Meet final judges and why they love Pause Awards

The Pause Awards 2024 continue to be a beacon of innovation and excellence, bringing together some of the most distinguished professionals across various sectors.

This year, we are excited to introduce 45 judges from LinkedIn, Westpac, NAB and AWS to name a few in this last group. These individuals, both returning and new, bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Let’s get to know them and understand why they are excited to judge this year.

Meet the Judges:

Tori Benzie – Head of Business Development, ANZ, LinkedIn (Returning)
With 20+ years experience working in Media and Technology, Tori leads Business Development for LinkedIn across the ANZ region. She is eager to witness the innovative spirit of the participants, stating, “I look forward to having the opportunity to see some of the most innovative and creative ideas from across Australia and see first-hand how they are making a positive impact on society.”

Joel Hanna – Founder and General Manager, Big Little Brush (Returning)
Joel is an experienced and passionate sustainability leader with a focus on delivering strong commercial outcomes, and is back for another year. Joel looks forward to “seeing the incredible talent and enterprises that are bursting out of our amazing startup community here in Australia.”

Adam Ferrier – Chief Thinker / Founder, Thinkerbell (New)
Adam has made his way from forensic psychology to advertising, writing two books and founding successful companies. He shares, “I love learning from what other brilliant minds are doing and creating. Judging awards like these is like having a glimpse into the future.”

Deb Algeo – Director of Innovation, NAB (New)
Deb, with a decade of experience in Australian financial services, specialising in strategy, innovation, and technology transformation – digital assets, blockchain, regtech, fintech, gen AI, open banking, and partnerships, she drives transformative change within the industry.. She says, “It’s a chance to recognize innovative ideas and initiatives, contributing to the advancement of technology and society.”

Jonny Schneider – Director, Humble Ventures (New)
Jonny provides pain relief for your product organisation and helps leaders find and scale product success through strategy and operations. He states, “There are many ‘right ways’ to do things, and I’m here for the brilliant things that happen when great humans take on big missions, think differently, and find success in peculiar ways. Pause Awards—more than any other—recognize that ideas are cheap, and execution is everything. It’s my privilege to be inspired by how others innovate and to support Australia’s burgeoning ecosystem.”

Hayley Rose – Founder & CEO, Archer (New)
Hayley helps companies incubate and grow products globally. She shares, “I want to play a part in celebrating and propelling amazing Aussie businesses.”

Helen De Ornellas – Head of Innovation & FinTech, Westpac (New)
Helen has worked in the UK, Australia, and internationally over the last 15 years with 500 global companies, helping them to craft breakthrough strategies and propositions using human-centred design. She says, “Australia has some fantastic startup talent, and it’s a privilege to be part of these awards that recognise our best and brightest. I’m fascinated with what’s coming next, how startups are applying new technologies to solve our most challenging problems, and the courageous individuals that are shaping the future of our industries.”

Beau Ushay – Principal Consultant, Astraeus Labs (New)
Beau, founder of a firm offering software due diligence for tech investments. He remarks, “Australia is a deeply innovative country, and I’m always excited to champion the innovators and risk-takers who will build the future economies that will power our nation forward.”

Hal Josephson – Co-founder NZ Access & DELF OZ, NZ Access Ltd. (New)
Hal has worked with the Chinese, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian governments to develop strategic programs to increase economic impact. He shares his enthusiasm, “I am excited because I want to see and experience the BEST OZ can offer. And I know great design and optimal UX/UI when I see it.”

Nikita Le Messurier – Startup Advisor, AWS (New)
Nikita, a passionate angel investor and startup advisor, particularly female-founded, deep tech, and AI startups, says, “I love this ecosystem and I’m excited to help it flourish!”

Tim Steer – CFO, Birchal (New)
Tim manages all financial operations for Birchal, oversees strategy, budgeting, and accounts, guiding companies through capital raising and witnessing the transformative impact of funding on early-stage businesses. He states, “I’m thrilled to join the community of judges and celebrate all the incredible things we see happening in the Australian ecosystem at the moment.”

Genevieve Reynolds – Partner, Sayers Advisory and Investments (New)
Genevieve helps private and public businesses develop meaningful and profitable customer relationships through distinctive brand and go-to-market strategies. She says, “I’m interested in the broad application of creativity and how it’s harnessed to find new and better ways to solve problems. I can’t wait to learn more about the big, new ideas that will move the economy and society forward.”

These judges bring a diverse range of expertise and perspectives, ensuring that the Pause Awards 2024 will be a fair and comprehensive evaluation from the best minds in Australian innovation.

Stay tuned for more updates and insights as we approach the awards ceremony. Together, we break through!

For more information on the judges and the awards, visit the Pause Awards Judges Page.