China International Pet Show and Global PETS, an internationally authoritative media outlet, jointly established the world’s first innovation award in the global pet and aquatic industry in 2017 – the CIPS Innovation Award. It aims to set a new benchmark for the industry and help enterprises comprehensively enhance their brand image. We look forward to inspiring more enterprises to firmly take the path of innovative development, continuously build core competitiveness, and jointly showcase the new outlook of the pet industry. 

Here, we are honored to introduce the judges of this year’s competition (sorted by initials, in no particular order):  

FOOD CATEGORY 

Hans Büngener

He was once the CEO and shareholder of several international companies in the field of animal nutrition. In 2000, he founded his own consulting firm, Pet Industry Consultants, to share his professional knowledge and experience in pet food and pet food production accumulated over more than a decade with other companies around the world. In 2019, he established Büngener pet health GmbH, a company specializing in the production of high-quality pet food and nutritional supplements.  

Jian Ni   

Secretary-General of the Pet Industry Forum, and national general agent of the Japanese pet brand "Sunrise".

Jingliang Yan   

Known as a "social organization enthusiast", he currently serves as the President of Shandong Cattery Alliance, Head of the Companion Cat Grooming and Care Committee of Peking University Jade Bird Pet Culture Center, Founder of "Cat Appreciation Association", Consultant and Training Instructor for multiple brands, Co-promoter of Shandong Lynx Cooperative Hospitals, and Training Instructor for provincial-level pet associations and local cat industry branches across the country. He is also a visiting professor at the College of Animal Medicine of Qingdao Agricultural University and General Manager of Qingdao Aipete Biotechnology Co., Ltd. He has organized the first small exotic pet competition in Shandong Province. He focuses on university-enterprise collaboration, and has repeatedly transformed the academic research achievements of universities into products for pet industry enterprises to empower their development. He has negotiated with local governments and successfully implemented projects including investment promotion, industrial parks, live animal breeding parks, breed conservation base parks, pet cultural tourism, pet poverty alleviation, psychological comfort for prison inmates, psychological comfort for autistic patients, and psychological comfort for elderly people who have lost their only child. During the preparation of the first session of the Small and Medium-sized Reptile and Amphibian Branch, he served as the leader of the preparation team and led the successful and smooth holding of the meeting.

Manquan Zhou   

Mr. Manquan Zhou has been deeply engaged in Hong Kong’s aquatic and pet industry for more than 40 years, with profound experience, and is an outstanding pioneer leading the development of the industry. He has made outstanding and far-reaching contributions to promoting the prosperity of Hong Kong’s local pet industry. Since the establishment of the [Hong Kong Pet Trade Association] in 2007, Mr. Zhou has successively held positions as Vice Chairman and in key financial roles. During his tenure, he vigorously reformed the financial system, laying a solid foundation for the stable operation of the association. He not only committed himself to uniting industry colleagues but also actively promoted information exchange and resource sharing, significantly enhancing the cohesion of the industry. Mr. Zhou has a deep understanding of the sincere cooperation among team members and is the key to inspiring innovation and driving the continuous progress of the industry. During his consecutive terms as the Chairman of the Association for the 5th to 6th sessions, Mr. Zhou always adhered to the spirit of pursuing excellence and made every effort to promote the development of the local pet industry. He successfully led the association to join the "Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong (CMA)", not only making the association an official member but also taking the lead in establishing a dedicated pet industry group. This initiative significantly deepened the understanding and support of government agencies, social organizations, and the general public for the pet industry. Mr. Zhou also invited experts from different fields of the pet industry to serve as consultants, carefully planned various activities, built a communication platform for members to share professional insights, and effectively promoted the improvement of the overall quality and professionalism of the industry.  

Mr. Zhou’s outstanding contributions have been widely recognized by the industry. After stepping down from his position, the association specially awarded him the distinguished title of "Permanent Honorary Chairman". Since then, he has continued to serve the industry without reservation. In 2021, nominated by the association, Mr. Zhou won the "Lifetime Achievement Award in the Pet Industry" at the industry’s grand event "My Favorite Pet Brand Awards", a well-deserved recognition of his achievements for the industry.

Xiangqian Wang   

He has worked in the State Agricultural Reclamation Administration, Farmers’ Daily, and China Ocean News successively, holding positions such as journalist, director, and assistant editor-in-chief. Currently, he serves as the President of the Beijing Feed Industry Association and Vice President of the Pet Food Branch of the China Feed Industry Association.

Guy Toremans   

With over 20 years of industry experience, he is a passionate and visionary leader in the pet product field. As the CEO of Flamingo Pet Products, he has always been committed to providing customers with high-quality products and services, and attaches great importance to innovation, collaboration, and sustainable development. Under his leadership, the team has actively built a diverse and inclusive cultural atmosphere.

Lei Wang   

Initiator of the CPCRA Pet Industry Development Conference, Initiator of the "Pharmacy + Pet" Cross-border Integration Forum, Initiator of the Asia Pet Health and Diversified Channel Conference, and Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the Guangdong Pet Industry Association.

