Judges

Brandon Hoilett is a sustainability and ESG manager with extraordinary abilities, uniquely combining technical environmental training with corporate disclosure to turn sustainability into measurable operating practice.
Having completed a dual M.S. in Sustainable Environmental Resources Management from James Madison University and the University of Malta (2013), then led sustainability and data reporting at Travel + Leisure Co. (2021–2023) before joining NNN REIT in 2023 as ESG Manager, he is now scaling corporate sustainability reporting inside a publicly traded U.S. real-estate company.
Brandon is building NNN REIT’s sustainability data and disclosure practice, relying on GRI, SASB and TCFD-aligned reporting, climate-risk analysis, and disciplined data quality. His work, named in the company’s corporate responsibility reports, highlights his exceptional professional qualities and vision in this field.

Viktoriia Perebyinis is a floral business manager and entrepreneur with extraordinary abilities, uniquely combining creative vision with strategic business execution to innovate within the floral industry.
Having successfully launched and rapidly grown a business in Ukraine since 2021 (attracting over 500 clients and increasing online sales by 150% in six months in difficult conditions), she is now scaling her experience in California.
Viktoriia is building a new company, relying on innovative marketing, strategic collaborations, strong customer connection and sustainability principles to conquer a competitive market. Her ambitious plans for multi-state expansion and the creation of her own floristry academy highlight her exceptional entrepreneurial qualities and vision in this field.

Dr. Isabel Ohlies is a corporate development and innovation leader who uniquely combines academic rigor with hands-on business building inside a large European enterprise. She turns strategy into operating practice — treating innovation as a disciplined process, not a creative side project.
She completed her doctorate in economics (Dr. rer. pol.) at TU Dortmund’s Chair of Technology and Innovation Management (2016–2018), with research on entrepreneurial marketing in new ventures. Since 2021 she has worked at Vonovia SE in innovation and business building, advancing from innovation manager to Head of Innovation Management and, from 2026, Head of Corporate Development.
She now leads corporate development for one of Europe’s major housing companies, focusing on future scenarios, venture building, and converting new business ideas into real operations. Her work is defined by structure, persistence, and the ability to make leadership decisions that hold at enterprise scale.

Dmytro Petlenko is a visionary wholesale manager and serial entrepreneur who masterfully combines deep understanding of industry processes with innovative business approaches.
His career, which began in 2006 during his student years with a retail project, began a successful pace of growth and growth: after moving to wholesale trade in auto parts, he quickly developed a large business in Kyiv and Crimea, building up the volume of work with VIP clients.
Dmytro's entrepreneurial initiative was reflected in the launch of online platforms, mastering public procurement and successful diversification in logistics and financial services, which allowed him to identify and implement new opportunities.
Since 2023, he has transferred his multifaceted experience to the dynamic US market, where he actively explores and develops new projects in the field of video production and real estate investments. Dmytro is focused on creating synergies between his extensive experience in trading, management and customer service and new technology niches, which provides his strategic vision and desire to master advanced business models at the development level.

Jelena Peric is a finance leader who uniquely combines financial planning discipline with commercial judgment in high-growth, regulated environments. She evaluates leadership through numbers: planning quality, capital control, and whether growth is actually funded and measured.
She built her career in financial controlling and FP&A in Berlin, including a controlling role at flaconi (2022–2023). At Oviva she moved from Senior FP&A Manager (from 2023) to Head of FP&A Germany (from December 2024), supporting a digital-health business operating across multiple European markets.
She now leads financial planning and analysis for Oviva in Germany, advising on forecasting, performance visibility, and the financial infrastructure behind scale. Her profile is defined by precision, operating control, and a practical standard for what “impact” looks like on a P&L.

Anastasiia Vaganova is a lead iOS engineer and former professional athlete whose career bridges elite sports experience with advanced mobile product development. She has led the creation of high-performance media and playback solutions for large-scale iOS and tvOS applications and now oversees engineering initiatives focused on integrating AI into complex mobile ecosystems.
Anastasiia brings rare domain expertise in sports technology, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility, particularly in women’s sports. Her vision unites technical excellence with user-centered design, aiming to make digital products both scalable and impactful.

Howard Maxfield is a founder and inspection-company president with extraordinary abilities, uniquely combining mechanical engineering with long-horizon entrepreneurship to build a trusted professional practice.
Having earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington (1965–1969), spent about 16 years as a plant engineer and manager, then co-founded Plus One Inspection Services in 1996 and led it as President for nearly 30 years — inspecting more than 6,000 homes as a licensed Professional Engineer and ASHI Certified Inspector since 1998 — he is now continuing a durable independent business in Washington.
Howard is leading Plus One Inspection Services, relying on technical accuracy, independent judgment, and a strong client connection to hold a competitive local market. His nearly three decades as founder-president highlight his exceptional entrepreneurial qualities and vision in this field.

