JUDGES
The Lens Awards is judged by a broad range of in-house professionals and supporters of the awards. Each year we invite previous year's winners of 'Video of the year' and the 'Video production company of the year' to join the panel, and these judges fill two agency slots.
Scoring is based on a points system and the judges submit these scores anonymously. The judges mark the entries against the criteria mentioned within the entry and information guide: objective, research and planning, strategy and implementation, creativity, innovation and results.
Our judging system is rigorous and fair. If a judge has entered a specific category they will be exempt from reviewing that category, to avoid a conflict of interest.
Winners are determined by the scores they receive and the entries that score high enough will be shortlisted, invited to attend the awards ceremony and awarded with a trophy. We also provide detailed feedback on agencies’ work after the awards evening, which proves useful for future entries.
If you are interested in the opportunity to judge and believe you have the necessary background, please email Melanie Han at melanie.han@cravenhillpublishing.com with a short biography for consideration.
Below you can see our wonderful judging panel for 2025. Learn more about the judges by clicking on the headshots to read their biographies.
Homam Ayaso
Executive creative director of video
BuzzFeed UK Inc
Homam Ayaso is an award-winning Creative Director with 20 years’ experience in Advertising, Marketing and Media. He worked across all mediums for significant International brands and markets such as Technology, Banking, F&B, Governments, Gaming, Automobile, Travel and More.
Homam is specialised in brand transformations, he joined BuzzFeed early 2022 to relaunch Tasty in the UK focusing on creators and culture. His work with BuzzFeed, driving innovation, brands extensions and data-driven customer success was featured by Bloomberg news, The Drum and Al Arabiya.
Jon Bates
Employee and executive communications lead
Microsoft
As a dynamic and entrepreneurial internal communications leader, Jon is dedicated to transforming how companies communicate within, making it as impactful as their external storytelling. With expertise in creating thumb-stopping content, measuring engagement, and coaching leaders, he excels at bringing strategy to life and enhancing company culture. Currently, he drives employee and executive communications for Microsoft Western Europe, fostering connection and empowerment across teams. Jon also champions thought leadership initiatives for executives, ensuring their messages resonate and inspire. His previous roles at RVU, Liberty Global, and Virgin Media reflect my commitment to crafting consumer-grade, cohesive internal messaging that empowers and unites employees.
Sarah Cook
Marketing and communications
Royal Society of the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
Sarah has worked in communications for nearly 20 years: both in-house and for agencies. She is currently in the communications and marketing team at the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), delivering integrated fundraising and awareness campaigns.
Before this, Sarah was Group Head of Brand & Content Strategy at Legal & General, a FTSE100 financial services company. She has also worked for international law firm, Freshfields, working with colleagues in Europe, Asia and the US on global marketing campaigns.
Andy Duckworth
Head of production and communication
Tradeteq
Andy Duckworth is an award-winning communications leader and seasoned video production expert with a career spanning more than two decades. Andy brings a blend of agency experience and journalistic acumen to his roles and excels in crafting compelling corporate content.
Andy manages end-to-end video production processes, from scriptwriting and directing to editing and publishing. His technical proficiency extends to live event production, where he has directed and streamed events globally. Andy’s international portfolio includes filming projects in countries such as Mexico, Canada, India and across Europe.
Before joining Tradeteq as Head of Communications and Production, Andy led video production at Titanbay, where he shaped the visual identity of the FinTech firm. He also held the position of Video Team Lead at IG Group, a FTSE 250 company, where he managed a global team and spearheaded some of the company’s most successful marketing campaigns. His innovative approach and leadership were recognised with IG Group’s annual spotlight award, underscoring his impact on the company’s communication strategy.
Andy’s career highlights also include producing award-winning content for HSBC, where his work earned a prestigious Cannes Lion and more than 30 other industry accolades. His journalistic roots trace back to The Guardian, where he launched the newspaper’s US multimedia content from Washington, DC, and produced the Sony Radio Academy Award-winning Science Weekly podcast. Before that, he spent more than a decade on-air in radio newsrooms.
Sinéad Duffy
Managing director
Camcor Sustainable Development
Sinéad is a seasoned corporate communications and reputation and sustainability professional with over 25 years’ experience in top multi-national life science companies, leading creative communications campaigns and activity.
Her focus has been on sustainability communications and she supported Bayer’s international engagement around its new sustainability strategy.
