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Bronwyn Scott - General Manager of Digital Future Aotearoa

Raised in Bridge Pa, Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawkes Bay), Bronwyn was always looking skyward, leading to a career as a commercial pilot and flying instructor before diverting into the world of technology.  Today, she continues to look towards the next horizon - the pursuit of digital excellence - as the Manahautū General Manager of the Digital Future Aotearoa charitable trust.

20% of NZ's population face barriers to being part of the digital world, yet it is everywhere, and our young people in particular are missing out on learning opportunities needed to help them thrive in the increasingly digital world we live in.  Digital Future Aotearoa provides free access and opportunities to digital technologies education for tamariki and rangatahi so they have more choices to self determine their way through life.

Christine Rupp - Chair of Counties Energy Trust

Christine’s involvement in the electricity industry spans over 20 years.  Currently she is Chair of Counties Energy Trust which is the owner of Counties Energy Ltd.

Counties Energy is not only a network distribution company but an industry leader in bringing new technology to deliver improved services to its customers in an area covering South Auckland and North Waikato.    Christine is active in a variety of Industry and commercial related activities including Deputy Chair of ETNZ (Energy Trusts of NZ Association) and a director of 2 companies.

She brings previous experience from Banking, Finance and Customer Service management roles here in NZ and also the UK and Middle East. Christine also utilizes her commercial experience for sports and non-profit roles in her community.

Darren McLean - Head of Sales & Service at Chorus NZ Ltd

Darren has more than 20 years’ experience in Telecommunications leadership roles across 8 international markets with experience in mobile, financial services, fixed line, ICT and pay TV services.

As a former CEO for Digicel Pacific Ltd Darren helped to established a winning product portfolio to gain share in highly competitive markets across the region including the acquisition of Sky Pacific for the group.

Darren is passionate about sales leadership, marketing, and delivering great customer experiences. He currently leads the Sales & Service team for Chorus NZ Ltd after having spent the previous 14 years overseas in Ireland and the Pacific.

In his spare time Darren loves to explore new music and discover new parts of New Zealand.

David Court - Founder of theBit.nz

David Court is the founder of theBit.nz, a platform focused on delivering clear, jargon-free tech news and insights for the New Zealand audience. With over 15 years experience in the industry (back in the UK), David has guided millions of readers through the often-confusing world of tech and hopes to do the same here in NZ.

Ben Morris - Advertising & Partnerships Manager at realestate.co.nz

Ben brings a wealth of experience and industry insight to the NZ Compare Awards as a judge this year. With a strong background working with advertisers across the power, broadband, and mobile sectors (to name a few), Ben has been instrumental in shaping successful campaigns and driving awareness and growth in these sectors.

Currently serving at realestate.co.nz, one of New Zealand’s leading property portals, Ben leverages a deep understanding of the advertising landscape to help clients effectively reach their desired home-moving audiences. He has played a pivotal role in creating innovative strategies and delivering impactful solutions that resonate within the competitive utilities market.

Ben brings a keen eye for excellence and a passion for recognizing standout achievements in this field, ensuring that the NZ Compare Awards continue to highlight the best in the industry.

Anna Carrick, GM of Data Services at Bluecurrent

Anna’s background is in operational and data management, complex commercial negotiation, and project management. She is a key leader in Bluecurrent’s product and data team.

Anna is committed to advancing the role of consumer energy resources in the energy transition. Representing Bluecurrent as Kāinga Ora’s Multi-Trading Trial smart metering partner, Anna celebrated alongside Kāinga Ora, winner of Energy Project of the Year at the 2024 Energy Excellence Awards.  

Gavin Male — CEO at NZ Compare

Gavin is the Founder and CEO of NZ Compare and it’s suite of comparison brands. Before he founded NZ Compare, Gavin worked for a range of leading online businesses in the UK, Europe and the US. A Physics graduate from the University of London who is passionate about digital marketing and comparison progression in NZ.

Gavin is a professional, experienced Managing Director and Digital Professional with over 15 years of online marketing experience and has been two times short-listed as UK Digital Entrepreneur of the Year (2013, 2014).

