Thomas Barta

Thomas Barta is a global authority on marketing leadership.

He’s the CEO of the Marketing Leadership Institute.

A former McKinsey Partner and CMO, he pioneered the world’s largest study on marketing leadership — 68,000+ assessments across 60+ countries.

Thomas has written the #1 marketing leadership book The 12 Powers of a Marketing Leader (with Patrick Barwise) and founded the Marketing Leadership Masterclass.

As Dean of the global CMO Fellowship, he has guided 400+ leaders to the top.

His work appears in Marketing Week, Forbes, and Nikkei.

Thomas delivers keynotes and growth workshops internationally.

Joanna Robinson

One of Australia’s most accomplished and respected marketers and commercial leaders, Joanna has a passion and proven track record for driving transformation, commercial growth, and customer-centric innovation – in the most complex and fast-paced environments. Recognised twice in the Top 50 CMOs in Australia, the B&T CMO Power 20, the Top 50 People in e-commerce, Top People in Fashion and as a finalist in multiple industry awards, Joanna is celebrated for her strategic vision and authentic leadership.

With nearly 3 decades experience across Australia, Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey, Joanna brings deep expertise in retail, e-commerce, and FMCG, working with some of the world’s most high-profile brands. This breadth and depth of experience enables her to bring diverse perspectives and creative solutions to business challenges, making her especially valuable to organisations seeking transformation and growth.

Throughout her career, Joanna has demonstrated strong skills in business strategy, change management, digital transformation, and building and shaping high-performing teams and cultures. She is deeply skilled in stakeholder management and board-level influence, having managed and optimised marketing budgets of up to AU$70 million.
Highly regarded for her innovative approach to marketing, customer, and business strategy, Joanna is a sought-after keynote speaker and contributor on brand building, digital transformation, leadership, and diversity. She is recognised for her commitment to advancing women in leadership and generously mentoring future talent, both professionally and academically as a sessional University lecturer shaping the next generation of leaders. As Chief Marketing Officer at THE ICONIC, Joanna continues to drive customer and marketing excellence, inspiring teams and influencing the industry’s future.

Gonçalo Pinto da Costa

Bio coming soon…

Jodi Murray-Freedman

As a commercially astute and values-driven Chief Marketing Officer, I specialize in delivering strategic marketing leadership that drives measurable business growth. With extensive experience across retail, QSR, and franchising, I possess a deep understanding of consumer behaviour and market dynamics, enabling the development of innovative campaigns and product launches that maintain brand integrity and deliver impact.

I have a proven record of building and mentoring high-performing creative and digital teams within fast-paced, high-performance cultures. My leadership approach emphasizes collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and leveraging team strengths to achieve exceptional outcomes. Recognized for agility and resilience, I make informed, strategic decisions and adapt quickly to changing circumstances.

Passionate about fostering creativity and continuous improvement, I actively encourage fresh ideas and empower teams to excel. Known for my resourceful, results-oriented mindset, I consistently deliver marketing strategies that resonate with consumers and create sustainable value for the business.

Fraser McNaughton

Fraser has spent 30 years helping organisations tell their stories and build lasting client relationships. From early days in insurance and financial markets to leading digital-first initiatives, Fraser has always been driven by curiosity and a belief that marketing and sales is about people as much as it is about numbers. Today, as Chief Marketing Officer at Grant Thornton, Fraser leads a talented team across revenue operations, marketing operations, brand, and client experience — bringing together diverse skills to create growth and impact. 

Colleagues know Fraser for a collaborative leadership style, a knack for spotting opportunities in change, and a genuine passion for digital transformation in marketing and sales. Whether guiding a team through complex challenges or exploring new ways to connect with clients, Fraser is energised by the chance to make business more human, more innovative, and more rewarding for everyone involved. Beyond his role at Grant Thornton, Fraser is a member of the ‘AI Pioneer’ group at ACAM, the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing.  

Outside of work, Fraser enjoys playing and coaching football and spending time with his family which mostly involves driving here, there, and everywhere supporting his two daughters sporting endeavours.  

Louise Cummins

Louise Cummins is a leading voice in AI and marketing, and Founder of the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing (ACAM) and AI–Ready Consulting. A CMO50 leader, she helps executives move from experimentation to enterprise AI readiness. Louise is a dynamic speaker known for practical insight, clarity and humanity. 

Cara Richardson

Cara Richardson is the founder of Cycle Positive and a leading voice in the emerging field of cyclical leadership. With 25 years of experience in branding, strategy and creative direction, she brings a sharp understanding of human behaviour, communication and performance to her work with leaders and organisations.

As the ECD and founder of Tuckshop Agency, Cara built a successful independent consultancy shaping some of Australia’s most recognisable Better-for-You brands. During this time she began exploring how cyclical intelligence could inform creative leadership and team culture. This included encouraging her team to work with their natural cycles of focus and capacity, and to take restorative days when needed. The experience revealed both the potential and the complexity of applying cycle-aware leadership in real creative environments. These early explorations evolved into Cycle Positive, a leadership performance modality that draws on menstrual cycle awareness and broader human cycles to support leaders of all genders.

