THE PANEL CHAIRS
Ali Freer
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Associate Director of Marketing & Advancement
Loughborough University Ali is a marketing professional with over 25 years of experience in creative marketing for Higher Education. As Associate Director of Marketing and Advancement at Loughborough University, she leads a team of more than 50 creative professionals across Web and Digital, Brand and Creative & Print services. Her team has an excellent reputation for delivering innovative, multi-channel campaigns that drive engagement and enhance brand impact. Starting her career as a graphic designer, Ali has grown into a strategic leader with a sharp eye for design, messaging, and campaign execution. A former HEIST winner, she has also served as Secretary, Chair, and Director of the Association of Creative and Print Managers in Education. Beyond her professional achievements, Ali is a proud mum to twins, both currently at university, giving her a great personal perspective on the student experience. She understands firsthand the impact of Higher Education marketing not just from an industry standpoint but also as a parent navigating the journey alongside her children. |
Charlotte Hopes
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Head of Marketing
UWE Bristol Charlotte is a Higher Education marketing communications specialist, with over 20 years’ experience in the sector. She began her HE career at the University of Brighton, moving to the Arts and Humanities Research Council before joining UWE Bristol. In her current role as Head of Marketing, Charlotte leads her teams to deliver innovative marketing strategies to attract and engage future students, research and business audiences. She is passionate about the transformative nature of HE, ethical marketing practice and the power of collaboration to drive creativity and excellence. |
Laura-Jane Gould
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Director of Marketing
Manchester Metropolitan University LJ is the Director of Marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University. With over 20 years marketing leadership experience across HE, B2B and consumer markets, LJ has driven significant change in brand, campaigns, digital and user focussed content design, putting audience and user need at the heart of marketing strategies using data and insight to inform decisions. Evaluation and measurement are at the heart of LJ's "test and learn" ethos, helping to achieve business goals and inspire teams to be innovative, creative and achieve their best. |
Rob Flattery
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Senior Marketing Manager
Royal College of Art Rob has spent 15 years enhancing the brand, marketing, and student recruitment strategies of post-secondary providers. With expertise in marketing and recruitment, communications and digital engagement, and alumni relations, he understands the unique challenges faced by HEIs of all sizes and specialisms. He looks forward to bringing this insight to the judging panel. In addition to his previous appointment as a HEIST judge, Rob’s outstanding contributions have been recognized with multiple HEIST awards, celebrating excellence in education marketing. A member of both the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Royal Historical Society, he continues to drive innovation and excellence in the field. |
THE JUDGES
Amandeep Aulakh
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Associate Head of Client Partnerships
IDP Education Amandeep works with UK universities to deliver strategic, insight-led marketing and recruitment campaigns. With over 12 years’ experience in the sector, she has worked with many different institutions, identifying solutions to their marketing and recruitment challenges and objectives, and driving highly successful outcomes. Sharing unique insight and data that is forward looking, is a significant part of her day-to-day work, allowing for future planning for our partners. She also supports with non-commercial initiatives to support and enhance IDP’s products and services, focused on generating strong outcomes for partners. |
beth Hayes
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Director of Marketing and Communications
St Mary's University, Twickenham As Director of Marketing and Communications, Beth is responsible for the brand, marketing and communications for the University, leading a team of specialists to deliver campaigns and projects, digital developments, public relations, and student and staff communications. Beth joined St Mary’s University in February 2024, following 3 years at UCAS advising higher education providers on sector developments and marketing opportunities. She has over 20 years’ experience in HE marketing in both B2B and B2C, including leading the brand and marketing teams at the University of Gloucestershire, winning multiple awards for strategic HE initiatives. |
Charlotte Rock
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Head of Paid Media and Campaigns
Aston University Charlotte is a senior higher education marketing leader with 18 years’ experience spanning both agency and in-house roles. As Head of Paid Media & Campaigns at Aston University, she leads integrated recruitment and brand campaigns across UK and multiple markets, driving measurable growth through data-led strategy and performance innovation. Charlotte has deep expertise in paid media, conversion strategy and full-funnel campaign development, with a track record of aligning marketing investment to institutional strategy and commercial outcomes. Her agency background gives her a sharp creative and strategic lens, while her client-side leadership ensures a rigorous focus on impact, efficiency and accountability. She is passionate about elevating standards across the sector and championing work that combines bold thinking with demonstrable results. |
