11-12 November 2026 | Crown Melbourne
The Future of Marketing STARTS HERE
Patricia Corsi
Chief Growth Officer (Switzerland)
David Ohana
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer (US)
Jana Kotatko
Chief Marketing Officer & Retail Executive
Alex Schellenberger
Chief Brand & Marketing Officer
Innovate, Create, Connect, Inspire
The marketing landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Evolving technologies, changing consumer expectations, and volatile economic conditions are pushing leaders to adapt, and fast. Those who embrace change, ignite their creativity, and deliver strategies with real impact will define success and set themselves apart in Australia’s fiercely competitive marketplace.
The future begins at the 12th annual Marketing Leaders 2026, Australia’s essential event for marketing professionals. Join us and walk away with actionable insights that tackle the industry’s most pressing challenges. This event is built around brand strategy, tactics, and data insights, equipping professionals with the tools, innovative vision, and connections needed to optimise operations, boost engagement, and drive enterprise growth.
Why Attend
- 1Unrivalled Expertise
- 2High-Calibre Content
- 3Invaluable Networking Opportunities
Unrivalled Expertise
Hear directly from influential leaders and experts. Gain candid insight into the strategies, challenges, and lessons that inform their work.
High-Calibre Content
Stay ahead of the forces reshaping business through carefully researched sessions focused on today’s most pressing issues. Leave with fresh perspectives, practical ideas and greater clarity to guide your decision-making.
Invaluable Networking Opportunities
Connect with an exceptional community of senior leaders. Exchange ideas with peers and partners, expand your network and build enduring professional relationships.
2026 Speakers
Patricia Corsi
Chief Growth Officer
Jana Kotatko
Chief Marketing Officer & Retail Executive
Jana leads Telstra’s Retail business, which includes a team of over 5,000 passionate high-achievers committed to a customer-focused culture that ensures the customer’s voice is heard at all levels of the organisation.
Jana joined Telstra in 2017 and has since held a number of senior leadership roles, including CEO of Belong, Executive for Customer Value Management, and Executive for Fixed Products.
She brings more than two decades of experience across telecommunications and consumer services, with a strong background in marketing, brand and customer value leadership. Prior to joining Telstra, Jana held senior leadership roles at Vodafone Australia and NRMA, where she led largescale brand and customer transformations, centralised marketing capability, and guided organisations through periods of significant change. Her earlier career includes leadership roles at 3 Mobile Australia and Cable & Wireless UK.
Prior to Telstra, Jana held various leadership positions at NRMA, Vodafone Australia, 3 Mobile Australia, and Cable & Wireless UK.
Jana has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing and Advertising from the University of Technology, Sydney.
Jana is an engaging and authentic leader who believes that culture isn’t just important – it’s everything.
Sian Chadwick
Chief Marketing Officer & General Manager, Retail Brand and Marketing
Sian Chadwick joined ANZ as General Manager Marketing, Australia in 2023. Her 20+ year career in Financial Services spans Australia and UK Banking, Payments and Fintech. With experience in Marketing, Digital, Product and Data consulting, Sian champions customer-centric and data-led approaches to enhance brand strategy, portfolio growth and customer experience.
Prior to joining ANZ, Sian held senior leadership roles at American Express in the UK and Australia. She served as the Vice President of Digital Marketing for the International Card business, before leading the Charge Card and Loyalty portfolio in the United Kingdom. Sian then returned to Australia and for five years was the regional B2B CMO, providing B2B and B2C marketing and big data analytics consultancy services to American Express Merchant customers across Asia Pacific. More recently, Sian led Marketing for Westpac Business Bank, and Regional Marketing for IG Group, a FTSE-listed FinTech
David Ohana
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
Nic Taylor
Senior Vice President & the Head of LEGO Agency
Nic is a SVP at the LEGO Group and Head of Our LEGO Agency (OLA), the LEGO Group’s internal creative and strategic agency.
Nic has a global advertising career spanning 25 years leading award winning agencies. Prior to joining the LEGO Group, Nic was CEO of Catorce DDB, a global agency headquartered in Barcelona to service the SEAT and Cupra brands globally.