Cara speaks on cyclical leadership, regenerative performance culture and the shift beyond hustle culture toward more sustainable, intelligent and human ways of working. She is currently expanding Cycle Positive’s corporate programs, research pathways and thought-leadership work across Australia and internationally.

Brenda Denbesten

Brenda Denbesten is an award-winning leadership and communication specialist with over 18 years’ experience across mining, manufacturing and engineering – some of Australia’s most complex, high-pressure environments. A former chemical engineer, she brings deep operational credibility to her work helping leaders communicate with clarity, confidence and influence when it matters most.

Brenda works with organisations and senior professionals to strengthen decision-making, build trust and create high-performing cultures where people speak up and lead with impact. She is the co-founder of Speakworthy, host of The Inclusive Advantage podcast, and Chair of the Intersectionality Advisory Committee for the National Association of Women in Operations (NAWO). Her work is known for being grounded, commercially relevant and immediately applicable in real-world leadership and communication challenges.

Laura Wilson

Laura Wilson is a former Chief Marketing Officer and senior business leader who has built, reset and scaled marketing functions inside some of Australia’s most complex and demanding organisations, including Deliveroo, NAB, AGL and RACV.

A sought-after advisor to CEOs and executive teams, Laura operates at the nexus of pragmatic strategy and leadership where ambition meets organisational reality. She is known for helping leaders sync their systems: aligning strategy,structure, capability and culture so marketing functions can deliver sustained commercial impact. In 2022, Laura co-founded Wingmaven, a marketing advisory that helps ambitious leaders and businesses build match-fit marketing functions designed for growth. Wingmaven works with scale-ups and enterprise organisations across Australia & New Zealand including Alinta Energy, Kiwibank, REA Group and Xero.

Jenn Ten Seldam

Jenn’s reputation as an inspirational and transformational leader has been built over an executive career of over 20+ years in APAC and Global roles. She has built, re-designed and evolved high-performing teams/divisions in fast-paced, high-growth technology businesses (SEEK, Xero) as well as mature corporate institutions (NAB, Vodafone). Over the years she has been trusted to coach countless senior marketing and business leaders through critical ‘level up’ moments, in successful pursuit of both fulfilment and achievement. This ‘lived experience’ was a unique leverage point upon which she co-founded Wingmaven in 2022 with Laura Wilson. A fast-growing marketing ‘coach-sultancy’,  Wingmaven helps ambitious businesses achieve their boldest goals by building marketing functions that are match-fit for success, from fast-growing scale-ups to corporate clients such as Alinta Energy and Kiwibank. Visit wingmaven.com for more information. 

Joel Vermaas

An insights-slinger with 18 years’ experience, Joel has had the fortune of working with brands at all stages of their lifecycle – from incubator/startups through to 100+ year established multi-nationals. He started his career at Millward Brown / Kanter, before moving to Blue Moon (during the transition to GfK), was Senior Associate Director and Head of Innovation at Nature, had a role as Executive Director at Lewers, before founding Vibrant Insights in 2023. 

With expertise in a range of disciplines (segmentation, choice modelling, brand health, communications, etc.), methods (telephone, online, face-to-face), and sectors (auto to finance, consumer goods to technology, digital services to mental health), Joel is well-versed in helping businesses deeply understand their customers, by whatever means. 

Joel is also proud to give back regularly: from mentoring in the industry, to committee member for The Research Society National Conference, alongside regular pro-bono and volunteer work. 

Joel is the Founder at Vibrant Insights, a boutique market research, insights and strategy agency in Australia. Vibrant Insights operates at the intersection of community and commerciality. Vibrant is proud to deliver research insights and strategy that allows clients to embark on decisions with confidence, allowing their brands to thrive; this work has lead to clear business outcomes, with many of Vibrant’s clients going on to win awards for business impact. At the same time, each project delivered builds Vibrant’s ‘peace chest’ – a commitment to community, donating 10% of profits to charity, alongside engaging in heavily discounted research for not-for-profits, and self-funding commercial research to benefit Vibrant’s clients. He is also Founder and Department Head at The Research Department. 

Matthew Sandwell

Matt is a senior insights and strategy professional with over 20 years’ experience helping clients better understand the culture, category and consumer to navigate their path to sustainable growth.​

Having worked in Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Asia, with global giants to start-ups, he has significant experience across a wide range of sectors and technical areas. ​

Matt utilise best practice methodologies to help better understand the culture, category and consumer, their needs, wants and desires, spanning early phase exploratory research to go to market activation and performance assessment. Equally, this insight is only as good as the decision it informs, applying a commercial lens to help guide clear, confident business decisions.​

Matt is currently Director at The Owl Insights and The Research Department. Prior to this, his most recent roles were as Managing Partner at Hall & Partners, Strategy Director at The Lab Insights and Strategy and Head of Research at Growth Solutions Group. ​

Matt holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons.) from UWA, a Marketing Mini-MBA and is a full member of the Research Society.