Carol Mghayar is a sustainability and impact manager who uniquely combines ESG reporting with regenerative business practice. She assesses whether purpose is built into performance — or added afterwards as language.
She holds an M.Sc. in Sustainability, Society and the Environment from Kiel University and has about eight years of professional experience, including project work with the World Food Programme. From 2021 to 2025 she served as Impact Manager at The Generation Forest in Hamburg, and she has been a founding member of the ALOHAS Regenerative Foundation since 2021. In 2025–2026 she worked as Impact & Transformation Manager at Brommenschenkel GmbH.
She now works across sustainability, ESG, and regenerative transformation, with a focus on impact measurement and reporting that can stand up to scrutiny. Her approach is defined by substance, long-horizon thinking, and the refusal to separate environmental claims from operating reality.

Aleksandr Kalinin is a digital strategist and entrepreneur with expertise in SEO, data-driven marketing, and scalable web platforms. After working in leading agencies such as Demis Group and Skobeev & Partners, he founded Kalinin.pro, where he developed high-traffic projects including metalltraide.ru and priceplace.ru.
Combining technical mastery with business vision, Aleksandr builds and manages IT projects end-to-end - from specifications and team leadership to SEO innovation and monetization. His focus on scalability, commercial viability, and long-term digital impact defines his work in the field of digital business innovation.

Jasmin Hanne is an operations and general-management leader who uniquely combines hospitality discipline with multi-site business delivery. She judges executive leadership by how an organization actually runs: people, sites, service, and daily standards.
She spent more than nine years as General Manager of casa camper berlin (2011–2020), then served as Director of Hospitality at China Club Berlin. In 2022 she joined The Office Group as Building Manager and, from April 2023, as Head of Operations Germany, responsible for flexible-workspace operations in the German market.
She now leads operations for The Office Group in Germany, overseeing building performance, service delivery, and country-level operating quality. Her work is defined by operational ownership, long-range site leadership, and a clear standard for leadership that can be seen in execution.

Bekhruz Nagzibekov is an entrepreneur and expert in digital transformation and AI-driven optimization of the home services industry. As the founder and CEO of United Plumbing in California, he transformed a small plumbing business into a multimillion-dollar enterprise with over 70 employees and annual revenue exceeding $10 million, now ranking among the top 1% of companies in its segment.
Through the integration of artificial intelligence in operations, marketing, and customer service, Bekhruz redefined efficiency and scalability in a traditional sector. His current focus on AI-based e-commerce and digital marketing solutions continues to expand his impact, setting new benchmarks for innovation and growth in the home services market.

Tim Stoldt is a founder and managing director who uniquely combines long-horizon company building with specialized industrial software delivery. He represents entrepreneurship as endurance: a real firm, real clients, and decades of operating responsibility.
He founded conLeos GmbH in Braunschweig in 2003 and has led the company as owner and CEO for more than 23 years. The firm develops software for complex product configuration and presentation, serving international industrial clients, and today employs several dozen specialists, with in-house training of IT professionals for application development.
He continues to lead conLeos as a durable European technology business rather than a short-cycle venture. His profile is defined by continuity, technical substance, and the kind of founder leadership that holds after the first years of attention have passed.

Mariia Shubina is a digital entrepreneur and creative strategist behind the rapidly growing Twitter/X blog Helicopter Food, where she combines her artistic talent with audience-focused content to engage over 60,000 followers across the USA and Europe, generating 8–10 million monthly views. Through Patreon and upcoming brand collaborations, she turns her creative work into sustainable business ventures, managing all aspects of content creation, audience engagement, and monetization with a focus on scalability, innovation, and long-term impact in digital media.

Carsten Sommerfeldt is a social entrepreneur and cultural leader who uniquely combines publishing experience with a civic practice that travels across sectors. He builds influence through institutions, communities, and shared method — not through personal visibility.
After years as a literature mediator, press lead, and publishing director, he brought Shared Reading to the German-speaking world in 2015 and later established Shared Reading gGmbH. From Berlin he has built a DACH network of facilitators working in education, companies, healthcare, and community settings, with partners including the Robert Bosch Stiftung and major public libraries.
He now serves as Managing Director of Shared Reading gGmbH, expanding a practice that connects culture, social impact, and organizational life. His work is defined by cross-industry reach, civic seriousness, and leadership that creates lasting public value.