Before joining Catorce, Nic was the CEO of McCann World Group Australia leading a national team and integrated offering across 4 office locations.
Prior to McCann, Nicole was the CEO of DDB Sydney. A highly awarded integrated creative agency recognised for its creative excellence and innovation on Volkswagen, McDonald’s, and Sydney Opera House.
Nic is highly regarded by the industry for her integrity, very collaborative style, and the strong relationships that she builds both internally and externally. She is a passionate advocate for diversity and has Board experience for industry and charity organisations.
Alex Schellenberger
Chief Brand & Marketing Officer
Alex is a seasoned leader with almost two decades of extensive branding, marketing, and commercial experience. He commenced his career at Procter & Gamble with various assignments across different geographies, including the Prestige Division, where he elevated the Hugo Boss fragrance line. Subsequently, he held senior executive positions steering transformative marketing and communication initiatives to redefine and reposition beauty and luxury goods brands at companies like Coty, Braun, and Swarovski. Most recently, Alex served as Global Chief Marketing Officer for Accor, based in Paris, where he pioneered brand equity and rejuvenation across Accor’s portfolio of hospitality brands. Alex is a German national with extensive experience living in both Europe and Asia and is based at the Group’s Head Office in Hong Kong.
Adam Jacka
General Manager Marketing - Brand, Campaigns, Activation & IHA
Kellie Hush
CEO Australia Fashion Week
Kellie Hush is one of Australia’s most influential voices in fashion, with 30 years of experience across media, brand strategy, and fashion innovation. She is the former Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s BAZAAR Australia, a role she held for six years, where she led the magazine through a dynamic era of storytelling that championed both established and emerging designers, while shaping the cultural conversation around Australian fashion.
She is co-founder and Chief Brand and Strategy Officer of Seamlist Global, a pioneering circular fashion technology platform that creates digital product passports for garments – enabling full traceability, authentication, and resale transparency across the fashion supply chain. Seamlist represents Hush’s ongoing commitment to building the infrastructure for a truly circular fashion economy.
Hush is also a co-founder of The Volte, which has grown to become the world’s largest peer-to-peer luxury fashion rental platform. As Chief Brand and Strategy Officer, she has positioned The Volte at the forefront of the global re-commerce revolution. Under her leadership, the platform expanded internationally in 2025, combining cutting-edge technology with circular fashion principles to transform the way people access and experience designer fashion.
Hush is a co-founding director of the Australian Fashion Council and was appointed CEO of Australian Fashion Week in 2025, where she is leading the event’s reinvention under the AFC’s stewardship. She has served as Acting CEO of the AFC and previously sat on the Board of Directors at the Melbourne Fashion Festival.
Beyond her executive leadership, Hush is a trusted brand strategist and consultant to leading fashion and corporate clients, including Carla Zampatti and Macquarie Group. She sits on the boards of M.J. Bale and The Best Group, and was formerly a Trustee of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, where she spearheaded the acclaimed Zampatti Powerhouse exhibition in 2022. Her past board work also includes roles with the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation and as a Governor of the St George Foundation.
Kellie Hush’s career reflects a deep commitment to driving sustainable innovation, elevating Australian creativity on the global stage, and challenging traditional models of fashion consumption.
Abigail Forsyth
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Amanda Green
General Manager of Digital & Innovation (Global)
With over two decades of global experience, Amanda is a powerhouse in digital transformation and eCommerce. Consistently ranked among the top 50 eCommerce talents in the industry, she has spent her career revolutionizing digital strategies across both B2B and B2C landscapes.
From scaling eCommerce for Nike in Europe and Australia to driving digital overhauls at L’Oréal and Laminex, Amanda excels at guiding heritage brands into the modern digital era. Currently, she serves as the General Manager for Digital & Innovation at Treasury Wine Estates, where she leads the global charge into innovative MarTech and digital luxury.
