Judging

Founder & CEO, Buymedia

Fergal Connor is the founder and CEO of Buymedia, a data-driven, AI-powered advertising platform that helps businesses plan, purchase, execute, and analyse their campaigns more effectively.
With over 25 years of experience in the advertising and media industry, Fergal recognised the challenges SMEs face in accessing the data, tools, and expertise needed for effective advertising—resources traditionally dominated by large enterprises. Buymedia was created to bridge this gap. Leveraging the power of AI-driven insights, media plan rationales, media mix modelling, and predictive analytics, Buymedia removes the guesswork from advertising, enabling businesses of all sizes to make more informed decisions that drive better results and maximise ROI.
A passionate advocate for innovation and social impact, Fergal has embedded purpose into Buymedia’s DNA. In 2021, the company launched the “Advertise for Good” initiative, allocating a portion of advertising spend each year to support impactful organisations like UNICEF Ireland, Hand In Hand and Special Olympics Ireland.
Buymedia’s commitment to innovation in the ad tech industry has earned it numerous accolades, including being ranked as the 4th fastest-growing tech company in Ireland by the Deloitte Fast 50.

Head of Communications, Microsoft Ireland Subsidiary

Darina Sexton joined Microsoft in 2018 and spearheads all internal and external comms for the Irish Subsidiary. Her extensive 20-year career spans all areas of corporate affairs in both senior and leadership roles across technology, telecoms, pharma, and retail. At Microsoft, her innovative communication strategies have bolstered customer and partner relations, helping establish the company in the Irish market as a thought leader in AI, the future of work, and security. She sits on the crisis management team and is an advisor to senior leaders.

Darina’s tenure at Tesco, MSD, and Vodafone is marked by significant achievements, including internal and external recognition for public relations and social media campaigns.

Darina holds a Master of Business Studies from the IMI, diplomas in Digital Marketing, Management, and Public Relations, in addition to a Master of Arts and an International Bachelor of Arts from UCD.

Darina is an advocate for environmental issues and women in STEM, she served for eight years on the board of Le Cheile, a charity that provides mentoring for young offenders.

Director at Reputation Inc

Paula is a Director at Reputation Inc with a particular focus on corporate communications, stakeholder research, engagement, and activation. Paula works across a wide range of clients in Ireland and globally, spanning a wide range of industries including pharma, med-tech, FMCG, and the legal sector, overseeing comprehensive reputation programmes which include strategy development, digital communications, media relations, employer brand and sustainability

Originally from Argentina, Paula completed studies in Social Communications, Journalism and Political Science in Uruguay and the UK and holds an MA in Public Affairs & Political Communication from TU Dublin.

Founder & Connector @ ThinkDifferently.ie Recruitment

Viv holds 18 plus years’ experience across Media Agencies and Media Owners specialising in Digital Marketing, Performance Management, eCommerce and Business development.
At The Irish Times Group, Viv was responsible for the growth in revenue and new product development for a wide range of their platforms. She joined IPG Mediabrands in 2015 and developed their Digital Offering and expertise across all digital channels.

With an MA in Digital Technology, Diploma in Web Design, Media production and Digital Strategy, Viv is passionate about how everything connects in a Digital world from Product to End User.

Through Vivs career she has been supported by great mentors and colleagues. She recognises we are in a people led industry and she is now progressing her career and fulfilling her entrepreneurial goals by starting her own recruitment consultancy business, ThinkDifferently.ie that focuses on hiring and developing diverse candidates for the media communications sector.

Editor of Techcentral.ie and Co-Host of Tech Radia

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.

CEO, Back from the Future IT & Tech Presenter, Ireland AM

Colin Baker is the CEO of Back from the Future IT, a leading tech support and repair company, and a familiar face to viewers of Ireland AM, where he regularly presents the latest in consumer technology. With a background as an electronics technician and IT support engineer, Colin brings over two decades of hands-on experience in the tech industry. He is also a licensed pilot and an enthusiastic advocate for all things tech, from emerging gadgets to aviation systems. Colin is passionate about innovation, problem-solving, and making technology accessible and exciting for everyone.

Head of Marketing & Communications

Grace brings over 10 years’ experience delivering creative, results-driven integrated digital media campaigns for leading brands across the banking, energy, insurance, and hospitality sectors. An ESA graduate, she specialises in brand development, digital marketing, sponsorship, performance management, eCommerce, and innovation — always with an eye on emerging channels that drive measurable growth. Most recently leading digital and marketing in the dynamic hospitality industry, Grace blends AI, personalisation, and data-led strategy to shape impactful guest experiences. She firmly believes that the right media choices are what set exceptional campaigns apart.

