Company Organization Awards Judging Committee

Dr. Roger Achkar is a distinguished global leader, engineer, and social scientist with over two and a half decades of experience driving environmental initiatives, sustainable energy strategies, and international development. As the Founder and President of the UK-based Global Waste Cleaning Network (GWCN), Dr. Achkar heads the world’s largest environmental and energy network, spanning over 2,100 member organizations across 187 countries. Under his executive leadership, GWCN actively bridges the gap between academic institutions, NGOs, and the private sector to catalyze definitive solutions for global waste management and climate challenges.

A highly sought-after global speaker and vanguard environmental thought leader, Dr. Achkar developed the Integrated Waste Opportunity Cost (IWOC) metric—the world’s first metric designed to quantify the hidden cost of waste across financial, environmental, and systemic dimensions. He also pioneered the Digital Waste to Energy Protocol (DW2EP), an innovative framework that transforms wasted digital energy into measurable, tradable environmental value, bridging digital infrastructure with sustainability goals. In tandem with his non-profit mobilization, Dr. Achkar serves as General Manager for a prominent energy services company, directing high-impact engineering ventures that specialize in engine-based power generation and renewable energy projects.

Dr. Achkar's technical and administrative acumen is heavily leveraged by national funding and innovation bodies. He serves as an Expert Assessor for Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency, where he evaluates cutting-edge project proposals for funding. His elite academic foundations are supported by advanced credentials and studies from world-class institutions, including Harvard University, the University of Leicester, Cranfield University, and CentraleSupélec.

His profound contributions to global industry have earned him top professional distinctions. Dr. Achkar holds prestigious Fellowships with the Energy Institute (FEI), the Institute of Leadership (FIoL), and the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES). He has also been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in recognition of his lifelong devotion to international environmental stewardship.

An internationally decorated executive, Dr. Achkar is a two-time Silver Stevie® Award winner, notably securing the prestigious Thought Leader of the Year distinction. His measurable impact on corporate environmental standards has further been honored with the globally acclaimed SEAL Sustainability Leader Award. Through his interconnected roles in corporate energy execution, national project validation, and global network leadership, Dr. Achkar continues to systematically shape the future of international environmental policy and green energy systems.

Currently serving as Manager of New Business and Customer Strategy at TriMas. Rachel has held senior product leadership positions at Abbott, Getinge, DJO, Acumed, and Johnson & Johnson Medical, where she successfully led global product launches and market expansion programs. Her leadership philosophy—rooted in empathy, innovation, and empowerment—has inspired teams to deliver transformative healthcare solutions that improve lives worldwide. Beyond her corporate career, Rachel is a Ph.D. candidate in Business Leadership, a Global Business Advisor for How Women Lead, and a published author of Embrace the Journey: Heart Notes and Home Between East and West. Through her Trail & Tale Project and public speaking, she advocates for resilience, inclusion, and purpose-driven leadership.

As a Stevie Awards Chair, Rachel is dedicated to celebrating exceptional professionals whose innovation, perseverance, and impact continue to redefine leadership in today’s rapidly evolving business world.

Aksin is the CMO (Assistant General Manager & Executive Board Member) for MADAME COCO. Askin has an MBA and a degree in digital marketing.

Dheeraj Chinthalapelly is a Director at Truist in New York, where he leads the strategic advisory and capital markets for healthcare companies. He is an experienced executive and has advised on multiple multi-billion dollar M&A, debt, and equity financing transactions. He regularly advises boards, CEOs, CFOs, and institutional investors.

Swara Dave is an IEEE Senior Member and network engineering researcher with over 8 years of experience in wireless communications, cloud-native networking, 5G/Open RAN technologies, and broadband infrastructure. She holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications and Network Engineering and currently conducts research on next-generation networked systems.

Duygu is an HR leader with 14+ years of experience and PhD candidate whose work focuses on leadership, organizational culture, workforce transformation, and collaboration across complex organizational ecosystems. She is particularly interested in the capabilities required in the Agentic AI era and in helping organizations build adaptive, human-centered, and future-ready workplaces.

Senior Sourcing & Supply Chain Leader with 20+ years of experience driving strategic sourcing, supplier development, cost optimization, and risk management across global automotive and manufacturing organizations. Proven track record in leading high-performing teams, executing complex negotiations, and delivering sustainable business results.

Deepak is a Chartered Accountant with over four decades of professional experience being part of corporate governance in leadership roles with renowned institutions in several countries. He has been Chief Financial Officer and advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors for over 15 years at Oman Cement Co (SAOG).

Narasimha is a Product Development Manager and Research Engineer with a strong aerospace engineering background and hands-on experience leading products from concept through deployment. He combines deep technical analysis, research-driven design, and practical engineering judgement to develop reliable, compliant, and cost-effective solutions. Narasimha manages operations by aligning cross-functional teams.

Dr. Adham Fayad is a distinguished academic and industry expert currently serving as a Senior Lecturer in Business Management at De Montfort University, Dubai. He brings nearly two decades of diverse industry experience to the classroom, having held key positions with some of the most prominent companies in the MENA region.

Pageant Ferriabough, CEO, MBA, PhD (ABD), with more than 22 years of global experience in consulting, organizational development, international business, and economic development. Pageant's career is defined by the integration of rigorous academic training, executive leadership, and cross-border collaboration to drive sustainable, innovation-led growth across public, private, and tribal sectors.