Michael   

Michael is the first and youngest Asian American to serve as the President of the World Pet Association (WPA). As the organizer of Superzoo, the largest pet industry trade event in the United States, the World Pet Association (WPA), under Michael’s leadership, is committed to building a thriving international pet industry community. In addition to his achievements in industry associations, Michael is also the founder of Patchwork Pet, with 16 years of experience in manufacturing, import and export, and distribution.  

Philippe Vanderhoydonck   

He is the General Manager of GlobalPETS and PETS International, the preferred media publication in the pet industry. As a marketing expert and consultant, he is good at identifying products with potential. 

Stefanie Petersen

With over 20 years of experience in retail, including more than 8 years in the pet industry, she is a passionate and committed leader dedicated to make lifes of pets and pet lovers better. As Vice President at Fressnapf, she is responsible for the Non-Food Range management including Asia Snacks, with a strong focus on offering customers the right products at attractive prices.

In her current role, she emphasizes close collaboration with countries and suppliers to drive innovation and deliver solutions that truly make a difference in each market.

She stands for customer-centric innovation and meaningful solutions that improve everyday life for people and pets. She is convinced by pitches that combine genuine consumer insight with practical execution, offering clear value, sustainability, and commercial viability.

Yuan Yuan

YuanZhiHui CEO，Director of Global Pet Industry Insights

Postgraduate student at the University of Hong Kong, specializing in overseas pet market business development. With nearly 10 years of in-depth experience in local overseas markets, skilled in applying economic psychology to uncover deep-seated demands in the overseas pet industry.Global Pet Industry Insights.

Yunbo Hu   

Executive President of the Guangdong Pet Industry Association, Chairman of Guangzhou Huiyou Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and Chairman of Guangzhou Huifen Biotechnology Co., Ltd. He has been engaged in the pet industry for 18 years, focusing on the field of pet health care and grooming throughout these 18 years. 

AQUARIUM CATEGORY  

Liming Luo   

President of the Guangdong Aquarium Association, Member of the 16th CPPCC of Liwan District, Guangzhou, and Chairman of Guangzhou Mengyuan Marine Aquarium Co., Ltd.  

He started his own business in 2011 and founded Guangzhou Mengyuan Marine Aquarium Co., Ltd. In May 2015, he served as the President of the E-commerce Branch of the Guangdong Aquarium Association, and in March 2021, he was elected as the President of the Guangdong Aquarium Association. Currently, the association has more than 500 member enterprises and has developed into a social organization integrating seedling breeding, live animal cultivation, popular science education, equipment research and development, equipment manufacturing, wholesale and retail, and international exhibitions. Its comprehensive strength, appeal, and influence rank among the top in the international ornamental fish industry. The fish selected by the association have won international awards many times, making outstanding contributions to enhancing the status of China’s aquarium industry. 

Mike Tuccinardi   

Mike Tuccinardi is an expert in freshwater fish, with a background in fish health management and import-export logistics. Over the past 20 years, he has accumulated rich experience in various fields of the aquarium industry, covering retail, wholesale, aquaculture, export, and wild fish collection. As the Import Coordinator of Carolina Aquatics, a local importer and distributor in the United States, he has long-term cooperation with suppliers in more than 20 countries around the world, while closely following the global aquarium enthusiast market and the latest trends in the industry. 

Shane Willis   

Shane Willis has nearly 30 years of work experience in the aquarium industry, including commercial breeding, import and export, wholesale, and retail. He holds a master’s degree in aquaculture, has taught at two universities in Australia, and is currently a visiting professor at Shanghai Ocean University. He also runs a training and consulting company in the aquaculture and aquarium industry. He has been a member of the Ornamental Fish International (OFI) since 2006 and has served as the Chairman of the association since 2016.

DESIGN CATEGORY

Peng Yu   

- Secretary-General and Vice President of the Shifang Forum  

- Deputy Secretary-General of the Xi’an Small Animal Diagnosis and Treatment Association  

- Co-founder of the Xiu Ta Brand  

- Co-founder of the "August Pet Training" & "Chen Li Talks About Cats" Training Camp  

- CEO of Sifang Xiaochong & Tang Xiaomiao  

He has been deeply engaged in the pet retail service field for nearly 20 years, accumulating rich industry experience and an extensive network of contacts. During this period, he has founded and led a number of influential brands and projects, and became a co-initiator of the Shifang Forum, promoting the innovation and development of the industry. 

Xiaoxia Liu   

Editor-in-Chief of the *White Paper on China’s Pet Industry*, Founder of the Paidu Pet Industry Big Data Platform; Deputy Secretary-General of the Pet Industry Branch of the China Animal Husbandry Association; Industrial Consultant for the governments of Luohu District (Shenzhen), Jinghai District (Tianjin), and Anshan City (Liaoning Province).

Yuan Gao   

- Director-General of the International Grooming Club (IGC)  

- Chairman of the CGGC World Pet Grooming Conference  

- Executive President of the Guangdong Pet Grooming Association  

- Principal of the Hadomeng International Pet Grooming Training School  

- Chairman of Guangdong Peibaoer Biotechnology Co., Ltd.