Ethical, transparent and respected, the awards are judged by esteemed industry experts who follow a robust two-step judging process that includes pre-scoring to establish a shortlist and judge discussion to determine winners and in some cases silver awards.
None of our award judges can take part in the competition and any conflicts of interest must be declared.
The Global Social Media Awards are accredited by the Awards Trust Mark – The Independent Awards Standards Council – Trust Mark Scheme.
Adam Etherington | Head of Social Media | Myprotein
I am Head of Social Media for Myprotein, responsible for ensuring our brand is disrupting and making noise across all of our key activations, from partnerships with Williams Racing F1 Team, to campaigns, to ambassador content days with the biggest names in the fitness industry. I previously spent six years at Sky Betting and Gaming and have worked within social and the sports industry for over 10 years.
Andy Lambert | Senior Manager, Product | Adobe
Andy is a serial entrepreneur with a proven track record of building and scaling successful software businesses over the past 12 years. As a founding member of ContentCal, a social media marketing platform, he helped grow the company from inception to acquisition by Adobe Inc. in 2021, raising $10M in funding and serving thousands of customers globally. Andy is passionate about education and sharing knowledge, which led him to author the best-selling book 'SOCIAL 3.0' in 2022. Drawing from his extensive experience, he now advises and consults with businesses, helping them scale and harness the power of social media.
Bianca Spada | Wearables Lead, Social | Meta
Bianca is a global digital strategy expert with 10 years experience of delivering successful digital strategies and global campaigns in some of the world’s leading and cutting edge companies. She is an expert in consolidating and creating brand new social strategies to significantly increase the visibility of brands online. Bianca has a proven record of radically turning around performance and generating 3-figure growth within 12 months of working in a company.
Catherine Jell | Head of Social | Nadine Merabi
I’m currently Head of Social at Manchester-based, luxury fashion brand Nadine Merabi. I joined the team in 2024 after 3 years at SocialChain as Associate Creator Director. I’ve worked in marketing, with a specialism in Social, for almost 10 years now; leading the social strategy & output for brands like KFC UKI, John Lewis & Waitrose, LinkedIn, the British Army, Holland & Barrett, Arla, and more.
Catriona Murray | Independent Agencies Lead | X
Cat Murray looks after Independent Agency relationships at X and has worked with a plethora of global brands such as Google, McDonalds & Pepsico. Over her 10 years at X she has helped her clients manage top performing and award winning work on the platform. More recently she created a charities vertical to help non profit organisations thrive on X.
Daniel Saunders | Head of Performance Marketing | Evergreen Finance London
For nearly two decades, I've thrived in the dynamic world of digital marketing, fuelled by an unwavering passion for data-driven strategies. My expertise lies in leveraging data insights to unlock new business opportunities and propel success. My approach is anchored in a deep understanding of different markets and competitors. This data-centric foundation allows me to identify trends, anticipate challenges, and establish a competitive edge. I actively collaborate with directors and heads of service, translating business goals into actionable plans informed by data-driven insights.
Herbert de Luca | Social media specialist | H.O
Herbert is always in search of knowledge, working with digital marketing and studying neuromarketing, finishing a postgraduate research on the behavioural part of people in social media. Currently, he seeks to consolidate his career and tries to give his best in judgments. His last participation was in the CBMA (Craft Beer Marketing Awards).
Izzy Price | Head of Social Media & Digital Sentiment | St. James's Place
Izzy Price has 10 years’ experience within financial services marketing. After setting up the St. James’s Place social media team in 2019, she has developed their social media presence across multiple channels and increased followership by over 50%. With a degree in English Literature, a Certificate in Financial Services, and a Chartered Marketer, Izzy showed an interest in social media at the tender age of 13 - back then, it was all about MySpace! As a ‘third culture kid’ with friends living across the world, social media allowed Izzy to share life’s milestones online. With a love for all things social media, she loves to learn about the new and exciting trends: figuring out how these can be used by brands to build brand awareness and generate opportunities. She has a passion for telling stories; even better when these stories help develop consumer knowledge of the importance of financial wellbeing.
