Content Creator Category Jury
OCTAV „ANG” CREȚU
Octav Crețu, also known as “ang,” is the CEO of Nexus Gaming, a former professional League of Legends player, and the founder of Nexus Media and the Romanian Esports League.
IOANA MÂRZAC-SIGARTEU
With over 18 years of experience in marketing and communications across industries such as information technology and finance, Ioana joined Samsung Electronics Romania 10 years ago. The communication campaigns she has led have been recognized in some of Romania’s most prestigious industry competitions. She is currently responsible for brand communications, PR, CSR, social media, and Samsung’s brand events.
Ioana is passionate about gaming in all its forms, from classic board games to video games. Her favorite game is World of Warcraft, which she has been playing for more than 15 years.
MIHAI COTOS
Mihai Cotos is an entrepreneur with over 14 years of experience in event management, having built a portfolio of successful projects such as Târgul de Cariere, Photo Romania Festival, Jazz in the Park, and Cluj Craft Beer Festival.
Since 2019, Mihai has turned his passion for gaming into an ambitious initiative dedicated to the Romanian esports scene – Digital Crusade, a project that has grown into an Eastern European championship featuring satellite events such as the Esports Corporate Championship, Girls Championship, and HighSchool Heroes.
Mihai also serves as the Operations Manager of eSuperliga, Romania’s largest EA FC league and the only competition of its kind officially affiliated with both the Romanian Professional Football League and EA Sports.
LIVIU MARICA
Liviu began his career in the IT&C industry 24 years ago, during a period defined by rapid technological innovation, digital transformation, and accelerated industry growth. The experience he has gained over the years has given him a deep understanding of the sector’s dynamics and emerging trends. He has developed and implemented effective marketing strategies designed to meet the market’s constantly evolving needs.
For the past 20 years, Liviu has successfully led the ASUS Romania marketing team, making a significant contribution to ASUS’s position as a market leader and to strengthening ROG’s reputation as a pioneer of innovation in gaming.
FLORIN IVAN
Florin Ivan is part of the first generation of online content creators in Romania. He uploaded his first technology-focused show to YouTube in 2007, and in 2008 he coordinated the launch of the only gaming television channel in Romania and Eastern Europe at the time, GINX TV. This was followed by a decade of GameXTV.ro and the production of hundreds of NewsX and esports shows.
Since then, Florin has remained closely connected to everything happening in the digital space. He has produced television programs such as IGN Weekly Fix and Comic Con Bites, and is currently the CEO of Workhorse and TechTheLead.com, where he develops award-winning content for both brands and audiences.
He enjoys playing virtually every new game that catches his interest. In addition, at least once a month, he and his group of friends jump into GTA Online to earn the in-game million dollars while waiting for the next-generation release.
Mihnea Brașoveanu
Mihnea Alexandru Brașoveanu is the Digital Marketing Manager at MedLife, Romania’s largest private healthcare services network. Prior to joining MedLife, he spent six years working with brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. During this time, he successfully combined his passion for gaming with marketing, leading to the development of innovative projects that resonated with both the advertising and gaming industries. These projects include the MedLife VR experience RoboSurgery, KFC Arena, KFC Killer Discounts, Taco Zoom, as well as a series of partnerships with Bucharest Gaming Week, the Romanian Esports League, Digital Crusade, and Nexus Media.
A gaming enthusiast since childhood, Mihnea began his journey with Doom and later moved on to titles such as Quake, Warcraft, Counter-Strike 1.6, and many others. He firmly believes that the gaming industry is experiencing strong growth in Romania and that an increasing number of brands will gradually become involved in this space.
CĂTĂLIN BUTNARIU
Cătălin Butnariu is the Chief Strategy Officer at Amber, the largest Romanian video game development company. In this role, he oversees mergers and acquisitions (M&A), investments, strategic communications, and the company’s network of external partners.