Abe Udy

In 1998, Abe Udy started a voiceover & audio production business in his bedroom with an old computer, fax machine, dial-up internet, and a microphone tucked between the shirts in his wardrobe.

Abe’s idea was to utilise emerging MP3 technology to allow him to record and email audio files to his clients, and he began producing TV and radio commercials for a handful of regional broadcasters & advertising agencies.

Since then, Abe’s Audio has grown to over 25 staff and produces audio content at scale for hundreds of creative agencies, media companies, video & content producers, animators and podcasters.

Abe’s passion to continually innovate and grow a thriving team culture has seen the business go from strength to strength. In December 2022, the company celebrated producing 500,000 jobs (over 1.2 million scripts!) and has developed new offerings, including the Australian-first ‘Ethical AI Voiceovers’ service – harnessing the power of AI technology and human authenticity.

Today, Abe is focused on developing and empowering his team of young leaders – and then getting out of their way!

Colleen Ryan

Colleen Ryan is recognized in the international research industry for her notable contributions to innovation in research. Together with Wendy Gordon, she co-founded The Research Business International (TRBI), lauded for its pioneering role in the methodologies of insight gathering and application, and creating the boutique research category in the UK.

Over the last decade, Colleen has played a pivotal role at TRA as a partner, steering thought leadership and innovation strategies within TRA’s operations across Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland.

Her expertise is extensive and multifaceted, encompassing brand strategy, cultural sociology, cognitive psychology, behavioural science, applying these disciplines to continuous innovation in research and its application to marketing.

Terri Hall

Terri Hall is an insights leader passionate about putting people at the heart of decision making, driving better experiences and commercial success. She believes in using multi-disciplinary approaches to uncover deep, inspiring insights that foster transformative change.

Terri leads the Sydney arm of TRA, a trans-tasman agency that champions cultural insight, behavioural science, brand and creative effectiveness, and innovation.

With extensive experience leading consulting teams in Australia and New Zealand, Terri excels at understanding, representing, and advocating for the voice of people, and translating these insights into tangible directions for brand success.

Dr Bill Page

Dr Bill Page is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and one of the Institute’s Senior Marketing Scientists. His research focuses on understanding shopper behaviour and the mental structures that lead to purchase. This includes understanding fundamental patterns of shopper behaviour, how shoppers navigate retail environments, and the pester power of children. He uses these shopper insights to help retailers and manufacturers improve the physical availability of their brands. Bill works with Institute Sponsors around the world the identify and measure Category Entry Points and Distinctive Assets. He also conducts R&D to develop our understanding of these important areas.

Since joining the Institute, Bill has worked on commercial projects for a broad range of organisations. He is experienced in measuring Distinctive Assets, copy testing, measuring brand equity, setting advertising budgets, measuring brand performance, improving in-store communications, and programming tools that can be used across a marketing organisation.

Laura Sharrad

Laura Sharrad is an Australian chef, restaurateur and media personality, best known for winning MasterChef Australia in 2025 after previously finishing as runner-up in 2014.

Based in Adelaide, she is recognised for her Italian-inspired cooking and refined, produce-driven approach. Beyond the kitchen, Laura is an active presence in food media, with regular television appearances, brand collaborations and recipe content that brings restaurant-quality cooking into the home.

Jocelin Abbey

Jocelin is General Manager of Homes & Lifestyle at Are Media, leading the growth of its homes and lifestyle portfolio including Better Homes and Gardens, The Australian Women’s Weekly, Home Beautiful, Belle, Australian House & Garden and Country Style.

A highly awarded media executive with over 20 years’ experience, she has held senior roles at The Guardian, Yahoo and Nova Entertainment, and previously led audience, growth and marketing functions at Mamamia and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Giorgia Butler

Giorgia brings over 25 years of agency experience in Australia and the US. An award-winning strategist, she has expertise in brand and creative communications, research & insights as well as integrated media strategy. Giorgia joined Innocean as CSO in early 2024, having worked with top agencies like Ogilvy, Y&R, Nunn Media and Houston Group, handling various categories such as FMCG, automotive, Telco, Education and finance. She is passionate about innovative marketing strategies that drive business growth.

Jasmin Bedir

Founder of Fck The Cupcakes, Keynote speaker, occasional Gruen panelist, columnist.
Jas comes with a German/Turkish/Aussie flavour of creative leadership at the helm of Innocean Australia. Known for delivering fearless campaign work for her clients, but also fearless opinions on media, marketing, and its impact on popular culture. Jasmin regularly writes about the media’s responsibility to bring us forward in particular on topics such as feminism and masculinity.

Gareth Leeding

Gareth has spent 18+ years at the intersection of culture, creativity, and code—reshaping how the world’s biggest brands show up in digital, social, and gaming. His work has powered 100+ award-winning campaigns for icons like Nike, Google, adidas, Guinness, Maybelline, and Samsung.

Renowned for fusing innovation with impact, Gareth’s leadership has helped global platforms like Snapchat and agencies like We Are Social earn top honors—including Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Company” and Campaign’s “Most Innovative Agency in EMEA.”

