Elevate Your Brand. Showcase Your Innovation

I am a software engineer specializing in civic technology, with a focus on building open, scalable tools for public participation. Since 2022, I have been a contributor to Decidim—an open-source platform for participatory democracy used by governments and institutions around the world. Decidim powers citizen participation processes in cities like Barcelona, Helsinki, Paris, and Zurich. In 2024, the Brazilian federal government formalized a national-level partnership with the Decidim Association, aiming to bring the platform to millions of citizens. My work has been part of this ecosystem. Over the past years, I have contributed to the platform’s architecture, improved its modularity, and led the development of new features. In 2023, I played a leading role in one of Decidim’s most ambitious technical evolutions: integrating a full digital voting system into the platform. Before this work, Decidim supported deliberative processes, proposals, and participatory budgeting, but it lacked the ability to conduct formal voting within its core. Institutions that wanted to run verifiable digital votes had to rely on external or closed-source tools, which often conflicted with the transparency and autonomy values that define civic tech. I was responsible for designing and implementing the core elements that made voting possible directly within Decidim. That included the backend logic, admin flows, participant-facing voting interface, scheduling system, result display, and public traceability. I worked to ensure that the module followed platform conventions, was easy to adopt by cities and organizations, and could operate without introducing unnecessary complexity. This development has already been used in real-world decision-making contexts, such as the Decidim Association’s General Assembly. At the same time, all of this work was published as free and open-source software. I ensured the module was cleanly structured, documented, and extendable—allowing others to build on it across countries and contexts. My role combined technical leadership with product thinking and a deep understanding of how public-sector technology must work: reliably, transparently, and under public control. This nomination reflects both my technical contribution to a key innovation in Decidim and my broader commitment to building open, civic-focused digital infrastructure that can serve millions of people, today and in the future.

The 5S Strategy Framework: Success Factors in Domestic Business
The effectiveness of the 5S Strategy Framework in domestic business is driven by several key factors:

Deep Market Segmentation (Segment)
The Russian market is highly diverse, and the 5S methodology helps businesses precisely identify target segments. This enables the development of more effective marketing strategies, considering regional differences, cultural characteristics, and consumer preferences—crucial for business success.
Personalized Strategies (Strategize)
In a highly competitive market, businesses must stand out. The 5S Framework enables the creation of unique, innovative strategies tailored to each segment, fostering higher engagement and conversion rates.
Process & Resource Optimization (Streamline)
Many Russian companies require process optimization for increased profitability. 5S helps eliminate inefficiencies, automate operations, and improve resource management, which is vital for medium and large businesses.
Departmental Synchronization (Synchronize)
A common challenge in domestic businesses is lack of coordination. 5S focuses on synchronizing marketing, sales, and customer support, enhancing communication, accelerating decision-making, and boosting customer satisfaction.
Sustainable Development (Sustain)
Long-term sustainability is essential, especially amid economic instability. 5S helps businesses build customer loyalty, embrace corporate responsibility, and strengthen their market position.
Path to Successful Implementation
For optimal results, businesses should:
✅ Conduct detailed market segmentation for tailored offerings.
✅ Develop flexible, innovative strategies for each segment.
✅ Automate processes to enhance productivity and reduce costs.
✅ Foster seamless departmental collaboration with feedback systems.
✅ Invest in loyalty programs and sustainability initiatives for long-term growth.

Additional Recommendations:
Train employees in the 5S methodology and conduct regular evaluations.
Ensure active communication for smooth implementation and adaptation.
By following these principles, companies can enhance efficiency, optimize resources, and secure sustainable growth. The 5S Framework integrates innovation, strategic planning, and process optimization, helping Russian businesses adapt to market conditions and achieve long-term success.

I am a Technology Strategist. One of my clients was a big retail chain with a large volume of online sales. They had a huge volume of customer transaction data and wanted to use it to improve the quality of product supply forecasting. My task was to analyze the client’s business needs and current state and then prepare and implement an innovative strategy to achieve the goals.

