Judge seven, Steven Bennett-Day is the Creative Director of Skive, an independent digital agency in London. He creates global campaigns for Carlsberg, Nestlé KitKat, Nestlé Aero, Vauxhall, Tetley, Dunhill and London Fashion Week.

Before Skive Steven held board level Creative Director positions at Soup, where he won clients such as innocent drinks, BSkyB and ABF Foods Group. Then Green Cathedral where he was part of the management team to take the agency from 84th to 13th in the NMA Top 100 in just one year.

He understands how to weave different technologies, channels and human motivation together for maximum commercial impact. He likes tinkering with stuff like Processing, Arduino and toys to make odd things talk to the internet.

Steven has been recognised for his work over the last 20 years through many creative and effectiveness awards.

Damian Ferrar, our sixth judge, is the Global Innovation Director of independent creative agency, Imagination.

As Director of Imagination’s Global Digital offer for Ford Motor Company, Damian leads a global team of strategy, creative and technology experts who create strategically driven, innovative digital experiences across multiple channels and platforms.

Damian joined Imagination to develop pioneering digital experiences for clients including Ford, Guinness, Samsung, Vodafone and Unilever utilising innovative digital marketing initiatives including social media, mobile, film, and interactive installations as delivery platforms and channels.

Our fifth judge is Gary Walker, the multi-award winning Creative Director at the UK’s largest and most awarded advertising agency, Abbott Mead Vickers.

He has been responsible for campaigns for a diverse range of clients from Sainsbury’s to Guinness, from BT to the BBC, from the RSPCA to The Economist.

His twenty-year career has seen his work being recognised at every major international awards show worldwide including a very special honour from The United Nations for an Anti Gun-Crime commercial he produced.

Gary passionately believes that insightful, original creativity is the lifeblood of any brand – without it they will whither and die, with it they can flourish and grow.

That is the responsibility of a creative.

Our fourth judge is again from client side, and this time it’s Adnams – we are delighted to welcome Andy Wood.

As Chief Executive of Adnams, Andy leads one of East Anglia’s most impactful lovemark brands. Adnams is an innovative company, which seeks always to delight its customers through product development, brand application and community engagement. Under Andy’s visionary leadership, Adnams has seen growth even in troubled times, and the Southwold-based company is on course for great things over the coming years.

Andy is the Chairman of a range of boards including the Regional Leadership Team for Business in the Community. He has a Doctorate from Cranfield University, speaks at a number of business schools and has  recently accompanied the Government’s Energy and Climate Change Minister to Washington DC on the UK’s first green trade mission.

The third judge for GradPitch 2012 is a DBA expert and Non Executive Director for design businesses, Ian Cochrane.

Ian spent 12 years running Europe’s two largest design consultancies (Fitch Worldwide and Landor Europe) and then decided to be less hands-on, becoming an advisor to ambitious creative leaders.

Now, with a further 20 years industry experience behind him, Ian usually operates as a non-exec director: giving ideas, challenging, questioning, supporting, facilitating and encouraging. His style is honest, direct and forthright but wrapped up in an affable personality.

Ian’s mission is to ensure that creative businesses set a growth agenda and stick to it rigidly despite the daily demands of a busy design agency.