Judges
The judging panel is made up of internationally & regionally recognised and respected judges from a variety of industry sectors and disciplines.
The panel is carefully selected to ensure the selection process is fair and objective. The judges are bound by a strict confidentiality agreement and are required to declare any conflict of interest in entries over which they deliberate and to stand aside from deliberations concerning those entries.
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Our esteemed judges for PALME 2011 Awards include: |
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GEORGE KATODRYTIS, RIBA Associate Professor of Architecture Director of Scholarship and Outreach College of Architecture, Art and Design American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
George Katodrytis is an architect involved in practice, teaching and research. He is currently Associate Professor of Architecture at the American University of Sharjah. He studied and taught at the Architectural Association in London and he has been a visiting professor at various schools around the world. He has built a number of projects in Europe and the Middle East as well as published widely on contemporary architecture, urbanism, cultural theory and digital media. The work addresses the ‘city’, especially as it is evolving in the 21st century. He has adopted digital technology and scripting as tools for establishing new formal and performative models in architecture. |
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GEORGE PUTHENKULAM Chief Technology Officer MindServe
George Puthenkulam is widely recognised in the region with expertise spanning across multiple related industries which include Theatrical lighting, Rigging, IP based AV systems, Industrial Automation, Acoustics & Audiovisual systems.
He has been instrumental in bringing together the Audiovisual fraternity in the UAE and the Middle East and has been a tremendous influence to the Audiovisual industry for this region. He has worked not only in raising the bar of Audiovisual installation within his organization but has helped other organizations in setting up AV industry standard practices. |
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JAMES LING Editor Pro Audio Asia / Pro Audio Middle East / Worship AVL Asia Blank Canvas Publishing Ltd
James Ling is a technology journalist and has been the editor of Pro Audio Middle East for the last 18 months.
As a former radio DJ, music has been a very important part of his life and he loves the fact that his role at Pro Audio Middle East allows him to combine his two passions of music and technology. |
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JUSTIN GAWNE General Manager Mondiale
Currently the General Manager of mondo*dr magazine Justin has worked at Mondiale Publishing for nearly 24 years and in that time on nearly all its stable of magazines that cater for the hospitality, hotel, entertainment and architectural markets. In that time Justin has seen the development of the entertainment lighting market from its early beginning of simple sound activated disco effects or hugely expensive and temperamental stage lights through to the easily controllable and affordable moving heads that are now standard in any project.
It was from the diversification of the entertainment lighting manufacturers into the outdoor architectural market that he launched mondo*arc magazine, currently the foremost international publication for the architectural lighting market. Justin also instigated the merger of the publishers of Total Production magazine with Mondiale Publishing subsequently giving Mondiale the complete circle of magazines from architectural, installed entertainment and live/touring for the lighting industries. |
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KEVAN JONES Executive director of Middle East Communications Industry (MECIA) Publisher and Managing Editor of AV Specialist magazine
For 20 years Kevan has been the publisher and managing editor of AV Specialist magazine, the region's leading publication for the professional AV industry. He's also the executive director of MECIA - the Middle East Communications Industry.
MECIA is a not-for-profit trade association committed to promoting the adoption of professional standards in the local AV industry. The Association is an InfoComm-licensed training partner whose members commit to truth, honesty and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of the audiovisual profession. |
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RYAN BURR Business Development Sennheiser Middle East
Ryan has studied audio engineering at the University of Highlands and Islands in Perth, Scotland. He spent the early part of his career working with a touring theatre company in the UK as an audio & lighting technician. He then worked in a similar role at the Haymarket Theatre is Basingstoke.
His career in the UAE has seen him work with local Sennheiser distributor, Venuetech before going on to work directly for Sennheiser in the role of Business Development Manager. |
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ZIAD FATTOUH Director/ Principle Delta Lighting Solutions
Ziad has spent most of his life in Canada, the United States and England. He has studied Civil Engineering in Canada, followed by a degree in Business Management from Boston University. He has been active in the field of arts, entertainment and design for the last 14 years, and has worked in the field of lighting design both regionally and internationally in countries within the GCC, as well as Lebanon, Jordan and Canada.
Since co-founding the Dubai design office in 2002, Ziad Fattouh has managed numerous high profile hospitality, retail, residential and city master-plan projects. Delta is the winner of the Middle East Lighting Design Award for Best Exterior Lighting Design project and has been nominated for “Best Lighting Design Project In The Middle East”. Delta’s projects have received numerous mention in various design magazines.” |