RAV Awards Industry Titans Assembled: Meet our Judging Panel

The inaugural Affiverse RAV Awards promises to be a spotlight moment for the affiliate marketing industry, and the calibre of judges assembled to evaluate our entries reflects the prestigious nature of this new recognition program. 

With over 100 years of collective expertise, spanning networks, brands, agencies, and publishers, our hand-picked panel of judges represent the industry’s most influential voices and strategic minds in performance marketing across the globe.

The awards ceremony will take place at the ELEVATE Summit in London on Tuesday, 15th July 2025. Ahead of this, our industry titans will evaluate the flurry of submissions being received until 30 June based on impact, creativity, strategy, results, and supporting evidence. 

For affiliate marketers considering whether to submit an entry to this year’s RAV awards, an understanding of who will be reviewing your work—and what they bring to the table—could be the deciding factor in crafting your winning submission.

Rav Awards Judging Panel: Industry Authority Across Every Vertical

The RAV (Rising Affiliate Victors) Awards judging panel reads like a who’s who of affiliate marketing excellence, bringing together leaders who’ve built the platforms, strategies, and standards that define modern performance marketing.

James Litttle
TopCashback

James has been in the affiliate space now for just over 20 years, spending the past 14 years at TopCashback where he is Group Commercial Director. He is a huge believer in the affiliate industry and has pushed for many changes across the industry in his time, most recently bringing the importance of accurate tracking to the top of most people’s agenda and rallying updates to ICO guidelines, S2S tracking and more.

“I love the concept of the RAVs – there are so many great SME’s in the space and I believe the RAVs will help some of these get the praise that they rightly deserve for bringing best in class affiliate programs into this space”.

Daisy-Blue Malden
impact.com

Daisy-Blue, RVP of Channel Partnerships EMEA for impact.com, is responsible for developing an ecosystem of Agency, Technology & Consultant partners, to support customer growth & acquisition. Prior to impact.com, Daisy has held senior roles in Affiliate Marketing and Content Publishing, and is a frequent speaker at industry events.

Alex Feist
Sage 

With 18+ years in the B2B Software industry, Alex now leads Sage’s global Affiliate Program, focusing on building high-quality, meaningful partnerships in the B2B SaaS space. He is passionate about driving growth through affiliate marketing and working closely with affiliates to create long-term, valuable collaborations. 

Alona Malinovska
Webgains

Alona is Managing Director at Webgains, leading UK affiliate network. Being part of the Webgains leadership team for over five years, Alona is specialised in leading best-in-class teams, nurturing innovative, creative culture, forming the direction of affiliate programs, and helping brands drive incremental and sustainable growth via performance channels. She frequently writes and speaks about affiliate marketing trends, strategic recommendations, and channel best practices. 

“Lee-Ann is just a stunning person who advocates for performance marketing for the affiliate space – a real role model and thought leader. I’m very happy to have the opportunity to support her initiatives”.

Florian Gramshammer 

A leading figure in the digital marketing and ad tech world in Europe, Florian is Managing Director EMEA. Based in London, he develops and executes Impact’s rapid regional growth strategies and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the local commercial and customer success teams.

Michael Cole
Everflow

Michael is the SVP of Marketing at Everflow – the Partner Marketing Platform for tracking, managing, and optimising every performance-driving partnership and marketing channel. Over 1100 companies use Everflow to scale up their partnerships, discover deeper insights into what works, and automate their management processes. Michael got his start in the industry at a boutique affiliate agency that launched and managed affiliate programs for brands including BigCommerce, Shopify, and ZipRecruiter. 

Gaurav Arora
Skimlinks, a Taboola company

Gaurav is an experienced professional in the digital marketing and partnerships sector, currently serving as the Director of Global Partnerships at Skimlinks, a Taboola company, since January 2024. Gaurav holds a Master’s degree in International Marketing from the University of East London and has a diverse background that includes roles such as Head of Client Success at Astound Commerce and Director of Client Development for UK & APAC at CJ. Gaurav has proven expertise in revenue growth, client satisfaction, and team management across various high-profile companies, including iProspect, Annexio Limited, and Awin Global. Notably, Gaurav possesses a strong understanding of affiliate marketing and ecommerce strategies, having managed key clients and partnerships to drive operational excellence and long-term growth. 

