Judging

Each year a selection of elite CEOs and senior marketers are selected as YouTube NZ Marketing Awards judges. Overseen by a convenor, they decide who will win a coveted trophy.

The judging panel looks for brand and marketing initiatives and projects that are clear examples of marketing leadership, innovation and excellence.

Judging for all the Marketing Excellence Awards, Marketing Campaign Awards and the Individual Awards take place over two rounds.

Convenor of Judges 2026

Michael Friedberg

Founder/CEO

Flux B2B

International Judge for the Brand of the Year Award 2026

Jim Lecinski

Clinical Professor of Marketing

Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management

Round 1 Judges 2026

Name	Job title	Company
Aaron Goldring	Digital + CX Director New Zealand	Ogilvy One New Zealand
Aja Boon	Associate Director \| REMS Operations	Colliers
Alex Leece	General Manager – Strategy & Operations	engage iq
Alex Smith	Head of Marketing – Haier Australia & New Zealand	Fisher & Paykel Appliances
Alexandra Buczkowski	Senior Marketing Manager	Westpac
Ally Young	Chapter Lead – Brand Partnerships	Spark New Zealand
Amanda Palenski	Managing Director	PHD Aotearoa NZ
Amy Bennett	Head of Marketing	Kiwibank
Andrey Arestov	Marketing Automation Lead	Sky New Zealand
Angela March	Managing Director	Brainchild
Annabel Buckley	Shopper Marketing Manager	The Heineken Company
Annabel Lush	Business Manager	Blood Cancer NZ
Annalies Kruinger	Brand and Marketing Leader
Anne Vacek	Head of Marketing Communications	Samsung New Zealand
Bhavi Ogra	Global Marketing Manager – OSA	Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Bhavika Rambhai	Senior Brand Manager – Social	Kiwibank
Bhavna Prentice	Global Marketing Manager	Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Briana Millar	CX and Marketing + Communications Manager	Tonkin + Taylor
Charlotte Sangster	Brand Lead	Westpac New Zealand
Chelsea Lung	Head of Marketing	St Pierres Sushi
Chelsea Martin	Senior Account Manager	Brand Spanking
Chris Boyle	Managing Director	Mighty
Christine Abbott	Fractional CMO
Cindy Mitchener	Director	Mitchener&Associates
Clint Bratton	Game Changer	Game Changer CX
Craig Parker	Co-Owner & Creative Director	Wave Agency
Dale Koerner	Senior Marketing Strategist	BlueOcean – The B2B Agency
Damian Swaffield	Chief Executive Officer	Terabyte Interactive
Dan Shaw	Omnicom Intelligence Lead	Omnicom Oceania
Danielle Dyson	Head of Marketing – Dairy	Goodman Fielder
David Norman	Head of Insights & Innovation	DB Breweries
Debbie Chin	Senior Marketing Manager	Auckland Transport
Deepika Lanigan	Senior Marketing Manager (ANZ)	Xero
Denelle Joyce	Head of Customer Success	Somar Digital
Diane Clark	Strategic Marketing Business Partner/Head of Marketing	ASB Bank
Diane Gamble	Chief Executive	Vita Brevis Professional Services
Dominique Touchaud	CMO	Shokunin Marketing
Elizabeth Harding	Head of Marketing	Generate KiwiSaver Scheme
Ella Fairley	Senior Brand Manager	Lion
Emily Colmore-King	Marketing Lead – Transformation	ANZ
Fiona Morris	National Fundraising Manager	Surf Lifesaving NZ
Fran Bellingham	Founder / Head of Growth	Virtual Marketers
