Our Esteemed Judges

As the Co-Founder and Executive Director, Anna Dutton has poured her energy and passion into building a multimillion dollar business bolstered by The CEO Magazine, a globally recognized publication created for executives, entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The CEO Magazine spans all major regions of the world, with content available in English, Spanish and Chinese. Exclusive cover stories have featured inspiring individuals such as Elon Musk, Oprah, Richard Branson, Elle Macpherson, Chris Hemsworth, Bill Gates and Serena Williams to name just a few.

Anna is a firm believer in the power of connection and networking, and she loves to help make a difference for women in business and, through her media platform, provide them with a voice to tell their stories. As The CEO Magazine evolves in the digital age, Anna is excited to see where she will land and what she will learn and be inspired by next.

Chris Dutton has been a true entrepreneur and visionary in the media industry since emigrating from the United Kingdom in 2005.

The epitome of a startup success story, Chris founded his award-winning company upon arrival in Australia with AU$50 while working from his spare bedroom, and he has since grown it into a truly iconic global brand. While The CEO Magazine was founded in Australia, Chris has expanded the iconic publication into Europe, the Middle East, India and South-East Asia and the United States, and it is now widely recognized as one of the most influential business magazines in the world. The CEO Magazine talks to more CEOs than any other magazine globally.

Chris has been invited to Richard Branson’s private home, Necker Island, on numerous occasions.

He is an ambassador for the Children’s Cancer Institute to help find a cure for cancer in children, and he is passionate about giving back and positive change.

Christine Holgate has extensive diverse international leadership experience in highly regulated industries, at both Board and Executive level.

Christine is currently the Group Chief Executive Officer at Team Global Express, a leading logistics organization in Australia & New Zealand. In 2017–2020, Christine was the Group CEO at Australia Post, leading the company through a period of growth and transformation. From 2008–2017 Christine was CEO at Blackmores, Australia’s leading natural health company, expanding the company through Asia, and increasing the market capitalization more than 15-fold.

Christine has also held several Non-Executive positions including Vice Chair at Aramex, a Dubai publicly listed Freight business from 2018–2020; Deputy Chair at Sai Cheng, a joint venture with China Post, from 2017–2020; Non-Executive Director of Ten Network from 2010–2016; and Non-Executive Director for Key Corp from 2005–2008. In 2023, Christine was listed in Forbes’ Asia’s Power Businesswomen.

As the former CEO of two iconic brands, Sportsgirl and Sussan, Colleen Callander has more than three decades of unparalleled expertise in the retail fashion industry. Renowned for her ability to build brands and foster winning cultures, Colleen’s leadership has left a lasting impact on Australia’s fashion landscape.

Her visionary leadership has earned her recognition, including serving as a judge for The CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year Awards and receiving the highly commended CEO of the Year award in previous years.

Colleen is a modern thought leader and entrepreneur. She is a highly sought-after leadership advisor, a widely recognized keynote speaker, the Founder of Mentor Me Women and Co-Founder of Human Elevation.

Additionally, she is a critically acclaimed author and was a finalist in the prestigious Australian Business Book Awards.

Her latest collaboration with renowned executive life coach, Shannah Kennedy, further reinforces her legacy as a beacon of inspiration and empowerment for all generations in both business and life.

Celebrated author, keynote speaker, thought leader and CEO of The CEO Circle are just some of John Karagounis’ many hats. Engaging with the world’s brightest minds at confidential and highly exclusive forums, John connects with like-minded business leaders, striving for greater change. More than two decades after he found his niche in private wealth management, Karagounis brings a wealth of wisdom as The CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year Award’s longest-standing judge.

Responsible for the Wilson Group businesses across all regions, Jose Da Silva leads a dynamic team in the parking, security, self storage and medical services segments.

Passionate about people and strategic leadership, Jose has more than 25 years’ experience delivering growth and leading transformation within a multidisciplinary group with significant field force operations.

As Group CEO of Wilson, leading businesses in segments and geographies which are evolving rapidly, he has – through numerous strategic investments and the ability to identify unique opportunities– enhanced resilience and delivered exceptional performance.