Tim Snape
Chief Brand Officer
Nick Atkinson
Senior Marketing Director
Oonagh Flanagan
Chief Marketing Officer
Christelle Young
Managing Director
Christelle Young is an innovative and results-driven executive with over 20 years of leadership in strategy, transformation, data analytics, AI, and technology. Currently serving as Managing Director at T2 Tea, a B Corp-certified company, she leads the charge in elevating everyday rituals and the art of living, through 100% sustainably sourced tea done differently. Christelle is dedicated to driving a purpose-led brand with sustainable growth, modernizing the brand, elevating AI into retail operations, and expanding its reach.
Previously, as Chief Data & Analytics Officer at L’Oréal, Christelle delivered transformative business outcomes across 33 countries, creating multimillion-euro value through advanced analytics and operational maturity. Her versatile career also spans corporate strategy, organizational redesign, and interim leadership as GM of Finance OTC at Toll Group, where she spearheaded large-scale finance and shared services transformations.
Recognized as a thought leader, Christelle is a sought-after speaker and media contributor on analytics, technology, and innovation. She has co-authored influential tools like the Kearney Analytics Impact Index and served as an advisor to the Melbourne Business School Centre for Business Analytics, shaping the future of education.
Christelle’s foundation in technology, with a Bachelor in IT and a Master of Business Analytics, complements her ability to drive data-led innovation. A passionate advocate for mental health and education, she also serves on nonprofit and academic boards. As a mother of two, she champions inclusive leadership and inspires the next generation to think beyond boundaries.
Rennie Freer
General Manager, Marketing
Rennie Freer is the General Manager of Marketing at Kmart and Target.
With more than 20 years of experience in marketing and brand leadership, Rennie has worked for leading Australian and international brands, including MECCA, Nestlé, Kmart and Target.
Her career spans both agency and client-side roles, giving her experience across brand strategy, customer growth, retail marketing and organisational transformation.
Rennie is particularly interested in building strong teams and supporting the development of future leaders.
She is also a Director of the Kids Plus Foundation and Chair of its Strategy and Innovation Committee.
Nicole Bardsley
Head of Marketing ANZ
Nicole is a highly commercial and innovative senior marketing executive with 20+ years experience delivering brand and customer growth strategies for iconic Australian and international brands across retail, media, telecommunications and financial services. Nicole joined Uber in 2024 as Head of Marketing for ANZ across Uber and Uber Eats and was recognised in the 2026 and 2025 B&T CMO Power List.
Nicole has held senior marketing roles at Cashrewards, Westpac, Virgin Mobile and Foxtel and is a Marketing Academy Alumni after being part of the inaugural Australian Leaders Program in 2015. Throughout her career Nicole has delivered many highly recognisable and awarded marketing campaigns and is known for her ability to build compelling brand strategies and deliver impactful business growth.
Adrian McCaffrey
General Manager Marketing & Digital
Alessia Taddei
Chief Marketing Officer
Alessia is a senior marketing leader with a passion for building iconic brands, accelerating growth, and creating meaningful consumer connections.
Alessia joined PepsiCo in 2017 and brings more than 20 years of experience across Marketing, Innovation, Category Management, and Revenue Growth Management, gained through a diverse career with leading global organisations including Ferrero, Reckitt, and Haleon (formerly GSK).
As the PepsiCo ANZ Foods CMO, she leads a high-performing team responsible for brand strategy, innovation, portfolio development, insights, media and marketing transformation across some of the region’s most iconic food brands like Smith’s, Red Rock Deli, Doritos, Bluebird and Obela.
With extensive experience at the intersection of consumer insight, commercial strategy, and creative excellence, Alessia is passionate about translating evolving consumer needs into growth opportunities that strengthen brands and drive business performance.
A strong advocate for evidence-based marketing, Alessia serves on the Board of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and is committed to advancing the application of marketing science to drive long-term growth. She believes the most successful brands balance commercial performance with authentic consumer relevance, creating enduring competitive advantage for both businesses and consumers.
Originally from Italy, Alessia has called Sydney home for more than 20 years, where she and her partner are raising their two children.
Heath Walker
Director, Marketing - Australia & New Zealand
James Holloman
Chief Marketing Officer
Leading a multidisciplinary team, James is focused on ensuring the continuing connection between customer, community and brand. With a career spanning some of the world’s most iconic luxury fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands, James believes that in marketing “creativity and data converge to drive meaningful results.
