The Jury

Gabi Bauer's expertise in marketing, communications and sales of complex products is based on many years in management positions at PwC, IBM and GEZE. At the helm of strategic sales and marketing at Uhlmann Pac-Systeme, Bauer has been instrumental in shaping the digital customer journey and global brand presence for around five years. Her focus is on transformation, digitalisation 

Dr. Saskia Diehl studied psychology and economics and completed her doctorate at the Institute for Brand and Communication Research while working as a strategy consultant. The lecturer in consumer behaviour and neuromarketing at the EUFH Cologne has written various publications on topics including emotional brand management. At GMK Markenberatung, Diehl supports numerous international clients in the efficient management of their brands and brand portfolios. This ranges from AI-supported brand development and implementation to sustainable controlling.

Stefanie Eller is a business builder with experience at Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and E.ON. Most recently, she spent several years as Vice President of Marketing, Networks & Communication, where she was responsible for the energy company's reputation and launched an AI solution for expanding electromobility in E.ON's ecosystem. Thanks to her many years of experience, Eller combines strategic brand management with entrepreneurial thinking and develops brand companies from the initial idea to international expansion with a focus on impact, relevance and sustainable success.

Roman Jud has been working in leading marketing and strategy roles for over 20 years. He has worked in London, Zurich and Berlin for international brands and agencies and, as Chief Growth Officer, advises companies at the interface of brand, growth and transformation.

Jörg Liebeskind studied communication design at the Technical University of Nuremberg and marketing management at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. After working as a graphic designer in international agencies, he founded the creative agency stilbezirk in 2003, where he managed brands such as adidas, Siemens, Vaude and uvex for over 15 years. In 2017, he moved to act.3, where he was responsible for adidas brand activation as Director of Brand Communications. This was followed by roles at DATEV in brand and image communications. Since 2020, Liebeskind has headed the brand and communications department at Conrad Electronic, where he is overseeing the international relaunch of the traditional brand, which is over 100 years old. He has received numerous awards for his work at renowned creative competitions.

Dr Christian Loefert heads an international team of around 200 employees in over 20 countries and is responsible for developing global campaigns and positioning T-Systems. Previously, he led communications in Deutsche Telekom's private customer segment and, together with his team, implemented award-winning campaigns and collaborations with technology partners such as Apple and Samsung. Other positions include sales management with innovative strategies for increasing revenue and improving customer satisfaction. Dr Loefert has also held management positions at McKinsey & Company and the Otto Group. He earned his doctorate with a thesis on ‘Reputation and Capital Market Valuation’ and combines strategic thinking with a keen sense for market trends and customer needs.

Katrin Menne is Head of Brand and Content Marketing at the science and technology company Merck. She has extensive expertise in strategic brand management, communication, design and market research. In her previous role as Head of Brand and Research at Commerzbank AG, she led successful campaigns, sharpened brand positioning and brand image, and conducted comprehensive analyses of brand perception and customer loyalty. Menne was recognised by W&V as one of the top 100 personalities in 2025 and is also a member of the Effie jury.

After studying economics and industrial design, he held various management positions in industry and consulting before founding the consulting firm Herrmann, Moeller + Partner in Munich together with Dr. Christoph Herrmann in 2003. He is a proven expert in the field of brand-oriented corporate development and has worked for a large number of national and international companies. In addition, he has published numerous articles on brand management, innovation and design management, and is also a lecturer in strategic marketing, innovation and product management, most recently at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences.

Carsta Maria Müller, Managing Director at Baby got Business, is an industry expert and media scientist who has been working in the social media world for over 15 years, most recently at Meta as Strategic Partner Manager for Creator, Media & Sport Companies and previously as Director of Social Media at ProSiebenSat.1. For 10 years, she has been supporting companies in their digital transformation, inspiring people with content, creative storytelling and KPIs and social media strategies. As Managing Director at Baby got Business, she is responsible for the Academy & Consulting division and hosts the social media podcast ‘What The Social?!’ powered by Baby got Business.

Anne-Mette Noack has been responsible for central strategies to promote reading and book culture in Germany since 2024. Prior to this, she held various management positions at the German Publishers and Booksellers Association for many years, including head of cultural projects, marketing and communications, and the development and implementation of campaigns, collaborations and corporate design.

Matthias Oetting has been applying his many years of experience in digital and design agencies to large companies ranging from medical technology to furniture fittings for more than 18 years. He focuses on strategic topics such as customer centricity, brand management and digital transformation, as well as the implementation of customer lifecycle-oriented, data-driven marketing and corporate communications. Since 2023, he has been working on his favourite topics as Director of Marketing at the Hettich Group.

While studying at Zeppelin University, Julius Palm explored the question of the future viability of modern societies. In practice, he works as deputy managing director and head of strategy & brand at the sustainable food brand followfood, where he is working to solve socio-ecological problems through a business model. In addition, as a board member of the German Federal Association for Sustainable Business, he is committed to creating the political framework for a sustainable economy.

Stefan Raake studied business administration at the University of Cologne, specialising in marketing and business psychology. He has been managing partner of AMC Finanzmarkt GmbH since 2010. He launched the first online presence for the insurance industry in the mid-1990s and was editor-in-chief of Versicherungen.de and Finanzen.de until 2005. Within the AMC network, he organises events, studies and projects. He is also the author of several specialist publications, including ‘Marketing Online’, ‘Web 2.0 in the Financial Sector’, ‘Insurers on the Internet’ and the annual study ‘The Insurance Industry on the Internet’.

Sophia Rödiger is a business psychologist, author and has been working in the digital energy and mobility sector for over ten years. Most recently, she founded and led the blockchain technology company bloXmove as CEO, which was created after a management buy-out with Mercedes-Benz. Her career began at the latter car manufacturer, where she worked in various management positions on start-up investments and transformation processes. Rödiger was a member of the board of bitkom and is an active international keynote speaker. She is also committed to digital education and hosts the podcast ‘NEW ENERGY TALKS’. She has been Chief Marketing Officer at 1KOMMA5° since 2024 and accepted the German Brand Awards 2025 Startup of the Year honorary award on behalf of the zero-emission energy provider.

Isabelle Rogat is a cultural trendscout, author and expert in next-generation marketing and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). A multiple award-winning young talent in the German advertising industry, she was already leading her first teams at the age of 25 and continues to provide inspiration in the fields of zeitgeist, internet culture, feminism and Gen Z with her columns and keynotes.

Dr Simone Roth has 14 years of professional experience in brand management in various industries and business areas. Her current research focuses on international brand management, social media marketing and intercultural communication. She contributes this expertise as co-project manager in the research projects ‘Social Robots’ and ‘QuantumMiniLabs’ funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Simone Roth also works for HRW as Executive Director of the European university alliance CHARM-EU.

Christian Rummel worked for over 15 years in international advertising agencies, including Young & Rubicam, Publicis and Saatchi & Saatchi. Since 2011, he has been responsible for global brand communication, sponsorship and selected flagship projects as part of Deutsche Bank's social engagement. He has received numerous awards at international creative competitions for his work in brand and communications development.

Björn Sievers is responsible for brand management, corporate marketing and sponsorship at EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg. His focus is on combining brand, campaign and sponsorship to create a consistent internal and external image. A former business journalist, he learned communication and marketing at the consulting firm Edelman and refined his skills at P&G.