With over 10 years of experience in the market, Kazarian Marketing provides a full range of services tailored specifically for businesses. Our primary clientele comprises 80% organizations involved in the auctioning of real estate, including one-bedroom apartments, houses, historical buildings, deposits, manufacturing sites, and land plots. We primarily serve real estate agents and auctioneers from Russia, Armenia, Cyprus, and Kazakhstan. Our expertise lies in delivering a complete online marketing cycle, focusing mainly on paid advertising across all possible platforms, with the selection being project-dependent. Our dedicated team consists of skilled professionals, including designers, copywriters, content marketers, web developers, photographers, and videographers, ensuring that we can meet the diverse needs of our clients and help them achieve their marketing goals effectively.

Before this project, VTB clients could only check and update their personal data in person at a bank branch. Remote modifications were impossible due to high fraud risks, internal security concerns, and the lack of secure digital interfaces for customer interactions. However, the growth of digital services and the rise of fraud schemes involving identity theft required a secure and reliable solution for remote data management. The primary goal of the project was to create a system that would allow clients to verify and update their personal data remotely while minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and manipulation by fraudsters. To achieve this, the bank integrated its systems with the national digital profile via state services such as ESIA and SMEV. The use of National ID ensures secure identity verification through official government sources, preventing fraudsters from making unauthorized changes. Now, any update to personal data requires additional authentication through state services, significantly enhancing security. The project not only improved client access to their personal data but also significantly reduced fraud risks. When applying for a loan, mortgage, account, or bank card, the system automatically verifies client data against government records. Additionally, built-in regulatory compliance checks and interdepartmental data exchange detect suspicious activity and prevent fraudulent data modifications. The key innovation of this project is the ability to securely update personal data remotely without compromising security. By leveraging National ID, the bank ensures that it always works with accurate and verified client information, protecting customers from fraud and financial crimes. This initiative has strengthened cybersecurity and set a new standard for secure digital identity management in banking.

Nataliia Kravchenko is a Recruitment Team Lead at Boosta with over 9 years of experience in technical and non-technical hiring across Europe, CIS, South Africa, the Philippines, and India. She leads a team of 10+ recruiters, builds data-driven hiring strategies, and implements AI-powered tools to streamline processes and reduce time-to-hire.
Nataliia authors industry publications on recruitment automation, AI adoption, and offer-acceptance strategies. Her work focuses on creating efficient, scalable recruitment systems that elevate candidate experience through innovation and analytics.

The case study details the collaboration between 4ocean – a mission-driven company dedicated to ending the ocean plastic crisis – and Maestra – a marketing platform for e-commerce.

4ocean is a sustainable brand with a unique model (removing 5 pounds of trash from oceans for every product sold, with over 36 million pounds removed since 2017)​. To engage its community of contributors, 4ocean wanted to provide personalized “impact reports” showing each supporter the tangible environmental impact of their contributions. However, their previous marketing tool (Klaviyo) could not support the real-time personalization and complex calculations required for this initiative​. The case study in question, “4ocean’s Personal Impact Report Now Possible after Switching to Maestra from Klaviyo,” serves as an example of how innovative marketing technology can drive engagement for a sustainable cause. It provides rich context on the challenges faced and the solutions implemented, making it a strong contender for Best Digital Marketing Case Study Publication.”,”Innovative Personalization Campaign: The case study documents the successful launch of a real-time personalized email campaign for 4ocean. This campaign enabled individualized impact reports emailed to each contributor, a feat not previously possible with standard tools. Achieving this level of one-to-one personalization in marketing communications is a notable innovation.

Measurable Engagement Results: The publication highlights outstanding results – 49.3% of active contributors read the new impact report emails, which is double the engagement rate of 4ocean’s regular email campaigns​. This high open/read rate, uncommon in email marketing, evidences the excellence of the strategy and is clearly attributed to the Maestra-powered personalization.

Mission-Driven Impact: By tying marketing metrics to mission metrics, the case shows that digital marketing can directly support a social cause. Contributors receiving their personal impact data were more motivated, effectively increasing their participation in 4ocean’s mission. This alignment of business goals (engagement) with social impact (ocean trash removal) stands out as a breakthrough approach for sustainable brands.

