Elevate Your Brand. Showcase Your Innovation

Anna Slitskaia is a pioneering force in the global e-commerce landscape whose work has reshaped the professional education of Amazon specialists and set new benchmarks in the industry. As the founder of XSELLER8 Academy, she created a comprehensive educational platform that has equipped hundreds of professionals with the skills needed to thrive in competitive marketplaces like Amazon. Her flagship programs—Amazon Account Management and Amazon PPC Advertising—are among the most rigorous and practical in the field. They not only deliver certification but also real-world results, with graduates successfully launching their own ventures or securing roles in high-performing e-commerce teams.

Since entering the field in 2016, Anna has launched and scaled over 10 brands, placing more than 350 unique products on major platforms including Amazon, Wildberries, and Ozon. Her strategic focus on deep competitor analysis and lean marketing has enabled multiple products to reach category leadership with advertising costs reduced by as much as 78%. One of her most notable achievements includes adapting a Russian brand for the U.S. market on Amazon, where post-rebranding sales surged while marketing spend decreased—a case now widely referenced in e-commerce education circles.

Beyond entrepreneurship, Anna is a recognized thought leader and educator. Her detailed guide to launching a business on Amazon, published on VC.ru, has become a practical manual for new sellers, widely shared across the professional community. She is also a published academic, with three peer-reviewed articles on artificial intelligence in e-commerce and marketing—each indexed by Google Scholar and cited by industry researchers.

Anna’s influence extends to industry leadership. She served as a jury member for the National Creative Industries Award 2024, where she evaluated innovations across AI startups, education, and tech-enabled commerce. She is also a member of the International Association of Entrepreneurs and Executives, actively shaping programs that support business growth and policy dialogue.

Her career is distinguished not only by revenue performance—reaching over 885 million rubles in a single year—but by her consistent commitment to professionalizing the e-commerce sector. Through training, publishing, mentoring, and international judging, Anna Slitskaia has made a measurable impact on the development of the global e-commerce ecosystem.

Alexey Kalmykov, known globally as Alex Bobl, is a trailblazer in digital publishing, content distribution, and online e-commerce strategy. As the Founder and CEO of Magic Dome Books, he has transformed independent publishing into a scalable, multimillion-dollar digital enterprise. Over the past three years, he has expanded his publishing operations internationally, developed high-impact content monetization models, and leveraged platform-driven e-commerce strategies to dominate niche literary markets. His leadership has directly contributed to Magic Dome Books’ position as a market leader in multilingual digital publishing and audiobook production.
Revenue Growth & Market Expansion: In 2022-2024, Aleksey doubled Magic Dome Books’ revenue, expanding its presence in Germany, the U.S., France, Spain, and South Korea through strategic partnerships with Amazon Kindle, Audible GmbH, Tantor Media, and Dreamscape. Audiobook Market Penetration: Successfully launched audiobook production in German, partnering with six professional narrators, and secured exclusive distribution deals with Audible GmbH, ensuring top-charting audiobook sales. Global Publishing & Content Localization: Maintains active contracts with 45 professional translators, ensuring efficient content adaptation across multiple languages and sustaining a 50% market share in the European LitRPG segment. E-Commerce-Driven Publishing Strategy: Leveraged SEO, platform-driven ranking algorithms, and data-driven marketing to maintain a consistent presence in Amazon Kindle’s bestseller categories for niche genres, positioning Magic Dome Books as a leading global independent publisher. Editorial & Production Leadership: Structured two specialized editorial teams dedicated to literary publishing and audiobook production, enhancing content quality, scalability, and monetization strategies.

Marketing Link exemplifies excellence in full-service digital marketing, delivering measurable growth and strategic innovation to clients worldwide. Since its founding in 2016, the agency has operated with a 100% in-house team, ensuring transparency, agility, and accountability across every project .

With offices in Tampa, Florida, and Kyiv, Ukraine, Marketing Link specializes in performance-driven services including PPC (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads), paid social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit), SEO, email marketing, and comprehensive analytics setup . Their approach is rooted in data and automation, enabling clients to scale efficiently while entering new markets across the U.S., Canada, and Europe .

Marketing Link’s commitment to results is reflected in glowing client feedback. On Clutch, they maintain a perfect 5.0 rating, with clients praising their ability to “take on challenges and deliver results” and noting significant improvements in SEO and PPC performance .

Beyond execution, the agency provides strategic leadership in digital transformation—offering white-label services to other agencies, unifying analytics across channels, and integrating marketing funnels into CRM systems. Their founder and CEO, Mykola (Nick) Lukashuk, is recognized globally, including membership in the Forbes Business Council .