Gabby McLean	Campaign Analytics & Reporting Manager	Woolworths New Zealand
Georgina Frances	Digital Marketing Director	Restaurant Brands NZ
Gillian Johnston	Co-Founder	Snapshot Research
Grant Maxwell	Founder	EightyOne Media
Hannah Cooke	Head of Marketing and Design	The Research Agency
Hannah Gosney	Lifecycle Marketing Chapter Lead	Spark New Zealand
Helen Steemson	Digital Copywriter & Owner	Words for Breakfast
Izania Downie	Chief Executive Officer	Table Tennis New Zealand
Izzie Guo	Marketing Lead	New Zealand Story Group
Jade Edwards	Director – Communications & Marketing	Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
James Stirling	Social Media Advertising Lead	Arizto
Jane Smallfield	Founder and Fractional CMO	PopUp Marketing
Jarad O’Hara	Founder	Insiders Agency
Jason McKay Williams	Head of Digital & Marketing	Shotover Creative
Jayden Szekely	Managing Director	ABOV
Jennifer Jones	Marketing Manager – Meadow Fresh Brand & Beverage Portfolio	Goodman Fielder New Zealand
Joanne Neville	Event Delivery Manager	SSC Hospitality Experiences
Joanne Palmgren	Senior Marketing Manager – Propositions	Westpac New Zealand
Joanne Rickman	Marketing Manager – Brand & Country Banking	Rabobank New Zealand
Jon Edmonds	Chief Executive Officer	IPIPHANY AI
Jordan Fahey	Marketing Manager/HOM	Christchurch International Airport
Joseph Judd	Head of Strategy	TBWA\New Zealand
Josh Burgisser	Managing Director	Burgs Digital
Josie Parden	Marketing Manager	La Marzocco New Zealand
Kamran Kazalbash	Head of Brand	One New Zealand
Karenna Wood	Strategic Marketing & Engagement Consultant \| Fractional CMO	Elevate Consultancy
Kath Knight	Senior Creative Consultant	Geyser Creative Group
Katherine Jensen	GM Marketing	Kiwicare
Katherine Kazalbash	Head of Marketing	One New Zealand
Kathryn McGarvey	Chief Listening Officer	NosyHQ
Kelley Toy	Head of Marketing and Communications	Sport New Zealand Ihi Aotearoa
Kelsi Harris	Marketing Manager – Marketing Operations	Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Lauren Stanley	Principal Campaign Advisor	Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand
Lauren Walsh	Group Account Director – Digital Experience	dentsu Aotearoa
Leigh Benvie	Head of Brand & Media	McDonald’s New Zealand
Lisa East	Owner	Matter
Lucy Bailey	Marketing Consultant	Feather Pitch
Maria Tyrrell	Regional Manager	North Harbour Volleyball Association
Marina Strbac	Account Director	Stitch
Matt Eastwood	Creative Director	Thompson Spencer
Matthew Lee	Strategy Director – Data & Technology	McCann New Zealand
Mia Matulic	Industry Manager	Google New Zealand
Michael Pryor	General Manager Marketing	Skills Group
Michelle Goodes	Online Marketing Manager	Foodstuffs New Zealand
Mike Kotlyar	Director, Founder and Marketing Strategist	@consult
Morgan Jones	Head of Marketing	Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Nacho Sauri	Creative Director	Domingo
Natacha Clark	Marketing Excellence Manager – Oceania	Lactalis-Mainland Dairy
Nathalie Moolenschot	General Manager of Marketing & eCommerce	Animates Vetcare NZ
Nichole Phelan	Marketing Principal	Auckland Council