Comprehensive Case Study Publication: From a publication standpoint, the case study is thorough and educational. It not only reports on the results but also transparently walks through the challenges, solutions, and technical implementation. It serves as a model case study for the industry, illustrating how challenges were overcome by strategic use of technology. The clarity and depth of this write-up under my editorial guidance have been praised within both Maestra’s team and by external readers (the case has been shared by marketing professionals on platforms like LinkedIn as an example of effective storytelling in martech).

Establishing Thought Leadership for Maestra: As one of the flagship “Success Stories” on Maestra’s blog, the 4ocean case bolstered Maestra’s reputation in the past year. It has become a reference point for prospects in the sustainable e-commerce space, showing real-world proof of Maestra’s capabilities. This elevates Maestra’s content marketing portfolio and demonstrates my role in delivering content that drives brand credibility.”,”Challenges-Led Narrative: The strategy began with a clear identification of 4ocean’s challenges. Traditional marketing metrics didn’t suit 4ocean’s needs, since success is measured in pounds of trash collected rather than just dollars or conversion rates. The case study outlines these unique challenges (e.g. calculating impact in pounds, setting personalized goals for each contributor, tracking “Plastic Neutrality” status)​. By framing the narrative around solving these challenges, the publication immediately connects with readers interested in advanced personalization and purpose-driven marketing.

“Architect fault tolerant Azure AI Microservice infrastructure and security in Azure , implement AKS,WAF+API Security using DevOps and DevSevOps approach in this project, used AI and ML technologies – AI Search service , Azure OpenAI, Speech Services, Document intelligence , Bot services. I led the architectural design and implementation of robust, highly available cloud infrastructures on Azure for multiple projects:

StalthMail is a cybersecurity solution that secures email communication by keeping sensitive data within your controlled environment. Instead of sending actual email content, it sends encrypted references, protecting against interception and unauthorized access.

Kaizen.Finance is a cross-chain platform for creating, issuing, and managing cryptocurrency tokens without coding. It offers automated tools for token security, vesting schedules, and staking, simplifying the token launch process for projects and DAOs.

HyperSecureID.com offers HyperID, a platform that integrates Web 2.0 and Web3 authentication. It provides secure, passwordless user onboarding with Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and Decentralized Identifiers (DID), ensuring user control over data for enterprises, DAOs, NFTs, and wallets.

R2 Copilot is a privacy-focused AI assistant for business communication. It integrates with tools like Microsoft Office and Google Workspace to draft emails, summarize, and translate, while ensuring data confidentiality through encryption and no data retention.

Aleksei Grigorenko has transformed car audio sales through innovative direct sales strategies. By combining a high-performance website with personalized customer interactions via Facebook, he created a unique sales ecosystem that bypasses traditional retail channels. His approach focuses on building trust and delivering tailored solutions in a niche market where personal connection drives success. Key Context Points: Industry Challenge: Premium car audio customers often prefer hands-on buying experiences. Solution: Personalized sales consultations via Facebook Messenger paired with a streamlined website checkout process. Outcome: Significant growth in customer retention and average order value through relationship-based selling. Revenue Growth: Scaled from 4,492 USD (2022 year) to 3,38M USD (2024 year) Team: Built remote team of specialists

Kirill Baryshkov is a global digital marketing leader at L’Oréal, based in Paris. Since 2016, he has driven large-scale transformation across key markets, building in-house media teams, replacing agency models, and introducing a performance system requiring every ad dollar to deliver at least 2× ROI.

He led the creation of real-time analytics and forecasting systems adopted globally, enabling agile, data-driven decisions during periods of rapid market change, including the COVID-19 crisis. His work in automation, AI-driven personalization, and scalable data architecture continues to shape how L’Oréal and the wider industry approach digital strategy, investment, and growth.

Alena Lipina has emerged as a transformative figure in the field of Human Resources, particularly in digital and e-commerce sectors, through her innovative application of artificial intelligence in personnel management. As companies navigate the evolving demands of talent acquisition and retention, Alena’s work stands out as a beacon of modern HR transformation. From pioneering ethical AI practices to ensuring employee well-being while enhancing efficiency, her contributions have resonated within the HR community, marking her as a forward-thinking leader in the digital age. Her active membership in global HR associations such as the American Economic Association and various regional HR networks has positioned her as an influential voice in the discourse on AI integration in human resources. Alena’s leadership in these environments, coupled with her innovative approach to AI application, has contributed to a positive shift in the adoption of advanced HR solutions in the e-commerce landscape.