elliot Newstead
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Associate Director, Global Student Recruitment
Nottingham Trent University Elliot is the Associate Director, Global Student Recruitment at Nottingham Trent University overseeing UK and international recruitment, admissions, schools liaison and events. This follows a collective 13 years working for De Montfort University and the University of Leicester in a variety of leadership and operational positions. Elliot has also worked with a variety of organisations, in voluntary and collaborative capacities, across the sector including UCAS, HELOA and FindAUniversity. |
Emma Cottle
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Vice Principal of Marketing, Strategy and Communications
Education Partnership North East A Chartered Marketer with significant experience in senior marketing and communications roles, she has built a successful cross-sector career spanning Utilities, Finance, Higher Education and Further Education. She brings strategic expertise and a strong track record of delivering impactful, insight-led campaigns and initiatives that drive growth and enhance organisational reputation. She has led teams and projects recognised with HEIST Awards, demonstrating excellence and innovation in education marketing. She is currently Vice Principal of Marketing, Strategy and Communications at Education Partnership North East, an ambitious college group comprising Sunderland College, Hartlepool Sixth Form College and Northumberland College. In this role, she provides strategic leadership across marketing, student recruitment, admissions, market insights and communications, driving sustainable growth, strengthening stakeholder engagement and supporting long-term organisational resilience. Passionate about the transformative power of education, she is committed to creating opportunities that change lives. Alongside her executive career, she serves as a board member for her town’s regeneration programme. |
Gilly Gosling-Bell
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Director of UK Recruitment and Marketing
Northumbria University Gilly Gosling-Bell is Director of UK Recruitment and Marketing at Northumbria University, with strategic responsibility for the full recruitment lifecycle, from campaign strategy, content, CRM and events to schools’ engagement, admissions, and partnership development. She leads a high-performing team, translating institutional ambition into innovative, insight-led strategies that drive student recruitment growth across local and national markets, directly contributing to Northumbria's long-term success. With over 20 years' experience across higher and further education, Gilly brings expertise in strategic marketing, market positioning, proposition development, portfolio strategy, and performance analytics. Gilly is a committed advocate for the transformative power of higher education, with a strategic focus on widening participation, social mobility, and accessibility - principles that shape her leadership approach and institutional impact at Northumbria University. |
Joe Etchells
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Business Director
Anything is Possible Joe Etchells is a Business Director at Anything is Possible, within the Education and Innovation Hub. With 17 years of Higher Education expertise - comprising a decade in-house within universities and seven years as a senior agency leader - Joe offers a rare, 360-degree perspective on the student recruitment landscape. He specialises in bridging the gap between media, creative, and technology to help HEIs navigate the evolving student journey and turn complex institutional challenges into growth opportunities. |
John Cavani
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Chief Marketing Officer
University of Suffolk John is Chief Marketing Officer at the University of Suffolk where he provides strategic leadership across communications, marketing, international, brand, student recruitment, admissions, and development. With over 25 years’ experience in higher education marketing across the UK and Australia, John has previously held senior roles at Glasgow Caledonian University, the University of Edinburgh, Charles Darwin University, and Cardiff Metropolitan University. He is a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) and an AMI Certified Practising Marketer. John also serves as the UK National Representative for the European Higher Education communications organisation, EUPRIO, and sits on its Steering Committee. |
Karen Chater
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Director of Marketing and Communications
University of Hertfordshire A dedicated commercial marketer with a passion for delivering impactful marketing strategies, Karen has been in the Higher Education sector for nearly 7 years. Prior to that she spent more than 20 years in Financial Services working in a few of the major high street banks. Currently Director of Marketing and Communications at the University of Hertfordshire, she oversees a large and diverse function driving improvements in the university's brand and reputation, overseeing digital transformation initiatives such as the development and management of web platforms and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, and managing student recruitment and admissions. Karen also oversees the broader corporate communications team which includes managing alumni relations, fundraising efforts, and internal communications, ensuring cohesive messaging and engagement across the university community. |
