The carefully selected panel of judges for the Prolific North Champions Awards will take part in a two-step transparent and independent process to create the shortlist and ultimately decide the winners on the night. Individual awards will be decided by a combination of public votes and judges’ scores.
Alongside some of the judging panel already announced, let’s take a look at some more of the judges joining the panel this year!
Prolific North Champions Awards judges 2023
Abby White, Head of PR & Comms at twentysix
For more than a decade, Abby White has created and led integrated earned media strategies for some of the UK’s most recognisable brands including: Tesco, Aldi, Asda and Dulux. She’s keen to see how entrants have interpreted their data and how this leads into their strategy and creative execution.
Caren Davies, Senior Head of Communications at the BBC
Alongside her role at the BBC, Caren Davies sits on the Nations Board and is responsible for the external communications and external affairs for BBC Local, Sport, Children’s & Education and 5 Live. Her previous roles include Head of Publicity for The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent; and Head of Communications for Radio 1, 1Xtra and the Asian Network. She is a Disability Champion for the BBC and is also a member of the PRCA’s Equity & Inclusion Council and a Trustee of the Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation.
Chris Bond, freelance journalist and former features editor of The Yorkshire Post
Chris Bond is a freelance journalist, ghostwriter, copywriter and lecturer and is former features editor of The Yorkshire Post, where he worked for more than 20 years before leaving in 2022. He has a journalistic career spanning more than two decades, where he covered big stories ranging from 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan, to the Great Yorkshire Show and Leeds Festival.
As well as interviewing countless big names including Sir Patrick Stewart, Sir Michael Palin, Sir Michael Parkinson, Jerry Hall, Sean Bean, Alan Bennett, Lee Child, Jenny Agutter and Tony Bennett, he is also a successful author.
Gareth Hodgson, Director at Mustard
Hodgson is a Director and co-owner of the Manchester-based market research agency Mustard.He started with the agency as a graduate in 2000 and returned in 2008 following client-side roles at Iceland Foods, Shop Direct Group and Everton Football Club.
Richard Aldiss, Managing Director at McCann Manchester
Aldiss has been with McCann for over 27 years. Joining the Manchester agency in 1997 as head of media after an eight year stint at the network’s Birmingham office, he has held a number of leadership roles at the 400 strong agency, including head of channel planning. Appointed Managing Director at McCann Manchester in 2018, he has lived and worked in the North West for the majority of his life and is passionate about Manchester as a vibrant, creative city.
Gill Riley, Marketing Director at Quorn Foods
Appointed to the role of Marketing Director at Quorn Foods in May 2020, Gill Riley is responsible for overseeing all marketing communications and innovation in the UK and Europe. Riley previously worked as Quorn’s International Marketing & Innovation Director for three years and prior to joining Quorn Foods, she held senior marketing positions at Merlin Entertainments and Kellogg’s.
Make sure you get started on your entry today before the early bird deadline closes to ensure you get the industry recognition you deserve on the night and celebrate your successes!