Today, as Chief Strategy Officer at Livewire, he’s building the future of brand engagement inside gaming—the world’s most explosive attention engine. A sought-after global speaker, Gareth brings sharp insights and bold vision to stages like SXSW and AdWeek.

Ruben Schreurs

Ruben Schreurs is Ebiquity’s Group Chief Executive Officer. Ruben joined the Company in 2020 following the acquisition of Digital Decisions BV, the specialist digital media monitoring and optimisation service provider, which Ruben founded in 2017. After joining the Group Ruben was Ebiquity’s Chief Product Officer until July 2023 and Chief Strategy Officer since that date. Prior to setting up Digital Decisions, Ruben previously held positions at Infectious Media and Autheos.  

Britt Wickes

Britt Wickes is a creative and commercially minded marketing leader with nearly two decades of experience building brands that connect emotionally, culturally and commercially. Across an 18 year career spanning Australia and the UK, she has worked with some of the world’s most recognised brands across sport, retail, finance and entertainment.

Currently Head of Event Brand Marketing at Tennis Australia, Britt leads the brand and marketing strategy behind the Australian Open and the broader Summer of Tennis. Her work focuses on how major sporting events show up in culture, combining audience insight with bold, idea led campaigns to drive both fandom and commercial growth.

Passionate about long term brand building, Britt specialises in evolving global brands into cultural platforms, using creativity, partnerships and experience led thinking to unlock new value for fans, partners and the sport itself.

Jet Swain

Jet Swain is the founder of The Affection Economy, a values-led framework helping brands and leaders grow without compromise. With more than 35 years across creative strategy, brand, and leadership, she works at the intersection of design research, culture, and customer experience.

Jet translates human behaviour into commercial clarity, helping organisations design the conditions where connection, relevance, and long-term value can emerge. Her frameworks — The Five Acts of The Affection Advantage and the 36 Values of The Affection Economy — are used to shape brand, culture, and CX strategies that move people from awareness to meaningful engagement.

Erin McBean

Erin grew up on a long, dusty road bordered by a dairy farm, an abattoir and a highway with 3 sisters, an overactive imagination and a penchant for telling stories. Through a series of unforeseeable events, she found herself living in Germany, where she lived and worked for 10 years. She has worked across documentary, advertising, music and film production on everything from a documentary about the sex life of a solo mum by choice to a nature series on dinosaurs in the Arctic. She loves humour, telling a good story, surfing tiny waves and hot chips. And alongside making commercials every day, she is developing a range of both documentary and fiction projects. 

Matt Apps

Matt Apps is a highly experienced Showrunner and Executive Producer behind some of the world’s biggest unscripted television formats. Across more than 25 years in television, he has led major series for Amazon Prime Video, NBC, Paramount+ and Channel 7, including Deal or No Deal Island, My Kitchen Rules, SAS Australia and the largest competition series ever made, Beast Games. Known for bold ideas and first class execution, Matt has built a career delivering premium television on a global scale.

Daniel Reisinger

Daniel’s a visual director who mines comedy from pathos. He’s Australian (which is his parent’s fault). His work has had 100s of millions of views, winning awards including Cannes Lions, the Grand Effie and D&AD pencils. He’s shot FILM and TV in the UK, US and Australia with OSCAR, GOLDEN GLOBE, BAFTA and EMMY winners. Including Jason Sudeikis (aka Ted Lasso) and Dame Harriet Walter (aka the Mum from Succession).

His British feature dramedy ANDMRS (Universal/ Netflix) received critical acclaim with THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER calling it, “a masterclass in comedy”, with, “a stellar ensemble”, and THE GUARDIAN, “a cathartic romcom”, that, “rides an emotional crescendo”.

His series SIDESWIPED (which he co-created, EPed and Directed) has more than 55 million views and great reviews and has jist been re released by ITV

Dan started out in news and documentaries at the ABC. His advertising work has seen him punk US congressmen and try to get an outback KFC a Michelin star. These campaigns won at all the big awards including the Grand Effie and 7 Cannes Lions while receiving over a 1,000,000,000 media impressions (that’s not a typo). His work has received press from Vanity Fair, CNBC, ABC, Variety, Wired, Deadline, Fox News, Le Monde, Deadline, Indiewire and Ain’t It Cool News – who called him; “a force to be reckoned with.”

Maddy MacRae

Maddy MacRae is an actor, content creator, and comedian who has taken social media by storm. Unfiltered, hilarious, and refreshingly relatable, Maddy dives into dating, sex, adulting, and the beautiful chaos of being a hot mess – earning the attention of over 3.5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Known for her unique comedic voice, Maddy brings everyday struggles to life – from personifying body parts to the dramatic inner workings of the stomach (IYKYK).  

Maddy’s reach goes beyond social media. She’s an in-demand host, having partnered with TikTok for major events and serving as Warner Brothers’ go-to red carpet host, where she’s interviewed stars like Jason Momoa, Margot Robbie, and Greta Gerwig. 

