Meet our Culture Pioneer judges
Our judging panel comprises true ambassadors of people-first workplace cultures. These industry experts are all committed to our mission of championing the real change makers of organisational culture.
Our 2025 judging panel
Perry Timms
Founder and Chief Energy Officer – PTHR
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Judith Germain
Leading Authority on Maverick Leadership. Leadership Consultant, Trainer, Author, at The Maverick Paradox.
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Prof. Emma Parry
Professor of Human Resource Management and Head of the Changing World of Work Group, Cranfield School of Management
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Laura Overton
Author, facilitator & award winning analyst | learning changemaker | Cofounder of Emerging Stronger
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Jackie Clifford
Director of Clarity Learning and Development, L&D Professional, Coach and Author
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Blaire Palmer
Keynote speaker, future of leadership authority, coach and author, That People Thing Ltd
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Gethin Nadin
Award-winning Psychologist, Bestselling HR Author and Employee Wellbeing Expert
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Yasmine Alani
Director of Transformation, Media Zoo | 2024 Culture Pioneers Winner
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Karen Liebenguth
Executive & leadership coach, pioneer of coaching outdoors, mindfulness trainer
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Shakil Butt
D&I Specialist and Founder of HR Hero for Hire Ltd.
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Atif Choudhury
CEO of Diversity and Ability
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Debra Corey
Chief Pay it Forward Officer, Speaker, Author and Consultant DebCo HR LTD
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Karen Dobres
2021 Culture Pioneers Winner | Author | Former Director of Lewes F.C.
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Evelina Dzimanaviciute
Wellbeing consultant and neuroscientist, CEO of Elite Mind Academy
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Thom Dennis
EDI and CQ facilitator, CEO of Serenity in Leadership
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Joanne Lockwood
Inclusive culture expert, transgender advocacy, CEO of See Change Happen
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Jenny Garrett
Award-winning career coach, leadership trainer, speaker & author of Equality vs Equity: Tackling Issues of Race in the Workplace
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Robin Hoyle
Head of Learning Innovation, Huthwaite International
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Tom Kegode
Future of Work and Culture Strategist. Helps leaders spark shifts that create future-ready cultures
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Ritika Wadhwa
CEO & Founder Prabhaav Global
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Deborah Hartung
Culture Transformation Catalyst | Team Performance Amplifier | Leadership Coach | Author | Keynote Speaker | Thinkers360 Top 35 Global Thought Leader in HR & Culture
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Dr Jo Burrell
Clinical Psychologist, Coach & Co-founder of Ultimate Resilience
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Lior Locher
Award-winning Senior Learning Consultant (NIITMTS) | Author | TEDx speaker | Pusher of envelopes | Community enthusiast
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Kelly Perry
Head of People & Culture Business Partners at Awin Global
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Celebrating our 2024 Pioneers
Meet the culture-driven people professionals and teams that impressed our judges and brought home trophies in 2024.
What our judges are looking for
The judges will be shortlisting entries that demonstrate a positive working culture to celebrate and share with our HR and L&D communities.
“In this year’s entries, we’ll be looking for organisations who tailor their wellbeing offer to the needs of their people. We’re keen to see a commitment at all levels to building a healthy workplace that supports good work, as well as demonstrable evidence of impact”
Dr Jo Burrell
Culture Pioneers Judge for Wellbeing Category
“What I am looking from the entries for the Culture Pioneer Inclusion Award are those organisations that have tackled inclusion holistically like any strategic initiative, owned by the leadership, resourced, reported on and having sustainable long term impact.”
Shakil Butt
Culture Pioneers Judge for Inclusion Category
“Sometimes the best learning initiatives aren’t all singing and all dancing formal programmes but subtle, clever, thoughtful ideas that impact everyone from entry level to the most senior executives. Tell us your organisation’s whole story and what difference people have experienced.”
Blaire Palmer
Culture Pioneers Judge for Learning Category
“For the Brand category, we’re looking for entrants to tell us how their values come to life beyond words and mission statements. We want to see the soul of your organisation – what binds, bonds and builds you and your people to succeed.”
Perry Timms
Culture Pioneers Judge for Brand Category
“Winning the Culture Pioneer Award for our gender equality work helped validate Lewes FC’s radical stance in football. It’s hard to go against a well-established grain and exemplify a new vision, but we did it. And now I’m thrilled to join the judges this year, and contribute to this valuable initiative. Let’s go!”