Nick Boulstridge	Senior Marketing Consultant – B2B AI Enablement	Spark New Zealand
Nick Harvey	Partner	Plato
Nikki Burgess	Managing Director	The Sports Shop
Olly Walker-Boden	Managing Director	Federation
Paige Wilkinson	Marketing Strategy & Transformation Manager – Global Foodservice	Fonterra
Patrina Kerr	Managing Director	Fabric Brand Partner
Perry Bernard	Director & Business Growth Expert	RankPower (NZ)
Peter Mangin	Founder / Chief AI Officer	AI Innovisory
Pip Casey	ANZ Strategy & Insights Director	Lion
PJ Morris	Head of Customer Experience & Marketing – Heavy Building Materials Division	Fletcher Building
Pooja Gupta	Group Digital Marketing Manager	Ebbett
Rachel Crockett	Client Solutions Manager	TikTok
Rachel Hitchcock	Head of Retail Marketing	The Warehouse
Ray Schultz	Marketing Manager	Lion
Rebecca Flavell	Head of Brand Strategy & CX	SkyCity Entertainment Group
Richard Conway	CEO	The Optimisers
Rod Russell	Managing Director	Admatic ANZ
Ronnie Mackie	Writer/Producer	Loudmouth Productions
Rowan Worner	Director, Communications, Marketing and Engagement	New Zealand Red Cross
Roz Rickerby	Director/ Marketing Strategist	Osin Outside-In Marketing
Ryan Drew	Head of Acquisition Marketing	Spark New Zealand
Santosh Pandey	CEO	Ridiculous Digital
Sarah Austin	Marketing Manager New World Retail and Shopper	Foodstuffs New Zealand
Sarah Melrose	Executive Creative Director	Milk
Sarah Swinkels	Senior Marketing Operations Manager	Auckland University of Technology
Sean Koh	Brand Manager	Turners Auto Retail Division
Shaun Fay	Creative Director	Beside The Seaside
Sherelle Schmulian	Marketing Manager – Elevated & Comfor	EVT Hotels & Resorts
Sijia Perry	Senior Marketing Manager	Bluechip Infotech New Zealand
Sina Walker	Head of Global Marketing	ADInstruments
Solange Bason	Marketing & Communications Manager	McAlpine Hussmann
Sonya Macmillan	Senior Campaign Executive	Metlifecare
Sophie Neate	Global Head of Digital Marketing and Content	ABB
Stacey Morrissey	Creative Director	Spruik
Stephanie Fahey	Head of Brand Experience	ASB Bank
Stephanie Quantrill	Chief Brand Officer	Cue Marketing Partners
Steve Thomson	Executive Creative Director / Founder	4AM
Sue Kipling	Chief Strategy Officer	YoungShand
Susan Benseman	Head of Marketing & Media Performance	ANZ
Susannah Winger	Brand Lead	One New Zealand
Suzie Thompson	Transformation Lead ANZ	dentsu Aotearoa
Tabitha Chapman	Marketing Manager – Wilmar Food & Ingredients	Goodman Fielder New Zealand
Terri van Schooten	CEO	Verve
Tessa Tripp	Head of Product Marketing	The Research Agency
Tim Rosenbrook	Director	Gecko Marketing
Tracey McKay	Strategic Māori Communicator	McKay Marketing
Vanessa Morris	Marketing Director	Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission
Vanessa Williams	General Manager	Hamilton Central Business Association
Vesna Nixon	Head of Brand and Marketing	TSB New Zealand
Victoria Belcher	Managing Director	Forge Digital
Virginia Bashford	Head of Marketing	Sanderson Group
Wayne Pick	Creative Partner	& Pick
Will Peart	Managing Director, Partner	Bettle and Associates
Zoe Virtue	Head of Social Media	Spark New Zealand