Jaime Hill | Ecommerce Director |
Jaime has over two decades of experience as a Marketing & Ecommerce professional with a successful track record leading teams and developing strategy to transform organisations’ digital capability and channels to market. She has had success in roles at brands including Avis, Barclays, Dairy Crest and Oak Furnitureland, and across a wide range of B2B and B2C vertical markets. Most recently, she joined Hurtigruten Group as Ecommerce Director for HRN & Shared Services in January 2023.. A graduate of the Institute of Digital Marketing and qualified Executive Business Coach, Jaime's professional passion is for making life easier for the customer at every touch point.
James Simpson | Digital Jedi | Copper Candle
James Simpson is the owner of Copper Candle, a live events XR studio. James is a creative technologist, passionate about the use of technology in creating theatre and live entertainment. His specialism and PhD research is pre-visualisation, particularly using XR technology. James has worked with the Royal Opera House, Royal Shakespeare Company, and has worked on productions including Miss Saigon, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat, &Juliet and the Commonwealth Games Ceremonies. Alongside visualisation, James creates XR location-based experiences and virtual reality theatre. Copper Candle is building a metaverse live events platform and have won awards for its patent-pending live streaming technology and XR workflows for real-time content creation.
Jesse Alter | Digital Engagement Lead | Transport for London
Jesse Alter has been working in social media since the days of the Fail Whale. He is currently the Digital Engagement Lead at Transport for London, leading TfL’s social media and email teams. Prior to TfL, Jesse worked in higher education as well the museum sector in a variety of digital and social-focused roles. You can connect with Jesse on Twitter (@jesse_a) and LinkedIn.
Lauren Pogson | Head of PR & Social | Evri
Lauren has over 16 years of in house and agency experience for major UK brands. Lauren joined Evri in April 2024 in the newly created role of Head of PR and Social, where she is responsible for building and leading a new team as part of a business wide investment in customer service and shifting brand perception. Starting out her career in an international tech PR agency at a time when social media use began to boom, Lauren then went on to spend 13 years at the Co-op where she managed the social media presence for Co-op Bank during a period of crisis before going on to support and lead on consumer and corporate PR activity across wider Co-op businesses. She is specialised in crisis and issues management and experienced in leading award-winning teams to deliver integrated communications campaigns.
Lou Nylander | Founder | Wildflowers of London
Lou has over 15 years of experience holding down influential positions, managing global marketing teams and shaping the course of some of the world's leading digital advertising companies, including PubMatic, MediaCom, AOL/ The Huffington Post and Zenith. Before launching her marketing consultancy, Lou was the Global Marketing Director at Unruly and managed the marketing operation during the 2020 acquisition from News Corp to Tremor International. Five years ago, Lou founded 'Wildflowers of London'- Women's Circle, a social enterprise and events business focused on empowering women in South East London, where she resides. She fosters an inclusive culture across everything she does champions women, drives change, and leads from the front with a positive and inspiring attitude.
Magda Marchowska-Raza | Assistant Professor | North Dakota State University
Magda is passionate about social media marketing and creative marketing. With a strong blend of academic expertise and practical experience, she supports small businesses in leveraging social media to build engagement and drive value. Having recently completed her PhD on value creation and consumer engagement within social media brand communities, she bridges cutting-edge research with actionable insights to help brands thrive in the digital space.
Mariam Abubakr | Global SEO Manager | Versuni
Mariam Abubakr is an adept SEO professional based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, presently assumes the role of Global SEO Manager at Philips Domestic Appliances (Versuni). With previous experience as a journalist at CNN and Reuters, Mariam brings a unique perspective to her role, often describing herself as "an ex-journalist disguised as an SE optimizer". While she currently navigates territories on a global scale, Mariam's roots and early triumphs blossomed in the vibrant MENA region, where she led impactful SEO projects for renowned clients like Jaguar Land Rover, General Electric, Bosch, Accor Hotels, and Virgin Megastore. Her expertise spans various industries, with a proven track record of successful SEO strategies. Mariam's passion for SEO prompted her to explore new horizons, making her a valuable asset in recognizing and celebrating the outstanding achievements of the global search community!
