JUDGES

Ashanti Bentil Dhue is the Co Founder of 100 White Allies, Diversity Ally and Black In Events, consultancies which provide support to organisations who want to be proactively anti-racist and inclusive, both internally and for their service users. Ashanti believes that systemic change comes from taking a considered, blended approach which brings rigour to programme design, accountability to the change process, balanced lived experience, and dynamic and innovative approaches to learning. More importantly, Ashanti focuses on working with organisations on how they prepare employees and leadership for uncomfortable conversations, before they receive any training and education.

Ashanti Bentil-Dhue co created the UK's first nationwide anti-racism and allyship project for women in HR ( which is 83% female and white) who want to become allies to minorities in the workplace. She also conducted the UK’s only piece of research advising organisations on how to retain and engage millennial and generation z black women in the workplace which culminated in a widely anticipated white paper. Ashanti is currently a judge on a number of awards panels, including the Eventex Awards, Independent Publisher Awards and the Virtual Event Institute Awards. Ashanti is also the founder and MD over at EventMind, an event technology training provider. EventMind helps organisations engineer successful digital event outcomes by educating, connecting and supporting their clients with digital event delivery.

Jon Bickley is CEO of Anthem Publishing - the home of wellbeing brands Colouring Heaven, Women’s Running and Vegan Food & Living. He’s worked in magazines all his professional life, starting with COMAG and Future before founding Anthem with colleagues Paul and Simon back in 2002.

Tom has extensive experience of running print, cross-media and digital content and platform companies. He was co-founder and CEO of digital start-up Silicon Media Group. After its acquisition by CNET Networks, Tom led the expansion of this highly profitable digital content pure play in Europe. Tom joined cross-media platform business Magicalia as CEO in mid 2008, working with Exponent Private Equity. The merger of Magicalia, BBC Magazines and Origin Publishing in November 2011 created Immediate Media Co. Tom has steered the company to fast growth in both profitability and digital innovation since then.

Zoe manages award-winning titles such as Pony Magazine, Horse&Rider and the newly launched Blippi Official Magazine.

Award-winning art director, digital and print graphic designer with over 17 years experience specialising in editorial and publishing. Formerly at Stylist, Northstar, The Guardian, The Observer, Esquire Weekly (App – iPad and iPhone), WIRED (App – iPad / Kindle / Samsung) and The Times Magazine.

Claire has just started a new role assisting in the launch of an agency that supports underrepresented illustrators and photographers in the publishing industry. The launch is planned for October 2020.

The Stage Media Company Ltd Managing Director 2012 – Present

Nexus Chambers Barrister 2010 – 2012

Holborn Chambers Barrister From 2002

Thomson Global Markets Director of Marketing From 1998

Emap Business International Marketing Director From 1993

Reed Travel Group Circulation Director/Publisher From 1989 

Andy Cowles is a world-renowned creative director whose leadership roles include Editorial Development Director of Time Inc. UK, Creative Director of Mademoiselle for Condé Nast and Creative Director of Rolling Stone in NYC. Andy has won multiple editorial and design awards, including the UK’s most prestigious, the BSME Mark Boxer award. He is also a Guardian Masterclass trainer, mentor and coach.

Andy is the founder of brand design and content agency Cowles Media (www.cowlesmedia.london).

Sarah Cox has been a senior member of the team at Burlington Media Group since 2009, leading the client services division until becoming co-CEO in 2020. Over her time the business has grown to encompass publishing, research and events, and now also a data service. Before joining, she was a client, buying into the products to market a software firm. This journey means she brings to the table the view from both client and publisher, a useful asset during the pre-launch phase of new products. It also successfully benefits client relationships as she understands from first-hand experience their challenges around exploring the best routes to market. Going from client to co-owner makes her a real Victor Kiam of legal publishing - but slightly better looking.

"Full disclosure: I love spreadsheets. I also love reading, eating cake, and seeing the success of commercial initiatives. My job is a perfect marriage of the things I love, and so I am exceptionally lucky to come to work each day as the Commercial Director for the London Review of Books, Bookshop and Cake Shop.

