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.

Digital Marketing Leader of the Year As the Digital Marketing Manager at Summit Properties USA, I specialize in increasing foot traffic to shopping malls across the United States. This task is particularly challenging due to two significant factors: Not all malls are in ideal condition, requiring creative strategies to enhance their attractiveness. The rise of e-commerce, which has shifted consumer shopping behaviors toward online platforms, reducing physical store visits. To address these challenges, I developed a comprehensive digital marketing strategy tailored to each mall’s unique circumstances. My approach includes: Social Media Management for Malls: I implemented a structured content strategy across Facebook and Instagram to engage local communities, showcase mall offerings, and highlight tenant success stories. By leveraging targeted advertising and organic engagement, I successfully increased reach and interactions with potential visitors. Support for Local Businesses: Recognizing that tenants’ success directly impacts mall traffic, I initiated a support program to amplify their presence on social media. This includes collaborative promotional campaigns, content creation guidance, and featuring tenant businesses in mall-wide marketing efforts. This strategy has strengthened the relationship between malls and their tenants while driving customer engagement. Event-Driven Traffic Growth: I designed and executed an event program to attract additional visitors. These events range from seasonal markets and community gatherings to interactive experiences that encourage repeat visits. To maximize attendance, I implemented targeted event promotions through social media advertising, influencer collaborations, and strategic partnerships with local organizations. Strategic Planning and Performance Tracking: We have developed a structured event and marketing program for 2025, ensuring consistency and strategic growth. Each month, we track results using the Placer AI platform, allowing us to measure the impact of our initiatives and adjust strategies accordingly. The results of my digital marketing initiatives have been significant, with increased social media engagement, higher attendance at mall events, and positive feedback from both tenants and visitors. Notably, in the first two months of 2025, event attendance increased by 27%, post views on social media grew by 67%, and the number of followers on Facebook and Instagram continues to rise each month. Through data-driven decision-making and innovative marketing tactics, I have contributed to revitalizing physical shopping experiences and enhancing community connections within the malls Summit Properties USA manages.

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.

Alexey Artemov is a Data & AI Solutions Architect specializing in designing and implementing scalable data processing platforms with AI integration for retail enterprises and industries with stringent security and regulatory compliance requirements.

Social Media Marketing Campaign: launching a new strategy for the company’s new account Digital platform of the Campaign: Instagram About the agency: KIOSKO is a global digital agency that excels in social media marketing for exceptional businesses throughout Russia, the CIS, and now the United States. The agency boasts a diverse portfolio of clients, including Michelin-starred chefs, major international restaurant groups, television networks, top-tier recruitment agencies, and influential bloggers with vast audiences. With over ten years in the industry, KIOSKO has established a reputation for delivering customized strategies tailored to the unique needs of each client, guiding them through all phases of execution. This expertise has led numerous prestigious brands to choose KIOSKO over larger, more recognizable firms. Specializing in the creation and implementation of highly effective social media marketing strategies, KIOSKO consistently achieves fast results within tight deadlines, further solidifying its standing as an industry leader. Client: ManpowerGroup (Russia) About the client: ManpowerGroup stands as a global leader in workforce solutions, dedicated to helping organizations navigate the rapidly evolving world of work. By offering expert services in talent sourcing, assessment, development, and management, ManpowerGroup enables companies to transform and achieve lasting success. At the same time, the company connects millions of individuals to meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities, empowering them to thrive in their careers and personal lives. Through its innovative approach, ManpowerGroup shapes the future of work, creating positive outcomes for both businesses and people across the globe. Key Campaign Challenges: The task involved designing and executing a comprehensive SMM growth strategy for a newly launched company’s account in Instagram (with fewer than 100 followers) exhibiting critically low engagement levels. The strategy needed to address the client’s primary objectives, which included:

• Achieving significant audience reach
• No budget for paid promotion, focusing solely on content marketing
• Creating a distinct and visually cohesive brand identity across the account

The collaboration between GoMining and AdQuantum has played a crucial role in the app’s growth and market expansion. The primary goal was to grow the active paying user base within the app and run campaigns worldwide to reach a global audience. AdQuantum assisted GoMining by optimizing top traffic sources, generating high-quality traffic, and achieving significant results.

