We are delighted that the Website of the Year Awards will be supported by industry experts. The panel will assess entries on the quality of design, usability, content and product or service evident within each site put forward.

THE JUDGES

TOM CHATFIELD

Tom Chatfield is a British writer and commentator. The author of five books exploring digital culture - most recently, Netymology (Quercus, 2013), telling the stories and secret histories of digital words: from apps and @ signs to daemons and zombies - his work has appeared in over a dozen territories and languages. Tom has worked as a writer and consultant with companies including Google and Mind Candy, and spoken at forums including TED Global and the World IT Congress. A fortnightly columnist for the BBC, he also writes fiction and plays jazz piano.

Follow Tom on Twitter @TomChatfield

LEON BAILEY-GREEN

Leon Bailey-Green hosts networking events for chief executives, directors and senior managers involved in online retail businesses. He writes opinion pieces about retail strategy on his blog and is the author of Affairs of an Internet Business, a short drama packed novel set within an online retail business.

Follow Leon on Twitter @LEONRETAIL


MEDEIA COHAN-PETROLINO

Medeia Cohan-Petrolino is Creative Director of School for Creative Startups. A self proclaimed doer and born networker, Medeia has carved out a versatile career path for herself working across professional sports, entertainment and fine art sectors. A skilled creative programme developer, Medeia has a broad understanding of everything from concept and strategy to implementation and communication. Through her many roles over the last 12 years, Medeia has dedicated herself to being a champion of professional development for creatives. Her versatile background in emerging fine art, public relations, event management and programme development has allowed her to advise and support emerging startups on a wide array of subjects.

Follow Medeia on Twitter @medeiacohan and s4s

JULIE HALL

Julie Hall is the founder of Women Unlimited and has been inspiring, motivating and educating women business owners for the last five years. Highly sought after as an expert that helps micro-entrepreneurs flourish and succeed on their own terms, Julie has created a passionate community of business women, who engage via her growing online community, and through the Women Unlimited Business Clubs.

Julie has also created the largest 'female business owners event' in the UK; the THRIVE conference, which was held at BAFTA 195 on International Women's Day in March.

Follow Julie on Twitter @JulieHallOnline and @women_unlimited

WILL MILLER

Will Miller has over twelve years experience putting together, launching and promoting online businesses in a variety of industries. Will spent many years as a Channel 4 presenter, Sarah Beeny's business partner running the hugely successful mysinglefriend, Tepilo and Rise Hall. He also launched a flagship research platform at Datamonitor and regularly advises private equity and venture capitalists on investment opportunities. As an award winning startup specialist, he consults with a variety of digital and technology businesses. Will has recently been working with one of the UKs leading TV shopping groups, Ideal Shopping Direct, to expand their web portfolio.

Follow Will on Twitter @marketingwill

MARK PEARSON

Mark Pearson is founder and chairman of Markco Media Ltd, the parent company behind a global network of money saving websites including the UK’s largest discount website, MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, which he started from his back bedroom just 6 years ago. Mark is a regular investor in start-up businesses and always has his eye on the latest innovations within the digital field. His success at such a young age hasn’t gone unnoticed with a string of awards under his belt, including being named the Ernst and Young Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year and Digital Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012.

Follow Mark on Twitter @MarkPearson

KATE RUSSELL

Kate Russell started writing about technology in 1995 and now appears weekly on the BBC reporting for technology programme, Click. A regular expert on the sofa at ITV's Daybreak and various other TV and radio stations, she writes columns for National Geographic Traveller magazine and Web User magazine. Her first book Working the Cloud and companion website WorkingtheCloud.biz is the ultimate collection of online tips, tricks and resources for small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs.

Follow Kate on Twitter @KateRussell, @Workingthecloud and @BBCClick

MELANIE CABLE-ALEXANDER

Melanie Cable-Alexander is a journalist and has been described as a pioneer for changing the meaning of the word craft in the UK. She is founder of the Slow Furniture Movement and the online bespoke emporium Lapaloosa.co.uk, which supports British designer-makers of distinction. She is currently creating a directory of British makers and is working as a communications and brand advisor at Hugh Large Ltd which supports the development of creative British companies online.

Follow Melanie on Twitter @Lapaloosa

June 2013