Richard Dennys
Game Lounge (Previous CEO of Webgains)

With a career spanning over two decades in leadership roles across tech and digital landscapes, Richard brings a wealth of experience to his role as CEO of Game Lounge. Richard’s journey in the performance marketing industry and is distinguished by his recent tenure at Webgains Affiliate Network, where he served for 7 years as CEO driving the company towards unprecedented growth with his forward-thinking strategies and data-driven approach. Before leading Webgains, Richard held senior positions at renowned organisations such as Yell, BBC, PWC and Nokia, and also ventured into entrepreneurship with the founding of a travel startup.

Heather Peebles
Perkbox

Heather has more than a decade of experience in the affiliate industry, with a strong understanding of affiliate operations, partnership development, commercial negotiations and building global strategies. Heather co-founded the Publisher Board in 2019, with the mission to improve industry standards and promote best practices.

Red Barrington
Red Star

Red started her career in affiliate marketing in the heady days of Google arbitrage and when no one had even heard of a voucher code! With over 20 years’ hands-on practice, Red now delivers successful customer acquisition strategies for a range of global ecommerce clients, including Helly Hansen, Cambridge Satchel Co., Liberty Global (Flow), Sage and Vodafone. Red is also a Chartered Marketer and develops digital training programmes for corporate organisations and professionals for Oxford College of Marketing.

“I wanted to be part of the RAV awards just because it’s championing those who often don’t get championed. It’s all about those that are doing the legwork, the unsung heroes, the smaller agencies. Maybe even the smaller clients that are doing really interesting stuff – but we never really get to hear about this stuff because usually with award ceremonies, you get lots and lots and lots of entries or it’s expensive to enter“.

Jenny Gonzalez
Rocahead and Trackfinity 

Jenny has been in the performance marketing industry for the last decade, becoming a veteran of the online dating industry. She has developed a deep passion for affiliate marketing, online marketing, and branding. Jenny embraced that passion and used it as fuel to successfully grow market share and achieve significant milestones for various online dating advertisers that have benefited from her expertise. She is a public speaker and a serial entrepreneur in the affiliate industry who is deeply passionate about helping the industry understand the finer tracking and nuances of successful online marketing. 

Matt Frary
Chief of Chaos/ The Partner Agency 

Matt is a seasoned entrepreneur, growth strategist, and expert in affiliate marketing with over 25 years of experience. He has founded and sold multiple companies, including SmarterChaos, ROI Rocket, and She Is Media, and has been recognised with numerous industry awards, such as the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies and the Colorado Technology Association APEX Award for Most Innovative Entrepreneur. As the founder of Chief of Chaos, he helps brands scale through performance marketing, partnerships, and digital transformation. Matt is also the Board Chair of Colorado Companies to Watch and an advisor for Iterate.ai

Sarafina Wolde Gabriel 
Rightlander 

Sarafina has two decades of experience in digital marketing and more than a decade’s worth of expertise in leadership within the iGaming and marketing sectors. Currently serving as CEO at Rightlander, a marketing compliance company, Sarafina’s responsibilities include developing business strategies to help grow and expand into new markets and verticals, evaluate new product opportunities and build strategic partnerships. 

Jim Nichols
Exclamation Marketing Solutions

Jim is a high performing leader with more than 15 years of digital and traditional marketing experience, helping drive company growth by helping brands make the most of their marketing investments. Career focused on finding barriers to growth across organisations and leading cross departmental teams to genuine solutions. Builder of more profitable and enduring client relationships and teams.

Ishtvan Torpoi
TAG

Ishtvan is a staunch advocate for incrementality, ensuring that each affiliate campaign contributes positively to a brand’s broader goals without merely cannibalising existing successes. His strategies emphasise consistent growth and sustainability. His approach is rooted in a philosophy that affiliate marketing should not only aim for short-term gains but also drive genuine brand growth and customer engagement. Ishtvan has helped countless brands achieve substantial, sustainable growth by elevating the standards of their affiliate programs.

