Inside Asian Gaming has announced that there are now 61 judges (and counting) confirmed to lend their expertise on the Judging Panel for the upcoming 2024 IAG Academy IR Awards.
The Awards are to be held at The Ballroom at Hilton Manila, Newport World Resorts, on the evening of Tuesday 10 September, and consist of 22 Awards categories plus a special induction ceremony as part of the IAG Academy Hall of Fame, which will include Rising Stars, Industry Icons, Outstanding CEO and the first ever Industry Legends award.
For more information on the Awards, please visit iagacad.com and navigate to the “IR AWARDS” menu.
The 61 judges comprise some of the most experienced minds in the business representing a variety of sectors including operators, suppliers, lawyers, consultants, media and more. The full list of confirmed judges so far is as follows:
- Andrew W Scott, (judging panel Chairman), Vice Chairman and CEO, Inside Asian Gaming
- Sérgio de Almeida Correia, ACS Lawyers and Private Notary
- Sandy Amida, Senior Director Casino Operations, Newport World Resorts
- Dennis Andreaci, Senior Vice President Casino, Hann Resorts
- Ben Blaschke, Managing Editor, Inside Asian Gaming
- Harmen Brenninkmeijer, Managing Partner, NYCE International Ltd
- Andy Caras-Altas, CEO, TraffGen Global
- Daniel C Cecilio, Senior Vice President, PAGCOR
- Carlos Eduardo Coelho, Partner, MdME
- Rui José Da Cunha, Lawyer/SJM Resorts, Secretary-General C&C Lawyers/SJM Resorts SA
- Scott Fisher, Managing Partner, Convergence Strategy Group
- Ashley Fong, Senior Product Planning & Strategy Manager Asia, Aristocrat
- Maulin Gandhi, President, Tangam Systems
- Fredric E. Gushin, President and CEO, Spectrum Gaming Group
- Maria Victoria M Gutierrez, Assistant Vice President, Slot Machine Department, PAGCOR
- Brady Hiscox, Managing Director, Cosanta Technology Group
- Ryan Ho, Lecturer at Centre for Gaming and Tourism Studies, Macao Polytechnic University
- Michael Hu, President – Asia Pacific, Interblock Asia Pacific
- Florence Ian, President, Executive Board of International Tourism Professionals Development Association, Macao
- Dr DeVonne W Iao, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Sands China Ltd
- Ken Jolly, VP & Managing Director, Light & Wonder
- Keijiro Kan, President, Angel Global Business Co Ltd
- Andy Kobel, Senior Vice President of Casino Operations, Sands China Ltd
- Herris W Kocibelli, Founder & Managing Director, HWK Trading Co Ltd
- Joji Kokuryo, Managing Director, Bay City Ventures Ltd
- Lorraine Koo, Chief Marketing Officer, LET X Integrated Resort
- Matthew Lai, SVP and Managing Director Asia, Walker Digital Table Systems
- Buddy Lam, Director of Corporate Affairs, Galaxy Entertainment Group
- Dr Manida Xongmixay-Lau, Vice President-Business Solutions & Premium Marketing Operations, Okada Manila
- Kevin Lee, Director of Sales, Asia, Sega Sammy Creation
- Olivia Lee, Business Development Director, Mega Fortris Berhad
- Mike Lei, Secretary General, Macao Association of Young Employees in the Gaming
- Raymond Lo, SVP, Head of Global Marketing and General Manager of Altira Macau and Mocha Clubs, Melco Resorts & Entertainment
- John Lucas, General Manager, Hilton Manila
- Shigeki Machida, Managing Director, Matsui Asia Ltd
- Atty Walter L. Mactal, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal & Administrative Officer, Newport World Resorts
- Shaun McCamley, Founder and Managing Partner, Euro Pacific Asia Consulting
- Greg Meares, Vice President, Engineering and Facilities, MGM China
- Scott Messinger, Chief of Staff, Inside Asian Gaming
- Niall Murray, Chairman, Murray International (Macau) Co Ltd
- Wendy Ni, Vice President of Strategic Marketing, Okada Manila
- Ma Vina Claudette P Oca, Assistant Vice President, PAGCOR
- Joe Pisano, Founder and CEO, Jade Sportsbet
- Rui Pinto Proença, Partner, MdME
- Chris Rogers, CEO, 113 East Limited
- Trevor Ross, Sales Director – Asia, Light and Wonder
- Joe Sam, AVP – Loyalty, CRM, Promotion & Events, Okada Manila
- Graça Saraiva, Lawyer, Sands China Ltd and MGS Consultancy Ltd
- Charles Seo, Senior Director Product Management – APAC, IGT
- Paul Simmons, CEO, Kairos Gaming
- Dave Smith, Director, ADIUL Trading Co Ltd
- Angel Sueiro, COO, Chief Operations Officer, PH Resorts
- Danny Tang, Vice President – Parisian Resort Operations, Sands China Ltd
- Kel Telford, Consultant – Technology (Integrated Resorts)
- Alan Teo Aung Peng, Chief Operating Officer, NUSTAR Resort & Casino
- Francis Valenzuela IV, Account Manager – Philippines, IGT
- Rutger Verschuren, Area Vice President – Macau Operations, Artyzen Hospitality Group
- Antonio Lobo Vilela, Lawyer, Lobo Vilela Advogado · Lawyer
- Raymond Voon, Senior Vice President – Customer Services, Galaxy Entertainment Group
- Samuel Wilson, CEO, TKHS Holdings
- Raymond Yap, Senior Director, Integrated Resort Services, Corporate Officer, Galaxy Entertainment Group
The call is still out for more judges to join the official Judging Panel for the 2024 IAG Academy IR Awards.