Neville Hobson | Social Strategist, Communicator, Podcaster |
Neville Hobson is a social strategist, communicator, and podcaster. He works independently, consulting with a number of organizations to help them create and build foundations for authentic engagement that enable them to develop and expand their online presence, reach and influence. He is also a non-executive director of a Web3 start-up that’s bringing innovation to NFT marketplaces. He has been helping organizations leverage his experiences, knowledge and subject-matter expertise over a 20-year period of social networks, social media strategy development, marketing, analytics and insights reporting. He connects this expertise with a 15-year career in traditional public relations, marketing communication, corporate communication, employee, compensation and benefits communication, and investor relations. Neville is based in West Berkshire, England.
Paris de Reuck | Freelance Marketing Consultant | Content & Community strategist
Paris has worked in social media and SEO for thirteen years, with eight years spent heading social media, influencers and editorial teams at MediaCom and OMD. Paris now works directly with companies and startups helping them find creative ways to grow through social media advertising, content and influencer marketing.
Purna Virji is a globally recognized content strategist and Senior Content Solutions Consultant at LinkedIn. She has been crowned the Search Personality of the Year by the US Search Awards, was named by Adweek on their Young Influentials List, and was named by PPC Hero as the #1 Most Influential Expert in the world. She is a columnist and top-rated international keynote speaker who regularly speaks at conferences such as AdWeek, DMEXCO, The Next Web Conference and INBOUND. Prior to joining LinkedIn, Purna led global learning and thought leadership programs for Microsoft. An award-winning former journalist, Purna is an avid traveler, aspiring top chef, and amateur knitter in her spare time.
Rejoice Ojiaku is an SEO Specialist & Content Strategist, as well as the Co-Founder of B-DigitalUK – a platform for showcasing and empowering black talent in the UK digital marketing scene. Her expertise lies in SEO, Diversity and inclusion, all bolstered by strong personal branding both online and offline.
Sarah Cook | Head of Content | Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
Sarah has worked in communications for nearly 20 years, both in-house and for agencies: currently she's at the RSA (Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) in the marketing team. Most recently, she's been responsible for brand campaigns and content in the Group brand team at Legal & General. Before this, she worked at an international law firm, leading their social media strategy and started her career as a communications consultant, working at PR agencies in London.
Luan Wise | Independent Social Media Consultant |
Luan Wise is a chartered marketer and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM) with more than 20 years’ experience in agency, client-side and consultancy roles. She has worked with clients across B2C and B2B, providing both hands-on support and strategic consultancy. In addition, Luan writes and delivers social media marketing training programmes for in-house teams, plus organisations including LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, professional bodies, and university business schools.
Simon To | Digital Director & Consultant | Website3.com
Simon To is the Digital Director & Consultant at Website3.com, Simon goes above and beyond delivering performance marketing solutions for clients. Simon has over 12+ years of practical experience and 200+ clients under his belt. Website3.com is a new generation of digital media & marketing, supporting clients with the new wave of generative AI in marketing and automation. Website3 provides hands on digital consultancy for all your marketing needs. Website3 Paid Media Services include: Google . PPC . Shopping . Search . Bing . Social Media . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube . CTV . Display . Programmatic . Native . Analytics . Strategy . Planning . Delivery
Steve Kuncewicz | Head Of Creative, Digital & Marketing | Glaisyers Etl
Steve is a Partner and Head of Creative, Digital and Marketing at Glaisyers ETL in Manchester. He specialises in intellectual property, media social media and privacy law and is listed as a "recommended lawyer" in the Legal 500, and was a oo-founder pf the Bulletproof Agency Network. He is a regular media spokesperson, and has given interviews to the local and national press through BBC Breakfast, Sky News, ITV, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live and LBC London. Steve is also the Manchester Publicity Association’s Honorary Solicitor.
Stuart P Turner | MD / Founder | Flow State
Stuart is a qualified philosopher and natural contrarian. He is currently focusing his energies on building B2B solutions business Flow State Marketing.