The LRB is Europe's largest literary magazine (ABC now over 75,000) and I have been instrumental in achieving a 42% subscription rise and more than 65% revenue growth from subs over my 8 years running the award-winning marketing team.

In Nov 2018, I launched our online e-commerce store (www.lrbstore.co.uk) which is now a reliable and steady revenue stream for the business. I was appointed the Commercial Director in April 2019, and now drive the commercial strategy of the LRB suite of businesses, maintaining the dignity of the brand and providing clear goals, testing methodology, operational implementation and reporting for our commercial activity."

Stewart is Publishing Director for CenturyOne, a content marketing agency based in St Albans. He oversees the editorial output, design & production as well as the commercial strategy of the company. A lover of magazines since his teenage years, he loves nothing more than creating exciting, new products for the market. He spent his formative years at Hearst Magazines across titles like Country Living, Cosmopolitan and Esquire and then a decade at ShortList Media learning the ins and outs of magazine and digital launches at what was a very exciting time for UK Media. In his last role , he worked at travel media company in the West End and oversaw the development of multi-language websites and social media campaigns. Stewart believes that commercial and editorial strategies should go hand in glove in order to facilitate the best possible business outcomes.

Vicki has experience across banking, hospitality and travel & tourism but settled in publishing over 20 years ago. Her work as Associate Publisher and then as part of the senior management team at Chelsea Magazines, in her role as CFO, have given her the opportunity to gain an insight to all elements of the publishing business. She is delighted to have been asked to be part of the judging team for this year’s Independent Publisher Awards.

Sally Hampton is a Consumer Magazines Publisher with DC Thomson Media. She oversees a diverse portfolio of UK and Scottish interest magazine brands. Her role involves identifying opportunities to grow existing DC Thomson Media titles through innovation and expansion – and launching new products across a variety of platforms. Most recently, she was a key member of the team that delivered Platinum magazine, one of the biggest launches in consumer magazines in recent times. Sally is currently chair of PPA Scotland.

Marc is the founder of 1854 Media, an award-winning digital media organisation, self-proclaimed as the 'oldest startup in photography', with its core brand British Journal of Photography established in 1854.

A qualified accountant, Marc's passion is for business and specifically for media, having been the Finance Director of a large B2B media company for many years, before taking on a commercial publishing role and later on leading a management buyout in 2013 to form 1854 Media. Since then 1854 have innovated (many times), failed (many times), crowdfunded equity finance (three times) and succeeded once or twice along the way. Marc holds a number of non-executive directorships and advises startups alongside his role as CEO of 1854 Media.

Alex is a London-based writer, podcaster and producer in the UK. He hosts Time To Talk with Alex Holmes, the most wholehearted indy podcast on the internet.

Website: alexholmes.co 

Pippa joined TTG (Travel Trade Gazette) as features writer in 2006, later becoming Features Editor, and then Editor between 2014 and 2017. In her role as Group Editor, she steers a team of 15 editorial staff, across TTG Media’s print magazines, digital channels and events. TTG Media’s mission is to promote a smarter, better, fairer travel industry, with TTG magazine still at its heart. Pippa talks regularly on radio and TV about travel and was named Editor of the Year (Business Media) at the PPA Awards in 2017 and PPA Team Leader of the Year in 2020. TTG Media was named Independent Publishing Company of the Year at the PPA IPN Awards in 2019.

Uwern Jong is Experientialist-in-Chief of luxury and experiential travel journal rooted in diversity, discovery and discernment, OutThere magazine. He was the 2020 Winner of “Editor of the Year” at the Campaign Publishing Awards and led the title to win “Publication of the Year” the 2018 Travel Media Awards.

Through OutThere, Uwern also delivers bespoke content creation and creative branding, primarily working with destinations and luxury travel brands, specialising in both luxury and inclusive and diversity-driven content for the modern traveller. He is the Founder of the global LGBT+ Travel Symposium series, helping and training travel brands to be more inclusive in their outreach and Co-Founder of Stockholm LGBT, a members-based destination marketing platform.

He is proud to be serving on his second term as a Board Director for IGLTA (the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association). www.OutThere.travel @outtheremag @uwern

Laura Kelly is the Digital Producer for The Big Issue. A journalist, columnist, podcaster and events professional, she was born and brought up in Belfast and is now based in Glasgow. She is passionate about social justice, feminism, music and magazines.

