The CIPS Innovation Award will set a new standard for the industry, help enterprises enhance their brand image, and encourage more companies to innovate and develop, form a new competitive advantage, and fully showcase a new image of the pet industry.

Let's introduce this year's judge members (in alphabetical order, in no particular order) :

Food Category

Hans Büngener

He has been CEO and shareholder of several international companies in the field of animal nutrition. In 2000, he set up his consulting firm, Pet Industry Consultants, to bring his decade-long know-how and experience in pet food and pet food production to other companies around the world. 2019 he founded Büngener pet health GmbH, a company specialized on high quality pet food and supplements. For several decades he was a member of the board and advisory board of the IVH eV (Industrial Association for pet supplies), in which the main German producers are members, and in the board and executive board of the ZZF eV (Central Association of Zoological Specialists) in which manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers are organized. But his heartfelt task was Interzoo, the world's leading petcare fair, which he chaired for more than 30 years. Today he is honorary chairman of the Interzoo exhibition committee.

Dr. Deng Baichuan

Dr. Deng Baichuan is an associate professor at South China Agricultural University. He obtained PhD degree from the University of Bergen in Norway. His research interest focuses on companion animal nutrition. He is an associate editor of Animal Microbiome (IF=4.9) and an editorial board member of Metabolites (IF=3.4). He has published more than 90 research papers, with 2700 times of citation and an H-index of 28.

Supplies and Accessories Category

Guy Toremans

With over 20 years of work experience, he is a passionate and driven leader in the pet product industry. As the CEO of Flamingo Pet Products, he is committed to delivering high-quality products and services. He values innovation, collaboration, and sustainability, and strives to foster a diverse and inclusive culture within his team and organization.  

In his current role, he oversees the strategic direction and operations of Flamingo Pet Products, an international supplier of pet accessories and snacks.

Philippe Vanderhoydonck

Philippe is the Managing Director of GlobalPETS and PETS International. As a marketing expert and former consultant, he has an eye for promising products.

SUH JUNG HO

Mr. SUH JUNG HO has nearly 30 years of experience in manufacturing, distributing, importing and exporting pet industry products. He is currently serving as the Secretary-General of AKPPE-Association of Korea Pet Product and is also the CEO of GUPUP.INC company. In his role, he interacts with overseas exhibition organizers and companies, and consults for overseas companies to enter the Korean market and Korean companies to enter overseas markets.

Yuan Gao

l President of IGC International Union of Pet Grooming Organizations

l Chairman of CGGC World Pet Grooming Congress

l Executive Chairman of Guangdong Pet Grooming Association

l Principal of Hadau International Pet Grooming Training School

l Chairman of Guangdong PANGOL Biotechnology Co., LTD

Jian Ni

Secretary General of 宠道论坛

National general agent of Japanese pet brand "Sheng Laizhi"

Aquarium Category

Shane Willis

Shane Willis has nearly 30 years’experience working across the aquarium industry in commercial breeding, import and export, wholesale, and retail. He has a master’s degree in Aquaculture and has lectured at 2 universities in Australia and is currently a Visiting professor at Shanghai Ocean University. Shane also runs a training and consulting company for the aquaculture and aquarium industries.  Shane has been involved with OFI since 2006 and has been President of Ornamental Fish International since 2016.

Ronnie Chew Cheow Kee

45 years of experience in aquatic and pet industry

Malaysia CTY Guppy Group Consultant

Chew Thean Yeang Aquarium Sdn. Bhd. Director and CEO

C.S.L. Thean Yeang Aquarium (M) Sdn. Bhd. Director and CEO

A&P Aquarium (M) Sdn. Bhd. Director and CEO

Jingming Lan

Jingming Lan, President of the Marine Ornamental Biology Branch of the China Fisheries Association and an expert in marine ornamental biology. He was selected as a leading entrepreneur in the Chinese aquarium industry for the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up. Mr. Lan has traveled to the United States and Europe to further his studies in aquariums, mastering techniques in the domestication, breeding, and transportation of marine organisms. He also serves as a member of the Technical Committee for Ornamental Fish under the National Aquaculture Standardization Technical Committee, contributing to the development of industry standards.

Liming Luo

Chairman of Guangdong Fishery Association

Member of the 16th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Guangzhou Liwan District

Chairman of Guangzhou Mengyuanhai Aquarium Co., LTD.

In 2011, he founded Guangzhou Mengyuanhai Aquarium Co., LTD.

In May 2015, he served as the president of the E-commerce branch of Guangdong Fishery Association.

In March 2021, he was elected as the president of Guangdong Fishery Association. At present, there are more than 500 member enterprises in the industry, and the industry association has developed into a social organization integrating seed breeding, live aquaculture, science popularization education, equipment research and development, equipment manufacturing, wholesale and retail and international exhibition and sales.

Zuowei Wang

President of Small Ornamental Fish and Shrimp Branch of Chinese Fishery Association

President of the World Guppy Association

Certified Referee of World Betta Fish Association

Jianqiang Wen

President of Arowana Branch of Chinese Fishery Association;

Rotating President of Beijing Fishery Association;

President of Aquatic Leisure Industry Branch of Beijing Fishery Association;

Founder and head of Beijing Hexing Arowana Trade;

Judge of many foreign arowana competitions since 2006

Referee of the CIPS Global Arowana Championship since 2018;

Drafters and makers of "China Arowana Evaluation Standards".

Mr. Wen is the President of the Arowana Branch of the Chinese Fishery Association. He has brought the Chinese Arowana industry together and successfully held the CIPS Global Arowana Championship, and created the CIPS Stingray and Tigerfish Championship, formulated the detailed evaluation standards of Chinese arowana. He is the pioneer of the China's Arowana industry.

Design Category

Peng Yu

---Positions and Titles

- Shifang Forum: Secretary-General, Vice President

- Xi'an Small Animal Veterinary Association: Deputy Secretary-General

- XiuTa Brand: Co-founder

- "August Pet Training" & "Chen Li Talks About Cats" Training Camp: Co-creator

- Private Pet & Tang Xiaomiao: CEO

Yu Peng has been deeply involved in the pet retail service field for nearly 20 years, accumulating rich industry experience and a broad network of contacts. During this period, he founded and led multiple influential brands and projects, and became a co-initiator of the Shifang Forum, driving innovation and development in the industry.

Yulin Zhang

Manager of Aquarium and Exotic Pet Team, Pet Department, Supermarket Division, JD Retail.

JD pet business was founded in 2010 and currently has more than 3,000 partner merchants and nearly 20 million SKUs. It builds categories in the upstream pet breeding, midstream pet supplies, downstream pet services chains, and is committed to creating a comprehensive pet life scene, serving more than 10 million pet owners.