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.

I’m a 6 x Certified Salesforce developer with a PHP development background and 13+ years of experience as a Programmer / Team Lead / partly Architect. Almost all my projects were related to e-commerce, business process optimizations, internet marketplaces, etc. My greatest achievement related to the E-commerce award was an excellent optimization of E-commerce processes to ABInbev (the largest beer producer in the world). Regarding my work, that company saves $22.5 million per year on their E-commerce system, which is demonstrated in the recommendation letters. Also, when I was a PHP developer and worked in Gameloft (one of the largest mobile game producers in the world) in the E-commerce department, I made many websites in the EMEA region for selling their games and increased sales in the EMEA region.

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.

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.

Our design meetups are a series of warm and open gatherings for designers in Serbia.
We bring together product, UX/UI, graphic, and motion designers to discuss important topics, share experiences, meet new people, and support each other.

We run two formats:
• Big meetups — 80+ people, with talks, panel discussions, and presentations.
• Design breakfasts — cozy morning meetups in cafés, where we have relaxed conversations and get inspired.

Topics range from AI in design to inclusivity, from freelancing to migration.
The most important things are honesty, respect, and a genuine wish to be part of the community.

• Built a Thriving Design Community in Serbia: Over the past three years, we’ve launched and grown a grassroots design meetup series that now connects over 900+ designers across Serbia and beyond — including product, UX/UI, graphic, and motion designers.
• Hosted 10+ Major Design Events: We organized large-scale meetups (80+ attendees each) featuring talks, panel discussions, and showcases from top professionals. These events created a vital platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and collaboration within the local creative scene.
• Launched a New Format — Design Breakfasts: In 2024, we introduced smaller, cozy design breakfasts — a more intimate format that fosters meaningful conversations on current topics like AI in design, inclusivity, and freelancing. These events quickly became a favorite among the community.
• Supported Newcomers and Relocated Creatives: Many attendees are designers who moved to Serbia in recent years. Our meetups help reduce professional isolation and provide a soft landing, offering both emotional and career support through peer connection.
• Documented and Amplified Voices: We record video podcasts with our speakers and share insights through social media, expanding the reach of local design voices and strengthening the visibility of Balkan-based creatives internationally.

Over the past three years, I have made a significant impact in digital marketing, personal branding, and content creation, helping creators and business owners build strong digital presences. My expertise has been recognized internationally, leading to jury positions at prestigious awards, including ECDMA Global Awards and Armenia Digital Awards. I have worked with many successful creators and entrepreneurs, including Angela Pearl, a well-known international celebrity, global awards winner “WIBA AWARDS”^ frequent guest at events like the Cannes Film Festival. I contributed to the development of her personal brand on the international market, enhancing her visibility and positioning. Beyond individual collaborations, I am a member of professional marketing associations and guilds in Russia (“Guild of Marketers” and “RASO”), where experts are selected based on their industry contributions. My work spans across personal branding, social media marketing, and content strategy, impacting thousands of professionals and businesses. My book, “How to Become a Content Creator and Build a Personal Brand”, became a #1 Amazon bestseller in Global Marketing and E-Commerce, further solidifying my authority in the field. Through my blog, I have built an engaged audience of over 11,000 followers, sharing insights on branding, content marketing, and social media strategies. My marketing campaigns have reached millions, driving engagement and business growth for my clients and collaborations.

Natalia Cherep is an international digital marketing strategist specializing in integrated digital marketing strategy, investor communications, and cross-industry digital transformation. Her professional experience spans luxury retail, alternative energy, agribusiness investment projects, insurance, and international humanitarian organizations. Natalia is known for building trust-based digital ecosystems that unite brand strategy, multi-channel communications, CRM-driven automation, and stakeholder psychology to support growth, investment readiness, and long-term credibility. Her work combines strategic rigor with narrative precision, making her a valued expert in evaluating complex, integrated digital marketing initiatives across global markets.

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.

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.

For the last 10 years pharmaceutical industry is shifting from traditional way of promotion through medical reps to consumer oriented channels – offline and online media. But in general there is lack of understanding how to connect business and marketing needs with media KPIs and what goals we need to focus on with the media agency.
Mostly Eurasia countries are not so developed within media buying and are based on agency recommendations who mostly work with FMCG companies. But pharmaceutical market sometimes follows FMCG rules with pharma specific points.

I’ve developed regional approach for media planning (both offline and online) that was used for each brand in media in Eurasia region.
We have 120 brands in promo and the approach decreased time of briefing, strategy preparation and helps us to check the acceptance of the planning.