As the manager of PPA Scotland, she launched the world’s first week-long festival dedicated to magazines – the Edinburgh International Magazine Festival.

Her writing has been published globally in street papers from the USA and Argentina to Australia and Japan. She has also written for The Herald, Sunday Herald and The Skinny, and has appeared on BBC Northern Ireland as a commentator on political and cultural issues.

Last year, she was named Columnist of the Year at the Words by Women Awards for her work in Holyrood Magazine.

@laurakaykelly

Director of Publisher Relations at the Bookseller since 2014, and Head of Sales at The London Book Fair for 12 years before that. The business of publishing is still endlessly fascinating to me even after 20 years and the production and development of outstanding events is what keeps me awake at night.

Heidi joined LaingBuisson in 2017 first as Head of Business Development, moving to the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2018. She started her career in business intelligence, first working for a boutique firm which offered reports and consultancy in the engineering sector and then freelancing for Euromonitor. She has had a varied career which has comprised working in research roles in the recruitment sector and Parliament and also a spell as a business manager at Alzheimer's Society.

Ian founded Think in 1999 to publish magazines for membership organisations. 21 years later, Think delivers print, digital, events and advertising services to more than 40 membership organisations through its teams in London and Glasgow. Think has won Independent Publishing Company of the year three times and in 2020 won Memcom Agency of the year for the third time in four years. Think purchased Wanderlust magazine in 2017 and shaped its strategy to become PPA’s Bronze winner for Special Interest Magazine of the Year in 2019, and Silver winner in 2020. In January 2020, Ian oversaw the merger of Wanderlust with Morris Visitor Publications and like many publishers has spent the past year learning a lot of new skills.

thinkpublishing.co.uk

Wanderlust.co.uk

Gavin is currently MD of Ultima Media, a global B2B media business (part of Suddeutscher Verlag). His career spans strategic marketing and commercial development in organizations such as BBC Worldwide and Universal Pictures and in the last number of years his focus has been on leading change and transition for content and marketing services businesses.

In his current role he has led the change and transition to a more focused data, intelligence and paid-for content business, accelerated by the COVID crisis and currently manifesting itself in all things digital, including the launch of its ‘first’ global digital conference in September.

With 20 years' experience spanning across all elements of publishing, currently focusing on brand revenue diversification, licensing and affiliate marketing, Dharmesh has a great understanding of what it takes to grow media businesses at pace. The Specialist portfolio at Dennis is wide and varied and includes great brands such as Viz, Cyclist and Expert Reviews to name a few. 

I'm the Editor of National Trust Magazine, which is sent to every National Trust member household and has a circulation of over 2.6 million. The National Trust is a conservation charity founded in 1895 to look after and give access to nature, history and beauty, for everyone, for ever. We look after coast, historic sites, countryside and green spaces, working with partners as well as on our own land. My team and I create National Trust Magazine as a core benefit of membership – an entertaining and inspiring way for supporters to engage in the Trust's work, connect with our cause and make the most of their membership.

I started working on national magazines over 20 years ago. Along the way I developed a particular love of writing and editing for specialist interest publications, especially science, nature and history. I love to speak to experts and then communicate their work in an accessible way to inspire a generalist audience.

I’ve been Editor of National Trust Magazine for seven years. I find the world of membership communication genuinely fascinating and this role in particular deeply fulfilling. The Trust is full of wonderful places and people who believe passionately in our cause, and I feel privileged to be able to share their stories with our members.

Deven Pamben has more than 19 years’ experience as a journalist, working on newspapers, trade magazines and online publications. A Criminology graduate, Deven worked for Hertfordshire Constabulary before becoming a journalist. He began his journalism career at a local newspaper in Hertfordshire before moving into trade magazines in permanent roles or as a freelancer.

Titles he has reported on include Law Society Gazette, Harpers Wine and Spirit, and Health Club Management. Deven has also written travel features for the Sunday People, and spent two years working in Beijing for the official press agency of the People’s Republic of China.

