Meet the Chief Judge 2026

The Final Authority in the Judging Process

At the Antonio Meucci Global Telco Awards, the Chief Judge plays a crucial role in ensuring fairness, consistency, and transparency throughout the evaluation process.

As the highest authority in the judging panel, the Chief Judge resolves disputes, enforces integrity, and makes final decisions when necessary.

THE 4TH ANTONIO MEUCCI AWARDS
WELCOMES
MR. NEIL WARNER
AS THE CHIEF JUDGE OF 2026

We are honored to announce that Neil Warner, VP Global Customer Experience at Sinch AB, will serve as the Chief Judge for the 4th Antonio Meucci Global Telco Awards 2026.

Neil has 20 years of messaging industry experience after joining Mblox in 2005 to run their Global Service Management and Technical Account Management teams.

At the end of 2010, he decided to leave Mblox to join former colleagues at a small startup in Sweden called CLX Networks to establish their first oversea office in London and switch to a commercial role.

Now known as Sinch, he has gone on to run their commercial teams across EMEA and APAC and currently heads up their Strategic Clients, Partners, and Fintech divisions.

He has been an integral path in their growth journey, from 20 employees when he started to currently have 4000, along with an IPO in 2015 and 20 acquisitions (and counting!) during all these years.

Neil Warner has been among the founding Judges of the Antonio Meucci Global Telco Awards since the project’s inception. He chose to support the Awards driven by a strong belief in transparency, meaningful innovation, and true differentiation in how excellence is recognized across the telecom industry.

His long-standing commitment to these principles has played a key role in shaping the integrity and credibility of the Awards. In 2026, he assumes the role of Chief Judge, continuing to uphold the values on which the Antonio Meucci Awards were built.

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THE CHIEF JUDGE’S ROLE

  1. Absolute Oversight: The Chief Judge holds the highest authority among all judges, ensuring a structured and impartial evaluation process.

  2. Final Decision Maker: In case of disputes, the Chief Judge listens to all three judges involved in a single call, evaluates the case, and helps them deliver a final verdict.

  3. Ensuring Fairness: Every ruling is based on merit, transparency, and ethical judgment, upholding the credibility of the awards.

  4. Maintaining Order: The Chief Judge ensures that all judges adhere to the process and standards set for the awards, maintaining the integrity of every decision.

HOW THE CHIEF JUDGE IS CHOSEN

The selection of the Chief Judge is based on:

  • Industry Expertise: A career defined by leadership and excellence in the telco sector.

  • Judging Performance: Proven success and integrity as a judge in past editions of the Antonio Meucci Awards, showing an exceptional understanding of the awards' values.

  • Leadership Ability: A proven ability to lead teams, guide critical decisions, and maintain clear communication.

  • Commitment to Integrity: A reputation for making objective, unbiased decisions.

  • Alignment with Values: The Chief Judge must embody the values of transparency and fairness that define the Antonio Meucci Awards.

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