The Wires 2026: "I’m Looking for Authenticity and Real Outcomes"

by John Still on 25th Mar 2026 in News

Meet the latest recruits for our Wires judging panel…

This year, The Wires marks a major milestone: a decade of celebrating the absolute best in the ad tech industry.

As usual, we’ve assembled a stellar judging panel spanning EMEA, APAC, MENA, and the US. These industry leaders bring diverse perspectives from top brands, agencies, and publishers across the globe.

Their mission is to determine which entries have made the biggest impact in the space over the past year. They'll be looking for standout innovation, masterful use of technology, and undeniable creative flair.

Read on to meet our latest additions to the judging panel! We asked them what it takes to craft a winning entry and which qualities define a truly exceptional campaign or product…

Ci En Lee, Senior Strategist, Publicis Groupe

I can’t wait to join The Wires judging panel and celebrate great work. Work that leaves me thinking, "Why didn’t I think of that?" or "I wish I did that!" AI is a trend I’m both most and least excited to see in this year’s entries. If AI was part of the solution, I’d love to understand how the technology actually works – the nuts and bolts – rather than a broad stroke of "we used AI". Among the sea of entries, it’ll be easy to spot those written by AI – beyond the em dashes – as content becomes repetitive, so I’ll be looking for authentic, candid explanations, and real outcomes. Beyond the outcomes, I’m super interested in how entrants were able to drive breakthroughs with their clients, and persuade senior stakeholders to make the leap. I think sometimes we forget that we are not in the business of technology, but the business of people.

Emma Glenn, Head of Programmatic, Spark Foundry

I’m excited to join the judging panel because programmatic campaigns that excel in data, measurement, and product innovation are where the industry’s real magic happens. This category showcases the teams who don’t just run media, they are using data with precision, applying measurement frameworks that prove impact, and leveraging products in ways that elevate both performance and creativity. Being part of the panel gives me a front‑row seat to the smartest thinking in the space, from clever audience strategies to elegant attribution approaches and inventive uses of tech. It’s inspiring to see how far programmatic has evolved, and it’s a privilege to help recognise the work that sets new benchmarks for what programmatic can achieve.

Alex Knapman, Senior Consultant, SG retail

I’m delighted to be part of the The Wires judging panel and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to learn from the breadth of work being recognised across the industry, as well helping to celebrate the teams and businesses pushing things forward in meaningful ways. For me, the strongest campaigns are usually those with a clear objective, thoughtful execution, and a genuine sense of usefulness – whether that’s delivering measurable results, improving the customer experience, or solving a real problem for advertisers and partners. Good tech helps facilitate this. I’ll be particularly interested to see entries that reflect the industry’s move toward better measurement, more responsible use of data, and practical applications of AI that go beyond the hype! More broadly, I hope this year’s entries reflect an industry that is becoming more transparent, more effective and more focused on creating long-term value for brands, platforms and consumers.

Victoria Bruce, Head of Media, Carwow Group

Throughout my career, I’ve mostly worked in roles where my team and I respond to briefs or develop proactive campaign and product ideas. While that’s incredibly rewarding, it also means you don’t always get visibility of the wider range of ideas and innovations happening across the industry. Being part of The Wires judging panel offers a rare opportunity to see that broader picture — the creativity, strategic thinking, and experimentation coming from all kinds of businesses and partners. What excites me most is understanding how those ideas come to life. The best campaigns are rarely just great concepts; they’re built on sharp insights, clever use of data, and a deep understanding of audiences. Getting a behind-the-scenes look at the thinking, the "why", and the innovation that underpins truly standout work is something I’m really looking forward to.

Ieva Butenaite, Executive Director, Commerce Strategy, Omnicom for Philips

Returning for my third year as a judge, I'm particularly excited to see how retail media is reshaping the competitive landscape this year—and how AI is accelerating that transformation.

From my perspective in the commerce space, the convergence of these two forces is creating unprecedented opportunities for brands to drive a real, measurable impact. Award-winning campaigns now need to demonstrate more than creativity; they need to show how they're leveraging media and data infrastructure and AI-powered intelligence to deliver genuine business outcomes and customer value.

What excites me most is seeing teams that can navigate this complexity—those who understand that winning entries will be the ones that harness data richness and AI's analytical power while maintaining authentic human connection. I'm eager to see how this year's entries reveal which brands and agencies truly understand this new commerce reality, and which ones are leading the industry forward by proving that commerce innovation is creative innovation.

Melliana Utami, Associate Media Director, UM Indonesia

Joining The Wires judging panel feels like having a front-row seat to the future of our industry. In my daily work, I’m constantly piecing together puzzles for the Indonesian market, so I’m genuinely curious to see how global brands are using smart logic and fresh thinking to solve those same challenges. I’m looking for that 'Aha!' moment where the 'science' of a solid insight makes the 'art' of a campaign actually click. So, I hope this year’s entries prove that we’ve moved past the hype and started using technology like AI to be more purposeful. For me, a winner is any campaign that uses innovation to get closer to people, showing that when expertise and creativity work together, we create human stories that truly stay with the audience.

Hicham Auajjar, Founding Partner & CEO, Heroiks

Judging The Wires this year is particularly interesting because our industry is being reshaped in real time. Technology has dramatically lowered the barriers to production and optimisation, but that also means the bar for effectiveness is higher than ever. For me, an award-winning campaign or product is defined by clarity of objective, strength of execution, and measurable commercial impact. I’m looking forward to seeing entries that demonstrate not just creativity, but operational discipline and results that stand up to scrutiny. The most exciting submissions will show how teams are turning data, AI and media into accountable growth, not just activity.