Prolific North Creative Awards 2023: Meet the judges

With decades of experience across the creative world, we are delighted to welcome judges from the likes of global companies such as Google, Dentsu Creative and Ogilvy. Here they are!

Prolific North Creative Awards Judges 2023

Victoria Fawcett, Marketing Manager, Dentsu Creative

Having played a pivotal role in independent creative agency BJL’s transition into the dentsu network, Victoria is now responsible for driving the fame and reputation of new global creative agency, Dentsu Creative. She said she is “thrilled” to be joining the panel for these awards.

“Levelling Up is a popular political phrase at the moment, but it’s clear that in the creative sector, the North is already holding its own. These new awards from Prolific North are a great opportunity to celebrate the amazing work coming out of our region, as well as the talented people and teams behind the craft.”

Ben Tan, Creative Technologist, Google

At Google Creative Works in London, Ben Tan is a Creative Technologist working with clients across all verticals using any Google technologies. As part of the innovation team, he applies design thinking methodologies to solve business challenges. Before Google, he spent five years in advertising at TBWA Sydney as Tech Director, Creative Technologist and a Mobile & Web Developer.

Jessica Symons, Anthropologist and Consultant

Jessica has worked as a researcher in the University of Manchester and as an IT consultant in large multinationals, SMEs and start-ups. She speaks at conferences and public events in the UK and internationally on how to engage communities in understanding their creative potential and how to shape the development of emerging technologies for sustainable and social purposes.

Gavin Shore, Executive Creative Director, McCann Leeds

Gavin has spent his 25 plus years as a creative in the North, shaping some of the UK’s most recognisable and diverse brands from first direct bank to Hull 2017 UK City of Culture. He rose through the ranks to Creative Director at Dig For Fire in Sheffield, later becoming Executive Creative Director at Jaywing. Now heading up McCann’s office in Leeds, Gavin hopes to bring ‘creative courage’ to the region and show that creativity can thrive outside the M25.

Vineet Raheja, Head of Creative, ITV

With over 20 years’ UK and international advertising experience, Vineet has worked for large network agencies such as McCann but also for creative independents such as HHCL. He joined ITV Commercial to lead the Creative Development and Creative Production teams across the nine offices that make up their Nations and Regions team.

Sweta Pathak, Creative Director and co-founder of Women Unltd

An award-winning creative leader with more than 25 years of experience in the advertising and marketing industry, Sweta also co-founded ‘Women Unltd’ – a platform to inspire, empower and support aspiring female leaders in the industry.

Paul Mousley, Scriptwriter

Paul has had a long career as a writer on some of the UK’s best known series and serials. Starting out on ITV’s ’The Bill’ he has written for popular shows such as Waterloo Road, Primeval, Bad Girls, Footballers’ Wives, Hollyoaks, and Wolfblood, and has worked on shows and in development with top UK writers such as Paul Abbott and Adrian Hodges. 

Tommy Curran Jones, Midweight creative, Ogilvy

As a PR creative at Ogilvy, Tommy focuses on tech work for the likes of Google and Canon. He started my marketing career as a copywriter in-house in Australia before moving back to the UK where he’s worked across a variety of advertising agencies. 

Speaking about the awards he said: “This is an amazing chance to celebrate the courageous work coming out of the Northern creative scene.”

You can read more about all the judges here. Stay tuned as we introduce the rest of our panel next week!