During the five months of collaboration, AdQuantum generated over 350,000 registrations for GoMining, leveraging various traffic sources such as Unity Ads, Moloco, Google UAC, Meta, and ironSource. The partnership delivered impressive results, including a ROAS of 646.04% during the initial campaign period.

By integrating advanced advertising techniques, AdQuantum has transformed GoMining into one of the leading platforms for Bitcoin mining. AdQuantum’s remarkable success in promoting GoMining makes it a strong contender for the ECDMA Global Awards.

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.

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.

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.

Oleg Mikhelson is a distinguished software engineer specializing in backend systems and automation. He is the sole author of PostgreCare, a lightweight, high-performance PostgreSQL automation toolkit designed to bridge the gap between inadequate scripts and over-engineered enterprise solutions. The success of PostgreCare is rooted entirely in Oleg’s engineering insight, personal initiative, and technical mastery — making him a standout innovator in infrastructure reliability for e-commerce.

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.

Palina Litvinkovich stands as a model of modern leadership in strategic growth and client delivery across the global digital and IT services landscape. Throughout her career, she has exemplified not only operational excellence but also the ability to build and scale teams, processes, and client relationships that deliver sustainable results for both agencies and clients across the U.S., EU, and CIS regions.
At Yellow LLC, where Palina served as Unit Head and Project & Delivery Manager until the end of 2023, her leadership drove the delivery of over 20 international projects in highly competitive markets. She unified and mentored a diverse team of 30+ professionals, introducing standardized delivery, BA, and communication frameworks that quickly became benchmarks for the company’s operations. Through her initiatives, project delivery times dropped by 35%, project profitability rose to 45%, and client satisfaction climbed by 20%. Her commitment to quality and transparency resulted in a remarkable 90% client retention rate—a direct testament to her ability to blend operational rigor with customer-centric thinking. Palina further institutionalized her impact by launching scalable onboarding, collaboration, and project health monitoring systems, ensuring knowledge continuity and rapid integration for new managers.
Her earlier work at Innowise Group revealed Palina’s talent for bridging business development with delivery execution. She pioneered presale processes and modular RFP templates that accelerated team responses by 50%, while her approach to cross-team alignment led to a 30% increase in new client acquisitions within a single year. These accomplishments highlight her foresight in connecting operational and commercial strategies—a rare skill set that has benefitted every organization she’s led.
Since late 2024, Palina has continued to advance the discipline of client delivery at Comrade Digital Marketing Agency and as Co-Founder & CEO of Okeen. At Comrade, she manages complex U.S.-based client accounts, upholding high retention rates and orchestrating seamless coordination between sales, delivery, and creative teams. At Okeen, she architected the entire delivery model from the ground up: from designing agile project workflows to implementing onboarding frameworks. Her continuous improvement culture—driven by retrospectives, feedback loops, and knowledge sharing—has directly elevated both team productivity and client outcomes.
Beyond operational achievements, Palina is known for her commitment to mentorship, resilience in crisis management, and ability to turn feedback into lasting organizational improvements. She is recognized as a Senior Member of the E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Association (ECDMA) for her leadership in process design and cross-border team management.

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.

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.

