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Meet the judges – our expert panel from the creative and automotive industries
Karen founded AUTO PHOTO in 2022 with the support of the Duke of Richmond, She is the founder and Director of Shutter Hub, the UK based photography organisation providing opportunities and support for creative photographers worldwide. In 2021, she launched Shutter Hub Editions, a publishing house specialising in photobooks.
An award-winning photographer, curator and collaborator, Karen acts as a juror and reviewer for many photography exhibitions, festivals and events around the world.
An experienced photographer, Charles started taking photographs seriously at the age of twelve under the name of Charles Settrington. He began his professional career as an apprentice to the film director Stanley Kubrick. He worked on many of the great advertising campaigns of the 1980s including Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut, Levi’s, and ICI.
Aside from his photography, Charles has instigated at Goodwood two internationally-acclaimed motorsport events. In 1993, he held the first Festival of Speed. This annual event has become the largest car culture event in the world. In 1998, he held the first Goodwood Revival meeting at the reopened historic Goodwood Motor Circuit.
Mai is a Creative Director and Brand Consultant whose mission is to inject adrenaline and creative edge into the world’s leading automotive, action sports and luxury brands.
With over 15 years of experience and a passion for cultural connectivity and high impact strategy, she provides perspective and guidance to achieve growth and increase exposure for established and new brands.
Born in Tokyo, the world of international motor racing provided Ikuzawa with her earliest form of education. Since then, Ikuzawa has built an impressive network of the world’s most influential artists, storytellers, thought leaders, and change-makers. With an arsenal of resources and a drive to take on any challenge with humour and honesty, she creates impactful and meaningful work that moves cultures. She helps build brands—forging long-lasting connections with like-minded collaborators who champion aesthetics, integrity, community, and sustainability.
Charlie is a Founding Partner and Director of The Maze Group – a collective of specialist marketing agencies with over a decade of experience in identifying and nurturing raw creative talent and working with brands from the automotive and finance sectors.
The Maze Group consists of a number of organisations offering complimentary services: the creative marketing agency Maze, which delivers strategic support and clever, creative campaigns, WXVE, a studio creating short cinematic productions and photography for brands, people, and storytellers, performance marketing specialists Optimyzd, and Fluential, which matches brands with creators to deliver effective influencer marketing campaigns, and hardworking content for a digital world.
Charlie will select the winner of the Adrian Flux Award.
Justina is the Team Owner of EXCELR8 Motorsport, a race team that competes in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and Vertu MINI CHALLENGE.
‘Vertu with EXCELR8’ is the only team in the BTCC led by a female team principal, and in the male dominated motorsport industry, Justina aims to lead the way in increasing the number of women involved at the highest level.
Founded in 2010, EXCELR8 Motorsport won the JCW Championship in their first season. Since then, they have grown into one of the leading teams in UK motorsport, with no fewer than 48 Championship titles.
In her continued role as the only female Team Owner in Britain’s most high-profile race series, Justina has also used her vast experience to fulfil a number of other vital positions, which include being a STEM Ambassador for the British Army and an Inclusion Ambassador for FIA Girls on Track UK programme.
Nicolas is a racing driver, and motivational speaker, currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship.
Born two months premature and diagnosed with Spastic Diplegia, a form of Cerebral Palsy (CP), Nicolas was given a sobering prognosis from the start: doctors said he may never walk.
In 2015, Nicolas made history as the first disabled athlete ever to compete in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), the pinnacle of British Motorsport and one of the most fiercely competitive racing series in the world.
As well as his motorsport career, Nicolas is an accomplished professional keynote speaker who has spent the past 13 years on the global speaking circuit, sharing his powerful story, journey and voice with some of the world’s biggest organisations.
Since 2018, Hugh has worked as CEO of Motorsport UK, the National Governing Body responsible for four-wheel motorsport in the UK. The community includes 50,000 licence holders as well as 15,000 officials and volunteers. The role also involves managing and promoting major events, including the British Grand Prix and the FIA British F4 Championship.
Previously, Hugh was Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of World Sailing (IF), CCO of Team Sky, and from 2008 to 2013 Hugh was CCO of the British Olympic Association; establishing Team GB as the greatest sports brand of the nation. From 2001 – 2005, Hugh was Commercial Director of the BAR Honda F1 team, and for ten years was a partner in Prodrive, the largest independent global motorsport organisation with 1200 staff worldwide (Subaru WRC, Aston Martin Racing, Ferrari GTS Le Mans, BTCC Honda/Ford/Alfa).
AUTO PHOTO judge 2022-2025.
Alessia joined Vogue Italia in 2001 and played a key role in shaping its visual identity, later becoming Visual Director. Since the global relaunch of PhotoVogue in 2022, she has led the platform worldwide,.
Under her leadership, PhotoVogue has become an industry-leading platform supporting emerging and established talent through global open calls, mentorships, and curatorial projects. In 2016, she launched the PhotoVogue Festival.