Malika Kazakova is a multidisciplinary performer, show producer, and creative entrepreneur based in Phuket and Bangkok, specializing in large-scale entertainment productions. As a singer, dancer, director, choreographer, decorator, costume designer, and event manager, she leads projects ranging from private parties to major international events, including the annual yacht show attracting clients worldwide.
Through her innovative approach to performance, audience engagement, and creative leadership, Malika combines artistry with strategic project management, delivering immersive experiences while mentoring and inspiring others in the entertainment and creative industries.

Vivien Pauckstadt is a DEI and workplace-inclusion professional who uniquely combines inclusion strategy with operational practice inside a large industrial workplace. She evaluates DEI advocacy by systems, not statements: whether inclusion is staffed, measured, and built into daily work.
She has served as Inclusion Officer at Tesla Giga Berlin since 2022 and as Senior Inclusion Officer from 2023, leading Inclusion & BEM (occupational reintegration) as the inclusion officer of Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. Her work covers disability inclusion, inclusive culture, and the build-out of an internal inclusion team.
She now leads inclusion practice in a high-volume manufacturing environment, where policy has to survive shift work, scale, and operational pressure. Her profile is defined by practical DEI leadership, organizational follow-through, and a standard that looks at what a company actually does.

Aleksei Nevzorov is the founder and CEO of NDCG, a leading manufacturer and distributor of health and beauty products, with over 250 innovative products launched across multiple international markets. He has successfully built strategic partnerships with global brands such as Oral-B, Philips, and Waterpik, scaling his business with a focus on innovation, quality, and sustainable growth.
Aleksei combines entrepreneurial vision, product innovation, and strategic leadership to create businesses that are both impactful and globally competitive, serving as a model for aspiring entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

Megan Mayhut is an operations leader and entrepreneur with extraordinary abilities, uniquely combining executive operating discipline with mission-driven education to scale inclusive learning businesses.
Having built her career from operations intern to Vice President — earning a B.B.A. in Economics (2014–2017) and a Master’s in International Business (2017–2019) from the University of Florida, founding Disorderly Adventure in 2021, and advancing at RoboKind from Director of Operations in 2022 to Vice President of Operations & Shared Services in 2025 — she now leads operating systems for a company redefining inclusive education.
Megan is building the operational backbone of RoboKind, relying on cross-functional execution, process discipline, and a strong connection between strategy and daily delivery. Her path from founder to vice president, and her work behind research-backed tools for neurodiverse and early learners, highlight her exceptional leadership qualities and vision in this field.

Zhan Martirosyan is a seasoned legal professional and LegalTech innovator whose career spans government service, private advocacy, and leadership within major legal associations. Known for developing effective legal service standards and managing complex defense work, he brings a modern, technology-driven perspective to the legal field.
Currently, Zhan is preparing to launch Project: LegalShield — an AI-powered compliance and business-defense platform designed to automate compliance checks, detect legal risks, and offer transparent lawyer–client matching, providing U.S. small and mid-sized businesses with accessible, efficient, and tech-enabled legal protection.

Kostiantyn Shurupov is a digital marketing and affiliate business expert with over 10 years of experience driving growth for online projects and affiliate networks. He has successfully led multi-channel marketing campaigns, optimized affiliate programs, and implemented performance-driven user acquisition strategies, delivering measurable results across competitive markets.
Kostiantyn combines strategic marketing vision, analytical rigor, and creative problem-solving to build scalable and high-impact marketing operations. His expertise in integrating digital campaigns, affiliate partnerships, and data-driven growth strategies makes him a recognized leader in the industry and a model for aspiring marketers and business innovators.

Polina Semina is a highly accomplished project manager in FinTech with over 10 years of experience driving large-scale organizational growth. She has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to build effective teams, stabilize complex operations, and lead departments through rapid expansion.
Throughout her career, Polina has taken on critical leadership roles, created new operational and analytical functions from the ground up, managed hundreds of sites and large multidisciplinary teams, and successfully implemented proprietary management frameworks. Now continuing her work in the United States, she oversees multi-business operations, develops strategic initiatives, and drives innovation through her own management methodologies and investment planning.
Polina is committed to further professional advancement and aims to become a co-founder of an international company with multimillion-dollar operations.

Illia Kovalov is a Product Manager and QA Lead with over 9 years of experience delivering high-quality digital products for U.S. and international companies. He specializes in multi-platform software testing, mobile and medical technologies, and leading QA teams in fast-paced product environments.
Illia combines deep technical expertise, strong analytical thinking, and strategic leadership, ensuring reliable product delivery, efficient development processes, and measurable business impact. His proven track record in managing complex technical projects, mentoring specialists, and building scalable QA and product workflows has positioned him as a respected expert in the IT industry.

