Esther is Ghanaian, President 2026, Chair of the Jury, and CEO of the award-winning communications agency, Stratcomm Africa. She was previously external affairs manager for the West African Gas Pipeline Project and public affairs manager for the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation. In all these roles she has developed innovative communication approaches to address organisational needs. Esther is a graduate of the University of Ghana Legon and Cornell University, USA.

Alain is Australian and since 2011 has been an educator in public relations at RMIT University, Melbourne. He is an IPRA Board member. He has worked in numerous senior roles in the energy industry. Alain is past president of the Public Relations Institute of Australia Victoria division, as well as a national board member. He has won national and international awards and has been a recipient of a GWA. Alain is a fellow of the International Specialized Skills Institute.

Anamarija Hrvoić Đurić is Croatian and a communications expert with over 18 years of experience. She is the Strategic Communications Director for agency Manjgura. The agency has received multiple industry awards for public relations and crisis communication. Anamarija is a member of the supervisory board of the Croatian Public Relations Association and in 2023, she chaired the jury for their PR awards. She is an international Digital Marketing Institute certificate holder and co-founder of the Croatian parenting podcast, BabyRoom.

Ankica Mamić is Croatian and the owner of the IMC Agency. She has worked in marketing and PR for more than 25 years, and is a pioneer of public relations in Croatia. She is a certified CIPR lecturer, member of IPRA, CIPR and EUPRERA. She led communications for local politicians in election campaigns and advises the Vice President. She regularly comments on socio-political developments through media appearances.

Anne-Gret is Austrian and since 2008 head of communications for INEOS in Cologne, Germany where she is responsible for internal and external communications, community relations, lobbying, emergency response and CSR. She has a degree in economics and business communications from the University of Vienna. Anne-Gret is a member of a number of national PR bodies. She was IPRA President 2023.

Bojana is Serbian and realized her desire to start her own business when she opened Smart Vision marketing agency together with her husband. It has headquarters in Belgrade and offices in Zagreb, Banja Luka, Skopje and Dubai. Bojana is a member and ambassador in Serbia of WomanComm, a regional platform that brings together communication experts and marketing managers in the region.

Charles is from Botswana and an ex-officio member of the executive committee of PRISA Botswana after serving as chairperson. He has over 18 years' experience in the profession both in the public and voluntary sectors. Charles has a BA in media theory and practice from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, an MSc in strategic management from the University of Derby, UK, and a diploma in environmental journalism from the University of Kalmar, Sweden.

Chimsom is Nigerian and a results-driven public relations expert with experience in implementing successful communication strategies across diverse industries. With a Master of Laws and a focus on international relations, she brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to the table. Her leadership and supervisory skills, acquired through academic training and professional experience, ensure her PR strategies align with organisational goals.

Daniel is German and a senior sustainability/ESG transformation and global communications advisor in Germany. He holds a masters degree in public relations from Manchester Metropolitan University and certificates in Business Sustainability Management and Impact Communication by CISL, UK. Daniel also teaches global communications at Erfurt University, Germany, for the international PR education program Global Communications Project.

Diana Scholz is German and global head of communications for Bayer’s Consumer Health Division. She joined Bayer in 2012 and worked in Germany, France, Japan, the United States and Switzerland. With a passion to experiment and innovate she has delivered impactful communication strategies while advocating for diversity. Diana has a master’s degree in media and political communication from the Free University of Berlin. She lives in Basel with her partner, and she loves to spend time outdoors exploring, running and hiking.

Edd, a Filipino national, is the founder and president of FuentesManila, one of the leading PR agencies in the Philippines. Prior to establishing the company, he worked with J. Walter Thompson as creative director servicing their client Unilever. Edd was as an IPRA council member from 2009 – 2011 and has served two previous terms on the board.

Esra is British and CEO of ERISKAY02 PR. She has extensive experience providing PR and marketing services in London for business between the UK and Turkey. Esra’s career has included roles at EDS-BOX, The Walt Disney Company and Adaytum. She holds a degree in fine art and is a member of the London Chamber of Commerce. Esra is the UK editor for Turkey Magazine.