Short Summary Following McDonald’s exit from Kazakhstan in 2023, we faced the urgent challenge of building a new brand that could win consumer trust and compete in a fiercely competitive QSR market. In November 2023, we introduced I’M Restaurants, marking the start of our journey to establish a distinctive identity. I had a unique chance to lead the development and execution of the Qazan Burger campaign during Nauryz (March–April 2024) to accelerate brand recognition and restore sales momentum. This strategic initiative leveraged deep consumer insights, cultural storytelling, and a high-impact multi-channel strategy to position I’M as a locally relevant and emotionally resonant brand. The results exceeded expectations: +17% sales growth, record-breaking product performance, and a surge in brand awareness. By transforming skepticism into loyalty, the campaign proved that a locally inspired brand can not only survive but thrive against global competitors. Brief description of the setting and circumstances: McDonald’s sudden exit from the Kazakhstani market in 2023 presented a significant challenge for the company. We successfully launched the new brand “I’m Restaurants” with a smooth transition and overwhelmingly positive reception, not only in Kazakhstan but also across the CIS region. However, after an initial surge in sales, demand dropped sharply, marking the beginning of our journey to establish a unique brand identity. With intense competition in Kazakhstan’s quick-service restaurants industry, rivals quickly moved to capture the market share left by McDonald’s, using aggressive promotions, new product launches, and increased marketing efforts to challenge our brand. “I’m” found itself in a unique situation that required swift decision-making, a strategic approach, and effective communication to emphasize its local identity while maintaining international standards. This was a critical moment for the business, as we experienced a decline in customer visits and sales. Our main objective was not only to retain our existing customers but to strengthen their loyalty and lay the foundation for the brand’s long-term success. Rebuilding trust and reconnecting with our audience was essential to ensuring a smooth transition. We aimed to show that I’M was more than just a new brand—it was a part of local culture. We decided to launch a campaign during the national holiday of Nauryz, which is traditionally a time of heightened advertising activity, making it essential for us not just to attract attention but to forge a deep emotional connection with our audience. Goals: – Recover sales lost after McDonald’s exit. – Establish “I’m” as a familiar and trusted brand within the local market. Key Strategies: – Launch a Limited-Time Offer (LTO) featuring Qazan Burger and Chicken Qazan, tailored to local taste preferences. – Partner with popular Kazakhstani singer Raim to enhance emotional engagement through celebrity endorsement. Target Audience: Young adults aged 18–35 in cities where I’m Restaurants operate (Almaty, Astana, Karaganda, Kostanay, Aktobe, and Atyrau). This demographic is highly engaged with quick servicve restaurants and enjoys trying new menu items. Market research revealed that local consumers particularly value juiciness and spice in burgers. Using these insights, the Qazan Burger and Chicken Qazan were developed to cater to their preferences.

The nomination of Alisa Aidarova reflects a transformative shift in marketing, where artificial intelligence moves from novelty to necessity. As an independent strategist, she developed AI-MOS, a full-scale marketing operating system that empowers small and mid-sized businesses with predictive analytics, dynamic pricing, multimodal creative generation, and real-time personalization.

Her innovations replaced fragmented tools with intelligent, self-optimizing systems that drive measurable results—raising ROMI, lowering acquisition costs, and strengthening brand consistency. Adopted across industries in North America and Eastern Europe, her model has become a blueprint for accessible, enterprise-grade AI in marketing. Alisa’s work stands as a benchmark for resilient, efficient, and future-ready digital growth.

Polina Varfolomeeva’s nomination for the “Outstanding PR Achievement” award reflects not only her extraordinary capabilities as a legal strategist but also her rare ability to navigate public narratives and regulatory landscapes across high-stakes, multi-jurisdictional environments.

As the Founder and CEO of Ation Law, Polina leads a consultancy that supports media, tech, and creative businesses in over 20 countries. Her approach uniquely combines legal precision with PR foresight—ensuring that organizations under reputational, regulatory, or geopolitical pressure not only survive but maintain operational integrity and public trust.

A standout example of this was her leadership in crafting and executing crisis PR strategies for companies affected by international sanctions. These strategies safeguarded reputations while simultaneously mitigating legal exposure in over 10 key markets. Through coordinated legal-communications frameworks, she helped businesses maintain access to financial services, retain strategic partnerships, and continue international operations—achievements that speak to both legal mastery and reputational resilience.

Polina also brings PR sensibility into the heart of brand architecture. She has successfully structured marketing campaigns in tightly regulated industries like alcohol and tobacco, delivering legally sound yet creatively vibrant campaigns that reached over 3 million users. These campaigns not only complied with varying national advertising laws but were also recognized with multiple industry awards, highlighting her ability to fuse compliance with competitive positioning.

Further demonstrating her cross-functional leadership, Polina has advised on the launch of media platforms, lifestyle venues, and digital products with valuations up to $10M—each requiring a coordinated legal and PR foundation to build credibility, manage public messaging, and support investor relations. Her experience structuring high-profile media deals with global entertainment leaders such as Netflix, Warner Bros., and HBO speaks to her deep involvement in content rights, brand alignment, and stakeholder positioning.

Polina’s excellence lies in her strategic ability to ensure that every public-facing message is not only compelling but legally secure—an essential asset in a world where media exposure, market regulation, and litigation risk are deeply intertwined.

In an industry increasingly shaped by public perception and legal scrutiny, Polina Varfolomeeva exemplifies what it means to lead with clarity, integrity, and cross-border influence. Her achievements position her as a clear frontrunner for the Outstanding PR Achievement award.

