As ExchangeWire’s ninth The Wires Awards edges closer, we reveal the third wave of judges who will be assessing this year’s entries…

As the year progresses and entries begin to roll in, we feel excitement building for The Wires 2025. For anyone still unfamiliar with the awards, ExchangeWire’s The Wires celebrates the very best of digital media, marketing, and commerce. 

Categories for this year include Best Digital Campaign, Best Video Campaign, Best Use of Data, Best Use of Digital Audio Technology, and Best Marketing Technology Solution, among many others. New categories for this year include (but are not limited to) Best Sustainable Advertising Solution, Best Partnership, Best Use of AI, Best Use of Measurement, and Best Social Campaign.  

As always, our prestigious Ad Tech Personality of the Year and Ad Tech Rising Star will shine the spotlight on two individuals who have inspired those around them and made a mark on the ad tech industry. 

Many judges have already been revealed for The Wires 2025. Here’s the list so far:

• Roy Lan, Regional Head, Brand Partners, Adidas
• Elsa Demain-Griffiths, Director, Digital Sales & Innovation, The Telegraph
• Stéphane Gillet, Head of Programmatic & AdOps Europe, Trainline
• Shereen Chand, Director of Marketing Operations & Technology, Verticurl
• Valerie Puah, Brand Strategist, Moomoo SG
• Charlie Celino, Strategic Development Director, News UK
• Joseph Cinko, Head of AV, Bountiful Cow
• Ahsanur Rahman, SVP Head of Media & Digital Marketing, bKash Limited

• Nicola Teague, Planning Partner, the7stars
• Filiz Sen, Marketing Manager, EMEA, Global Retail Apparel and Fashion Brand
• Kushtrim Jeta, Head of Digital Operations, Hearts & Science
• Anshul Dashore, Former Brand Head, The Kraft Heinz Company 
• Kathryn Bean, Head of Media, Wake The Bear 
• Ionut Danifeld, Chief Marketing Officer, TRAPO

Now, announcing the third wave of judges… 

Jason Schmidt, Vice President, Global Head of Commercial Data, Condé Nast

US 

Stepping into the judging seat at The Wires 2025 is equal parts thrill and responsibility. After two decades on both the buy and sell sides, I’ve learned that the projects that rise above the noise marry ruthless clarity of purpose with ideas that make you jealous – in the best possible way – and wish you’d thought of them yourself. A winning campaign or product doesn’t just dazzle in the case study; it delivers sustained commercial lift, backs up its claims with clean, transparent data, and demonstrates a human understanding of the audience it serves. 

Wearing the Wires judge badge means carving out time to interrogate each submission through that lens of creative envy and commercial realism – and, hopefully, spotlighting work that nudges the entire industry forward.

Nikki de Gier, Growth Manager, Heinz New Ventures

EMEA 

I am so excited to learn, get inspired from, and celebrate all the latest ad tech and innovation in the industry. I hope to see a lot of surprising, never-been-done-before submissions from a diverse range of companies, all around the world. For me, winning entries will be those that use tech in new ways, to answer real consumer needs.

Tinni Wong, Senior Digital Media Manager, AKA UK

EMEA 

I’m excited to be inspired by bold, creative ideas that challenge the norm. It motivates me to push myself and deliver even stronger, more meaningful work. For me, a winning campaign/product is one which makes you feel something. It lives in the sweet spot between smart use of technology and a human insight you genuinely connect with. 

Being on this judging panel means being part of a community that values innovation, originality, and craft. It’s also a moment to celebrate all the passion and effort that goes into work that goes beyond just ticking boxes.

Alexander-Carl Mueller, Commercial Product Director, Warner Bros. Discovery

UK 

Being a Wires judge means having the privilege to discover and recognise truly innovative marketing work that pushes our industry forward. It gives me the opportunity to identify extraordinary campaigns that stand out from the crowd and showcase the power of strategic thinking combined with creative execution.

As a judge, I'll be able to see the latest trends in campaigns firsthand, gaining valuable insights that will enhance my own professional perspective. Furthermore, it's a great honour to participate in this judging opportunity alongside other respected leaders in the industry, creating connections and sharing perspectives that will benefit us all.

Meena Miles, Director of Global Ad Ops, The Independent

UK 

I believe a winning campaign/product will demonstrate original thinking, inspire positive change and include elements where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have helped drive better results. It’s exciting to be a judge in 2025 as it will give me the chance to see who the movers and shakers are in this ever evolving industry. 

Leon Chow, Head of Strategy & Media, Syrup 

UK 

I’m delighted to be a judge at The Wire Awards 2025, celebrating some truly outstanding work. Digital is an incredibly powerful channel, yet it often attracts its unfair share of sceptics and opportunists. Taking a deep dive into winning campaigns will be not only inspiring but also a real pleasure.

For me, a winning campaign or project is one that makes an impact – not just noise. We spend so much time seeking inspiration, immersing ourselves in this world, that it's easy to forget how a real person will interact with the work and what it will mean for them. Seeing real intention from inception to execution is beautiful, and work that serves consumers rather than just the industry is what we should all strive toward. 

Wendy Siew, Client Senior Vice President, GroupM Japan

JAPAC 

The Wires has always attracted best in class work and as a global awards platform, the diversity of entries show that great work can come from any market or region to compete on a global stage. To me, a good campaign links target audience understanding to a brand’s proposition and through the power of media and content, delivers impact and value. A GREAT campaign does all of that but in a way that is differentiated and memorable, so as to create longer term sustained value for the brand’s marketing funnel. 

Kashif Dalvi, Head of Strategy, Europe, Assembly Global 

EMEA 

Contributing to judging The Wires will be an opportunity to learn and be inspired. Being a judge, especially for something like The Wires, gives me so much excitement to work in our industry. Not only do you see great work, you get the chance to connect with likeminded judges who help make our industry better each day. 

The right use of data and technology will make a winning campaign/product. We see and read lots of pieces about the amount of data, innovation and technology which is in our industry. How you can sift through that to pick the right use case is the difference and what will truly help your brand perform!

Michael Treon, Head of CTV & Video Strategy, PMG

US 

I’m thrilled to be serving as a judge for The Wires – an opportunity that fuels both my curiosity and my passion for recognising smart, forward-thinking solutions. I’m particularly interested in innovation that reduces friction, simplifies complexity, and cuts costs within highly technical environments. A winning campaign or product doesn’t just break through the noise – it creates clarity, adds value, and solves real-world challenges. Being a Wires judge is a chance to spotlight the kinds of ideas that we might not always see from the agency side, but that are quietly transforming the landscape in powerful ways.