Online experts lined up as publishing judges for the Bookmarks awards

Hosted by the Digital Media and Marketing Association (DMMA), the Bookmarks is South Africa's premier digital awards showcase, recognising excellence in digital publishing, advertising and marketing.

The panel represents a cross-section of experts with deep knowledge of and experience in the digital publishing environment. They are:

• Louise Marsland (Jury Chair) is a veteran journalist who began her career in media on daily newspapers 24 years ago. She was the first editor of media and marketing portal Bizcommunity.com and more recently took on the challenge of re-launching AdVantage magazine
• Suhela Gremmel , head of global CRM at ADTECH AG in Germany, is a trilingual online marketing expert with over a decade of experience. Her extensive knowledge and experience of content to advertising ratios, best practices for publishers, coupled with her technical knowledge provides Gremmel with an overall view of online publishing from a global perspective.
• JP Farinha , 24.com's CEO and GM designate for Property24, an Internet expert whose experience goes back to 1995. He is a founding member of the Online Publishers Association (OPA, now the DMMA).
• Chris Roper , editor of the Mail & Guardian Online. He is a writer and editor with extensive online experience, including time spent as portal manager for MWEB, and Editor-in-Chief at 24.com.
• Matthew Buckland , the MD of Cape Town-based start-up Creative Spark. Named as one of "SA's top 100 most influential media and advertising people", Buckland previously worked for the country's largest online operation 24.com.
• Timothy Spira , CEO of FinMedia24, the financial media division of Media24 and home of Fin24, Finweek magazine, Sake24, Miningmix and McGregor BFA. He was previously GM of business development at 24.com, publisher of Finweek magazine and content director of Metropolis Transactive.

• Heléne Lindsay , whose experience in the media and marketing sector spans 20 years, from heading the digital production division at Hirt & Carter, to account director at tinderbox, to MD of Mnemonic. Helene's most recent position was digital director of New Media.

Says Nikki Cockcroft, chairperson of the Bookmarks awards and deputy-chair of the DMMA: "This year, we have about a dozen awards for publishers, recognising excellence of teams, publications and individuals that have excelled in the online space. We handpicked local and international industry figureheads from the digital publishing world with the necessary insight and understanding to evaluate the nominees against their peers and the best publishers in the world."

Enter now to avoid disappointment - entries close on 15 October. The awards will take place in Cape Town on 18 November. To view the list of judges for the agency awards, the categories and criteria for the 2010 Bookmarks awards, or to submit entries, visit www.thebookmarks.co.za. Follow the Bookmarks on Twitter (http://twitter.com/TheBookmarks).

* The premier sponsors of the 2010 Bookmarks awards are the BBC, ADTECH and Facebook.