One of the unique features of this project was the argumentation of the SEO team’s solutions to the METRO team. Each task was discussed not only from an SEO benefit perspective but also from a business standpoint — how each solution could impact revenue.
This case illustrates the importance of cohesive teamwork. When everyone strives to achieve a common goal, we not only improve and optimize but also work towards business objectives.

We worked on demand, the catalog, and search visibility, achieving results that exceeded our annual plan. In 2024, non-branded SEO traffic to catalog and product pages increased by 27%, while revenue grew by 28%. We calculated revenue based on the entry page — “category|product|dynamic” within a single session.
In December 2024, we recorded a year-over-year traffic increase of 40%, and our forecast for 2025 is already 11% ahead. We have planned even more ambitious goals for 2025 compared to 2024.

In this project, we performed both basic search optimization tasks and came up with ways to scale solutions with minimal effort.
From experience, we know that in e-commerce, it’s crucial to monitor the indexing of pages to ensure that all catalog pages appear in search results. This way, users will see exactly what they are looking for. To achieve this, we set up proper indexing.

As a Senior Cloud Quality Engineering Specialist at SAP, I work within the fast-paced e-commerce domain, ensuring the stability and scalability of SAP Commerce Cloud. My achievements, such as reducing solution provisioning times from 6 months to 1 day, implementing proactive monitoring systems, and setting quality standards, address the critical need for reliable, efficient, and customer-focused solutions. These contributions have empowered clients to optimize their operations and maximize their technology investments in a competitive digital marketplace.

This award recognizes Alex Holeniev for his outstanding work in infrastructure automation and AI-driven optimization, demonstrated through the development of the startup Grow with AI. As founder and CTO, Alex has built a scalable, full-stack platform that enables intelligent virtual assistants powered by custom-trained large language models—designed to help users grow through structured, personalized digital experiences.

Grow with AI stands out for its seamless integration of automation, performance, and adaptability. The system architecture combines cloud and private LLMs, vector databases, and dynamic backend orchestration—delivering real-time performance with minimal manual intervention. Every element, from deployment pipelines to dialog flows, is optimized for flexibility and scale.

Alex’s hands-on leadership spans system design, infrastructure optimization, and AI model fine-tuning. Under his direction, the platform achieves high availability, fast response times, and efficient resource use—serving as a model of how startups can deploy complex AI technology with operational clarity and technical excellence.

Make it Real! is a unique community that brings together leaders and professionals from the digital and marketing industries.

In an era oversaturated with formal events, we have created a space for genuine connections — where ideas turn into projects and acquaintances grow into real partnerships.
We unite participants from leading advertising agencies, banks, FMCG companies, tech startups, and major manufacturers.
We are not bound by contracts or shared employers — we are united by values: a drive for growth, a willingness to support one another, and a passion for moving the industry forward together.
Make it Real! is more than just a meetup

Make it Real! is proof that the future of the industry belongs to real human connections.”,”Since 2022, Make it Real! has hosted over 50 events in Armenia, becoming one of the most recognized platforms for networking and professional development in the digital community.
All events are held in Russian, creating a welcoming space for professionals from different countries to connect and grow.
We originally started as a community for expat marketers — and today, Make it Real! unites not only expatriates but also a growing number of local Armenian professionals and international participants from across the region.

Our lineup includes:
⏺ the first Russian-language marketing hackathon in Armenia,
⏺ 18 meetups on current digital topics,
⏺ 8 large-scale lectures by industry speakers,
⏺ a Digital StandUp show,
⏺ and 20 networking brunches.

Each Make it Real! event is not just about speaker sessions. Every gathering has its own theme and a unique networking format:
🎴 card games for structured introductions,
💬 dynamic chat discussions,
🧠 team quizzes during session breaks,
🤖 interactive engagement through a Telegram bot,
🤝 and dedicated business networking sessions.

