Jury

Kirsty leads the Innovation& Creative Hub atBurson, cascading transformation and creative thinkingacross the Middle East, Turkey and Africa region. She specialises in digital creativesupported by technology, sitting across Burson’s sector teams to optimise and revolutionise client work, while driving internal innovation projects such as Artificial Intelligence. Burson was recently formed following the merger of Hill & Knowlton with BCW Global by WPP. Having spent eight years in the region with Burson, Kirsty has built a team of 100+ data analysts, digital strategists and content creators focused on innovating the future of communications through technology, AI and creativity. In 2023, she was appointed to the Middle East PR Association’s Strategy Board, named in PRovokeMedia’s Innovator 25 list for EMEA, which recognisesthe top 25 changemakers in the industry, and secured a spot in PR Week’s Middle East PowerBook as an influential PR leader in the region. During her time in the Middle East, she has created and delivered integrated creative strategies across several major global events including World Athletics, World Gymnastics, AFC Asian Cup and F1s in three countries. She has supported digital planning for global brands including adidas, Meta, Dubai Holding and P&G as well as creative use of data for tourism bodies AlUlaand DCT Abu Dhabi.She also worked in the first global COVID sports bubble for UFC Fight Island with DCT. Educated in traditional PR before moving to digital practices, Kirsty can span the newsroom with skills in both traditional and digital communications. She has previously played digital transformation roles in creative agencies in the UK, taking organic social and SEO teams and transitioning them into earned media specialists sitting at the heart of creative teams. Before movingto the Middle East, Kirsty worked in both European and US markets. She spent time working in the US with the Caribbean Premier League, taking T20 cricket to a baseball nation. She was responsible for the creation and implementation of their digital communications strategy, which saw 1.5million social fans gained during the six-week live event. Prior to this, she spent four years supporting Thomas Cook Sport in communicating their international travel packages via media relations and social media across EMEA. She has been published in three textbooks on integrated communications and holds a BA Hons in Public Relations.She has won over 50 awards for creative and communications campaigns across EMEA.