Adfest bumps up judges panels for '05 awards show

The theme of the three-day event is 'Fear no change'.

Jimmy Lam, chairman of the sub-committee for judges and speakers, said there would be a separate judging panel for each category. He said it was "necessary ... to avoid judges with too many decisions when selecting work". As a result, 47 judges have been invited, more than double the number that judged last year's entries.

Suthisak Sucharittanonta, chief creative officer of BBDO Bangkok, will chair the film category, heading up a panel of nine judges. Nick Souter, national CD of Leo Burnett Sydney, will chair the nine-person jury for the print category, while Steve Elrick, ECD of BBH Asia-Pacific Singapore, will lead the outdoor panel's nine judges.

Graham Kelly, ECD at Saatchi &Saatchi Singapore, will chair the new direct marketing and interactive categories, with separate judging panels of seven judges each.

The TV craft category will now be open to production houses only and will recognise technical expertise, rather than stand as an agency creative award. Les Gock of Les Gock Sound Thinking, Sydney, will chair this category and its five judges.