Judges

Anglo-Italian photojournalist James Nicholls has built a distinguished international career at the intersection of motoring, design, and culture. Based in Sydney, Australia, his writing and photography have appeared in leading publications including Motor Sport, Octane, The Spectator, and Magneto. A member of the Guild of Motoring Writers, James brings both artistic perspective and deep automotive knowledge to his work, capturing the people, places, and passion that define the motoring world.

James is the founder of the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance, which has quickly established itself as one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most prestigious collector car events. He also serves as a regular juror at many of the world’s leading concours, including Chantilly Arts & Elegance, the Zoute Grand Prix, the 21 Gun Salute Concours in India (where he is also master of ceremonies), the ASINautic Show in Trieste, the Valletta Concours in Malta, the Anantara Concorso Roma, and Salon Privé in the UK.

Beyond automobiles, James is a Delegate for the Riva Historical Society, a certified member of the Auctioneers & Valuers Association of Australia, and founder of Halcyon Auctions, reflecting his wider passion for craftsmanship and heritage.

Wayne Carini is one of America’s best-known classic car restorers, dealers, and television personalities, celebrated for his lifetime dedication to preserving automotive history. Based in Portland, Connecticut, Wayne is the owner of F40 Motorsports, Continental Auto Ltd., and Carini Carozzeria, businesses specialising in classic car sales, restoration, and high-end bodywork. His expertise has attracted collectors around the world, with clients including David Letterman, Ivan Lendl, and the DuPont family.

Wayne’s passion for cars began in childhood, working alongside his father restoring classics such as Duesenbergs, Packards, and Lincolns. A formative ride in a Ferrari 250 SWB at the age of nine sparked a lifelong enthusiasm for the marque and for original, unrestored cars – many of which feature in his own acclaimed collection.

He rose to international prominence as the host of Chasing Classic Cars, which gave viewers an inside look at the world of restoration and high-end collecting. Away from television, Wayne is deeply involved in charitable causes, particularly autism research, and is an advocate for encouraging young enthusiasts to engage with the collector car hobby – ensuring its vitality for future generations.

Jeremy Jackson-Sytner – often referred to as “Mr. Concours” – is one of the foremost creative forces behind many of the world’s most prestigious concours d’elegance events. With more than three decades in international branding, creative advertising, and event production, he has shaped the standard of elegance and presentation in the automotive world.

Jeremy’s concours legacy began with the award-winning Royal Concours at Windsor Castle, which evolved into the globally celebrated Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace. As its founding curator, he established a benchmark for refinement, authenticity, and storytelling that continues to influence concours culture today. He later served as consultant to a number of international concours and has been instrumental in the creation and curation of new events, including the Anantara Concorso Roma.

In addition to his concours achievements, Jeremy has worked extensively in the creative and luxury sectors, applying his distinctive vision to deliver world-class experiences for collectors and audiences alike. His understanding that a concours is, above all, a social celebration of passion and craftsmanship has made him one of the most respected figures in the field.

Donald Osborne, ASA, is one of the most respected voices in the collector car world – an Accredited Senior Appraiser, historian, author, curator, and television personality whose career bridges art, design, and automotive culture. Based in Palm Springs, California, he founded Donald W. Osborne, LLC / Automotive Valuation Services in 2004, providing specialist valuation, consulting, and advisory services to clients across the United States and worldwide.

A lifelong enthusiast with a background in both fine arts and performance, Donald’s early training as a classical opera singer preceded a successful corporate career before he turned his full attention to automobiles. His expertise and distinctive on-screen presence have made him a familiar figure on Jay Leno’s Garage for seven seasons in the popular segment “Assess & Caress with Donald Osborne.”

Donald has written for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Octane, Magneto, Road & Track, and many others, and is the author of Transatlantic Style / Stile Transatlantico. He has judged at many of the world’s leading concours events and curated major exhibitions celebrating automotive design and history, continuing to champion the artistry and emotion at the heart of the motoring experience.