Whether she’s delivering a hot take, a life tip, or an honest overshare, Maddy keeps it real with her audience. For a daily dose of laughter and a comedic take on life’s messier moments, follow Maddy MacRae on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Dave Jansen

Dave is an Effie & Emmy Awarded Creative Leader with over 20 years of experience across digital, entertainment, advertising and production. He is the Founding Partner of Connecting Plots Group which includes Connecting Plots, Infinity Squared, a.glo, and CP-PR. He’s part time Creative Director, part time Executive Producer, and full time Chief Energy Officer.  He has an unwavering passion for entertaining creativity that puts the audience first, and has led major campaigns for Tourism Australia, Fantastic Furniture, XXXX, McDonald’s and Lendlease. He is also the founder of Infinity Squared, an award winning production company, who won an International Emmy Award for #7 Days Later, the world’s first crowdsourced TV show.

Brigid Delaney

Brigid Delaney is the author of five books. She was previously a speechwriter in the Albanese Government and has also worked as a lawyer and a journalist for some of the world’s leading publications. She was also the co-creator of the Netflix hit Wellmania. Brigid is based in Sydney.

Maura Tuohy Di Muro

Maura is a seasoned Product Marketing leader and ethical technologist best known for shaping trust & safety products and marketing initiatives at Discord, Twitter, and Mozilla.  

She has built a reputation for pioneering trust & safety marketing programs that are engaging, impactful, and—most importantly—don’t suck. Notable projects include Twitter Data Dash, a side-scrolling pixel art game designed to demystify Twitter’s revamped privacy policy (RIP), as well as Discord’s Safety Tarot Cards, the Teen Charter for a Better Internet, and the Zoltar Safety Fortune-Telling Machine—all innovative approaches to digital safety education. 

Before transitioning into product marketing in tech, Maura honed her expertise in advertising agencies, spending five years in Australia, where she earned her MBA—and, in a moment of infamy, walked away with a $15,000 Banksy painting (a story best left for you to uncover). 

Passionate about digital literacy, Maura is dedicated to bridging the gap between parents and teens in the realms of gaming and social media. She believes in harnessing the power of the internet and AI as tools for human progress and is committed to helping mission-driven organizations develop exceptional products while educating users, parents, and policymakers alike. 

She holds a Master’s in Law from UC Law San Francisco and aspires to pursue a PhD in AI safety—“once things calm down.” At home she is kept on her toes by her two boisterous boys and wonderful husband.  

Henry Innis

Henry Innis is the Co-Founder and Global CEO of Mutinex, an AI-powered marketing analytics platform that has become the new standard in marketing mix modeling (MMM), transforming how enterprise brands measure and optimise their investments. With a background in marketing strategy and software engineering, Henry leads the Mutinex product vision and is obsessed with “what’s next” for driving confident marketers and measurement. Henry has earned numerous entrepreneurship and business awards and is known for his candid leadership, relentless focus on innovation, clarity and impact. Since founding Mutinex in 2019, Hen has established the company as the trusted measurement partner for over 90 global brands. In his own words, “I build products that grow businesses – it’s that simple.

Nicky Barton

With over 13 years of experience, Nicky Barton is a seasoned Marketing Science specialist with deep expertise in media and marketing. Currently Head of Marketing Science at Mutinex, Nicky’s background spans the Entertainment, Automotive, FMCG, Banking, and CPG sectors across APAC and EMEA. Nicky excels in translating insights into impactful decisions, leveraging his extensive knowledge of the media landscape.

Amanda Behre

Amanda is an experienced executive marketing and commercial partnerships leader with almost 20 years’ experience across a diversity of categories from travel and tourism, ecommerce and digital marketplaces. She has led teams for brands such as Gumtree, Wotif, Hireup and Qantas Holidays based in USA and Australia and has managed consumer and B2B marketing, communications, CRM, marketing technology, automation and CX, managing databases of over 7 million consumers. Amanda is also an accredited career and leadership coach, growth advisor, Non Executive Director supporting brands from BIG4 Holiday Parks to Flexischools and is now Founder of Dear Thrive, a platform connecting working professionals to a network of advisory and coaching support. Amanda has been a previous speaker and panellist across events from Mumbrella to The Customer Show.

Julie Dormand

Julie is a commercial business leader with a proven track record building company growth and leading transformation.

With over thirty years’ experience in Marketing, CRM/CX, Advertising and Business Development, Julie has built and led top agencies. As CEO of Australia’s first CX Agency, MercerBell (now part of Publicis) and Managing Director of The Works, part of Capgemini, she helped blue-chip brands like Qantas, Amex and Purina unlock their customer potential.

Julie’s people-first leadership makes her a proven culture creator. At The Works, she achieved a 93NPS and 4th best place to work in Australia (WRK+ Awards), winning the 2024 Mumbrella Culture Agency Award.

Her leadership has been recognized industry-wide, winning the ADMA AC&E Jon Clark Outstanding Contribution Award and the Mumbrella Business Leader of the Year 2019. She was also finalist in the Women in Media Awards for Business Leader and Glass Ceiling awards in 2023 and Mentor in 2025.