Round 2 Judges 2026

Name	Job title	Company
Aaron Goldring	Digital + CX Director New Zealand	Ogilvy One New Zealand
Adnan Khan	Co-Founder & Managing Partner	stitch
Aja Boon	Associate Director \| REMS Operations	Colliers
Alan Hard	CEO and Executive Chair	Marketing Impact
Alex Smith	Head of Marketing – Haier Australia & New Zealand	Fisher & Paykel Appliances
Allison Yorston	Marketing Director/GM Marketing/CMO	Griffin’s
Ally Young	Chapter Lead – Brand Partnerships	Spark New Zealand
Amy Knightley	Director of Brand & Insights	New Zealand Story
Amy Walliss	Head of Marketing & Publicity	Auckland Council
Angela Monk	Head of Portfolio – Baking	Goodman Fielder New Zealand
Anna Lawrence	GM Marketing & Media Partnerships	Auckland Transport
Anna Santos	Manager Customer Partnerships	ACC New Zealand
Anne Vacek	Head of Marketing Communications	Samsung New Zealand
Annemarie Browne	Marketing Director	Lion New Zealand
Astrud Burgess	Global CMO, ANZ	ANZ
Bhavi Ogra	Global Marketing Manager – OSA	Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Carolyn Long	Head of Consumer Value Management	NZ Post
Carolyn Schofield	Director	Food Marketing NZ
Catherine Harris	Managing Director	TBWA\New Zealand
Christine Abbott	Fractional CMO
Cindy Mitchener	Director	Mitchener&Associates
Craig Parker	Co-Owner & Creative Director	Wave Agency
Craig Whitaker	Industry Head	Google New Zealand
Daine Kingma	Managing Partner, Wellington	VML
Damian Swaffield	Chief Executive Officer	Terabyte Interactive
Dave Pearce	GM Marketing	2degrees
David (DT) Thomason	Brand Planner and Advertising Strategist
Deanna Mihaljevich	Marketing Manager	Auckland Transport
Dominique Touchaud	CMO	SHOKUNIN MARKETING
Emily Colmore-King	Marketing Lead – Transformation	ANZ
Fedor Ledenev	Global Marketing Manager	Yealands Wine Group
Fern Castellanos	Country Business Lead, Nestlé Foods	Nestlé
Fiona Cresswell	General Manager – Marketing Operations	Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Grace Blewitt	GM Global Brand	Air New Zealand
Graham Wright	Consumer and SME GM + Marketing GM	Spark New Zealand
Grant Maxwell	Founder	EightyOne Media
Grant Torrie	National Director – Marketing & Communications	Colliers New Zealand
Hannah Bay	Chapter Area Lead – Brand Experience	Spark New Zealand
Hannah Merritt	Strategy Director	PHD Aotearoa NZ
Helen Fitzsimons	Chief Marketing Officer l General Manager Brand & Marketing	ASB Bank
Helen Steemson	Digital Copywriter & Owner	Words for Breakfast
Jackie Amin	Head of Insights	Lactalis-Mainland Dairy
Jacqui Hurdley	Head of Marketing & Corporate Communication	NZ Post
James Kyd	Director	Fathom NZ
James Stirling	Social Media Advertising Lead	Arizto
Jarad O’Hara	Founder	Insiders Agency
Jasmine Currie	Head of Marketing	Farrah’s
Jayden Szekely	Managing Director	Abov
Jen Rolfe	Managing Partner	Rainger & Rolfe
Jennette Thorne	Marketing Manager Oceania (AU & NZ) – Mainland	Lactalis-Mainland Dairy
Jennifer Jones	Marketing Manager – Meadow Fresh Brand & Beverage Portfolio	Goodman Fielder New Zealand
Jessica Bunker	Head of Brand & Marketing Strategy	IAG
Jodi O’Donnell	Chief Executive Officer	TVNZ
Jon Edmonds	Chief Executive Officer	Iphipany AI
Jono Allen	Agency Leader – Busienss & Communications Strategy	Omnicom Media
Josh Burgisser	Managing Director	Burgs Digital
Julia Jack	Chief Purpose and Brand	Kiwibank
Karenna Wood	Strategic Marketing & Engagement Consultant \| Fractional CMO	Elevate Consultancy
Katherine Jensen	GM Marketing	Kiwicare
Kathryn McGarvey	Chief Listening Officer	NosyHQ
Katie Mills	Chief Marketing Officer	NZME
Laura Cibilich	Founder and Design Director	Run Aotearoa