Gavin founded NZ Compare after relocating to New Zealand with his young family in 2014 and struggling to compare and find a suitable broadband provider for his needs and Broadband Compare, the first of the NZ Compare websites was born.

Craig Young — CEO of TUANZ

Craig is passionate about the communications industry and the opportunity it offers for improving business and personal lives in NZ. He is currently the Chief Executive of the Technology Users Association of NZ (TUANZ), which as a member based organisation educates and advocates for the improvement of communication services across NZ. TUANZ has a proud history of providing leadership in representing the views and needs of the people and businesses that rely on communications technology every day.

In his previous role at Chorus, Craig led the multilateral engagement with industry stakeholders and customers. He was heavily involved in providing leadership in several industry sectors including Chorus' rural broadband commitments. He was responsible for the RBI Advisory Committee and has presented and represented Chorus at numerous Rural conferences. He was also heavily involved with commercial and regulatory efforts on behalf of TelstraClear in previous roles.

Matthew Jackson — Commercial Director of Alimentary Systems

Matthew has two decades of experience commercialising disruptive technology across multiple industries, including telecommunications, media, SaaS, finance and healthcare.

As the former Commercial Director at Bypass, he helped accelerate convergence with Global Mode™, which enabled Netflix in New Zealand early. After that, they pivoted to keeping kids safe online for 20M Internet users.

In 2018 he was selected for the Edmund Hillary Fellowship for his work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. His new company, Alimentary Systems, creates value from waste with a circular system that regenerates our environment. The system converts mixed organic waste streams into bioenergy and fossil-free organic fertiliser, to keep waterways clean and decarbonise industries.

Alex Grace — CTO of NZ Compare

Alex is the CTO of NZ Compare and it’s suite of comparison brands, New Zealand's only comprehensive online comparison websites. Before founding NZ Compare, Alex worked for a range of leading online businesses in Russia for 5 years where he launched several successful online projects.

Relocating to New Zealand in 2014, Alex studied IT at Regent International Education Group and graduated in 2015. A very keen online gamer and all round technical wizard, Alex has very high demands around his broadband connection to the everyday Kiwi consumer. This perspective and day to day involvement in working with New Zealand retailers makes him a valuable addition to the Judging Panel.

Phil Campbell — Executive Director at UBS

For over 20 years Phil has been an equity analyst valuing listed telecom companies in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Between 2010 to 2017 he worked as planning director and CFO for Crown Infrastructure Partners through which he was intimately involved in the roll out and wholesale pricing for NZ's Ultrafast Fibre Network. Now the Executive Director of UBS, a global firm providing financial services to private, corporate and institutional clients. In his spare time, Phil loves socialising, traveling and talking about broadband!

Bill Bennett — Freelance Journalist for the NZ Herald & NZ Business

Bill Bennett is an experienced editor and journalist specialising in technology and business. He writes business and news features for the New Zealand Herald, a monthly technology column for the NZ Business magazine, and is a regular on Radio NZ Nine-to-Noon. Recently, Bill has also edited The Download magazine for Chorus.

Bennett has written for many overseas titles including Computer Weekly in the UK and PC Magazine in the US. He has previously worked for Australia and New Zealand’s best known newspapers including; The Dominion, The Evening Post (now Dominion-Post), The National Business Review, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Melbourne Age and The Australian Financial Review. He has been a technology commentator on ABC radio, the BBC, Channel 7, 2ZB, TVNZ and TV3 in New Zealand.

Nicole Crump — Growth Specialist at Zib Digital

Nicole Crump is a Growth Specialist for Zib Digital, a globally recognised digital agency making its mark in New Zealand & Australia. Since 2010, Zib has remained 100% family owned, and continues to power up businesses seeking advanced digital strategies for accelerated growth.

Nicole has extensive marketing, sales and research experience acquired domestically and in international settings. She has worked alongside many local broadband and power providers over the years developing impactful strategies to fuel business expansion.