James Boden
Cake

James is a seasoned professional with more than 16 years of experience and has held various roles spanning marketing, sales, client services, and partnerships. His expertise covers multiple industries including ecommerce, technology, and performance marketing. While remaining keenly involved in prevalent industry topics, James’ diverse and extensive background positions him perfectly to continue expanding CAKE’s global offering.

Chris Tradgett
Moonpull

Chris has over 20 years in affiliate and performance marketing. He was one of the launch team of the buy.at affiliate network in 2003, which grew to become one of the UK’s largest networks before its acquisition by AOL and later Awin. He then co-founded Publisher Discovery, using AI to help affiliate managers recruit the most relevant affiliate partners. Currently, Chris is CMO at Moonpull, which provides a clear understanding of the complexities and nuances of affiliate tracking for all players in the industry. A passionate advocate for the affiliate marketing community, Chris is also an active member of the Performance Marketing Association (PMA).

“It’s really important to encourage new people in the industry and to recognise that even if they’ve only been in the industry for a short amount of time, that they’re actually doing stuff that’s powerful and useful and can actually kind of make a difference”.

Lee-Ann Johnstone
Founder and CEO Affiverse

With almost two decades of digital marketing and affiliate experience within the retail, payments and the fast paced iGaming industry, Lee-Ann is an award winning affiliate marketing strategist and Performance Marketing World’s Top Industry Voice for 2024. In 2020 she started Adverse Media to help the world do affiliate marketing better! As the founder of the RAV awards this holds special meaning as she’s passionate about lifting the next generation of digital marketers and SME’s up to gain access to all the benefits affiliate marketing offers brands who commit to the channel. Lee-Ann is a founding member of the APMA (Affiliate and Performance Marketing Association)  in the UK and the PMA (Performance Marketing Association) in the US supporting best practices and governance for the industry. 

“Affiliate marketing’s future is being built by passionate SME brands, agencies, affiliates, and entrepreneurs — and it’s time they got the spotlight they deserve. That’s why we’re launching the Affiverse RAV Awards at ELEVATE: to celebrate the rising voices shaping our industry’s next chapter. Step up, get recognised, and show the world how you’re making affiliate marketing great again!”

Why Submit Your Entry to This Elite Panel of Judges?

The depth and diversity of expertise represented on this judging panel creates a unique opportunity for affiliate marketers to gain recognition from true industry authorities. Unlike awards judged by less specialised panels, the RAV Awards promise evaluation by professionals who understand the nuances of affiliate marketing across multiple verticals and business models.

The inaugural Affiverse RAV Awards promises to be a night to remember. With this powerhouse judging panel, and a coveted award for your trophy cabinet which is being lovingly hand crafted by local Dorset based Engraving and Woodwork artist Claire Whiles. 

This is the opportunity to shine a light on the work that gets unnoticed, but is pivotal to supporting growth in our industry. It’s for professionals serious about demonstrating their commitment to industry advancement and strategic thinking, submitting an entry isn’t just an opportunity—it’s essential for maintaining relevance in an increasingly sophisticated marketplace.

Ready to Submit? Here’s How…

Entries are completely FREE and open to all individuals and organisations. 

You can nominate yourself or deserving peers or clients across multiple categories.

Key Dates:

• Submission Deadline: Monday, 30th June 2025
• Awards Ceremony: Tuesday, 15th July 2025 at ELEVATE London

Important: Only 100% completed entries will proceed to the shortlist and final judging stage.

Get Started:

1. Download the comprehensive entry guide
2. Select your award category
3. Submit your entry

The inaugural RAV Awards represents more than recognition—it’s positioned to become the definitive standard for affiliate marketing excellence. For professionals serious about demonstrating industry leadership, submitting an entry isn’t just an opportunity, it’s essential for maintaining relevance in an increasingly sophisticated marketplace.