Fritz Burkard is a Swiss automobile collector and custodian of The Pearl Collection, a diverse assembly of vintage and modern cars exhibited with an emphasis on use, not purely preservation.

In 2024, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance awarded Best of Show to a 1934 Bugatti Type 59 presented by Burkard – the first time the trophy had gone to a preservation car. The car retained much of its original character and history, including its connection to King Leopold of Belgium, and its recognition marked a significant milestone for both Bugatti and the wider collector community.

Burkard acquired his first classic car, a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, in his twenties and still owns it today. He has spoken often about his belief that great cars should be driven and shared, rather than hidden away, and that collecting should be guided by emotion rather than investment. The Pearl Collection spans more than a century of automotive history, with vehicles displayed at major concours events and gatherings around the world.

McKeel Hagerty is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Hagerty, an automotive enthusiast brand offering integrated membership products and programs as well as a specialty insurance provider focused on the global automotive enthusiast market. Based in Traverse City, Michigan, the company’s purpose is to save driving and preserve car culture for future generations and its mission is to build a global business to fund that purpose. In 2021, Hagerty Inc. joined the New York Stock Exchange as a publicly traded company under the ticker symbol HGTY.

He serves in many board and advisory roles, but is especially proud of being a founding member of the advisory board for McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas, home to the only four-year Bachelor of Sciences degree in Automotive Restoration Technology in the United States. He also serves as a board member for the Petersen Automotive Museum, a nonprofit specializing in automobile history, and America’s Automotive Trust, a not-for-profit whose mission is to secure America’s automotive heritage. All of these efforts culminate in the Hagerty Drivers Foundation, which serves the Hagerty purpose of “saving driving and car culture for future generations.”

McKeel is a lifelong fan of great cars and great roads. As a 13-year-old, he restored a 1967 Porsche 911S with his father Frank. He still owns the car and it is the first car out of his garage each spring. Among his many recent motoring adventures, he has driven the Porsche to the top of Pike’s Peak and on many other dream roads, a 1903 Knox in the famed London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, a McLaren 600LT through Tennessee’s beautiful but treacherous Tail of the Dragon, and many other tours and rallies. He also served for decades as a judge for the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where he continues to serve in an honorary capacity.

Julius Kruta’s lifelong passion for Bugatti began at Prescott Hill Climb in England during the early 1980s. In 1994, he founded a company dedicated to creating hand-built Bugatti models, marking the start of a distinguished career devoted to the marque. After completing his studies with a thesis on Bugatti, Julius joined Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. in 2000 and, just three years later, was appointed Head of Tradition – a role he held until 2018. During his tenure, he played a key part in preserving and promoting the brand’s remarkable heritage while bridging its historic legacy with modern innovation.

Today, Julius works as a freelance automotive historian, consultant and author, collaborating with museums, collectors and brands around the world. He has written several acclaimed books on Bugatti and is a familiar face on the international concours circuit, judging at prestigious events across Europe and America. Julius lives in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, with his wife and two children.

Dale is CEO of the HCVA: Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance, the organisation founded in 2021 by leading businesses in the UK historic and classic vehicles industry to tackle issues and challenges facing the sector. He believes strongly in the need for the business community to rally together around the preservation and long-term sustainability of the entire historic and classic vehicles industry. His life-long passion for historic vehicles and motorsport was shaped during his formative years, surrounded by old cars in New Zealand.  His career includes airline management and more recently as CEO of the trade membership organisation representing international airlines in the UK. He regularly provides industry comment and thought leadership articles and columns. Dale is known for his passion for architecture and eye for detail, attributes he feels go hand in hand with his appreciation of our great automotive industrial and design legacy.

Damien Smith has been a motorsport journalist for nearly 30 years. As an award-winning former editor of Motor Sport and editor-in-chief of Autosport, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, he has trawled paddocks from Monaco to Pembrey, Indianapolis to Lydden Hill ― and just about everywhere else in between – and has written countless articles and books on the history of F1.