Laura Delfitto
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Director of Marketing
Imperial Business School As Director of Marketing at Imperial Business School, Laura leads a strategic function to deliver global marketing strategies that drive student recruitment and elevate brand visibility. With nearly two decades of experience across the UK’s most prestigious institutions, she specialises in building data-driven, audience-focused initiatives that align digital innovation with institutional growth. Prior to Imperial, Laura was Associate Director of Marketing at the University of London, where she held strategic responsibility for a large portfolio of online degrees, delivering annual revenues exceeding £100M. Her career also includes marketing roles at the London School of Economics (LSE) and King’s College London, where she spearheaded integrated campaigns to increase student numbers and enhance brand positioning across diverse global markets. Laura is passionate about the transformative power of education and the "test and learn" philosophy of modern marketing. She is delighted to join the Heist Awards judging panel to celebrate the bold ideas and collaborative spirit that define excellence in the sector today. |
mArk Dorey
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Assistant Director of Communications and Engagement
University of Leeds Mark Dorey is Assistant Director of Communications and Engagement at the University of Leeds, where he leads strategic communications for a community of more than 10,000 staff and 40,000 students. With over 20 years’ experience across higher education and digital government, he works with leaders and teams to bring clarity, build engagement and deliver communications that are grounded in evidence and focused on outcomes. Mark is particularly interested in authentic leadership visibility, understanding and acting on user needs and shaping communications that build trust through genuine dialogue. He champions experimental, data informed practice and responsible innovation and sits on the University’s AI Steering Group, leading Communications and Engagement’s approach to responsible AI adoption. A Chartered PR practitioner, he brings thoughtful challenge, strategic perspective and a belief that great communications should be creatively ambitious, inclusive and demonstrably effective. |
MAtt Burton
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Director of Marketing, Communications and Student Recruitment University of Huddersfield
Matt is Director of Marketing, Communications and Student Recruitment at the University of Huddersfield, responsible for the central team that looks after media relations, internal communications, social media activity, the website, printed publications, campaigns, digital marketing, the CRM team, and student recruitment, including Schools and Colleges Liaison and the home student admissions team. Prior to joining the University of Huddersfield, Matt held senior marketing and communications roles in several other education businesses, including being Group Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment at Luminate Education Group, and Director of Marketing and Communications at Kaplan Open Learning. Matt is significantly experienced in the education sector and delivered success in previous roles at the University of Sheffield and University of Leeds. In 2018, Matt achieved Chartered Marketer status, and he holds three professional marketing qualifications alongside a degree in English and Media. |
Melanie Fowler
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Director of Marketing and Communications
University of Wolverhampton Melanie is Director of Marketing and Communications at the University of Wolverhampton, leading brand development, campaigns, digital, strategic communications, and reputation management. Prior to this role Melanie worked at De Montfort University (DMU) as their Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, where she was responsible for student recruitment, communications, brand and creative strategy, communications, digital, and market insight. Melanie has also held a variety of marketing roles at the Universities of Leeds and Northampton. She was awarded a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and MA Philosophy from the University of Leeds, and holds a CIM Professional Diploma. |
Mitch Floyd-Walker
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Director
RH Advertising Mitch Floyd-Walker is a Director at RH Advertising, bringing over 15 years’ experience in education marketing, media planning and student recruitment strategy. He has worked with a wide range of further and higher education institutions, delivering integrated campaigns across digital, broadcast and offline channels to support recruitment, brand awareness and audience engagement. Mitch specialises in media strategy, performance optimisation and securing best-value buying through strong relationships with media owners and suppliers. His approach combines data-led planning with creative insight to ensure campaigns deliver measurable outcomes, improved ROI and cost efficiencies. Mitch plays a key role in leading client relationships, shaping campaign direction, and ensuring consistently high standards of delivery and reporting across all activity. |