Julie now runs her own Business and Culture Consultancy, ‘Dormand’. She is founder of The Friday Lunch Club connecting senior leaders and business founders across 7 locations, Chair of the Advisory Board for Ellipsis Loyalty, and a mentor for Mentor Walks Australia and The Marketing Academy.

Jules brings a mix of business mind and empathetic nature. She believes in Daring Leadership, the value of Human Connections and making business fun.

Karin Du Chenne

Karin leads client and growth initiatives at Kantar Australia, helping organisations harness brand, digital, AI and analytics to unlock sharper insights and turn them into commercial advantage. Her experience spans fintech, FMCG, media and tourism — and her energy lies in pushing brands to think bigger and move faster.

A dynamic leader with more than 25 years’ impact across local and global markets, Karin believes AI is the most powerful accelerator of shared understanding and innovation our industry has ever seen. Her international career includes three years in Istanbul as Chief Client Officer for Kantar MEA, before returning to serve as CEO of Kantar South Africa. She is also a two‑time Insight250 global winner, recognised for innovation in data‑driven marketing.

Karin holds a BCom in Marketing and Finance and completed Sustainability in Business at Cambridge. A passionate explorer, she brings a bold, global perspective to every stage and conversation

James Greet

James Greet is one of Australia’s most experienced agency change leaders. During the course of his career he has worked with some of the world’s most progressive agencies (PHD London, Saatchi’s China, BBH London) dividing his time between both media and creative, where strategic and creative thinking has been the definer and driver of their success.

During his 24 years in Australia, James has held the CEO role at OMD, Mindshare (ANZ, Japan and Korea), and Ikon (ANZ,) building a reputation as a pioneer, helping turn under performing companies into both market and global network leaders.

This includes turning OMD from an underperforming lossmaker into Agency of the Decade, and Mindshare from vanilla and forgotten into the purple group’s global office of the year.

As an ocean swimming, trail running, triathlete and nature lover he’s also spent the last 3 years working with leaders across the marketing and media industry to change its negative impact on the environment into a force for positive change.

His most recent venture will see the launch of London’s renowned The Purpose Disruptors here in Australia this April. An organisation committed to a vision where advertising works in harmony with the natural world.

Peter Chun

Peter Chun is the EVP and Global Head of PAC (Platforms, Algorithms, and Culture) at VaynerX, leading the company’s platform and creative strategy. His expertise in platforms and cultural trends allows him to deliver cutting-edge insights and maximize relevance for the agency and its brand partners.

As an innovator, Peter spearheads VaynerX’s initiatives across emerging landscapes, consistently pushing boundaries and setting new standards. His strategic vision and commitment to staying ahead of the curve have positioned VaynerX as a leader in the digital marketing space, delivering exceptional results for its clients.

With over 15 years of experience in digital marketing, performance advertising, and venture-backed consumer startups, he’s worked with the world’s largest consumer Internet brands, such as Apple, American Express, and Nike, to name a few.

Before joining VaynerX, he was the Head of Platforms at SocialCode, leading the launch of Facebook Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Snap’s Ad API’s. Peter’s previous roles included managing director at LinkShare (acquired by Rakuten) and head of solutions at Clickable

Laura Pennycuick

Laura Pennycuick is the Head of Marketing ANZ at the Treasury Collective (TWE), where she leads regional marketing strategy across a portfolio of iconic wine brands, including Pepperjack, 19 Crimes and Squealing Pig. With over 14 years’ experience, Laura has built her career in the alcohol industry, working across some of the most recognisable brands in beer and wine.

Her background spans brand strategy, innovation, culture-led marketing and commercial delivery, including a four-year stint in New York working on Bud Light, as well as playing a key role in the launch of Great Northern – one of Australia’s most successful beer innovations of the past decade. Known for blending strategic thinking with creative instinct, Laura brings a strong commercial lens to bold, attention-earning ideas.

She’s passionate about building brands that genuinely connect with culture, drive growth and stand the test of time.

Phillip van Bruchem

Phil van Bruchem is Creative Director at Splash, Treasury Wine Estates’ in-house agency, where for the past three years he has led award-winning creative work across some of Australia’s most iconic wine brands.

Over his career, Phil has created work of all shapes and sizes – using Snapchat to help find missing teenagers, opening the world’s most remote pizzeria, polishing a (golden) turd, turning 7-Eleven coffee beans into a high-end body scrub and producing a sketch comedy series – while delivering notable, award-winning work for some of Australia’s most-loved brands.

Prior to Splash, he held senior creative leadership roles at McCann, M&C Saatchi and Clemenger Group’s CHEP Network, and was Executive Creative Director of BWM Dentsu Melbourne. Under his leadership, BWM Dentsu became one of the most awarded in the APAC region, earning its first wins at Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, LIAs, Spikes, Adfest and the Webbys.

Hannah Nickels

Hannah is the Head of Strategy and Operations at Bolster group. With over a decade experience working across agencies, brands and publishers, Hannah has a knack for taking a complex problem
and making it simple(er).

At Bolster that see’s her helping entertainment, arts and culture businesses connect with their fans and helping brands connect with culture.

