The annual marketing and advertising competition BalticBest will take place on 27th of August in an online format. We are delighted to introduce you the jury members.
MADIS TARAS, Creative Partner at Taifuun (EST)
Madis is the founder of Taifuun, The Agency of the Year in Estonia in 2025 and Kuldmuna Grand Prix winner in 2023.
HEIKI URBALA, Creative Director at Taevas Ogilvy (EST)
Heiki has been the creative director for over 25 years with the experience from the leading Estonian agencies – Age McCann, Bates, Idea.
KATRINA SIRELPUU, Head of Art at Not Perfect Tallinn (EST)
Katrina is an illustrator and designer with long experience from the leading creative agencies in Estonia – Tank and Imagine TBWA.
DACE IZABELLA GRUNDŠTEINA, Art Director at Magic (LAT)
She has been with the Magic agency for almost 12 years. In 2025, she was in the winning team who won the Grand Prix at Latvian Adwards.
OSKARS KLAUZE, Creative Director at VUCA brand care agency (LAT)
Oskar’s dad’s dream that he’d become a brain surgeon came true in a slightly twisted way: he became a creative in advertising. He’s seen the industry from both ends — from global agencies (including six months crafting a bouillon cube slogan) to lean local shops doing the total opposite. From copywriter to creative director, he’s worked with nearly every brand in Latvia worth mentioning.
SINTIJA POPENA, Creative Director at McCann Riga (LAT)
Sintija is a Creative Director at McCann Riga – Latvia’s Agency of the Year for 6 years in a row. Last year’s agency wins include a Golden Drum, some Effies, the odd ADCE award, a shiny Epica Award, a couple of Baltic Bests, and a whole slew of national Adwards. Like with kids, it’s not good to play favorites with clients, but the work for Lidl has been especially rewarding (and award-winning). She’s also pretty proud of co-winning McCann’s Ambition Collective – a creative accelerator aimed at bridging the gender gap (women matter, period).
With a BA in Film Theory (UK) and an MA in Cinematography (France), it’s perhaps no wonder that film projects have a gravitational pull over her. In her precariously little spare time, she makes music videos.
GIEDRÉ ONA ŠILEIKYTÉ, Founder and Creative Director at autoriai (LIT)
Giedrė has never worked in any advertising agency, but created her own. “Autoriai” is a 15-year-old strategic-creative agency, born immediately after studying philosophy and working in the film industry.
EIMANTAS BARKAUSKAS, Creative Director at Sons & Daughters (LIT)
Eimantas writes about himself: Seven years experience of creating advertisements. During this time, with pleasure, I’ve had the chance to: write speeches for the city mayor, create a non-speaking character, digitize thousands of videotapes, write dozens of scripts for TV commercials, produce a music album for a snack brand, launch several new products onto the market, come up with a name for a magical water, and direct a pop music video.
ULLA LESEVIC, Design Director at BOND (FIN)
Ulla Lesevic is an award-winning graphic designer based in Helsinki, Finland. She has over 15 years of work experience in leading Finnish creative agencies. Specialising in brand identities and packaging design, Ulla has worked with the the most appreciated Nordic consumer brands but also with spunky challengers. She draws inspiration from art, everyday life and nature and turns it into identities, packaging designs, logotypes, concepts and creative ideas.
VESA MARKONSAARI, Senior Creative at Concepts and Content at Nitro (FIN)
Vesa has more than a decade of experience collaborating with diverse clients across industries, specializing in visual media and art direction. He has earned awards and recognition on both national and international levels. For Vesa, creativity means crafting impactful stories that not only inspire – but also drive real results. Passionate about nurturing the next generation of talent, he mentors junior creatives daily, helping them unlock their potential and grow into confident, strategic thinkers.
KAJA KOVIČ, journalist at Marketing magazin (SI)
Kaja Kovič is an experienced journalist and communications professional. In the past, she worked in various companies in marketing and public relations departments, as well as a journalist covering business and lifestyle topics. For the past several years, she has been a journalist at Marketing magazin, where she combines her passion for marketing and advertising with journalism. At Marketing magazin, she focuses on innovative campaigns, technology, and the intersection between advertising and society.
She is also the Program Director of DIGGIT (powered by Marketing magazin), Slovenia’s largest digital marketing conference, which has been running for over 12 years. Kaja is a member of the jury for the Epica Awards and the WEBSI Awards, contributing her expertise in evaluating outstanding achievements in advertising and digital communication.
