, sustainable customer growth. Her clients include the biggest technology and platform companies we all use daily. Recent work includes global creative campaigns, global employee communications programs, global paid media solutions for SMB acquisition, and ABM programs for CMOs and Retailers. Her background is broad and balanced and is excited to be part of the judging panel this year.

Niall Kitson is editor of TechCentral.ie and co-host of Tech Radio, Ireland’s longest-running technology podcast. For more than 15 years he has been tracing the story of technology in Ireland at all levels from start-ups formed at the kitchen table, to multinationals drawn here by a motivated and skilled workforce, to artists who use AI to show what it means to be human in the 21st century.

Rick is Chief Executive of Belfast-based brand strategy & execution business The Foundation. He has over 25 years’ experience of marketing business leadership, with a background in business strategy, sales and operational delivery. From over 15 years driving the growth of the largest digital business of its kind in Ireland from start-up through an acquisition, Rick held a number of leadership and business growth roles within a large UK & Ireland media plc. He is also an experienced business consultant and mentor, having spent some years designing and delivering strategic planning and management development assignments with an Irish consultancy business, before taking up his current role with The Foundation in 2017.

Global spend on Digital Transformation will exceed $2.3T in 2023 yet 70% of transformation projects fail to achieve their goals according to the Harvard Business Review. Robert is on a mission to improve this by developing the next generation of digital leaders. He is a lecturer, trainer and speaker specialising in Digital Transformation. Robert has delivered training to audiences including Google, HubSpot, Citibank, DocuSign, Amplexor and many more. He holds a postgraduate diploma in digital transformation, a masters in strategy management and several digital marketing certifications.

Tim is a photographer and Lecturer in the School of Media in TU Dublin. He has over 30 years experience in education across a number of institutions, with an MSc in Digital Media from Trinity College and an MSc in Sustainable Development from Dublin Institute of Technology – but still no PhD…