Passionate about the potential of innovation and technology for a more sustainable future and addressing climate change, she advises organisations on how to build their profiles and supports senior leaders to tell their stories in a way that resonates with target audiences.
Kevin Geoghegan
Head of content and channels
STARK Building Materials UK
Kev is an award-winning communications professional with a background in broadcast and digital journalism. Since joining STARK UK earlier this year, he has developed and launched a new intranet and has produced films celebrating the work of colleagues from as far afield as Shetland and Oban. Passionate about storytelling, he spent more than 15 years at BBC News before moving into corporate communications, spending three years at Anglo American where he created digital content, hosted podcasts, live events and moderated panel discussions around the subjects of technological and digital innovation and sustainability.
Andrew Goddard
Media studio lead
Rentokil
Andrew is a video specialist with expertise in conceptualising and creating videos for businesses in a broad spectrum of industries. Andrew started his career at a London agency delivering post-production services for the international film and TV industry. Here he developed a talent for editing and motion graphics, and a lifelong pursuit of learning new technologies and techniques.
Andrew launched a successful business providing video production services to brands such as Microsoft, ODEON Cinemas and Universal Pictures. He created a bulk of imaginative content that delighted clients, successfully debunking the myth that corporate video is boring. Today he brings his skills to the creative team at Rentokil Initial, as the global brand’s Media Studio Lead.
Toni Gregory
Global head of content marketing
GoCardless
Toni Gregory is the Global Head of Content Marketing at GoCardless and is responsible for defining and executing the organisation’s content strategy as a tool to drive brand awareness. She joined in 2021 and leads a team of content and sponsorship marketers deployed across the organisation.
Toni has over 10 years of marketing experience, specialising in content marketing and brand engagement. Prior to GoCardless, she held roles at SaaS organisation Blackbaud and their sister company, JustGiving, as well as tech start-up City Pantry (acquired by Just Eat).
Scott Horsfield
Head of film
DRPG
With over 30 years’ experience in film, Scott Horsfield is an award-winning director and producer with a background in large-scale productions for brand, communications, marketing and sports. Scott has worked across a wide spectrum of content taking in both long and short form for clients in professional services, finance, FMCG, automotive, and retail.
Scott is Head of Film at DRPG, a creative communications group now listed as Number 2 in the UK’s Film agency listing by EVCOM and Moving Image. Scott leads the 90 strong expert Film Team across their sites in London Covent Garden, Manchester, and the West Midlands.
On his goals for this year, Scott commented, “We’ve invested into the team over the past 12 months and I’m excited to be leading DRPG Film to make even greater content for brands and to learn and continue the spirit of innovation that is the driving force of the agency.”
Rabia Jones
Senior producer, global film and video
HSBC
Rabia is a passionate producer/director with more than 15 years’ experience creating inspiring branded content for some of the world’s biggest brands. A keen storyteller, she has filmed footballing legend Pele in a favela in Rio, superstar rapper Akon in Lagos, X-Box Halo characters in Lichtenstein and Magnum photographers around the world. Her true passion lies in telling stories of ordinary people making an extraordinary impact. Rabia’s career spans stints in television, broadcast PR, creative agencies and more recently in-house with HSBC’s Group Reputation team where she oversees and produces multimedia content for HSBC’s Group social media channels and corporate website.
Amanda Kamin
Chief marketing and communications officer
Digital Catapult
A senior corporate reputation specialist with 20 years’ marketing and communications experience, Amanda Kamin is Chief Marketing Communications Officer for Digital Catapult. Having worked in international organisations (Motorola, Visa Europe and VisionFund) and within the UK public sector (Food From Britain) both in agency and in-house roles, she has broad experience across a range of markets and audiences. Amanda is skilled in multichannel oversight, leadership communications and quality content generation.
Amanda’s previous role in VisionFund International’s Senior Executive Team, gave her a deep understanding of the impact of funding for fledgling startups as she supported World Vision’s microfinance arm across 30 markets.
Amanda was also a Trustee of Community Risk Services in Lambeth, the UK’s first council-facilitated insurance offering to community groups and not-for-profits, and a Board Director of the Financial Inclusion Forum. Amanda is currently on the board of the Margaret Pyke Trust, a charity providing sexual health training to medical professionals in the UK and Africa; she is also the Director of the All Aboard Club charity, a not-for-profit that organises events for children with autism and ADHD.
