Presenters

The World Branding Awards has worked with
stars and celebrities since the very beginning

HOWARD NIGHTINGALL

Howard Nightingall is a British actor and voice-over artist, with over 20 years experience in the theatre, television, film and radio industries.

He has worked on award-winning documentaries and leading campaigns for some of the worlds largest brands 

Theatre credits include: Larry in Closer (Ensemble Theatre), Stephen Hawking in Hawking’s Dream (Teatro Technis and dietheater Künstlerhaus), Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance (Volksoper),  Frosch in Die Fledermaus (Wienerkonzerthaus.) the voice of  Zach Shapiro in Jackpot at the Theatre in der Josefstadt and worked together with Bruce Myers in a production of The Grand Inquisitor, directed by Peter Brook at the Landestheater St Pölten. Film work includes Julius McDoom in The Pilgrim Factor, The Director in The Rehearsal,  Frederic in MA2412, William Harold in Nous Nous Sommes Tant Haïs with Sarah Biasini, the Doctor in The Strange Case of Wilhelm Reich together with Klaus Maria Brandauer, the policeman in the Devils Violinist and the British Ambassador in Das Sacher.

JEMMA FORTE

Jemma Forte has been a professional presenter for over twenty years. She began her career at The Disney Channel where she presented live studio content every day for five years. She then went on to present shows for BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky. Currently, Jemma represents luxury soap brand Molton Brown on shopping channel QVC and is a regular panellist on C5’s popular current affairs show. Jeremy Vine (previously The Wright Stuff) and on Talk Radio.

Jemma has always thrived on having such a varied career and can really turn her hand to all forms of broadcasting. Last year alone was lucky enough to travel to France and Italy to film for Property TV, to host the Leicester City kit launch and to facilitate some huge beauty events in Paris and a property event in Leeds which had over 500 delegates. 

Jemma was the presenter for the 2019 World Branding Awards.

David Croft

David Croft (also known as “Crofty”)  is an acclaimed commentator and presenter for Sky Sports F1 HD. 2017 marks David’s 12th season commentating on Formula 1. In addition to commentary, he also regularly co-presents the F1 Show with Natalie Pinkham. Prior to 2012, David was the F1 correspondent and commentator for BBC Radio 5live, where he also reported on various other sports including the 2002 World Cup and 2004 Olympic Games, Superbowl, and hosted numerous boxing specials.

Away from F1, Crofty is also well known for his commentary at the legendary World Darts Championships at the Lakeside, which he covered from 2002 for ten years. A respected boxing commentator, he covered major fights including Joe Calzaghe’s final fight against Roy Jones Junior at Madison Square Garden. Recently, he has been called on to present Live Darts for Sky Sports from the Premier League, and the PDC World Darts Championship.

Apart from TV and radio, David has appeared in the three editions of the Codemasters Formula 1 game. He also featured as “Lofty Crofty” in the Disney animated movie, ‘Planes‘.

David was the presenter for the 2014, 2016 and 2017 World Branding Awards.

Moody McCarthy

Moody McCarthy is a stand-up comic who lives in New York City with his wife, two daughters, and 8 million chipper neighbours. Moody has made numerous TV appearances, highlighted by performances on Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and two sets on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Moody was born “Matthew” in Syracuse, NY, into a rambunctious household with six siblings. (They’re Irish… somebody had to get a nickname.) He began doing comedy in 1992 and was soon hired by Syracuse’s top morning radio show to be funny and cover sports. After six years of working the road, Moody moved to New York City.

This millennium has been good to Moody: he’s also been featured on Last Comic Standing, Star Search (the 2003 reboot), and America’s Got Talent. He’s performed at the best clubs in the land (including the world famous Comedy Cellar) and can be heard on SiriusXM.

Moody’s material is described as original but universal, and smart without being trite. Couple that with a disarming stage presence and in-the-moment chops, it’s not hard to see why he’s earned the admiration of his peers for his ability to “go up cold”, and turn any setting into a hot room.

Moody was the presenter for the 2018-2019 Americas Edition of the World Branding Awards, at The Plaza on Fifth Avenue in New York.

Stuart Freeman

Stuart Freeman began working as a DJ in Soul Clubs in the North of England, notably The Mecca in Blackpool, a haven for Northern Soul. He then left the UK to work as a DJ for the American forces in Germany. He returned to the UK and presented Soul Time for one of the early UK independent radio stations, Swansea Sound. After spending some time in America he returned to present the breakfast show and left to work at HTV as newsreader, continuity announcer, and sports reporter for ITV’s World of Sport.

In 1988, Stuart moved to the radio station 2CR in Bournemouth as head of presentation and in 1990, went to Vienna to work for the English radio station Blue Danube Radio (BDR). In 1992, he had a two year spell at Essex Radio before returning to Vienna to present Continental Breakfast once again for BDR.

