Ian is an internationally renowned leader in customer experience. Speaker, blogger, consultant, adviser and featured columnist and now also non-executive editor of CXM.co.uk, in his role as Chairman of the Awards Ian will assist us to ensure the CXA has a clearly articulated role in relation to promoting CX best practice. Ian will also be an advocate for the awards. In his own words:

‘Since I first entered the awards with my team in 2010, the annual celebration of achievement in the field of Customer Experience has become a firm fixture in my calendar. During the seven years I have been involved to date, the value I have got from participating as a finalist, winner and judge is genuinely immeasurable. The opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with peers from all industries; companies of all shapes and sizes; professionals from all over the UK; passionate people who believe in the same things as me; has played a part in developing my love for the profession that Customer Experience has become. What has now become one of the biggest gathering of CX case studies anywhere in the world, makes the awards an unmissable opportunity to further develop knowledge, desire and inspiration. The fact that many of the finalists presentation are 'open' – anyone attending the awards can sit in and listen to them – means that everyone attending the finals will be able to develop their CX specialism. Being asked to chair the awards is one of the most significant honours of my career to date – I eagerly look forward to welcoming all the finalists and judges to what promises to be the most spectacular awards ceremony ever!’