We actively develop partnerships, having organized events together with leading IT companies and collaborated with Armenia’s largest HR event — Career City Fest.

Our events have attracted speakers and participants not only from Armenia but also from Georgia, various Asian countries, and Europe, giving Make it Real! an increasingly international reach.

Within our community, we’ve also launched special interest clubs:
🎾 squash,
🎲 board games,
📚 and a bilingual book club focused on cultural diversity (in Russian and English).

Today, Make it Real! brings together over 500 engaged community members.
We help participants discover new career paths, launch collaborative projects, and build meaningful professional relationships that truly transform their lives and careers.
With a growing organizing committee, we continue to expand and strengthen our impact on the professional landscape.
Our meetups are often informally called “”the trendiest events in Yerevan’s digital scene.”,”Strategies we employed:

а) A clear focus on core values:
From the very beginning, we built the community around support, knowledge sharing, and real networking — not around formal speeches or status.

b) A customized approach to every event:
Each event has a unique theme and a dedicated networking mechanic: from card games and dynamic chats to team quizzes, interactive Telegram bots, and structured business networking sessions. This keeps every gathering engaging and fresh.

c) Building a high-quality audience:
We attracted participants through personal recommendations, partnerships with IT companies, and collaborations with major events such as Career City Fest.

d) Integrating international expertise:
We welcomed speakers and participants not only from Armenia but also from Russia, Georgia, various Asian countries, and Europe, expanding the community’s global reach.

e) Maintaining strong community engagement:
We created internal clubs for squash, board games, and a bilingual book club, ensuring that the community thrives not only during events but between them.

Why our achievements stand out:

1. Every event is built around genuine engagement, not passive listening.

2. Each gathering has its own unique concept and networking experience.

3. We have created a space where participants feel part of a vibrant, supportive community.

4. In just a short time, we evolved from a small expat-focused group into one of the most dynamic international digital communities in Armenia.

5. Our participants naturally become ambassadors for the community, fueling organic growth and long-term impact.”,”Make it Real! is a community and event series for digital and marketing professionals, created to foster real professional connections through open and engaging communication.

What we do:
We organize regular events in Armenia, held in Russian, attracting participants and speakers from Armenia, Russia, Georgia, Asia, and Europe.
Our program includes meetups on trending digital topics, expert lectures, networking brunches, thematic quizzes, a Digital StandUp show, and a signature marketing hackathon.
Each event is enhanced with unique networking formats to help every participant build valuable connections and feel truly part of the community.

How we work:
Each event has a specific theme and a carefully designed engagement mechanic.
We use elements like card games, dynamic chat activities, team quizzes, interactive Telegram bots, and structured business networking to break barriers and create an atmosphere of openness and energy.

Who it’s for:
Initially, Make it Real! was created for expat marketers who had relocated to Armenia. Over time, the community grew into an international and open platform for all digital and marketing professionals — welcoming both local specialists and international participants.

Our approach:
At the core of Make it Real! is the belief that networking should be genuine and human.
We believe in the power of real human connections and create conditions where people can meet, exchange ideas, support each other, and grow together.
We don’t just host events — we build an environment for personal and professional growth.

The result:
Since its launch in 2022, Make it Real! has united over 500 members, hosted more than 50 events, formed a growing organizing committee, and become one of the most recognizable networking platforms in Armenia’s digital scene.

