An additional six judges have been appointed to adjudicate entries for this year’s Marketer of the Year (MotY) award. The panel of 12 judges is now complete with the addition of Caroline Donnellan, Sky Ireland; Nicky Doran, NDAS; Sinead Mitchell, Guaranteed Irish; Viv Chambers, Bricolage; Loretta Dignam, The Menopause Hub and Geoff Codd, Energia.
They join six other judges already announced for this year’s competition, namely Kevin Kent, Laya; Greta Hammel, Promise Gluten Free; David Field, Fresh; Cliona Hayes, Indeed; Chris Cashen, WPP Media Ireland and Karen Hand, Strategy & Research. The Marketing.ie initiative is partnered by DMG Media and powered by Business Plus.
Dedicated
Loretta Dignam (above) is the founder and CEO of The Menopause Hub, which she launched in 2018 as Ireland’s first dedicated clinic aimed at making menopause mainstream by smashing the taboo and destigmatising the condition. She has held senior marketing roles at Diageo, Mars and Kerry Foods. She won MotY in 2011 for the relaunch of Jacob’s biscuits.
Bricolage director Viv Chambers is regarded as one of Ireland’s top independent qualitative researchers whose previous agency experience includes senior roles at Behaviour & Attitudes, now Ipsos B&A. Sinead Mitchell is head of marketing and PR at Guaranteed Irish, a network of 2,500 businesses aimed at supporting business that supports Ireland.
Geoff Codd is marketing director at Energia. He joined the company in 2008 and leads brand, marketing and communications strategy for the business. He is currently serving a two-year term as president of the Association of Advertisers in Ireland (AAI), the national advocacy group which represents the interests of Irish advertisers.
Caroline Donnellan (above) is director of marketing and brand at Sky Ireland. She won Marketer of the Year in 2023 for leading the ‘Outbelieve’ campaign for the FAI women’s national team. Nicky Doran runs NDAS marketing consultancy. His work includes major campaigns for Bord Gáis Energy, and his ongoing role in promoting advertising effectiveness.
The judges’ panel is chaired by Association of Advertisers in Ireland (AAI) CEO Barry Dooley.
Outstanding
The judges will be looking for Irish marketers who have achieved outstanding brand success through exceptional strategic direction, innovation, creativity and effective communications. Entrants should have a track record of driving growth and possess strong leadership qualities, having managed, upskilled and inspired teams. The judges will also seek out candidates who have helped develop marketing’s reputation as a strategic discipline.
For details on the Marketer of the Year criteria and how to enter the competition click on https://businessplus.ie/media-plus/entries-marketer-of-the-year-2026/. Submissions should be emailed to moty@businessplus.ie or sent by post to Marketer of the Year, DMG Media Ireland, 3rd Floor, 20-38 Haddington Road, Dublin 4, D04 HE94.
Watch the video at https://businessplus.ie/media-plus/entries-marketer-of-the-year-2026/
The deadline for submissions is 5pm on Thursday, September 24th, 2026.
Previous Marketer of the Year (MotY) winners
2024 GRETA HAMMEL, Promise Gluten Free; 2023 CAROLINE DONNELLAN, Sky Ireland; 2022 PAUL DERVAN, National Lottery; Awards suspended in 2020 and 2021 during Covid-19 pandemic; 2019 EMMA KIERNAN, Dublin Zoo; 2018 FIONA DAWSON, Mars Foods (Ultimate Marketer of the Year winner); 2017 BRIAN HIGGINS, Pieta House; 2016 ADAM BACON, VHI Healthcare; 2015 TOM KEOGH, Keoghs Crisps; 2014 RAY KELLY, SuperValu; 2013 PETER MCKENNA, GAA/Croke Park; 2012 KEVIN DONNELLY, Britvic Ireland; 2011 LORETTA DIGNAM, Jacob Fruitfield; 2012 JOHN CONCANNON, Fáilte Ireland (The Wild Atlantic Way); 2009 JOHN NOONAN, Flahavans; 2008 RUTH GUY, Barnardo’s; 2007 NIALL O’GRADY, Permanent TSB; 2006 MAURICE BREEN, Magners Irish Cider; 2005 GREG MCSWEENEY, RaboDirect; 2004 WILLIAM DOYLE, Newbridge Silverware; 2003 MARY DAVIS & SUZANNE WELDON, Special Olympics; 2002 BRIAN GOOLD, Slendertone; 2001; JOHN KEOGH, Bulmer’s Irish Cider; 2000 PAT RIGNEY & DAVID PHELAN, Boru Vodka; 1999 JOHN FOLEY, Waterford Crystal (John Rocha Range); 1998 DENIS O’RIORDAN, GOLDEN VALE (Cheestrings); 1997 SIMON PRATT & AMANDA PRATT, Avoca; 1996 RAYMOND COYLE, Largo Foods; 1995 FRANK CRUESS-CALLAGHAN, Waterford Stanley; 1994 MICHAEL O’ROURKE, Green Isle Foods (Goodfella’s Pizza); 1993 LIAM MARNANE, Cadbury Ireland (Time Out Bar).