Jose has demonstrated industry flexibility and developed a broad base of experience spanning a range of disciplines in several organizations and global markets over the course of his career.

Jose was nominated twice as a finalist in The CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year Award: in 2014, in the IT and telecommunications category; and in 2023, for CEO of the Year A$100m+. In 2019 he was privileged to be invited to join the esteemed judging panel.

Lorna Jane Clarkson is an iconic Australian entrepreneur, fashion designer, author and well-regarded advocate for women’s health and wellbeing.

Credited for creating the activewear category as we know it today, Lorna Jane has spent three decades learning, evolving, listening and leading the way in product design and the normalization of wearing activewear everywhere.

Lorna Jane started designing activewear with a goal to change how women lived their lives, offering flexibility and encouraging more movement. This holistic yet simple approach has allowed the brand to achieve global reach. Lorna Jane activewear has become a part of the everyday life of many women, with reliability and high-quality the basis of its success.

Lorna Jane has an Instagram audience of over 256,000 and is the author of six amazing books, which include two recipe cookbooks: Nourish – The Fit Woman’s Secret and Eat Good Food.

Mark Nielsen is the Global CEO of Talent International and has held C-level roles in startups and multinational corporations. This experience spans organizations in Australia, South Africa, China and the United Kingdom as well as the recruitment and technology services, resources and medical device sectors.

Mark is the Co-Founder and board member of Talent International’s foundation Talent RISE, which addresses youth unemployment through the mentoring and placement of young people into technology-related roles.

Often referred to as a ‘next-generation’ leader, Mark truly understands the multiple benefits of a fully engaged and committed team. He is particularly proud of having built an open, respectful and unique culture at Talent International with a world-class engagement score.

In 2018, Mark was named CEO of the Year and Professional Services Executive of the Year at The CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year Awards. He was named in the Outstanding 50 LGBTI+ Leaders list for 2020 orchestrated by Deloitte, Google and Energy Australia.

Miles recently started his new role as the CEO of O’Brien Glass following a successful tenure as the Managing Director of Red Bull Australia. Miles has strong board, C-suite and general management experience with a consistent record of accelerating growth and building high- performing businesses and teams across Australia and Asia.

From early 2019, Miles worked for Diageo as the Sales and Commercial Head for Asia. Prior to that, he lived and worked in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore for over a decade in various general management, commercial and operations roles for Coca-Cola and American Hotel Register.

Born in the United Kingdom, Miles holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of New South Wales and an executive MBA from INSEAD University in Singapore. Miles has been on the board of the Australian Beverage Council, Co-Chair of Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) Asia, McDonald’s Supplier Advisory board member and an executive board member of International Hotel Supply.

Ronni Kahn is a social entrepreneur and Founder of Australia’s leading food rescue charity, OzHarvest. Ronni is a passionate advocate and activist renowned for disrupting the food waste landscape in Australia.

She appears regularly in national media, serves in an advisory capacity to the government and is a sought-after keynote speaker. Her mission to fight food waste and feed hungry people is supported by some of the world’s finest chefs.

Ronni is an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and was named Australian Local Hero of the Year. Her journey is the subject of a feature film, Food Fighter, directed by Dan Goldberg. In 2020 she co-authored her biography, A Repurposed Life, which received a nomination for the Australian Book Industry Awards for Biography Book of the Year.

Travis Auld began his career as a Chartered Accountant in Melbourne, where he enjoyed the opportunity to gain international experience through a secondment to London.

After his appointments as CEO for both Essendon Football Club and Gold Coast Suns, during which he excelled in strategic planning, community relations and media, Travis joined the Australian Football League as CFO, where he spent the next nine years. His responsibilities included overseeing the industry’s finances, the relationship with the competition’s 18 clubs, the television and radio broadcast partners, fixturing of both the national men’s and women’s competitions and the re-development of the Marvel Stadium.

In August 2023, Travis joined the Australian Grand Prix Corporation as CEO to lead the delivery of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, showcasing Melbourne and Victoria to the world.

Travis holds a Bachelor of Business from La Trobe University and is an associate of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.