Over the past decade, digital advertising has evolved dramatically, but automation in Google Ads management remains a challenge for many businesses. I founded Yakiv Ads to bridge this gap, providing a seamless and efficient automation tool that enables marketers to create and manage Google Ads SKAG campaigns in minutes without technical complexities.
My expertise in computer science, digital marketing, and automation led to the development of this solution, helping businesses, agencies, and individual advertisers save time, reduce costs, and enhance campaign performance. In 2024, after extensive testing on over 200 projects, we launched Yakiv Ads as a publicly available tool, revolutionizing PPC management.
This nomination recognizes my contributions to marketing automation, AI-driven advertising optimization, and the empowerment of businesses through efficient digital advertising solutions.”,”1. Developed and launched Yakiv Ads (2024) – An automation tool that simplifies Google Ads SKAG campaign creation and management, saving businesses up to 86% of manual effort.
2. Implemented AI-powered automation – Our tool automatically optimizes keyword selection, ad copies, and budget allocation, improving ROI and reducing ad spend inefficiencies.
3. Adopted by 200+ businesses – Within months of launching, Yakiv Ads has become a go-to tool for advertisers who want error-free, AI-enhanced campaign automation.
4. Recognized by industry experts – Yakiv Ads has been featured in PPC forums and case studies as a game-changing innovation in digital advertising automation.
5. Optimized advertising for global markets – The tool supports multi-language campaigns and localization, allowing businesses to scale internationally without additional manual efforts.

Metro 2.0 is a strategic initiative by METRO to transform its offline retail strengths—such as personalized recommendations, volume-based discounts (BMPL), and social proof—into a successful online business model. This digital transformation enhances the data-driven approach with AL/ML learning & AB testing improves customer experience, increases sales, and strengthens brand loyalty.

Results:
-A 4.17% increase in purchases and 3.02% higher revenue among new users exposed to private label brands recommendations.

BMPL Impact:
-1.65% increase in average order size;
-3.81% growth in purchase volume.

2.5% more purchases and 3.58% higher ARPU (average revenue per user) with social proof tactics.
10% less churn.

First-Impression Advantage: New users unfamiliar with METRO’s assortment discovered own brands organically, reducing reliance on external marketing.
Higher Margins: Private label & BMPL products typically yield better profitability than third-party brands.
Trust Over Information: Prioritized peer validation (reviews) over technical details, aligning with how users make decision.

Metro 2.0 is a digital transformation initiative that bridges METRO’s offline strengths—private label appeal, bulk discounts (BMPL), and trust-building—into online retail:
+4.17% Metro brand sales lift among new users
+1.65% larger baskets via BMPL
+3.58% ARPU growth
Key innovations include cross-category discovery, volume-based discounts, and social proofs. The results highlight METRO’s ability to digitize wholesale advantages while enhancing margins and loyalty.

Ianina Agapovichev is recognized for her transformative contributions to international conference management, demonstrating exceptional adaptability and innovation in crisis conditions. Her pioneering approach combines agile methodologies with strategic budget optimization, consistently delivering world-class events at 50-70% below industry average costs.
Her expertise shines through her development of a proprietary 700+ point checklist system that standardizes the preparation of complex international events while maintaining flexibility to navigate changing circumstances. This methodology enables her to create scalable event structures that can adapt to evolving budgets and sponsorship conditions without compromising quality.
Throughout her career, Iana has successfully executed conferences for up to 15,000 participants across multiple countries, including complex international events requiring coordination of speakers, logistics, marketing, and sponsorship elements. Her skill in managing events during challenging situations, including the evacuation of international speakers during conflict, showcases her exceptional risk management abilities.
Beyond technical competence, Iana has demonstrated remarkable business development skills, creating and implementing the “Adizes. Think Together” project that organized over 250 roundtable discussions for business leaders, resulting in significant revenue growth despite market instability.

In this case, we provided a promo code with a discount coupon to customers identified by our AI/ML system as high-risk for churn. Our goal was to use deep learning and ML algorithms to pinpoint customers who were likely to discontinue purchases with us and offer them an exclusive discount to incentivize them to stay with Metro.
We conducted an A/B test, which demonstrated with 99.83% probability of being the best variant that offering a discount coupon increases purchases by 7.2% and helps reduce customer churn by up to 10%.
We developed and implemented a specialized AI/ML churn prediction model, trained on real-world data from Metro’s e-commerce CRM system. This model identified users with a 70% probability of churn. We then conducted an A/B test, offering a 15% discount promo code to half of these users while withholding it from the other half. The results confirmed that users who received the promo code were significantly more motivated to make a purchase.
To combat e-commerce churn, we built an AI model analyzing CRM data to predict at-risk customers (70%+ accuracy). Through A/B testing, high-risk users receiving 15% discount codes showed: -Significant conversion lift; -Improved long-term engagement; -Validated predictive model. Proving ML-driven retention works, future optimizations will personalize offers by customer value.