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.

Natalia Maximova’s professional journey stands as a benchmark for what strategic digital leadership can achieve in today’s fast-moving market. With a career defined by precision, creativity, and a performance-first mindset, Natalia has redefined customer engagement, retention, and sales growth within the e-commerce sector.

As Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of a premium direct-to-consumer audio equipment brand, Natalia led a transformation that resulted in a staggering increase in revenue—from just $4,500 in 2022 to $3.38 million in 2024. Her approach blends deep customer insight with highly targeted performance marketing strategies, using advanced analytics, personalized funnels, and mobile-first UX to drive acquisition and lifetime value. Her work is characterized by discipline, experimentation, and consistent optimization, backed by a clear vision of digital growth.

Beyond execution, Natalia plays a central role in shaping brand identity and strategic positioning. She has built a loyal customer base through thoughtful storytelling, superior digital service, and intelligent use of owned and paid media. Her impact is measurable not only in revenue but in sustained brand equity, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

Natalia’s application impressed the jury with its clarity, results, and strategic coherence. She embodies what the ECDMA Global Awards celebrate: measurable excellence, innovation, and leadership in digital 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.

In the rapidly evolving digital market, our company recognized the need to rethink traditional customer acquisition and communication channels. Facing increasing competition and ever-changing client expectations, Sergey Sukhov, AdQuantum’s CBDO and the nominee for Digital Marketing Leader of the Year spearheaded a strategic transformation. He was the driving force in implementing cross-functional solutions across departments and enhancing the company’s visibility and transparency with clients. This not only strengthened our brand presence both online and offline but also fostered a new data-driven decision-making culture within the team, improving our approach to both new and existing partnerships.

Key Highlights:

• Established partnerships with Meta, Google, Moloco, RevenueCat, Adapty, FunnelFox, Snapchat, and TikTok as a Creative Exchange Partner
• Earned certifications from Google, Meta, Moloco, Adjust, and AppsFlyer
• The Business Development team attended 20 conferences across North America and Europe in 2024 to build partnerships and increase brand awareness. Our conference presence is now expanding to South America
• Acquired 108 new clients in 2024
• Company headcount grew by 20% over the past year which partially was the result of increased brand awareness
• Has successfully launched a series of events organized by AdQuantum across Europe, either independently or in collaboration with partners. So far, we have hosted seven major events—three in Limassol, two in Vilnius, one in Warsaw, and one in London.

Denis Zabolotnyi is the founder of GetLens, an online store for professional photography equipment and a thriving community of over 100,000 enthusiasts. With a background in digital marketing and a deep understanding of consumer behavior, Denis has positioned GetLens not just as a marketplace, but as a hub for education, exchange, and engagement among visual creatives.

He is best known for creating Russia’s first “Trade-Out Funnel,” a groundbreaking marketing system that transforms product exits—returns, exchanges, and disposals—into strategic entry points for repeat sales and customer loyalty. This approach introduced a new marketing layer known as “exit-based marketing,” reshaping how businesses engage with customers at the end of the ownership cycle.

Recognized as an innovation by both industry leaders and academia, the Trade-Out Funnel integrates digital user activation tools, CRM systems, gamified auctions, and embedded API solutions for brands. It has been successfully implemented by major retailers and B2B partners across the CIS region, turning secondary product circulation into a driver of growth.

Denis’s work represents a new frontier in marketing—one where post-ownership behavior is no longer overlooked but becomes central to business strategy. His model continues to influence e-commerce development, making him a key voice in the evolution of digital customer experience.

Valentin Telegin is a Technical Director of Mobile Engineering and systems architect with over 20 years of experience building and scaling high-load digital platforms serving millions of users. He leads mobile strategy and architecture at Rostelecom, where he oversees the development of large-scale products including My Rostelecom, Smart Home, and Rostelecom Key, transforming them into performance-driven, data-centric ecosystems that support customer engagement, billing, payments, and digital revenue growth.

Valentin is an IEEE Senior Member, a jury member of leading technology awards, and an active participant in AI hackathons and professional conferences. He regularly contributes to the global engineering community as a speaker, program committee member, and scientific reviewer, supporting the advancement of industry standards and knowledge sharing in software engineering and digital platforms.

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.

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.