Alex Light

Alex Light has worked in youth culture, marketing and media for 20 years, with a speciality in shaping and commercialising creativity and innovative ideas.

Alex is currently the GM of Partnerships at Bolster Group. In this role, he leads the agency’s key client relationships and strategic partnerships, working with major brands such as EA Games, Tourism Australia, William Grant, Treasury Wines; and representing commercial rights holders including Laneway Festival, Carriageworks, Now or Never and RISING Festival.

Prior to Bolster, Alex served as Managing Director of the city guide Concrete Playground and spent nine years at VICE Australia, where he rose to Acting Country Manager and Commercial Director. Across these leadership roles, he oversaw commercial operations and managed key relationships for major clients including AB InBev, Pernod Ricard, Airtasker, and Unilever.

Tim Fung

Tim Fung is the Founder and CEO Airtasker Limited, Australia’s leading online marketplace for local services, connecting people and businesses who need work done with people who want to work.

With a mission to empower people to realise the full value of their skills, Airtasker aims to have a positive impact on the future of work by creating truly flexible opportunities to work and earn income.

In 2025, Airtasker entered the world of Formula One™ through its partnership with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One™ Team (VCARB). Since launching in 2012, Airtasker Taskers have completed more than 5 million tasks worldwide and Airtasker has put more than $720 million into the pockets of Australian Taskers (net of Airtasker’s fees)

Tim is also a co-founder and director of Tank Stream Labs Pty Ltd – a co-working space and entrepreneurial community located in Sydney.

Before starting Airtasker, Tim was a founding team member and investor in telco startup Amaysim, playing a key role in strategy and capital raising. He is a founder and director of several web startups, including online custom shirt design business Joe Button, and motorsport event management group Circuit Club.

Tim has worked as a consulting talent agent at Chic Management and before this, spent five years as an investment banking executive at Macquarie Bank. Tim has a B.Commerce (marketing) from UNSW and was a recipient of the 2016 UNSW Young Alumni award and 2017 NSW Pearcey Tech Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Richard Hunwick

Bio coming soon…

Andrew Every

Andrew Every is a specialist in strategy, transformation, and high‑impact commercial partnerships across media and technology. At oOh!media, he leads corporate strategy, strategic growth initiatives, and the expansion of the company’s retail media division, reo.

Before joining oOh!, Andrew served as Executive General Manager of Strategy and Transformation at the NRL, where he oversaw major growth programs and managed partnerships with long‑term broadcast media partners. He has also held senior executive roles within Telstra’s Media business, contributing to the growth of Foxtel, Telstra TV, and Telstra’s live sports and music offerings. Earlier in his career, Andrew spent nearly a decade at PwC specialising in media and technology.

Caroline Hugall

Caroline Hugall is the Chief Strategy Officer at Spark Foundry Australia, leading the agency’s strategic vision. With over 20 years of experience across London, New York, and Sydney, she has shaped brand and marketing strategies for global businesses. Caroline has held leadership roles at IAG, Mondelez International, Ogilvy & Mather, and Naked Communications, where she spearheaded transformative campaigns for iconic brands such as Coca-Cola, IKEA and Oreo. Passionate about driving meaningful connections between brands and audiences, she blends data-driven insights with cultural intelligence to create impactful strategies. 

Lauren Dawber

Lauren is a senior media and marketing leader with deep expertise in operational marketing excellence, agency stewardship and high‑performance team leadership. Over the past five years, she has held two executive roles: first as Managing Director at Carat Australia, where she led agency and client strategic transformation, and currently as Senior Director, Media, Operations & Performance at Optus.

At Optus, Lauren plays a pivotal role in shaping media efficiency and effectiveness through future‑ready marketing operations, including leading the agency partnership ecosystem; an approach widely recognised for its strategic discipline and forward‑looking design, alongside driving marketing led transformation to deliver efficiency, enhancing and automating the end-to-end operating process.

When she’s not working, Lauren can be found chasing after her two little hurricanes, Oscar and Belle, who keep life joyful, unpredictable, and very well‑grounded!

Yasmina Pinto

Yasmina Pinto is a senior brand leader and educator with 20 years’ experience shaping some of Australia’s most recognised brands. As Head of Brand at AGL for seven years, she has led major brand and marketing projects during AGL’s transformation, including repositioning AGL for the energy transition, launching a telecommunications brand extension, and numerous content and social media programs. Previously Head of Brand at HCF, she oversaw an award‑winning brand transformation nation-wide. Yasmina has also lectured in postgraduate Brand Management at UNSW and published a brand transformation case study globally.

Aimee Dixon

A seasoned marketing executive with a robust foundation in commercial outcomes, data, insights, and AI. Aimee brings a unique blend of analytical and strategic skills to her creative remit.

Her career, which has spanned financial and strategic roles before transitioning to marketing, has allowed her to leverage her commercial acumen to drive impactful campaigns, foster brand growth, and enhance customer’s experience.

Known for her innovative approach and ability to navigate complex market dynamics, Aimee excels in creating value-driven strategies that align with business objectives and prioritize customer needs.
Her leadership and vision continue to inspire teams and deliver exceptional results.