Faisal Alzahrani is a Saudi national and a member of the Society of Organizational Learning, the Arab Society for Social Responsibility, and Toastmasters International. At Saudi Aramco, Faisal held management posts including manager of public relations and manager of Saudi Aramco affairs services, before he took early retirement in 2010. In 2015, Faisal worked at the Saudi Ministry of Health as a communications advisor to the Minister as well as head of Media & PR. He is currently working as a freelance PR consultant.

Imali is Kenyan, with over 15 years of experience in brand and external relations. She is the Global Head of Brand and Communications at Watu. She previously worked with Safaricom on development programmes, and the Janus Continental Group. Imali served as a judge for Africa's Business Heroes 2025 and serves as Executive Sponsor of the Watu Women's Empowerment Hub. She holds a Master's degree in Globalisation and International Development from the University of East Anglia, UK.

Jacqueline has Irish and British citizenship. An award winning president at Toastmasters International, she is CEO of Jasper Alliance London, and holds post-graduate degrees in research and education. She received an award from British Expertise for Outstanding International Leadership on Middle East Development projects. She serves United Nations clients, delivering curriculum development and in 2019, she received CIPR approval for her Modern International PR Media Programme.

Jim is a US national and chairman of Winning Strategies now merged with EFK Group. The company is a strategic communications firm based in Newark, New Jersey which seeks to integrate political strategy with advertising, public relations and digital content. Jim leads IPRA’s activities at the UN Department of Global Communication in New York.

Katarzyna is Polish and has been a communication and public relations expert for 25 years. She has wide experience in leading international projects, business to business consulting, public affairs and crisis communication. She has an extensive experience in advising boards on strategic issues, including the communication of complex projects and challenges. She was a Stevie Awards judge for several years in various categories.

Kresimir is a Croatian PR professional and business consultant specialised in crisis management, strategic communication and social media. He runs consulting agency Manjgura founded in 1997. He has led public relations for domestic and international investments and worked on election campaigns as advisor to two Croatian prime ministers. He was awarded a Grand Prix by the Croatian PR Association for his work.

Kui Kinyanjui is a Kenyan strategic external affairs leader. She is currently the Corporate Affairs Director at Kenya Wine Agencies (Heineken), and has held several high level roles at Standard Chartered Bank, Safaricom, and Wikipedia. Kui is acts as an Adjunct Executive Fellow at the Strathmore University's Institute of Public Policy & Governance, and serves as a Director on the Board of Population Council-Kenya. She is also the current Chair of the Alcoholic Beverages Association of Kenya.

Lana is Croatian and the owner of both the advertising agency Alert and the influencer agency Webfluential. She has over 20 years of experience in advertising, and marketing in the technology, media, and entertainment sectors. Lana was previously the Brand Director in Publicis One and Client Service Director at Ogilvy & Mather

Lea-Ann is a US citizen and president and founder of Germinder + Associates, GNFP Digital and Goodnewsforpets.com. The company is a communications firm based in New York City which focuses on niche markets, most recently the $70B+ pet and vet sector, representing both local and established global brands. Lea-Ann is an accredited Fellow of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), a former PRSA director and former trustee of the PRSA Foundation.

Maria is Bulgarian and managing director of Sofia-based agency United Partners. Maria served as IPRA president in 2009, a year in which she was also voted as Bulgarian Business Woman of the year. Maria is a previous IPRA board member and has co-organised IPRA events in central Europe. Maria has been a Golden World Awards judge for many years.

Marija is Director of Communications and Partnerships of Nordeus Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting the education of children in Serbia. She has 20 years of experience in communications, brand development, employer branding and corporate social responsibility across different industries. In addition to her roles, she passionately works to support the development of the start-up ecosystem, empowering women and the community of communicators. As a cognitive-behavioral coach she enjoys sharing knowledge through training and mentoring.

Marina is Croatian and the CEO of Alphabet of Communication. She has over 20 years of experience in communication, public relations, and public affairs for clients in a myriad of industry sectors. Her agency operates in Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina and is strongly oriented towards strategic creative communication. The agency has received 5 IPRA Golden World Awards. Marina is an ambassador of WomanComm, a regional platform that brings together communication experts and marketing managers in the region.

