The Pitcher Awards, the Pan-African benchmark for creative excellence, has revealed the names of the Jury Presidents for four of its main categories: Culture, Craft, Digital and Heritage. The Jury Presidents are responsible for leading the judging process and ensuring the highest standards of quality and integrity.
The Jury Presidents for the four categories are:
Israel Opayemi, MD/Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa Ltd, Lagos, Culture Jury President.
Opayemi is a seasoned PR professional with over two decades of experience in corporate communications, reputation management, public affairs and lobbying. He is the President of the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
Mike Miller, Executive Creative Director, X3M Ideas Lagos, Craft Jury President.
Miller is a creative leader with a passion for storytelling, design and innovation. He has worked on some of the most iconic brands in Africa, such as MTN, Guinness, Coca-Cola, Budweiser and Johnnie Walker. He has won numerous awards, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Loeries and Pitcher Awards.
Kerstin Trikalitis, CEO & Co-Founder of Out There Media, Digital Jury President.
Trikalitis is a pioneer in the field of mobile advertising and marketing, having co-founded Out There Media, a global leader in mobile data-driven advertising. She has been instrumental in developing innovative mobile campaigns for clients such as Unilever, Nestlé, P&G, L’Oréal, Coca-Cola and Mastercard.
Emuron Alemu, Founder & Chief Creative Officer, The Quollective, Nairobi, Heritage Jury President.
Alemu is a creative entrepreneur and a champion of African creativity. He founded The Quollective, a network of independent creative agencies across Africa, to showcase the diversity and richness of the continent’s culture and heritage. He has worked on brands such as Safaricom, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Heineken and Visa.
The Jury Presidents expressed their excitement and honour to be part of the Pitcher Awards, which celebrates the best of African creativity across various media and disciplines. They also shared their expectations and insights on the current state and future of the industry.
Mike Miller, Craft Jury President, said: “Money in Nigeria has gone haywire, and with it comes cost cutting. So, when it came to awards to enter this year we did some pruning, but I am happy to say the Pitcher awards remains as one of the crucial shows to be part of. The reason, it’s Pan-African, and to clients this resonates strongly as a platform to succeed on. I am honoured to be asked to be a jury president and looking forward to seeing the best work from all over the continent, and as Craft Jury President waiting to be delighted by the effort people are still applying to their work to make it shine.”
Israel Opayemi, Culture Jury President, said: “It is such a delight and honour to have been considered to serve as a Jury President for the Culture Category at this year’s Pitcher Festival. I look forward to working with other esteemed members of this class of our Jury as we collectively and dispassionately assess the works being done by Public Relations firms in the spheres of Corporate Image and Reputation Management, Public Relations, Public Affairs and Lobbying, Internal Culture and Employee Engagement, Media Relations and Brand Storytelling, Use of Cultural Insights and Use of Influencers and Brand Ambassadors. Together with my esteemed colleagues in the Jury, we will be searching out best-in-class works that have produced the best intended outcomes for clients and value for stakeholders. I salute the tenacity of CHINI Productions in keeping this brave vision alive and raising the bar of excellence year on year.”
The Pitcher Awards is open to work created or implemented anywhere in Africa or for the African diaspora communities worldwide. The main categories are Channel, Digital, Entertainment, Good, Heritage, Culture, Craft and Effectiveness. The entry deadline is 31 March 2024.