Judges will have their name, title, organization and brief profile featured on the Awards website at iagacad.com/ir-awards-judges.
Judges do not need to attend the Awards ceremony and do not even need to be in Manila during the voting process.
They will also be entitled to attend the gala dinner on Tuesday 10 September free of charge (value US$250) in return for their judging and voting efforts.
Anyone interested in being a Judge should carefully review the following eligibility criteria:
- Judges must have a minimum of 10 years IR industry-related experience:
- At an integrated resort (IR) or legal land-based gaming operator in a gaming or non-gaming function, or
- At a manufacturer, vendor or supplier selling goods or services to IRs or legal land-based gaming operators in Asia (either directly or further back in the supply chain), with those sales representing a significant part of their or their employer’s business, or
- As an accountant, academic, analyst, banker, consultant, financier, government official, investor, lawyer, politician, regulator, researcher, trainer or other professional with a significant part of their or their employer’s work or business relating to the IR or legal land-based gaming industry, or
- At a non-IR hospitality or other business typically found in integrated resorts such as a hotel, F&B outlet, retail outlet, and so on, but with a minimum of two years direct IR industry experience.
- At least five years’ experience must be in the Asia-Pacific region, from the middle east to the International Date Line inclusive.
- If no longer employed in the industry, and the potential judge has been out of the industry for five years or more, they must self-declare that they take a continuing and active interest in the APAC IR industry.
The final decision on Judging Panel eligibility rests with the Chairman of the Judging Panel.
Judges may be presented with PDFs of up to three pages and videos of up to one minute in length relating to official nominees and may also use their own personal knowledge and experience of official nominees in casting their votes. Judges will be asked to cast their votes electronically between Sun 1 and Sat 7 September 2024, as described in iagacad.com/ir-awards-awards-process.
Things to note about being a judge:
- Judges do not need to attend the Awards (or even be in Manila) on 10 September.
- Judging is very easy: all information is sent and all voting is conducted entirely online.
- Judges can commit as little or as much time as they wish to the judging process.
- Judges only need vote in categories they feel comfortable with expressing an opinion on.
- Judges will be automatically recused from categories involving themselves or their employer.
- Judges can recuse themselves from as many categories as they wish (up to and including all categories).
- Special discounted hotel room rates at a wide range of Newport World Resorts hotels will be available.
- All judges can attend the Gala Dinner on 10 September completely free of charge! (value US$250)
If you meet the eligibility criteria and wish to be a member of the judging panel, please contact Judging Panel chairman Andrew W Scott at ceo@asgam.com. Please make contact without delay as IAG may institute a cap on the size of the Judging Panel.
Visit iagacad.com for more information.
“Super September” will re-brand as “IAG Expo” next year and will be held at Newport World Resorts from 8 to 10 September 2025. In addition to MAD, the IAG Academy Summit and the IAG Academy IR Awards, IAG Expo will include a full-scale exhibition with raw space exhibition stands and shell scheme booths.
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact:
Jadeson Ho
+853 2875 2959
jh@asgam.com
Caroline Iau
+853 2875 2959
ci@asgam.com
For media, production and event enquiries, please contact:
Dorothy Loi
+853 6802 1905
dorothy@asgam.com
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