Nagwa Emad is an Egyptian national and a long-standing professional member of IPRA. She is the founder and managing director of Media Waves Egypt one of the country’s leading PR agencies. Nagwa is also president of the charity Cairo Capital Lions Club. She is a graduate of Cairo University and holds an M.A. in English Literature.

Nataša is Serbian, IPRA Past President and founder of Blumen group, an agency for integrated communications and business consulting, based in Belgrade. She has more than 25 years of experience in strategic communications, brand development and market positioning. She has won national and international awards, including the GWA Grand Prix. In the last ten years Nataša has worked as a business coach, and gives guest courses and lectures in Europe and the US.

Nigel Chism is British and a former finance director of Kajima. Educated at the John Lyon School and the University of Westminster, he qualified as a chartered accountant with Ernst & Young in 1979. He served with the reserve forces in The Royal Green Jackets. He is a member of the Garrick, a freeman of the City of London and liveryman of the Wheelwrights’ Company. He still sometimes plays drums.

Philip has joint British and Belgian nationality. As secretary general he is responsible for the day to day running of the association. He is a graduate economist and previously worked with Shell in London, Dublin and Dubai. After running his own communications company, he worked as a consultant for Ernst & Young in Switzerland and as a lobbyist for the European Brands Association in Brussels. Philip is a freeman of the City of London and was IPRA president in 2007.

Prof. Dr. Milica Slijepčević is Serbian and a university professor at Metropolitan University in Belgrade, where she teaches courses in digital business, marketing, and fashion marketing. She is the author of numerous academic and professional papers, monographs, and books, including Fashion Marketing: Contemporary Trends and Neuromarketing: Challenges and Trends. She is the founder of the Center for Communications Flou, the creator of the FEBS Master Class programme, and author of the Metropolitan Fashion Day project.

Robert Masters is a strategic communication advisor to the corporate and government sectors in Australia and the SE Asia region. He has been involved in public relations for more than 30 years as a Director and senior consultant in publicly listed international and private public relations consultancies. For the past 20 years he had led his own company.

Ronaldo is a Filipino and CEO of Pageone Group, an integrated marketing communications and public affairs company based in the Philippines but servicing clients in Southeast Asia. His clients include the United States Agency for International Development, the EU, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank. He is former president of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines and a co-leader of the Risk and Crisis Working Group of the Asia Pacific Association of Communication Directors.

Seyhan is a Turkish national with a long marketing, strategy and PR history. She manages OptimoreGroup and Atlantis Consultants for more than 25 years, advising local and international companies, NGOs and government institutions. Seyhan has graduated from Sankt Georg Oesterreichishes Real Gymnasium and the Bosphorus University of Istanbul. Never losing an appetite for learning, she continues her studies in Boston University.

Svetlana is Bulgarian and and a former public relations and communication professional at IBM in Europe. She was IPRA President 2019-2020. Svetlana has a masters degree in economics from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia, Bulgaria. She also holds a diploma from the UK Chartered Institute of Marketing. In her spare time she has been a journalist, lecturer and car racer.

Tatevik is Armenian and co-founder of SPRING PR. She is a strategic communications expert implementing projects in the CIS and Baltic countries. With more than 13 years of experience she specialises in international relations, CSR and event management. Tatevik is a business trainer with an emphasis on developing communications strategy, content marketing and visual communications. She is an visiting lecturer of strategic communications.

Viive Aasma is Estonian and Founder of Alfa-Omega Communications. She has more than 25 years of experience in public relations. Viive has developed strong expertise in media relations, corporate and marketing communications, public affairs, branding, and crisis management. She is a former winner of a GWA. Viive has also served as an advisor to the Estonian Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology.

Zehra is Turkish and was IPRA president in 2014. She runs the communication consultancy, STAGE PR. Zehra has a Ph.D. in communications and diplomacy from Marmara University, Istanbul. A former journalist she is the founding member of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey. Zehra is a lecturer, and keynote speaker in national and international conferences.