Bridget Cleary

Bridget Cleary is Co-Founder and CEO of BRX where we help the world’s leading marketers accelerate their growth at scale. Bridget has extensive experience in marketing, advertising, and tech to drive growth for major businesses. She is passionate about leveraging technology to achieve better outcomes, and simplifying the complex in brand science, data, tech, team building, and life.

Marty Hungerford

Marty Hungerford is Chief Innovation Officer and founding partner of BRX, where he is redefining how creative agencies deliver value through technology, insight and craft.

With over 25 years of experience building and guiding digital, creative and strategic teams across top-tier multinational networks and independent agencies, Marty has helped some of Australia’s most iconic brands including Optus, Medibank, AGL, Australia Post, HostPlus and Youi generate stronger engagement, measurable outcomes and long-term customer value.

He is focused on transforming both BRX and its clients’ businesses through the practical application of AI, embedding generative tools across strategy, copy, imagery, video, music and voice. These technologies are used not only to elevate creative output, but to drive efficiency, reduce production costs and accelerate time to market.

Marty’s mission is to help build the agency model of the future, one that is agile, intelligent and integrated, designed to help brands compete and thrive in a fast-evolving digital economy.

Emelie Lundberg

Emelie Lundberg Emelie has over 13 years of experience specialising in social media and has worked across leading media, creative, and social agencies in Sydney. Her experience spans strategy, content ideation, production, and paid media, delivering end-to-end campaigns that connect brands with audiences in a meaningful way. Throughout her career, Emelie has partnered with a diverse portfolio of clients such as Subaru, Destination NSW, Carnival Cruise Line, Zambrero, Clorox, Ferrero, Kimberly-Clark, and 7-Eleven. Known for her collaborative approach, she brings both creative insight and strategic thinking to every project. Emelie thrives on mentoring teams and fostering an environment where impactful, meaningful work can thrive.

Lucila Lannes

Lucila Lannes A creative strategist at heart, Luci lives and breathes social media. Her obsession with digital trends ensures she is always ahead of the curve, possessing a deep understanding of what is happening in culture and the social landscape. Her expertise spans from research and data analysis to trend prediction. Beyond that, Luci has experience across all social departments, from production to influencer marketing, ensuring holistic strategies that optimise performance from every standpoint.

Mark Pollard

Mark runs Sweathead, a strategy training, event, and publishing company. 
 
He’s trained The Wall Street Journal, Complex Media, On Running, Twitter, and Meta while growing the Sweathead Facebook Group to over 20,000 members and the Sweathead podcast to over 1.6 million total listens.  
 
Mark spent almost two decades working in advertising in agencies like Leo Burnett, Big Spaceship, and McCann before setting up Sweathead in New York City. His roles have touched user experience, social media strategy, and account planning. 
 
Outside of advertising, Mark is a writer and publisher. In fact, he published Australia’s first full color hip hop magazine with a CD and, having raised $37,000 on Kickstarter, he’s sold 8,000 copies of his first book “Strategy Is Your Words”. 
 
He’s spoken at conferences like the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity and he’s hosted strategy masterclasses in tens of countries.  

Zannie Abbott

Zannie Abbott is Head of Marketing & Communications at eBay ANZ, leading integrated brand and performance strategy. With two decades across eBay, agency and entrepreneurship, she builds customer journeys and campaigns that drive revenue, strengthen ROMI and deliver sustainable growth. Known for building scalable systems and high-performing teams, Zannie brings strategy, culture and performance together to drive meaningful growth.

Harriet Swinburn

Harriet Swinburn is a strategic leader at iProspect with experience driving brand, media, data and creative integration across global and local clients. Currently Hattie works with the eBay business to identify what will drive brand and performance difference, perception and preference and find a bold way forward. Hattie believes change is where the fiction is and this is where communication gets interesting.

Tracey Peters

Tracey leads media and agency relations for Opella’s portfolio of brands. She has over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and OTC industries, across Australia, Singapore and the US. Tracey also has extensive experience in procurement, giving her a first-hand understanding of marketing’s role within the overall business. She has a passion for sustainability and has contributed significantly to Opella’s carbon reduction efforts across the marketing function.

Ashley Wong

Ashley works with clients and partners, to create innovative digital solutions that forge a better path forward. He’s experienced the evolution of the media and tech landscape over the past two decades, and sees the pivotal role of innovation in achieving meaningful change towards a more sustainable future.

Arum Nixon

Arum leads Ad Net Zero in Australia, the industry’s programme to help decarbonise advertising’s supply chain and support more sustainable behaviours. He has extensive experience across media agency functions from strategy to investment, in Australia and the UK.

Aarron Spinley

Aarron Spinley is a Fellow (and co-founder) at the Field Bell Institute, where he teaches the Mini MBA in Customering to international student cohorts twice annually. An author with Taylor & Francis, the world’s largest educational publisher, his career spans marketing, technology, risk, and customer advisory. He has spoken or lectured on 5 continents.