Leah Neilson	Head of Brand & Creative	Lotto New Zealand
Leann Smith	Head of Marketing & Communications	Burger King
Lee-Ann Morris	Chief Executive Officer	MBM
Lew Bentley	Owner	Headlight
Lindsey Brittain	Founder & CEO	Turas Consulting and Coaching
Luke Rive	Director of Marketing	McDonald’s NZ
Luke Smith	GM Customer Experience	Spark New Zealand
Mark Kelliher	Brand & Communications Director	MediaWorks NZ
Matthew Lee	Strategy Director – Data & Technology	McCann New Zealand
Matthew Pickering	Managing Director	ANZ
Meagan Tuckerman	Head of Paid Media & Performance	IAG
Michael McGlynn	Principal Data + Digital Consultant	Tonkin + Taylor
Michael Pryor	General Manager Marketing	Skills Group
Michal Petrus	Marketing Manager	BDO New Zealand
Monique Matthews	National Marketing Operations Manager	Colliers
Nacho Sauri	Creative Director	Domingo
Natacha Clark	Marketing Excellence Manager – Oceania	Lactalis-Mainland Dairy
Nicholas Boulstridge	Senior Marketing Consultant – B2B AI Enablement	Spark New Zealand
Nick Harvey	Partner	Plato
Nicky Cummerfield	Head of Global Marketing	Silver Fern Farms
Nicola Dennison	Chief Marketing & Product Officer	Webjet Group
Nigel Douglas	Principal	The Counsel
Nikki Burgess	Managing Director	The Sports Shop
Nikki Goodman	Chief Customer Officer	Sky New Zealand
Oliver King	Media Leader / Head of Strategy	Thompson Spencer
Patrina Kerr	Managing Director	Fabric Brand Partner
Paul Scoringe	Fundraising and Marketing Director	Variety New Zealand
Paul Wilson	Chief Executive Officer	McCann New Zealand
Petra Bebbington	Head of Marketing Starbucks New Zealand	Tahua Partners
Priya Patel	Chief Executive Officer	McCann New Zealand
Raphael Chaitwa	Strategic Planner / Research Manger	TBWA\New Zealand
Regan Grafton	Chief Tinker and Co-Founder	Thinkerbell
Renee Milkop-Kerr	Marketing & Innovation Director, Oceania	Lactalis-Mainland Dairy
Richard Stevens	Specialist Business Broker	ABC Business Sales
Ronnie Mackie	Writer/Producer	Loudmouth Productions
Rosina Webb	Founder and Director	Energise
Rufus Chuter	Managing Partner	Together
Russell Duncan	Lead Advisor	Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
Ryan Drew	Head of Acquisition Marketing	Spark New Zealand
Ryan Jordan	Head of Strategy	Bastion Aotearoa
Sandra Geange	Chair	PGF Group
Santosh Pandey	CEO	Ridiculous Digital
Sarah Lukins	General Manager eCommerce & AI Enablement	Fisher & Paykel Appliances
Sarah Sandoval	GM Consumer, Retail & Marketing	NZ Post
Sean Wiggans	General Manager Marketing	Turners Auto Retail Division
Shannon Watts	Group Marketing Director	Samsung New Zealand
Sharn Phillips	Head of Marketing	Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Simon Hofmann	General Manager, Brand and Marketing	Kiwibank
Simon Laird	Head of Sales and Partnerships	Google New Zealand
Stacey Morrissey	Creative Director	Spruik
Stephen Imm	GM Brand, Marketing & Digital	Genesis
Steve Main	Director Brand – Brand Strategy & Capability	Auckland University of Technology
Steve Thomson	Executive Creative Director / Founder	4AM
Sue Kipling	Chief Strategy Officer	YoungShand
Tanmay Desai	CEO & Co-Founder	Truestock
Tim Cullinane	Executive Strategy Director	Saatchi & Saatchi
Toby Aldred	Managing Director & Chief Client Officer	Saatchi & Saatchi Australia
Vai Müller	General Manager Marketing	Fisher & Paykel Appliances
Valerie Walshe	Head of Marketing	TVNZ
Vanessa Morris	Marketing Director	Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission
Victoria Belcher	Managing Director	Forge Digital
Vivian Bryant-Taukiri	Managing Director	Brand Spanking
Will Peart	Managing Director, Partner	Bettle and Associates

For the list of judges for 2025, click here.