Oliver White
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Client Partner
Havas People Ollie brings eight years’ experience across the media and agency side, now leading Havas People's work with Higher Education partners he specialises in HE marketing and student recruitment. His work spans strategy, communications, digital, media and creative - tackling end‑to‑end challenges from audience insight through to campaign delivery. Ollie has partnered with universities across the UK to shape undergraduate, postgraduate and international recruitment campaigns, combining data‑driven decision‑making with sector knowledge. Known for his collaborative style and solutions‑focused mindset, Ollie loves finding clear, effective answers to complex marketing challenges and helping institutions create meaningful connections with future students. |
Peter Eley
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Assistant Director of Brand and Communications
HRUC (Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges) Peter is an award-winning, marketing, brand & communications leader, with an excellent track record of leading high performing marketing teams and increasing student recruitment numbers. With extensive experience across higher education, agency, video games and toy industry sectors, Peter recently joined HRUC, where he is responsible for all brands within the College Group’s portfolio, external relations and internal communications. Peter has an excellent track record of developing and implementing successful domestic and international marketing strategies and programmes, with specialisms including:
A previous winner of several industry awards, including a Heist Award for Best Undergraduate Student Recruitment Campaign, Peter is also a Fellow of the CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing). |
Ross Burns
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Head of Communications
Edinburgh Napier University Ross has more than 20 years of experience in media, PR, communications, and marketing. After a degree in journalism from the University of the Arts London, he first worked on the publishing industry’s weekly magazine The Bookseller before joining Holyrood magazine in Edinburgh. Following a spell at a creative SEO agency devising online campaigns for big name retailers and travel companies, he joined Edinburgh Napier University to lead on its flagship publications. In over a decade at the university, he has gone on to manage corporate communications, international marketing and is now Head of Communications. In this role, he has responsibility for press and PR, communications to 2,000 staff and 20,000 students, social media, and events and experiences. He has also spearheaded award-winning campaigns such as #NapierNames, which celebrated graduates across the city when in-person graduations were not possible, and unique PR activations such as The Napier Graduate pub. |
Sarah Chilton
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Head of Marketing and Communications
Southampton Solent University Sarah Chilton has built a diverse career across higher education, retail, FMCG and travel retail, giving her a broad commercial perspective on how organisations connect with the people who matter to them. Her experience across global brands, European markets and major transformation programmes has shaped her belief in marketing grounded in audience insight and real‑world impact. Now Head of Marketing and Communications at Southampton Solent, Sarah is motivated by truly understanding customers and driving recruitment through campaigns that connect, feel authentic and reflect what prospective students care about. As a Heist Awards judge, she brings a cross‑industry viewpoint and a passion for recognising thoughtful, effective work. |
Sarah-Jane SpoonEr
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Director of Training and Insight
Hayhurst & Co Sarah-Jane is Director of Training and Insight at Hayhurst & Co. Hayhurst & Co creates high performing teams in higher education by specialising in mindset, culture and prioritisation providing training, consultancy and coaching to help universities get things done, really well. With 12 years of marketing project management experience Sarah-Jane has direct experience working with GCSE and Sixth Form students, and led the marketing and student recruitment for Norfolk's first University Technical College. Before joining Hayhurst & Co, Sarah-Jane worked at Brunel University London and for two of the sector’s leading agencies, Education Cubed and Revolution Viewing (now Vepple), where she led hundreds of student recruitment content and market research projects for over 80 UK universities working with students, professional services staff and academics. |
victoria littler
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Chief Commercial Officer
Vepple Vic has spent over a decade working in Higher Education marketing, where she’s developed a real passion for how universities connect with prospective students. Over the years, she’s worked closely with hundreds of universities, colleges and Students’ Unions, giving her a first-hand understanding of the pressures, trade-offs and realities marketing teams face. As Vepple's Chief Commercial Officer, Vic focuses on shaping products and partnerships that genuinely help student recruitment teams do their best work. Vic is especially interested in the role that experience and emotion play in student decision-making, and enjoys sharing honest, practical insights drawn from her time working in the sector. |