He is also one of the most prominent advocates for Romania’s game development industry, having served as President of the Romanian Game Developers Association (RGDA) from 2016 to 2024. In addition, he is the founder of major industry events such as Dev.Play Conference and Romanian Game Awards.
His previous roles include General Manager at Carbon Incubator and Division Director at Gameloft.
Andrei Moisa
Andrei Moisa is the Chief Operating Officer of EVA Romania. His first venture into the gaming industry came through the establishment of Project Underdog, an organization that fielded PUBG teams in multiple editions of the PUBG Continental Series. He later shifted his focus to virtual reality, playing a key role in bringing and launching the first Esports Virtual Arena location in Romania.
His favorite game, Escape from Tarkov, reflects his passion for competition and strategic thinking.
Marian Andrei
Marian Andrei is a journalist and producer at PRO TV, with a strong passion for technology, artificial intelligence, and everything related to the digital world. Since 2013, he has been part of the iLikeIT team, where he tests gadgets, apps, and games while closely following the latest trends in tech.
He specializes in making complex topics accessible to a broad audience, explaining subjects such as AI and cybersecurity in a clear and approachable way, helping technology feel less intimidating. Marian enjoys discovering new innovations and exploring the impact that emerging technologies and solutions have on everyday life.
Mădălina Butnariu
With over 10 years of experience in strategic marketing, business development, and the organization of major events, Mădălina leads brand initiatives and communication campaigns across a variety of sectors, including education, healthcare, and entertainment. At ECHO School, she currently develops and implements integrated promotional strategies for programs focused on technology, digital arts, and game development, while playing an active role in strengthening the connection between industry, education, and the wider community.
A long-time contributor to the gaming ecosystem, Mădălina has been involved in the delivery of landmark events such as Bucharest Gaming Week, East European Comic Con, and Dev.Play Conference. She was also co-owner and manager of Romania’s first gaming pub, Nexus Gamers Pub. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with international brands and content creators, supporting projects that brought together diverse communities and helped increase the visibility of the gaming industry both locally and across the region.
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Content Creator Category Jury
MIHAI BOTĂREL
Mihai Botărel is the co-founder of RXM Creative, an award-winning agency based in New York whose clients include Ray-Ban, Christian Louboutin, L’Oréal, Tabasco, Loro Piana, and Under Armour. Over the course of his 19-year career as a Creative Director and Copywriter, Mihai has received awards at Cannes Lions, Clio, ADC Europe, IAA, Golden Drum, Eurobest, and the New York Festivals, among others.
Before co-founding RXM, Mihai served as Associate Creative Director at 360i Dentsu, where he worked on accounts such as Toyota, Canon, and Coca-Cola. He also worked at Tribal, where he was involved with the global Reebok account. Prior to moving to New York, he worked at DDB Düsseldorf, where he launched the Diesel brand in Germany and won a Gold Lion in the Print category and a Bronze Lion in the Outdoor category for Volkswagen.
Earlier in his career, Mihai was a Copywriter at Leo Burnett Bucharest, where he earned several international distinctions, including Romania’s first Cannes Lion and the IAA Excellence Award for Creativity. He began his career at Ogilvy Bucharest.
As a writer on advertising, technology, and society, Mihai has contributed to publications such as The Drum, TechCrunch, and MediaPost. He has lectured at Columbia University, taught at Miami Ad School, and spoken at events including Unfinished Festival, Digital DUMBO, and Transform Conference North America. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Adweek, Advertising Age, Mashable, Business Insider, and Fast Company.
Mihai holds a degree in Advertising and Communication from the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest, Romania, and currently lives in New York.
COSTIN BOGDAN
Costin began his copywriting career in advertising in 2006. He joined McCann Bucharest in 2011 and, in 2019, was appointed Executive Creative Director of the agency.