Chris has been an automobile enthusiast for nearly his entire life. Over 50 years ago, at the age of nine, his inspiration started by driving his mum’s old Glass 1300 around the backyard, and shortly after riding as a passenger with a neighbor in a brand-new 911 Turbo. His work life included roles in the Air Force and the founding of his own computer company; over 30 years ago, his career ultimately led him into the world of classic cars. He now works as a classic and supercar expert, restoration manager, value and forensic appraiser, scrutineer, and consults for collectors worldwide. Chris’s goal is to expand the scope of concourse entries to include more modern cars, as well as those traditionally featured in concourses, thereby bridging the gap between the new car world and historic vehicles and encouraging the engagement of young enthusiasts to ensure that the concours world will extend to future generations. 

A passionate concours judge, Chris has sought to modernize Concours Judging by developing a modernized 100-point judging system – M100 – which is adaptable to classic cars, youngtimers, modern cars, and even recent super- and hypercars. 

Chris is a Member of the Selection Committee for the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the Concours Curator for Salon Prive, and serves on several concourse selection committees. Chris presently judges at concours events around the world and serves as a judging advisor at various events of different styles. He is the chief judge for the Concurso Costa del Sol in Marbella, the 21-Gun Salute in Delhi, Lugano Elegance, and Icons Mallorca. He is the co-chief judge at Salon Prive, The Amelia, The Greenwich Concours, The Las Vegas Concours, and The La Jolla Concours d’Elegance. He also serves as a panel Judge at The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Palm Beach Cavallino Classic, and other events around the globe.

Born in 1960 in Wareham Massachusetts, Tim Suddard grew up the son and grandson of a Ford dealer. He began restoring cars at the age of 14 and still has the first car he restored, a 1929 Ford that his grandfather had sold brand new.

Shortly after graduating Stetson University in 1982, he decided that America’s car magazines focused too much on the wealthiest few, or those who dreamed of being the wealthiest few, so he started Grassroots Motorsports, a magazine geared towards regular people who enjoyed fixing up and playing with common, readily available sports cars.

This success led to the formation of a second publication; Classic Motorsports, which has become America’s largest publication catering to classic sports car enthusiasts.

These publications led to an events business, that includes the Ultimate Track Car Challenge, classic sports car tours, Monterey Car Week and Amelia Island Concours welcome parties and the $2000 Challenge series of low-cost events; that have been run since 1999.

His company also does a variety of contract publishing work that has included publication of the Amelia Island Concours and Hilton Head Concours programs.

He lives with his wife and partner, Marjorie in Ormond Beach Florida, and has two grown children, that both work in the business. Suddard maintains, rallies and races a collection of more than 20 eclectic, mostly British, sports cars and has restored over 50 cars since that first Model A.

A recipient of the Unsung Hero of the Year award, 2024 Concours Yearbook, for his tireless work of promoting classic cars and introducing young people to concours judging.  

He has judged at 156 Concours events worldwide during the past 20 years, including Pebble Beach since 2005 and more recently at Villa d’Este. He is the Chief Judge at The Amelia, Greenwich, La Jolla, Hillsborough, Salon Prive and Wynn Las Vegas Concours.

Collaborated with Christian Kramer to develop and promote M100. A modernized 100-point approach to judging, adaptable to different vehicles. Hopefully it will keep the hobby alive for future generations of enthusiasts. Currently being used at ten major events in five countries.

Originally from Oxfordshire, Nigel has enjoyed the past 50 years living in Vancouver, Canada, where he worked for 20 years as a Red Seal licensed automotive technician, repairing and restoring Rolls-Royce and Ferrari automobiles.

The past 30 years of his 50-year-plus automotive career have been in the classic and exotic car insurance industry as a specialty vehicle damage appraiser, underwriter, including ten years as the Administrator of the British Columbia provincial government collector and vintage vehicle licensing and insurance programmes.

He has worked for Hagerty since 2010 and is currently their Global Brand Ambassador.