Veronica is a seasoned digital marketer with almost 11 years of experience. Named one of the 10 Optmyzr Digital Marketing Sheroes of 2023, she has worked for a mix of big names, SMEs, startups, and agencies across the UK and the US, covering broad areas such as content, PR, SEO, and affiliates. For the last 8 years, she has specialised in Paid Media, working towards the perfect balance between analysis and creativity that can help brands grow and expand internationally.
Veronika Höller | Head of Demand Generation | Tresorit
Veronika is a Global SEO Lead and has worked in SEO and PPC marketing for over 14 years. She started as a copywriter and PPC Manager in a little Ads Agency. She has continuously developed herself further into the direction of SEO. Over the years, she has worked as a digital marketing manager in agencies and international companies, including CompuGroup where she is now. International SEO and PPC Strategies are Top of her priority list. She views SEO as a whole puzzle and not just individual sub-areas, hence why she trained herself in all areas – content, technology, PPC, SMM and UX. Today she spreads her knowledge as a speaker on the stages of international digital marketing conferences such as BrightonSEO, SMX advanced, International Search Summit etc. For her all digital marketing channels have to be united to get the best of your website.
Will Wood | Senior Manager, Social Media - Entertainment | Authentic Brands Group
Will is the current Senior Social Media Manager for a global public figure in the sports industry. His previous experience covers some of the biggest brands in the world, working with Red Bull and more recently adidas on global events including the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics. Outside of his professional career, Will graduated from Leeds Beckett University with a Sports Marketing degree and is the proud co-host and producer of his own rugby-themed podcast. He enjoys the unrivalled access Social Media can provide to people and communities, and is passionate about producing content and publishing strategies which can add value to people’s online experiences.
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"We’re really excited to have been shortlisted for a Global Social Media Award. Winning the award would be a fabulous acknowledgement to our teams who put in an incredible amount of effort to ensure that we are always delivering engaging and interesting content to our followers, ensuring that we are always helping to change lives for good." Virgin Pulse
“This nomination for ‘Best In-House Team’ is a reflection our collaborative spirit and innovative approach that drive our success. We’re honoured to be nominated and grateful for the recognition of our team’s hard work.”Karen Bannister Centurion Asset Management Inc
"Being shortlisted in competitions like the “Global Social Media Awards” validates our innovative approaches and successful strategies. It is an opportunity for us to showcase the significant impact of our work and gain both publicity and recognition for our hard work." Trickle
“Awards like the Global Social Media Awards are important because they allow us not only to demonstrate the quality and consistency of our work, but to also recognize our team for it. To a person, our team is the most expert group I’ve ever been fortunate enough to work with, so the nomination is a testament to them as both experts in the field but also great partners to our clients.”Ryan Black Accelerated Digital Media
"Luxid is thrilled to be shortlisted for the prestigious Global Social Media Awards in no less than three categories! Attracting entries from all over the world, we know how special it is to make it through to the finals and to be recognised for the kind of innovative digital work that really drives business success." Luxid
"We’re really excited to have been shortlisted for a Global Social Media Award. Winning the award would be a fabulous acknowledgement to our teams who put in an incredible amount of effort to ensure that we are always delivering engaging and interesting content to our followers, ensuring that we are always helping to change lives for good."
“This nomination for ‘Best In-House Team’ is a reflection our collaborative spirit and innovative approach that drive our success. We’re honoured to be nominated and grateful for the recognition of our team’s hard work.”
Karen Bannister 
"Being shortlisted in competitions like the “Global Social Media Awards” validates our innovative approaches and successful strategies. It is an opportunity for us to showcase the significant impact of our work and gain both publicity and recognition for our hard work."
“Awards like the Global Social Media Awards are important because they allow us not only to demonstrate the quality and consistency of our work, but to also recognize our team for it. To a person, our team is the most expert group I’ve ever been fortunate enough to work with, so the nomination is a testament to them as both experts in the field but also great partners to our clients.”
Ryan Black 
"Luxid is thrilled to be shortlisted for the prestigious Global Social Media Awards in no less than three categories! Attracting entries from all over the world, we know how special it is to make it through to the finals and to be recognised for the kind of innovative digital work that really drives business success."