Results-driven Category Manager specializing in strategic sourcing, supplier development, and sustainable procurement within the nutraceutical and food ingredients industry. Focused on strengthening supplier reliability, implementing robust supplier evaluation frameworks, and advancing sustainability initiatives across key ingredient categories, including fish oil and vitamins.

Onur Incesu is the Founder and Managing Director of INC. Translation Services, a Turkey-based language services company. Since 2018, he has led the company's growth by combining linguistic expertise with technology-driven operations. His expertise includes business development, customer experience, process optimization, and service innovation across diverse industries.

Sustainability and investment management executive with 20+ years of experience leading ESG, corporate communications, governance, quality management, and stakeholder engagement. Currently serving as Deputy General Manager at Yenikoy Kemerkoy Energy, driving sustainable business transformation aligned with global standards and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Strategic Supply Chain, Procurement & Operations Leader with 25+ years of experience across Telecom, Healthcare, Manufacturing, FMCG, NGOs, Education, and Consulting. Expertise in building partnerships, strategic sourcing, logistics, ERP transformation, Lean Six Sigma, cost optimization, P&L management, and stakeholder engagement, delivering multimillion-dollar savings and operational excellence.

Jaidev (Jay) is a management consultant with experience supporting Fortune 500 companies in ERP validation, digital transformation, Mergers and Acquisitions and enabling next-generation solutions. Jay is a Project Management Professional (PMP), holds a Master's in Biotechnology Management from the University of California, Irvine and is a Gold medalist from Anna University.

Hannah Jiao is a Product Designer at Amazon specializing in product strategy, fintech, and user experience innovation. Previously at PayPal, Coinbase and Remitly, she led high-impact product initiatives that improved customer experience and business outcomes across global platforms.

Mr. Kilbride is an expert Contracts and Procurement manager with extensive experience in multibillion-dollar energy projects. He has held supply chain leadership positions for Shell for over 20 years across Europe, Asia, South and North America. He is currently Supply Chain Manager for Shell's Gato do Mato Project.

Daisy King built a 30-year executive career managing complex geopolitical strategies, corporate reputation, and high-stakes crisis governance across the US and Asia-Pacific.

Pallawish Kumar is the Founder, CEO, and Head of Learning and Development at the Ocean and Climatic Research Institute (OACRI). He engineers CPD-accredited educational programs and actively drives global youth mobilization through #Y4CAP, seamlessly bridging the gap between complex scientific marine research, community climate resilience, and professional capacity building worldwide.

Ritesh Kumar is an accomplished finance professional and has extensive expertise in all aspects of Energy Finance, Risk Management, Trading Analytics and Valuation. Ritesh Kumar has 18+ years of experience with large banks and Fortune 500 companies where he has held leadership roles. Ritesh Kumar holds a Master's degree in Finance.

Onyekachi Chukwuebuka Nwafor is a business leader, innovation strategist, and sustainability professional with over eight years of experience across enterprise development, project management, stakeholder engagement, climate innovation, and sustainable business growth. His experience also includes mentoring entrepreneurs, assessing innovation-driven projects, contributing to international policy.

Niyi is the VP of Finance at Pike Industries, a CRH plc subsidiary and one of New England's largest aggregates, asphalt, and construction businesses. He leads finance, governance, and M&A for a ~$500M portfolio. His career spans project finance at Shell, capital markets at Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, and US industrial finance.

Nattawud has over 17 years of experience in IT across various leadership roles; Nattawud currently leads the artificial intelligence and digital transformation initiatives at ExxonMobil. Nattawud expertise lies in aligning digital use cases and designs with strategic business objectives, driving innovation, and advancing scalable technology implementation projects for global deployment.

Atul Punj is an accomplished IT industry leader with over three decades of experience in global delivery, enterprise sales, and digital transformation. Based in Bridgewater, New Jersey, he currently serves as the CEO of IBSFINtech USA, leading the company's expansion into the U.S. market.

Shaheen Shah is a Group Product Manager at LinkedIn, specializing in monetization platforms, payments, subscriptions, and checkout systems that enable digital marketplaces to scale revenue globally. She has led high-impact initiatives across LinkedIn and Meta and is passionate about mentoring product leaders and recognizing innovation.

Telecom professional with 24 years of global experience in 5G, LTE, GSM network design, optimization & large-scale project delivery across the USA, India, & MEA. Proven leader in complex deployments & engineering team management. Active contributor to industry innovation through international research publications & service as an international conference judge. Sr Member: IEEE; Fellow Member: IETE

With deep & wide leadership experience in brewing science and technology, operations management, people development, research and development, and quality management. Attended conferences & development seminars in the US, Europe, and the Philippines. Dean, San Miguel School of Brewing. Corporate Technical Executive. Featured speaker and communicator in conventions, meetings, and seminars.

He has led and supported diversified product portfolios.

Madhuri is a Product Leader at Microsoft building AI-powered customer experiences that help organizations transform how they support and engage with customers. She leads product strategy for intelligent agents and automation, turning complex customer challenges into scalable, impactful solutions. Passionate about AI, customer-centric innovation, and the future of work.

Seasoned IT and business transformation professional with over a decade of progressive experience in delivery leadership, project/program management, and enterprise systems implementation. Currently serving as an Account Delivery Partner and Engagement Manager for a major customer, responsible for overseeing strategic IT delivery and client relationship management across complex digital ecosystems.

A commercial airline pilot with 10 years' experience. Founder of Mark Nathan Aviation, a consultancy focused on commercial flight safety and efficiency along with crew resource management. Collaborations within the medical field as well as community outreach work. Leading developer and proponent of fuel and emissions savings across airlines.