Judges

David has worked at the likes of Sky News, Reuters and News UK over the last 25 years, running news teams, launching radio stations and podcasts and writing and presenting news content.

He presents The Media Mentor podcast, which offers insightful guidance on media careers and recruitment and also teaches at City Lit and the University of Westminster.

James Hewes is a transformational media executive, Honorary Professor, and sought-after advisor who has led global organizations through periods of significant digital disruption and growth.

As the former President & CEO of FIPP, James brings over two decades of experience driving innovation across digital media, publishing, and communications sectors on five continents.

Known for his strategic vision in revitalizing media businesses, achieving consistent double-digit profit margins, and expanding into new markets, James combines deep industry knowledge with practical leadership experience that has guided major media transformations, including the £120M sale of BBC Magazines.

Through his consultancy Soho Consulting, he continues to shape the future of media, advising high-profile international clients while sharing his expertise as a guest lecturer at prestigious institutions worldwide on topics spanning digital transformation, revenue diversification, and the evolving media landscape.

Jez Walters is Editor-in-Chief of What’s New in Publishing, a weekly newsletter for media professionals that has been covering the business of publishing since 2008.

He writes about the commercial, editorial and technological shifts shaping publishing, with a special focus on the latest innovations.

Away from publishing, Jez lives on a farm with his family, and is old enough to have stood on the Shed terrace at Chelsea to watch them get relegated. He still has a season ticket, and as things come full circle, is now looking forward to relegating Tottenham on May 19th. He also loves motorcycling and grows a few vegetables.

John Innes is Director of Strategic Ventures and Head of the Consumer Client Division at Think. Based in Glasgow, with over 30 years’ experience in publishing across award‑winning magazines, digital platforms and podcasts. He has a long track record of developing high‑quality, commercially successful content and building engaged audiences.

John has led the creation of award‑winning member content for leading cultural and heritage organisations including National Trust for Scotland, The Arts Society, Historic Scotland, the Royal Photographic Society (RPS), and Mensa. His work sits at the intersection of strategy, storytelling and innovation, helping organisations translate purpose into compelling content and sustainable growth.

Kelly Crichton is a documentary maker and an award-winning podcast producer. Kelly has picked up a number of awards for her work at previous Publisher Podcast Awards including 'Podcast Hero of the Year'.

In the past 4 years Kelly has developed and launched numerous successful shows across a variety of brands including local news sites, specialist brands, The Scotsman and The Yorkshire Evening Post. 

Kelly is co-producer and host of 'Have You Frozen Your Eggs Yet?', a woman's podcast about modern life, relationships, fertility, health and pressures women face today. She  produces full length social history documentaries for Newstalk in Ireland, her most recent 'The Power of the People,' aired earlier this year. You can also catch her pursuing her love for music when presenting the Indie Show on Edge 2 radio.

Media specialist, educator, and writer Mary Hogarth, MD of The Magazine Expert Ltd, has more than 25 years of industry experience, is an HEA Senior Fellow and holds a fractional post as a Senior Lecturer at Bournemouth University (UK).

Her consultancy practice, The Magazine Expert Ltd, specialises in new launches, audience intelligence, editorial development, and business strategies.  

In addition to serving as a panel judge for the Publisher Podcast Awards since 2019, Mary has written three books, including Business Strategies for Magazine Publishing (Routledge, 2018). Her research interests focus on magazine publishing, and she has presented her work at international conferences, including the Mapping the Magazine (Chicago, 2018) and the Future of Magazines (Lisbon, 2025).

As a doctoral candidate, Mary is currently investigating the value of reader services in special-interest magazines from both a publisher's and an audience's perspective.