Daniel Pearce is CEO and owner of TTG Media. After joining the Travel Trade Gazette as editor in 2010, he moved to brand director in 2012 before mounting a management buy-out in 2013 and setting up TTG Media as a wholly independent business. Since then TTG Media has gone from strength to strength, launching a string of new initiatives including the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies, TTG LGBT events, the ttgluxury Travel Awards, the ttgluxury Travel Summit, new website ttgmedia.com and the TTG Diversity & Inclusion in Travel conference.

In April 2019 the business saw a rebrand under a new vision for a ‘Smarter, Better, Fairer’ travel industry – and new investment in print publishing, with TTG magazine, now monthly, still at the heart of the industry 67 years after its first edition.

In November 2019 TTG Media was named Independent Publishing Company of the Year the PPA Independent Publisher Awards, while in May 2020 TTG was named Business Media Brand of the Year at the Campaign Publishing Awards.

Kevin Petley, until recently COO of the Chelsea Magazine Company, has worked across all the main disciplines associated with Magazine Publishing. Kevin is also a board member of the ABC. Currently working for his own consultancy business, Kevin has a wealth of knowledge and experience, making him ideally placed to judge this year's PPA Independent Publishing Awards.

Christopher Phin is the Head of Podcast for DC Thomson Media. Working with enthusiastic, passionate colleagues across the UK, he’s helped build a podcast folio that spans sport, education, B2B, politics, gardening and more. He’s excited about the power podcasts have to find new audiences and turn existing audiences into superfans.

Sandeep Saujani is an Entrepreneurial leader within B2B media and information with experience in VC, PE and corporate environments in the UK ,US & Asia. Currently Sandeep is the CEO of Contentive which is a global B2B media and events company specialising in the HR, Finance Professional, FinTech and Marketing sectors. Sandeep joined Contentive in 2016 after a proven record of achieving high growth in B2B Media businesses.

Recently Contentive’s event the CFO Agenda won the UK Conference of the year (under 1500 delegates) with their HRD Summit also being nominated for 3 awards. Before Contentive, Sandeep worked as Managing Director, Financial Services at Centaur Media Plc. Sandeep graduated the University of Birmingham, He then went on to complete an Executive MBA at London Business School and Columbia University.

Mark is CEO And co-owner of Western Business Media (WBM) having previously been managing director before successfully completing a management buyout in December 2019. WBM has eight B2B publications, two awards and two live events. The markets it covers include fire safety, security, facilities management. health and safety, industrial plant and equipment, controls and drives, handling and storage and cleaning. Previously Mark was a journalist and event organiser in the B2B market with 14 years’ experience."

Esther is a freelance media analyst, marketer, designer, and co-host of the Media Voices Podcast, a weekly round-up of all the key media news, as well as interviews with guests from top organisations. She writes frequently for industry sites like What’s New in Publishing, as well as editing their popular weekly newsletter and their growing library of reports. She has written and designed The Publisher’s Guide to Podcasting, a comprehensive 50 page report on the challenges and opportunities of podcasts for publishers. Esther is also the founder of the Publisher Podcast Awards, celebrating the best in podcasting from media and publishing businesses.

I have worked at the NFU for ten years, and four of those have been as the Agricultural Publications Editor. I edit British Farmer & Grower, the largest agricultural publication in the country with an ABC of 48,361, and NFU Poultry. I also dabble in our Student Farmer magazine. Before that I was a chief sub editor, both for the NFU and The Birmingham Post & Mail. I was the Birmingham Post’s youngest chief sub (and only its second woman).

I have also worked as a content editor, internet content editor, sub and a reporter at The Post, The Birmingham Mail, the Sunday Mercury, the Express & Star and the Stourbridge and Halesowen News.

I have chased my fair share of ambulances and tried to make head nor tail of the football copy. I am from the Black Country, but went to university in Belfast when it was a particularly exciting/reckless thing to do. I now live in Stratford-Upon-Avon and am attempting to learn guitar.

Rosamund has been editor-in-chief of Radge Media, the Edinburgh-based publishing company which produces The Skinny and Fest magazines, since 2010. During her tenure she has worked on publication launches across the UK and in Australia. She's currently preoccupied with the challenge of sustaining a free cultural magazine through a period when all cultural events have been cancelled.