Stuart was the first voice to be heard on FM4 when it was relaunched as a 24-hour alternative music radio station for the whole of Austria, southern Germany and surrounding countries (Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Liechtenstein). He currently presents the morning show and has lived in Austria permanently since 1994.

Stuart is the current presenter of the Animalis Edition of the World Branding Awards, held at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. The second Animalis Edition of the World Branding Awards was held on 3rd July 2019.

Olivia Wayne

Olivia Wayne is one of the most recognised faces at Sky Sports News, providing millions of viewers with all the latest sporting news. She delivers headlines, breaking news and interviews in a vibrant, energetic and refreshing manner.

Away from the Sky Sports desk, Olivia’s warmth and personable nature makes her a very popular host and speaker at any event. She has MC’d at The Willow Foundation’s Football Legends Awards, various charity golf days, the Phil Tufnell VIP Club at the Oval, 6 Nations rugby hospitality as well as recently hosting the Freedom for Fashion Awards and ATP gala dinners. Olivia is a face of Evian and hosts their corporate hospitality at Wimbledon every year.

In her personal life, Olivia graduated with a degree in American and Canadian Studies from UCLA and enjoyed several internships at Warner Bros Records, Fashion PR, Talk PR and Stella McCartney’s Press office. She has a passion for all sports and is a qualified ski instructor. She enjoys a successful modelling career and has featured in many top household magazines including Sunday Times Style. She has presented content for Elle during the New York and London Fashion weeks, and at the British Fashion Awards. Olivia has also worked with Vogue TV, Fashion TV and Net-A-Porter.

Olivia was the presenter of the 2015 World Branding Awards, held at Kensington Palace.

Sara Verhagen

Sara Verhagen is an actress and director, known for Jackie (2016), Mi casa, su casa (2016), What Ze Teuf (2013) and Dog Sitting (2011). Educated at East 15 Acting School in London, she speaks seven languages, and is completely trilingual with no accent in French, Dutch and English; fluent Italian and German, and conversational Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.

On television, Sara has appeared on What Ze Teuf, a First TV mini series, for D8, A la Semaine Prochaine, and Jack of Diamonds. She has appeared in 13 films including the feature films Jackie, Ils l’ont Fait, La Presentatrice, People’s Choice Award winner Loup y es tu?, L’Eve ou la Pomme, Lovesick, The Things They Left Behind, Le Clown de Belleville and La main dans le sac.

She has also starred in numerous commercials or web projects for brands such as Colgate Total, Citroën, Railteam, Samsung, Nokia, and Vodafone.

Sara won the award for best performance for Dog Sitting at the Seinema Festival and was shortlisted for Best Performance, Female Award at the Clare Valley Film Festival in November 2013 in Australia. She was the award ceremony host for the 9th edition of the Paris Court Devant Festival in Paris, along with Pascal Demolon.

Sara was the presenter of the 2014-2015 World Branding Awards (Paris edition).

Ben Hanlin

Ben Hanlin is the star of ITV2’s Tricked, which first hit screens in 2013 and after fantastic success has now aired it’s third series. Ben hosts the mischievous show, tricking unsuspecting members of the public and shocking celebrities with his own special brand of hidden camera magic. Tricked won Best Entertainment Programme at the Broadcast Digital Awards 2014. Currently, Ben hosts the afternoon slot on Capital FM Birmingham every Saturday afternoon.

Ben completed a two-week stint in The Illusionists at London’s West End’s Shaftesbury Theatre. This comes after a hugely successful tour with the Band of Magicians, the world’s first Magic Supergroup, for the New Zealand leg of their tour.

Ben hails from Birmingham and over the last ten years Ben has been performing his sleight of hand magic and stage magic at events all over the UK.

In the summer of 2012, Ben started presenting alongside Hacker, Dodge and the gang on CBBC. In the same year, he was one of four magicians starring in Breaking Magic for The Discovery Channel. The show looked at the science behind magic and illusions, fusing the showmanship and mystery of street magic and the raw power of science. The series was filmed on the streets of London, New York and Warsaw, and wowed audiences in 211 different territories when it aired on the Discovery Network. The second series of Breaking Magic, filmed in London and Europe aired globally from March 2014 with equal success.

Ben was the featured entertainment act for the 2014-2015 World Branding Awards (Paris edition).

Emma Clarke

Emma Clarke is an award-winning UK voiceover artist, whose voice – while spanning almost every communications media – is perhaps best known as being one of the ‘Mind the Gap’ voices of the London Underground.

Emma has provided the background voiceovers for every single World Branding Awards ceremony. She is also the voice that greets you when you telephone the World Branding Forum.