Digital Board Director at Zenith, part of Core

Ian Campbell is a Digital Board Director with Zenith, one of Ireland’s leading media agencies which represents several top Irish & international brands including McDonald’s, Disney, ALDI, Irish Life & IDA Ireland amongst many others. Ian is one of Ireland’s leading digital experts with 14 years’ experience working in agency digital performance roles & joined the Zenith board in 2022. Prior to this, Ian was Head of Digital for Havas Media where he grew their digital & performance offering with great success across a 7-year period.

Ian is a multi-award-winning digital performance specialist at both a local & international level. He is highly active within the industry sitting on the IAB Ad Effectiveness Council, Core AI Council & also lectures at UCD Smurfit School.

Having grown and sold two digital agencies over a twenty-five year career, Gareth writes, speaks and consults on experience design, strategy, innovation and leadership.

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 writes & lectures extensively on Internet related matters, occupying regular columns in Silicon Republic, SyncNI and Business Eye. Gareth is a former judge of the eir Spider Awards, the DANI Awards and the IIA Net Visionary Awards.

Founder & CEO, DustPod

Dusty has been in the business of audio and communicating since he was a teenager. By 21, Dusty found himself broadcasting to over six million listeners every day in the United Kingdom on Atlantic 252. He then landed his dream job at RTÉ 2FM. Dusty produced and hosted many different shows on 2FM including the station’s flagship “Hotline” show. Dusty went on to form an independent radio production company creating music shows, magazine programmes, and long-form documentaries for local and national radio.

In 2006 his company also began creating and producing podcasts for companies, brands and organisations, many years before most of us had heard of a podcast! Due to his pioneering work in creating branded podcasts for a number of major brands and organisations, he is considered an authority in this arena and is often affectionately referred to as “The PodFather”.

To this day, Dusty remains the only Independent Producer to have won multiple gold awards at Ireland’s Annual IMRO Radio Awards and has added to his accolades by collecting numerous awards for his work in podcasting.

Head of Sales, Virgin Media Television

Tara Moran is a seasoned marketing strategist with extensive experience leading award-winning campaigns in her role as Head of Sales at Virgin Media Television (VMTV). Known for her creativity and commercial acumen, Tara has played a pivotal role in shaping the commercial innovations that have resulted in many recent award wins for Virgin Media Televison’s Commercial department, including most recently winning Media Brand of The Year at the 2025 Media Awards.

She joined VMTV from Maximum Media where she spent 5 years as Head of Brand Partnerships. She is a graduate of the UCD Michael Smurfit Business School where she earned a Masters in Marketing Practice and she also has a Bachelor of Commerce International (Spanish) from NUI Galway. She was twice named in in the Business Post Top 30 under 30 in Irish Tech list.

Senior New Business Strategist UKI at Google

Caoimhe Nugent is a Senior Marketing Strategist with over eight years of experience delivering results-driven campaigns across the tech, retail, and lifestyle sectors. At Google, she specialises in YouTube and AI-powered advertising solutions, partnering with some of the largest agencies and brands to lead strategic workshops and upskilling sessions focused on digital innovation and creative effectiveness.

A First-Class Honours graduate in Business and Management (Marketing) from TU Dublin, Caoimhe blends analytical thinking with creative insight. She currently sits on the TU Dublin Industry Advisory Board, where she contributes to the development of marketing education with a focus on AI and future-ready skills.

Caoimhe is looking forward to joining this year’s judging panel and celebrating work that combines fresh thinking, strong execution, and meaningful impact.

Managing Partner, Fuzion Communications

Greg joined Fuzion Communications in 2003, bringing a strong commercial aspect to the business. He is the Managing Partner of Fuzion and he also oversees the Digital team.

He works with clients on their Communications Strategies, on podcast production and he also provides social media support to the Crisis PR team.

Greg is a digital marketing enthusiast and an avid blogger. His regular B2B blog and the Fuzion blog, which he manages, have attracted a large following and he also produces the Win Happy podcast.

Greg started off his professional career as an accountant, spending six years in Practice and a further six years in Industry, which led onto eight years of General Management in the drinks industry with Guinness and Heineken owned companies. He also spent three years as a Senior Business/ Marketing Analyst with Guinness in Dublin.

In the middle of all that he fulfilled a dream by opening his own music stores with a number of outlets in Ireland!