Marina Telpiz is an experienced beauty industry professional with 13 years of expertise in salon operations, client service, and small business management. With 7 years working in top salons and 6 years running her own successful independent practice, she has developed strong operational, managerial, and team-building skills.
Marina is recognized for her ability to organize efficient workflows, maintain consistently high service standards, and mentor staff with professionalism and care. Her practical leadership, deep industry knowledge, and commitment to operational excellence make her a strong expert and respected representative of the beauty sector.

Tetiana Kibkalo is an accomplished fashion designer and creative entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in luxury bridal couture, bespoke design, and creative business management. Having worked in leading fashion houses and salons, and successfully running her own couture studios, she has developed exceptional skills in design, atelier operations, client relations, and creative team leadership.
Tetiana is recognized for her ability to combine artistic excellence with efficient workflows, maintain the highest standards of craftsmanship, and mentor her team with professionalism and care. Her creative vision, operational expertise, and commitment to elevating industry standards make her a distinguished expert and respected leader in the luxury fashion and couture sector.

Viacheslav Yakovlev is a distinguished environmental engineering and monitoring specialist focused on pollution control and regulatory compliance for private and commercial sectors. He specializes in the development and implementation of high-precision monitoring and mitigation systems that enable organizations to identify environmental risks and reduce contamination in high-stakes operational environments. Viacheslav has supported a diverse range of clients where reliability, documentation, and strict adherence to technical standards are critical for maintaining operational continuity. Operating in a complex regulatory landscape, he is recognized for translating intricate environmental mandates into clear, actionable engineering plans and for maintaining rigorous reporting performance that strengthens his customers’ long-term environmental and business standing.

Tigran Kazaryan is a distinguished sales leadership professional and strategic consultant with deep expertise in architecting high-performing commercial organizations and driving sustainable growth within complex B2B environments. As a Sales Management and Consulting Expert, Tigran designs and implements robust systems that empower teams to achieve exponential conversion growth, instill rigorous pipeline discipline, and ensure consistent operational stability. His methodology strikes a sophisticated balance between hitting ambitious revenue targets and maintaining long-term organizational resilience. Tigran’s professional hallmark is his ability to translate market dynamics into transparent, scalable business processes, seamlessly integrating structured team development with advanced performance analytics and modern management practices. Through his hands-on approach to mentoring and executive coaching, he ensures the reliable delivery of strategic objectives, the cultivation of high-value customer partnerships, and steady growth performance—all of which directly reinforce business continuity and competitive advantage.

Vasilii Gamov is a visionary CEO and expert in digital transformation, with a proven track record of driving high-stakes business growth through innovative advertising technologies (AdTech) and performance marketing. He specializes in bridging the gap between complex technological solutions and strategic business objectives, enabling organizations to scale effectively in the rapidly evolving digital economy.

Throughout his career, Vasilii has established himself as a leader who prioritizes data-driven decision-making and measurable results. His expertise lies in developing sophisticated digital ecosystems that optimize marketing efficiency and deliver sustainable ROI. He is recognized for his ability to identify emerging industry trends and implement breakthrough strategies that redefine market standards and enhance competitive advantage.

As a Jury Member for the NOVA Awards 2025, Vasilii brings a sharp analytical perspective to the Business Leaders category. His deep understanding of scalability, technological integration, and performance-based leadership allows him to evaluate nominees with exceptional strategic insight, identifying the pioneers who are shaping the future of the transatlantic business landscape.

Farhad Atakishiyev is a distinguished expert in engineering and project execution, with a specialized focus on large-scale infrastructure and industrial developments. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an exceptional ability to lead complex projects from conceptual design to final implementation, ensuring technical precision and operational excellence.

With a profound track record in EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) management, Mr. Atakishiyev has directed the realization of high-value industrial landmarks and critical commercial infrastructures. His expertise is defined by a sophisticated capacity to manage global supply chain complexities, lead cross-functional professional teams, and orchestrate the seamless integration of cutting-edge engineering systems into massive construction environments. He is recognized for his strategic oversight in hospitality development and large-scale urban projects, where he bridges the gap between technical feasibility and long-term commercial viability.

His professional vision is rooted in the belief that sustainable business growth in the engineering sector is driven by technical innovation, strategic risk management, and uncompromising quality standards. Farhad Atakishiyev’s career reflects a commitment to advancing industry practices through strategic leadership and the successful delivery of high-impact engineering solutions.