After that global teams also moved to this approach

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.

Alena Astravukh is a transformative leader in digital marketing, recognized for redefining what’s possible at the intersection of technology, growth, and strategy. With over a decade of high-impact experience across SaaS, B2B, and eCommerce, she’s built a reputation for bold execution, systems-level thinking, and a relentless focus on results.

She leads complex transformations with clarity and conviction — from scaling SEO ecosystems and CRO frameworks to launching AI-powered content architectures that push the boundaries of what marketing can do. Her work doesn’t follow trends — it sets them.

Alena’s track record includes award-winning initiatives across global markets. She has built and led cross-functional teams of up to 25 people, consistently delivering measurable growth in highly competitive sectors. She’s the kind of leader who makes complexity feel navigable — and inspires teams to move fast, think sharp, and build what matters.

Ruslan Shadenov, founder of RS IMPORT, stands as a trailblazer in the digital transformation of cross-border car trading for private clients in Kazakhstan. In a market historically dominated by opaque processes and intermediaries, Ruslan was among the first to introduce a transparent, client-focused e-commerce model for purchasing vehicles from U.S. auctions. His strategic approach has set new industry standards and created genuine value for thousands of Kazakhstani consumers.

Ruslan’s strategy is built around direct-to-client service, leveraging a proprietary digital platform that simplifies every step—from auction selection and bidding, to logistics, customs clearance, and final delivery. By integrating legal, financial, and operational expertise, RS IMPORT provides end-to-end support with absolute transparency in pricing, documentation, and vehicle condition. This model eliminates hidden costs and risks, empowering private buyers to access the global auto market confidently.

Beyond operational excellence, Ruslan has driven significant advances in digital education and industry literacy. Recognizing a gap in consumer awareness, he launched educational initiatives, including webinars, guides, and expert commentary, demystifying the process of cross-border vehicle purchase. His educational content not only builds trust in the RS IMPORT brand but also elevates the entire market by fostering informed decision-making.

Ruslan’s leadership has helped shape public discussion on regulatory best practices for vehicle importation and digital commerce, positioning him as both an innovator and a responsible industry voice. His dual background in finance and law ensures each transaction is not just efficient, but fully compliant and secure, reflecting a rare blend of entrepreneurship and consumer advocacy.

As RS IMPORT continues to grow its presence both in Kazakhstan and internationally, Ruslan Shadenov’s B2C strategy stands out for its clarity, customer-centricity, and measurable results. By setting new benchmarks for transparency, support, and digital innovation in e-commerce, he has redefined how consumers in Kazakhstan access the U.S. auto market—making global commerce accessible, honest, and secure for all.

Candidate for the “Professional of the Year” award: 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.

The Eurasian Beauty Guild (EBG) demonstrated that an email campaign doesn’t need a massive list to make a powerful impact. Targeting a niche but highly engaged audience of beauty professionals, EBG launched a personalized member email series designed to drive participation, renewals, and professional involvement — achieving exceptional engagement rates and real-world results.

Rather than relying on generic newsletters, EBG’s campaign focused on creating a sense of personal relevance and professional belonging. The emails were segmented by member status and involvement history (e.g., new member, inactive, or previously nominated), and crafted with a direct, friendly tone that reflected the Guild’s supportive values. Each message included tailored content such as member spotlights, upcoming awards deadlines, invitations to join the jury panel, and curated opportunities for public recognition.

What made the campaign stand out was its format: concise, visually clean, and action-driven, each email featured one clear call to action — whether to submit a nomination, update a profile, or book a member consultation. Personal touches, like addressing members by name and referencing past interactions, helped boost open and click-through rates well above industry averages.

Despite the relatively small database, the campaign achieved:

• Over 75% average open rate
• 40% response or click-through rate on key calls to action

The EBG’s success proves that highly focused, emotionally intelligent email marketing — even to a select group — can outperform mass campaigns when it speaks to the right people in the right way. This nomination celebrates an elegant, effective approach to community engagement through smart, human-centric email communication.

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.

