Meet the Jury for the Pulse Influencer Awards
The jury comprises of the brightest minds from across the globe who have a wealth of experience in the digital/media/partnership landscape. They will be responsible for screening the submitted nominations and selecting the Top 10 nominees per category. The Jury process will be transparent and fair and each nomination will be scored based on our criteria.
Andrew Kaggwa is an arts and culture journalist that works in Kampala, Uganda.
A trained theatre, music and film critic, Kaggwa has covered and offered his service as a journalist or critic to festivals in Uganda like Bayimba International Festival, Kampala Amakula International Film Festival, Sauti za Busara, Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Durban International Film Festival, Zanzibar International Festival, Ngalabi Short Film Festival and Kampala Short Film Festival.
Felistus Gathii: Content Strategist, Partnerships Manager at TikTok
A seasoned content strategist with a deep understanding of digital media and its ever-evolving landscape. With a decade of experience, she has a keen eye for storytelling, collaborating with diverse brands, influencers, and emerging talents.
Felistus is passionate about supporting creators, amplifying their voices, and championing diversity in the industry. She is always looking for innovative avenues to bring African creativity to the world, fostering cross-cultural connections and celebrating the rich tapestry of talent within the continent.
Robert is a diverse and experienced marketing technologist with over a decade of hands-on expertise in digital, social, cloud, web, and mobile across multiple countries, including Uganda, South Africa, Kenya, Canada, Rwanda, and Nigeria. His background spans both client-side roles in banking and tech, as well as agency-side experience with reputable firms such as Scanad, J Walter Thompson, Blu Flamingo, Kwanza, and Whitehead Communications. Additionally, he has worked in the ad-tech world with Eskimi, a prominent Europe-based full-stack programmatic advertising platform with over 1.5 billion profiled users worldwide. Currently, he is the Lead Digital Consultant at Metajaja Holdings.
John Ssenkeezi is a multifaceted digital and growth marketing professional with over 13 years of experience in digital and social media strategy, digital product development and project management, content, analytics, performance marketing, and customer value management, spanning industries like FMCG, Banking, Telecoms, Fintechs, Automobiles, Behavioural change, and the media among others.
Jackie Namara is a marketing consultant, a Chartered Marketer, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing with experience in fast-moving consumer goods, beverages, telecommunications, and financial services industries.
Joe Mbugua is a driven individual with a passion for all things tech. Innovation-led to improve efficiencies and help my organization and clients remain ahead of the competition. With 10 years experience in designing communication strategies and media planning, and 4years in the tools and tech space. Currently the Head of sales Africa at Tagger media.
David Balikuddembe (MCIM) is a Chartered Marketer with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Professional Digital Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM-UK). He’s also a Certified SOSTAC® Planner. David has over 15 years of market research experience, having previously headed multinational research companies in Uganda including SBO Research, Consumer Insight Africa and GeoPoll. He is the founder of CEBS, a company that specialises in resale of cutting edge Martech. David is the current President of the Uganda Marketers Society.
Tina Wamala is a seasoned PR expert, with over 10 years’ experience in the PR and Communications field. She began her career as a journalist, working for Record TV where she used to present a host of programmes including the Voice of the People, Super Gal and Day Breaker which eventually made her a household name. She is credited for being the pioneer of breakfast shows in the country because of her successful show Day breaker.
Eunice Gachugu is an avid marcomms disciple with over 15 years of experience in marketing, brand management & business development. Eunice currently serves as the Talent Manager at Saladin Media, a role that perfectly aligns with her experience and understanding of the dynamics of modern marketing. In this capacity, she oversees a vast portfolio of nearly 200 influencers, creating synergistic partnerships that bridge the gap between brands and audiences. Beyond her professional achievements, Eunice is a passionate advocate for mentorship and continuous learning.