JUDGES FOR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT AWARDS HAVE UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE
If the years of experience were counted between the judges of the inaugural Internal Communications and Engagement Awards it would surely be in the hundreds. If the levels of experience were tallied, it would cover nearly every sector from financial services to government communications to FMCG to professional services to health and more.
Working for companies like Google, Jaguar Land Rover, Great Ormond Street Hospital, M&S, Avon and CNBC, among others, the judges' collective experience is unparalleled. Each and every judge of the Internal Communications and Engagement Awards has been selected for his or her expertise, experience and knowledge of internal comms, all of which will be brought to bear in the judging process for the awards this spring.
One judge, Rich Baker, has a career that exemplifies the strength of the judging panel. His experience began in sales and customer service in the transportation sector before eventually becoming head of internal communications for Carlsberg Group. He then worked agency side and for further transport companies before becoming the communications manager for internal comms at Jaguar Land Rover this past June.
Similarly Mark Bunker, now head of IC at Aldermore Bank, cut his teeth in communications at LV= (after a nine-year teaching career) and worked across consumer and corporate brands before landing at Rexam plc for six years, leaving the business as director of group communications.
Jennifer Thomas, director of internal communications for the Direct Line Group, has put her background in financial communications to use in developing the group’s communications from the inside out.
Others, like Rachel Miller and Steven Murgatroyd have worked in-house, with agencies and as independent practitioners, dedicating their time and effort to the development and professionalisation of the field of internal communications. The judging panel is completed by further internal comms practitioners who exhibit a passion and drive that has seen them reach the highest levels of communications leadership.
The Internal Communications and Engagement Awards is open for entries until 31 January. Entries will be judged based on their strategic approach, creative process and business results by the judging panel. The winners will be announced in late spring. The programme is supported by the CIPR Inside group, which is sponsoring three categories, for the best individuals and best team working in internal comms.
The full judging panel:
Rich Baker, communications manager, Jaguar Land Rover
Mark Bunker, head of internal communications, Aldermore Bank
Tanya Burak, director, internal communications, Savills
Roland Burton, senior employee communications manager, M&S
Zoe Chiverton, head of internal communications, Great Ormond Street Hospital
Asif Choudry, CommsHero
Chloe Cooper, head of internal communications EMEA, Google
Meriel Crawford, head of internal communications, Schroders
Natalie Deacon, executive director, global communications, Avon
Will Foy, senior internal communications partner, Imperial Tobacco
Iggy Harris, head of internal communications, Camelot
Lucy Henry, head of internal communications, Avanti Communications
Sian Jones, head of internal communications, Bank of England
Krishan Lathigra, head of internal communications, Department for Exiting the EU
Midge McCall, group internal communications and engagement manager, Odeon Cinemas Group
Rachel Miller, director, All Things IC
Steven Murgatroyd, internal communications manager, AXA UK
Chris Newstead, head of internal communications, Wellcome Trust
Emma Parker, head of internal communications, Herbert Smith Freehills
Simon Rutter, interim director of internal communications, Sage
Jennifer Thomas, head of internal communications and experience, Direct Line Group
Lee Thompson, head of internal communications, CNBC
Peter Timberlake, head of communications, Financial Reporting Council
Walton Woodford, director of internal communications, BMO Global Asset Management