Sergey Kurazhev and his achievements in HR PR and HRM Marketing Over the past three years, the technology market has been characterized by significant changes and challenges, but Sergey Kurazhev’s work at DataArt Armenia has been proof that it is possible to achieve impressive results even in conditions of instability. His achievements are not only large-scale but also qualitative, and we are happy to share their details. Sergey has developed a unique scientific sociological approach, which, thanks to the application of a completely new methodology, has been successfully integrated into the company’s business cases. Unlike traditional methods, this approach allows to rely on scientific data and sound research, which is a highly effective solution in the context of HRM marketing. This innovation has opened new horizons for DataArt Armenia, allowing the company to more consciously and purposefully implement changes that are reflected in measurable business performance. Sergey strives to ensure that all changes recommended within HRM are based on facts and analytical data, which minimizes risks and makes the process of people management more transparent and predictable. This not only improves team performance, but also creates a sustainable foundation for a corporate culture based on respect and trust. Understanding and applying science-based methodologies in HRM marketing allows Sergey to promote changes that affect not only the internal atmosphere in the company, but also its positioning in the labor market. He actively contributes to DataArt’s positive image, thus strengthening the company’s reputation as an employer that values and develops its employees. Despite external challenges and market instability, Sergey’s work is hard to overestimate. His approach to HR management to the DataArt Armenia team has become a role model and best practice in HR PR and HRM marketing. He applied principles that help not only to solve current problems, but also lay the foundation for the future sustainable growth of the company. Taking into account all the above-mentioned factors, we can confidently state that Sergey Kurazhev is the strongest professional on the market. His achievements based on deep understanding and scientific approach to HRM make him a candidate eligible for nomination to the ECDMA Global Awards. We are confident that his successes will not go unnoticed and he will become an example for future HR and marketing professionals around the world.

Founded and led by Denys Malakhov, WEB STUDIO DM LLC has grown from a boutique development firm into an international digital powerhouse specializing in SEO, custom web development, and digital performance optimization. With headquarters in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, and a global client base, the company has consistently demonstrated high-level technical proficiency, business innovation, and strategic clarity.

The agency’s application stood out for its clear metrics-driven results and sustained growth over the past decade. From 2011 to 2016, Denys honed his craft as a freelancer on high-profile projects — including work for beauty retail giant ILE DE BEAUTE — before establishing WEB STUDIO DM LLC in 2016. Under his leadership, the agency has grown steadily, with a 40% increase in clients and a 20% rise in average deal size since 2020.

What distinguishes WEB STUDIO DM LLC is its deep integration of SEO into broader development and business goals. Malakhov’s decision to implement automated project workflows, CRM-based tracking, and predictive QA systems led to a 30% drop in post-launch revisions and a dramatic reduction in turnaround times — now averaging just 1.8 months per project. With referral clients making up half of all new business and a client return rate of 35%, the company’s results speak to a rare combination of trust, expertise, and service quality.

WEB STUDIO DM LLC’s submission reflects a forward-thinking, methodical approach to SEO — not as a standalone function, but as a core driver of digital success.

Development of fast growing travel tech mobile application with multimillion audience, which has several dynamic content systems for user inspiration and support with journey planning. Within the past 2.5 years: – Developed a solution for integration of external modules with backend-driven UI, allowing for effective scaling of mobile applications. – Developed instagram like stories module with dynamic content system, which greatly increases users retention and engagement. – Designed a new extensible system and reorganised the existing deeplink system, simplifying the integration of various application modules. – Developed and implemented code review standards, introduced innovative practices for code quality assessment, adopted by other teams.
The Tutu.ru app underwent significant redesigns to improve usability. The development team focused on creating a flexible architecture that supports easy updates and maintenance. The app’s design includes 120 screens and 80 user scenarios, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the booking process while minimizing complexity. Users can compare and purchase tickets from various transportation modes, including airlines (e.g., Aeroflot, UTair), trains (e.g., Sapsan), and buses across Russia and Europe. The app provides real-time schedules and allows users to book tickets without long queues. The app boasts a streamlined interface with intuitive navigation, allowing users to complete their bookings in under four minutes. It incorporates user feedback to continuously enhance the experience. In-app customer support is available 24/7, ensuring travelers receive assistance whenever needed.

