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Judging Panel

​​An independent panel of recognised and expert judges, drawn from academia, business and broader related sectors will determine the winners of The Irish Sponsorship Awards.

Our focus is to deliver a balanced judging assessment from industry leaders who will bring their extensive knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise to the judging process ensuring that the winning entries are truly outstanding and worthy of receiving a trophy.

 

The panel is carefully selected to ensure the Awards judging process is fair and objective. The judges are bound by a strict confidentiality agreement and are required to declare any conflict of interest in entries over which they deliberate, in which case that entry will be reallocated. The integrity of this process lies at the very heart of all that we do.
 

comprehensive judging process has been developed to decide the winners of The Irish Sponsorship Awards.

2023 Judging Panel

Other judges will be announced soon.

Gerard O’Neill - (Judging Co-ordinator)

Gerard O’Neill - (Judging Co-ordinator)

Chairman, Amárach Research

Gerard O’Neill is Chairman of Amárach Research. He is a graduate of the London School of Economics and was previously Business Planning Manager in An Post.

Alma Birbilaite

Alma Birbilaite

Global Marketer, Indeed.com

Alma is a global marketer with a deep passion for fostering meaningful connections between brands and local communities. She spent the last 6 years working with Indeed's Global Marketing team, where she spearheaded the award-winning Team Ireland sponsorship programme.

Lorna Danaher

Lorna Danaher

Sponsorship Manager, Energia

Lorna has been involved in marketing for over 10 years and sponsorship for 7. As sponsorship manager for C&C Group and then Energia, she has worked across a variety of sporting, cultural and live events.

Jackie Fitzsimons

Jackie Fitzsimons

Sponsorship & Partnership Executive, Commercial Department, Horse Racing Ireland

Jackie Fitzsimons works within the Horse Racing industry as Sponsorship & Partnership Executive for Horse Racing Ireland, working across their four tracks – Leopardstown, Fairyhouse, Navan and Tipperary Racecourse.

Grainne Humphreys

Grainne Humphreys

Festival Director, Dublin International Film Festival

Grainne Humphreys is the Festival Director of the Dublin International Film Festival. She hosts training workshops and masterclasses both in Ireland internationally and teaches cinema at UCD and Griffith College. She also reviews film and popular culture for RTE and other media.

Stephen Joyce

Stephen Joyce

National Sales Manager, Urban Media

Stephen Joyce National Sales Manager for urbanmedia has worked in media for over 25 years across out of home and audio both in Ireland and the UK. He is passionate about creating solutions that work and create a real point of difference for clients.

Laurie Kelly

Laurie Kelly

Group Marketing Manager, News Ireland

Senior Marketing Communications Manager with 15+ years experience in brand and digital Marketing. As a certified member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland and the Marketing Society of Ireland, Laurie has spent the past eight years in the fast paced world of media working with News Ireland.

Leonard Miller

Leonard Miller

Head of Media Sales and Brand Partnerships,Dublin Airport

Leonard Miller is Head of Media Sales and Brand Partnerships at Dublin Airport. Prior to taking up his role at Dublin Airport, Leonard specialised in brand partnerships working for Zenith, UTV Ireland and TG4.

David Monaghan

David Monaghan

Managing Director, KICK

David is Managing Director with KICK,  where he brings an impressive 20 years' experience helping brands achieve exponential growth and delivering commercial success

Mark Noble

Mark Noble

Marketing Manager,HEINEKEN Ireland

Mark Noble leads the iconic Heineken® Brand as it looks to strengthen it’s market-leading position within the Irish alcohol industry. He is responsible for the development of both Heineken® & Heineken 0.0%, across all ATL & BTL platforms - including sponsorships within the worlds of Rugby & Music.

Karen Price

Karen Price

Creative Director, News UK & Ireland

Karen Price, an accomplished Creative Director, excels in advertising, brand building, business development, and digital media. With a strategic mindset and artistic flair, she delivers innovative solutions, driving growth and profitability.

Sarah Sharkey

Sarah Sharkey

PR & Sponsorship Manager, ESB Group

Sarah Sharkey is a marketing and business leader with over 20 years’ experience in building brands and driving commercial success across many industries including arts organisations, creative agencies, banking, film and energy.

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