2024 Judges

Judging Process

Maintaining the integrity of our Awards’ Ceremony is crucial to us as an organisation and we make sure that all aspects of the event are fully transparent.

Firstly we provide entrants with a summary of what we expect from them, along with details on how their entry will be judged including eligibility requirements, how the judges will assess the entries – criteria and weighting. The categories are divided up amongst the judges.

Members of the judging panel are chosen because they are outstanding experts in their field, and this often means they are an active participant in the industry.

Keeping integrity at the forefront of our Awards’ programmes and processes is paramount to the programme’s success and longevity and it ensures that the outcomes are trustworthy.

The judging panel’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Aislinn Gannon

Client Director, 4OC

With over 33 years of extensive experience in health services, non-profit, and private sectors, I am currently a Client Director at 4OC, leading public service delivery improvements. An active member of the Health Informatics Ireland Committee, I previously served as the Digital Health General Manager at the HSE, driving a comprehensive digital transformation across multiple counties. My career includes significant roles such as Health Informatics Director at Health Bridge Technology, UK Director for SilverCloud Health, where I specialised in digital behaviour systems, and various positions within the NHS. An expert in digital transformation, I hold two MSc degrees in Digital Transformation and Health Informatics and have authored over 20 publications on digital innovation.

Allan Chapman

Managing Director, Comit Communications

Allan Chapman is a leading figure in the technology communications sector, having established Comit Communications in 1997. Comit is Ireland’s specialist technology focused PR and digital communications agency.

Allan’s strategic insights and innovative approaches have propelled more than 150 technology companies, ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to high-potential startups, towards significant growth.

Allan’s passion lies in crafting unique and authentic brand identities for tech businesses, through clear, impactful communications that resonate with audiences. 

His tenure as EMEA campaign manager for Oracle saw him managing substantial direct marketing campaigns across over thirty countries, where he pioneered some of the industry’s most cutting-edge digital campaigns.

Allan also led marketing for Cornel and Software Dimensions, where he honed his skills in the communications and software export markets. His international experience includes positions in the UK and US, further broadening his global perspective.

Allan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Marketing from the University of Limerick and has furthered his education with Postgraduate Diplomas in Marketing Strategy from the IMI and in Enterprise Development from the Dublin Institute of Technology. 

Brendan Ring

National Cyber Security Centre, Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications

Brendan Ring is a member of the National Cyber Security Centre where he has led on external relations with Government, critical infrastructure providers, business, and the public. He is currently working in the Department of  the Environment, Climate and Communications on the development of cyber security policy and legislation.

He previously worked in the Department of Transport where he led the Aviation Security Unit for a number of years, introducing a number of initiatives to increase security nationally and internationally. He also served in the Department of Health during the Covid 19 pandemic working on health protection, enabling the safe relaxation of restrictions on our economy and society. Within the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, he played a leading role on a number of public service reform projects in Shared Services, Public Procurement and Capability Reviews of Government Departments.

He is a Barrister-at-Law and holds a Masters in Public Management, and also holds relevant postgraduate qualifications in the areas of innovation, leadership and digital policy.

Bronagh Riordan

Head of Data and Analytics, Primark

Bronagh is a highly experienced and business-focused Data, Analytics & Artificial Intelligence leader and evangelist, with over 20 years of experience delivering innovative solutions and building and managing high performance teams. 

She is currently Head of Data & Analytics for international retailer Primark, as well as Chair of the Industry Steering Board for CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for Data, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and the European Digital Innovation Hub for Artificial Intelligence in Ireland.  She is also a UK & Ireland Chief Data Officer governing body member for Evanta, a Gartner subsidiary.  In January 2024 Bronagh was appointed as a Member of the Government of Irelands Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council.  The council was established as part of Irelands National Artificial Intelligence Strategy – Here for Good. 

Bronagh speaks as a thought leader at industry events and champions diversity and inclusion, particularly for women in Data, Analytics & Technology.  Notably, she was the first female board chair of any Technology Centre in Ireland, and in June 2024, was recognised for the second year in a row on the ‘Global Data Power Woman List’, by Chief Data Officer magazine.  This list aims to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of women in the fields of Data, Analytics & Artificial Intelligence.  

Cathal Lee

Senior Advisor in Government Affairs, Strategy and Corporate Affairs

Cathal Lee is a Senior Advisor in Government Affairs, Strategy and Corporate Affairs.

An experienced Board Member and Non Executive Director (INED), Cathal is an advisory council member of the Global Economic Summit, an advisory board member of Asia Matters and is a graduate of University College Dublin with an MA in History of International Relations and a BA in History and Politics. He is a graduate of the Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF) University and represented Ireland at the 9th Asia-Europe Young Leaders Symposium held in Beijing, China.

Cathal has over 20 years’ industry experience in public affairs and corporate communications, having previously served as a political adviser in the Houses of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) and then managing public affairs for the Construction Industry Federation (CIF). Until 2019, he was Chief Executive Officer of Lee Communications, a company he established to provide public affairs and corporate communications support to a large number of organisations and businesses. Most recently Cathal was Managing Partner with Instinctif Partners, the international business communications consultancy.

Over the course of his career Cathal has advised businesses of all sizes, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to high growth technology start-ups, as well as business associations, member organisations, non-governmental organisations and political leaders on public affairs strategies and corporate communications.

Cathal co-founded EnergyCloud, a social enterprise founded to help divert surplus renewable energy to those in fuel poverty or at risk of fuel poverty.

Cathal is a former Board Member of the National Youth Council of Ireland and previously represented Ireland as a member of the European Youth Parliament.

Dr Fred Creedon

Lecturer and Programme Director, Munster Technological University

Dr Fred Creedon is a lecturer of design thinking, service design and software design in Munster Technological University.

Fred works closely with partners in the public and private sectors to develop their service innovation capacity through his work with the Special Purpose Award in Designing Innovative Services. Fred specialises in user centred design approach including design thinking and service design. 

Jakub Christoph

CEPIS and ITPE Secretary General

Jakub Christoph is the CEPIS and ITPE Secretary General since September 2021. He coordinates the work of both organisations to promote IT professionalism by fostering professional standards and experience sharing among IT professionals; community.

He previously held the position of Regional Development Manager for Europe and MENA in ICDL Foundation. His role involved coordinating activities of ECDL/ ICDL Operators, advocacy for digital literacy and its certification in Europe and MENA region.

He is a passionate advocate of user digital skills and professional competence development. He was a member of ET2020 Working Group DELTA, which is European Commission platform to discuss digital competence in education.

Jakub also participates in works of EURid Strategic Committee. His professional interests include tackling digital social and gender gap as well as modern means of communication.

James Louttit

Founder, Impactful Project Management

James Louttit is a passionate advocate for impactful project management, drawing from over 20 years of experience delivering projects across sectors including retail, healthcare, and financial services. In 2016, he had a major life event and realized that project management had to be about impact rather than pure effort. He has been a student and teacher of the best approaches from many different methodologies and disciplines since then. As well as managing many projects of his own, James has been the PM Competency Lead at Bank of Ireland and Chief Information Officer at Cpl. He emphasizes practical, human-centric approaches that change the way people think about their projects and the people they work with.

In 2023, James launched Impactful Project Management, helping hundreds of people become more effective at managing their projects. He won the 2023 “Project Management Professional of the Year” Award from the Project Management Institute and his new book “Leading Impactful Teams” is making the principles and approaches of Impactful Project Management available to a wider audience than ever before.

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