Digital & Ecomm EVN Conference stands out as one of the most dynamic and impactful events in the region, earning its place among the best digital marketing conferences. Organized annually in Yerevan, Armenia, this conference gathers marketing leaders, digital innovators, and e-commerce professionals from across Eurasia to explore the most pressing topics shaping the future of the industry.

The 2024 edition attracted over 300 participants and featured expert speakers from more than 10 countries, including CEOs, CMOs, and founders of high-growth startups and established enterprises. The agenda focused on real-world applications of artificial intelligence in marketing, influencer strategies, performance-driven campaigns, cross-border e-commerce, and retention marketing. Each session was carefully curated to deliver practical insights, case studies, and emerging trends, fostering deep discussions and valuable connections among attendees.

What truly sets the EVN Conference apart is its commitment to professional development, international collaboration, and promoting Armenia as a hub for digital transformation. With multilingual sessions, high-quality networking formats, and a forward-thinking jury of speakers and partners, it offers unmatched value for both local and global participants.

More than just a one-day event, the Digital & Ecomm EVN Conference serves as a launchpad for regional innovation and a recognized platform for thought leadership in digital marketing.

ThinkAd was created by Dmytro Balan to address a critical challenge faced by small businesses selling on Amazon: the complexity and inefficiency of managing advertising campaigns. Many small business owners lack the expertise, time, and resources to effectively optimize their Amazon PPC campaigns, leading to wasted ad spend and unprofitable sales. Recognizing this gap, ThinkAd developed an AI-powered advertising automation platform designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses. The platform automates keyword bidding, budget allocation, and campaign optimization, enabling sellers to reduce wasted ad spend, improve profitability, and scale their businesses efficiently. Since its launch, ThinkAd has been tested by over 100 small business owners and has demonstrated measurable improvements in Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS), Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), and overall ad performance. The platform has already contributed to the success of well-known U.S.-based brands such as Handcraft Blends, Brooklyn Botany, and New York Biology, helping them scale their operations and increase sales. With a commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and economic growth, ThinkAd is not just a software tool—it is a business enabler that empowers small businesses to compete effectively in the Amazon marketplace.

Dmytro Balan has emerged as a leader in marketing automation through the creation and successful scaling of ThinkAd — an AI-powered Amazon advertising optimization platform built specifically for small and medium-sized businesses. With years of hands-on experience in Amazon PPC management and a career that spans agencies like Profit Whales and Disqover, Dmytro identified a critical need in the market: affordable, high-impact automation for sellers lacking the expertise or resources to manage complex ad campaigns.

Launched in 2022, ThinkAd addresses this gap by offering an intelligent, user-friendly solution that automates bid adjustments, keyword harvesting, budget allocation, and ad scheduling. It empowers businesses to achieve enterprise-level ad performance without the overhead of large teams or external consultants. Under Dmytro’s leadership, the platform has delivered impressive results: a 25–30% reduction in ACoS, 206% increase in ad-driven revenue, and over 50% improvement in organic rankings for clients such as Handcraft Blends, Brooklyn Botany, and New York Biology.

Dmytro’s strategic approach combines data-driven precision with real-world seller pain points. ThinkAd doesn’t just automate tasks — it creates a seamless feedback loop between ad performance, product visibility, and business growth. His commitment to continuous improvement is evident in ThinkAd’s weekly client reporting system, which includes ad performance analytics, keyword tracking, and stock-to-sales ratios — tools that transform tactical decisions into scalable strategies.

Recognized by the Amazon Ads Partner Network and trusted by over 100 SMBs, Dmytro’s vision has redefined what automation can achieve for e-commerce entrepreneurs. His work stands as a testament to how thoughtful technology can democratize success, helping smaller players thrive in one of the world’s most competitive marketplaces. This nomination acknowledges his innovation, execution, and real-world business impact in the field of marketing automation.