David is one of the most experienced and best-connected editors in the automotive world, with a strong commercial understanding as well as extensive contacts and experience in both modern and classic automotive, including motorsport. David has won many awards, as both a writer and an editor. He is one of the founders of Hothouse Media and Chair of the Judges for the 2025 Awards.

Sandra has guided the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance since 1986, serving first as its Executive Director and since 2002 as its Chairman. She established the event’s first Selection Committee and has been directly involved in expanding the range of cars shown and drawing many more entrants from overseas. As its primary executive officer, Sandra oversees not only the Concours but all of its installations, finances, charitable efforts, marketing efforts, print and online publications, all staff and over 1000 volunteers. Under her guidance the Pebble Beach Concours has consistently ranked as the top event of its kind in the world.

In tandem with the Concours, Sandra has created and overseen several related events—notably the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance and Pebble Beach Motoring Classic driving events, the Pebble Beach Classic Car Forums, and Pebble Beach RetroAuto.

Sandra has also been deeply involved in transforming the collector car hobby into a truly global celebration of the automobile, supporting many new automotive events and seeking to encourage the next generation of enthusiasts. She has encouraged the creation of (and often officiates at) concours from Asia and the Middle East to Europe and South America. In recent years, she has served as Chief Judge, Judge or Honoured Guest at The Amelia (US), Audrain (US), Arizona (US), Bensberg (Germany), Bund Classic (Shanghai, China), Cartier (India), Concours of Elegance (UK), Dubai (UAE), Kuwait (Kuwait), Valletta (Malta), Villa d’Este (Italy) and 21 Gun Salute (India) – to name just a few. She has also draughted and delivered presentations at key motoring conferences on the importance of cars and concours to our shared cultural heritage.
She and her husband, Martin Button, have an eclectic collection of automobiles and regularly participate in driving events such as the 1000 Millas Sport Argentina, the Copperstate 1000, and the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. Sandra is also a member of the Royal Automobile Club, the Classic Car Club of America, the Motor Press Guild, and the Society of Automotive Historians.
Sandra is now recognised as one the most important people in the collector car world. Magneto magazine recently named her one of the top ten ‘Most Influential People in the Collector Car World’, and Octane consistently includes her on its list of ‘Power People’ related to collector cars.

Shiro is editor-in-chief at Octane Japan.

Ton started his journalism career at a local newspaper but spent all his free time on classic cars. He was able to indulge his passion for cars professionally during the 26 years he worked for the leading Dutch car magazine Autovisie, 18 of them as editor-in-chief. The past 12 years he has focused entirely on classic cars as editor-in-chief of the Dutch (and Flemish) edition of Octane magazine.

Jay is one of the world’s most knowledgeable and well-known petrolheads. He’s known by many as the long-running host of The Tonight Show, and car enthusiasts will be familiar with Jay Leno’s Garage, which has been going for around 18 years on TV and YouTube, notching up nearly four million subscribers on the latter platform alone.

Jay has also been a regular columnist with Octane magazine since its early days, and a founding judge for the International Historic Motoring Awards.

Georgina is the Managing Director for P&A Wood, world-renowned Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialist, restoring some of the most famous cars in the world. She has been surrounded by unique and interesting motor cars her entire life and has completed a number of rallies in Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts. She regularly drives her own 1903 De Dion Bouton and is the first female driver of the famous Napier Railton, remaining one of the few recognised drivers of the car on behalf of Brooklands Museum.

The publisher of Octane Germany/Austria/Switzerland, Berthold has a passion for classic cars that started during his university days. Although his first classic – a Triumph Spitfire – turned from dream to nightmare within months, there was no way he’d let this experience affect his enthusiasm. On the contrary! Besides a particular soft spot for pre- and post-war British classics, Porsche models are among his favourites. In addition to his work as publisher of Octane, Berthold is enthusiastically participating in continental classic car rallies and runs a marketing firm that provides creative services to the international car industry.