From the “Priceless Surprises” campaign featuring Gianluigi Buffon to creating real-life potions inspired by League of Legends for Beko, Costin has spent more than 14 years developing award-winning campaigns and building brands. Throughout his career, he has proudly worked with clients such as Dacia, Cosmote, Rompetrol, Julius Meinl, Coca-Cola, Bite Latvia & Lithuania, ROM, Nespresso, Nesquik, Coffee-mate, Mastercard, KFC, Taco Bell, Greenpeace, and many others. His work has earned both effectiveness and creative excellence awards.
Passionate about gaming and eager to try almost any title, he is also a former Vice President of the Art Directors Club Romania. He jokingly admits that Graffiti BBDO, Odyssey, Ogilvy, and McCann are among the agencies he never managed to join in time.
Thomas Gheorghiu
Thomas Gheorghiu currently lives in Dubai and serves as Associate Creative Director at Serviceplan Middle East. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Bucharest and a Master’s degree in Advertising from Miami Ad School.
Thomas’ professional journey spans multiple continents, beginning in Bucharest with roles at Saatchi & Saatchi and Leo Burnett, expanding through diverse experiences in cities such as New York, Milan, and Barcelona, and ultimately leading him to collaborate with renowned agencies including TBWA, Droga5, and Publicis Milan.
His work has resonated with a range of prominent clients, including BMW, Visa, Abu Dhabi Tourism, Heineken, DHL, Clorox, Cupra, and TD Bank in Canada.
Outside of advertising, Thomas has a passion for sneakers, writing, and the occasional game of FIFA.
HYPNO
Hypno is one of Romania’s most renowned directors of music videos and advertising commercials. He has directed videos for artists and bands such as OCS, Coma, Deliric, Subcarpați, Golan, Cred Că Sunt Extraterestru, as well as many other Romanian and international acts.
He discovered video games in the 1990s, and among his favorite titles are FIFA, along with shooters and single-player games. These days, he still finds time to play, mostly on his phone—especially during film shoots, between takes.
COSMIN BABA
A Creative Director with more than 12 years of experience in the Romanian advertising industry (and occasionally in neighboring markets), Cosmin Baba is one of the Romanian creatives whose work has been recognized at major international advertising festivals such as Cannes Lions, Golden Drum, and Eurobest. Throughout his career, he has been the creative force behind some of the most well-known campaigns for brands including Dacia Renault, Alka Toortitzi, OMV, Bergenbier, and Napolact. At V8 Interactive, where he leads creative teams, the filter he brings to every brainstorming session is simple: “ideas that surprise through creativity.”
Gaming first entered his life through the iconic arcade machines featuring Street Fighter and The King of Fighters. When he got his first console sometime in the ’90s, he instantly became the coolest kid on the block. Later came PC gaming, with countless hours spent playing Red Alert over dial-up connections, followed by the era of overnight gaming sessions fueled by internet night packages and titles such as StarCraft, Quake II, Blood, and Counter-Strike. For four or five years, time practically stood still as he spent most of it in gaming cafés.
He eventually developed a passion for story-driven games. Titles such as Max Payne 1 and 2, L.A. Noire, Heavy Rain, and The Witcher have consumed entire weekends thanks to their storytelling and cinematic presentation. Cosmin firmly believes that video games are a valuable source of inspiration for any creative professional and that their role extends far beyond entertainment—especially now that gamification has become a powerful tool in advertising in its own right.
Mîndru
Andrei Mîndru is a director whose work has been recognized at prestigious advertising, film, and fashion festivals, including Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, and the London Fashion Film Festival. He has directed campaigns for brands such as Samsung, Pepsi, KFC, and many others.
Andrei is particularly drawn to story-driven games and proudly admits to being captivated by modern classics such as Red Dead Redemption 2, The Last of Us Part I and Part II. He is always eager to explore new titles in this genre. For everyday gaming, however, he turns to PUBG—the game that helps him unwind most effectively after a stressful workday and one he keeps coming back to whenever he has some “time to kill.” He plays it on his tablet, ready to jump in wherever he is.
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