Semen Semochkin is a seasoned content marketing leader with a strong editorial background shaped at top-tier digital agencies. He honed his craft at the prestigious Bureau Gorbunov, a renowned digital design and editorial studio, where he led innovative publishing projects and upheld high standards of content excellence. Building on this foundation, he transitioned to the marketing technology sector, taking on the role of Editor-in-Chief at Mindbox in 2019. In this capacity, Semochkin transformed a modest corporate blog into a powerhouse content platform that became integral to Mindbox’s business strategy. This context of blending editorial rigor with marketing objectives set the stage for his achievements: by the end of his Mindbox tenure in 2023, the company’s online journal was not just a communications channel, but a key revenue driver and community hub. Now, as a content leader at Maestra (a marketing platform for e-commerce), he continues to apply his content marketing expertise to drive engagement and showcase the value of technology through storytelling. This nomination recognizes the unique circumstances of his career trajectory – from editorial innovation to content marketing excellence – and the way Semochkin has leveraged content to achieve outstanding business outcomes in recent years.

Anvar Bogdanov has built a unique career by turning deep customer understanding into a powerful business driver. With roots in law enforcement and entrepreneurship, he has consistently applied psychological insight and structured thinking to the field of marketing. Today, as an independent consultant, Anvar leads customer development (CustDev) initiatives for businesses across the heating equipment, medical supply, and digital sectors — consistently delivering measurable sales growth and product-market alignment.
His standout contribution lies in a distinctive approach to CustDev, which he has refined into a practical framework that directly influences marketing strategy, sales funnels, and product design. Unlike traditional customer surveys, Anvar’s method uses in-depth psychological probing to uncover not only customer pain points but also subconscious drivers of purchase behavior. He carefully constructs each interview to create trust and provoke genuine insights — often culminating in the customer purchasing the product during the interview itself.

If payment is secured, the same script is reused for others. If not, the questions are refined — creating a continuous feedback loop that evolves in real time based on actual purchasing behavior. The learnings are then transformed into specific marketing triggers, updated sales scripts, blog content, and social media creatives. This system ensures that marketing speaks the language of the customer — literally using their own words, priorities, and emotions.

Thanks to this approach, Anvar has helped clients significantly increase funnel conversion rates and discover unmet customer needs, leading to the launch of new revenue-generating product lines. His strategy doesn’t just improve campaigns — it transforms businesses by putting the customer’s voice at the center of every decision.

This nomination recognizes Anvar Bogdanov’s outstanding work in creating a living, adaptive, and customer-driven marketing system that delivers both commercial success and lasting brand loyalty.

With over a decade of experience in international trade marketing, product launches, and marketplace strategy, Katerina Lychak stands out as a visionary e-commerce consultant who combines strategic thinking with hands-on marketplace expertise. Her work bridges global standards with local relevance — a skill that has been especially impactful in Armenia’s rapidly evolving digital commerce sector.

Katerina has played a pivotal role in helping both emerging and established Armenian companies thrive in the online economy. As a business development consultant, she has guided brands like Telcell Market, Elassi, Reyma, and Arcada through every step of their e-commerce journey — from positioning and product range strategy to performance marketing and customer experience enhancement. Her nuanced understanding of marketplace dynamics, particularly on platforms like OZON and OZON Global, enables her to elevate listings and drive measurable growth for her clients.

Beyond technical expertise, Katerina is recognized for her ability to see the full picture. She integrates digital marketing with customer-centric design, optimizing every touchpoint to boost KPIs such as conversion rates, cart value, and repeat purchase frequency. Her multilingual skills and international background make her an ideal connector between cultures, markets, and platforms.

Katerina’s impact goes beyond consulting. She actively supports the development of Armenia’s digital ecosystem by mentoring, speaking, and participating in professional juries, including the Armenia Digital Awards. Her message to entrepreneurs and marketers is clear: “If your project is solving real problems and creating new possibilities, this is your time to shine.”

This nomination honors Katerina Lychak not only for her track record of tangible results but also for her forward-thinking approach and dedication to empowering brands across borders. Her work exemplifies what it means to be a true e-commerce consultant in today’s digital-first economy.

Denis Saliukov is an entrepreneur and business leader specializing in manufacturing operations, digital product development, and applied AI solutions. He launched and scaled a manufacturing business from scratch, building the full operating model across sales, marketing, production, and logistics. Under his leadership, the company achieved nationwide distribution, partnered with federal retail chains, and reached peak annual turnover of 180 million rubles.

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.

Denis Nikolaev is a lead project manager at Headhunter Co. Ltd. (hh.ru), the largest recruitment platform in Eastern Europe. With over 8 years of experience in digital communications and HR technology, he specializes in building scalable solutions across high-impact product environments. In 2024, Denis led the launch of browser-based voice calls on hh.ru — a first in the regional market — enabling real-time employer-candidate communication with integrated analytics. His work has set new industry standards and is now being adapted for platforms across Central Asia. Denis is also a certified Agile trainer, mentor, and speaker in the PM community.