Paul Mallaghan
Director of creative strategy and content
We Are Tilt
Paul heads up the creative strategy and content teams at We Are Tilt – a studio that makes big, emotional digital experiences for world-class clients, from Diageo to Deloitte, the BBC to Vodafone.
Paul’s work as director and writer has seen him pick up awards including The Drum Social Purpose, DIA Grand Prix, Anthem Awards, Webby, and a Cannes Black Dolphin for Best Director.
Tilt takes on projects that matter and move people: from helping reduce international drink driving rates, to explaining the science of love. Film plays a huge role in their creative output and client success.
Bronaċ McNeill
Chair
Bloom UK
Bronaċ McNeill is a champion for inclusive leadership as a Founding Member and Chair of Bloom, but is also a leader in creative excellence. With over 15 years behind the lens and a Cannes Lion award-winner, her career stands as a testament to her diverse talents and deep empathy for her subjects. She has captured a wide array of individuals—from politicians and pop stars to drag queens and the public at large.
McNeill's artistry extends beyond stills into the powerful narratives of moving images. Directing and producing video content for prominent names like Mail-on-line, Nissan, QVC, and Boehringer Ingelheim, her empathic approach has brought comfort and connectedness to people before her camera.
Her commitment to societal impact resonates loudly within the LGBTQ+ community. An active London-based lesbian, she champions the cause as a trustee of 'Cancer is a Drag,' aiding those struggling with cancer through a unique collaboration with the drag community. McNeill's engagement with and recording of Pride in London each year underscores her dedication to inclusion.
McNeill's passion for the 'rarely seen' has been the guiding ethos throughout her career, manifesting in her acute attention to the "good bits"—those fleeting moments that often escape unnoticed.
Jessica Park
Global Executive Producer, Video
Bain & Company
Cutting her teeth in broadcast journalism in Australia, Jess has always believed in the power of people and pictures. With more than two decades of storytelling experience, she has covered global news events, media trained C-suite executives, and stood up and run in-house creative production studios for premium brands such as Goldman Sachs and Bain and Company. Jess is passionate about videos that communicate a brand’s values, heritage, achievements, and ambitions by positioning the audience at the heart of the story.
Alejandra Ravassa
Head of production
YouTube Creative Studio EMEA
With a proven track record in crafting impactful campaigns for global brands like Google and Apple, Alejandra's expertise spans production planning, account management, and team leadership. Her international experience, coupled with a passion for innovation and inclusivity, provides a unique perspective on advertising that resonates across cultures. Alejandra's dedication to mentoring and fostering talent further underscores her commitment to the industry's evolution. As a judge, she'll champion work that pushes boundaries, sparks conversations, and truly embodies the spirit of creative excellence.
Jeremy Reichman
Head of video production
Temenos
Jeremy first discovered 3D software during his degree in Manufacturing Engineering. But his passion for film really accelerated whilst attending the USC School of Cinematic Arts in LA, learning 2D and 3D animation principles from some world-renowned names in Hollywood.
He began his production career back in the UK as a runner at a 3D stereo conversion company, before spending time at advertising agencies within the ‘Big 4’ as a decoupled producer. This brought work for global brands such as Microsoft and Nestlé, with success at the Cannes Lions, Clios and more.
His latest role is at Temenos, a global leader in banking software solutions, as the Head of Video within their in-house Marketing department.
Mark Stephens
Executive producer and film lead
Lloyds Banking Group
Mark is Executive Producer and Film Lead for Lloyds Banking Group’s in-house the ‘Creative Studio’. Working with a talented team of producers, editors, filmmakers, motion & graphic designers, creating best in class content for Lloyds corporate social and internal channels. Featuring colleagues, customers, and the communities we serve.
Across his career he has journeyed across planning, marketing, creative, communications and strategy. Working with clients in delivering content across social, digital, and experiential in the UK, Europe, and US.
The Awards represent an opportunity to raise your head from production and see great talent in play in the video space
Neill Torbit
Head of brand design and creative
Rightmove
Neill’s worked with video all his 20-plus-year career. Firstly as a TV News Journalist/Producer in New Zealand, followed by a decade working for UK agencies and broadcasters like Sky and ITV, which saw him write, produce and direct hundreds of hours of video content (promos, ads, documentaries, infotainment and corporate comms) including a Cannes Lion shortlisted video series in collaboration with British Cycling. Recently he’s been running internal Creative Studios for BritBox, Cinch and currently Rightmove, where video still plays an essential role in telling the stories that consumers and customers connect with.
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