Eva Barrett
General Manager - Brand, Marketing & Customer Experience
Joanna Robinson
Chief Customer & Marketing Officer
Naomi Driver
General Manager, Marketing
Jonathan Goh
Head of Marketing Technology & Orchestration
Tamara Howe
Chief Marketing Officer, International Division
Tamara is the Chief Marketing Officer, International Division at the SunRice Group after joining in 2022 and has over 25 years of FMCG experience with Dairy Farmers, Kellanova, and SunRice. She has worked across Brand Management, Innovation, Corporate Affairs, General Management and R&D across markets including Australia, NZ, the US and Middle East. Tamara holds a Commerce Degree from UNSW and was named a top 20 CMO in 2018 and 2019 by CMO Australia Magazine. Tamara is an Australasian Advisory Board Member for the Ehrenberg Bass Institute of Marketing Science.
Sarah Shimmons
Marketing & Innovations Director
Sarah Shimmons has almost 20 years of experience in FMCG marketing, including eight years within the Diageo ecosystem working in Ireland, Great Britain, North America and in Global Travel, including in roles such as Global Marketing Director for Smirnoff and Global Travel Retail Marketing and Innovation Director before moving to Australia as Marketing & Innovation Director in March 2025. Prior to Diageo, Sarah worked at Linwoods Health Foods, Coca-Cola HBC and Bacardi Brown-Forman.
Sarah has a passion for storytelling, innovation, and the end to end consumer journey, championing bold, meaningful marketing and exceptional customer execution across Diageo’s market leading portfolio of brands.
Florence Paoli
Marketing Director ANZ
Nikki Clarkson
Chief Marketing Officer
Nikki Clarkson is a Chief Marketing Officer and C-suite media and technology executive with a strong track record in brand growth, customer strategy, and data-led transformation within ASX-listed organisations.
As Chief Marketing Officer at the Victoria Racing Club (VRC), Nikki leads the brand and performance marketing, communications, reputation, content, broadcast and community strategies for the Lexus Melbourne Cup Carnival, driving audience growth, brand relevance, and commercial outcomes. In 2025, her team delivered record results, contributing to a $533 million economic impact for Victoria (+6% YoY) and engaging 7.4 million Australians on Lexus Melbourne Cup Day.
Through targeted audience, brand and experience strategies, Nikki has strengthened visitation and demand, attracting over 71,000 interstate and international visitors, while significantly growing younger audiences—attendance among 18–29-year-olds has increased by 49.5% since 2019.
Previously, as Chief Marketing Officer at Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), Nikki led the launch and growth of the LiSTNR digital audio platform, scaling to over two million registered users and a total reach of ten million Aussies in under three years. She transformed the marketing function into a data-led growth engine, optimising SCA’s CDP and martech stack and delivering 60% of attributed business growth from marketing activity along with the brand and go to market strategy for a new business to business initiative the ‘LiSTNR Adtech Hub’ which delivered $53 million in new digital audio revenue.
Nikki has been recognised several times in the CMOTOP50, Mediaweek’s Top 100 Media Executives and many other industry awards and brings deep expertise across brand, digital, customer, and communications strategy, including reputation management in highly regulated environments.
Jonathan Kerr
Chief Growth Officer
As Chief Growth Officer, Jonathan is responsible for business growth at Auto & General, spanning divisions including Marketing, Media & Acquisition, Partnerships, Alliances and Innovation. He is a member of the AGH Board, the Insurance Australia Exco, as well as the Pricing & Underwriting Committee and Customer Committee, having joined the company in 2005. Under Jonathan’s watch, A&G’s lead direct brand, Budget Direct has become Australia’s most award-winning insurer, Australia Insurer of the Year for 10 years in a row and Australia’s fastest growing major Motor and Home insurer for the last 10 years, while also picking up multiple Gold Effies along the way. On the partnership front Jonathan’s Partnership department proudly drives forward A&G’s partnerships with the likes of Qantas, ING and Coles.
A proud Dyslexic, Jonathan has extensive experience in all aspects of marketing, media, digital and customer experience across a number of industry sectors including FMCG, Financial Services, Insurance. Jonathan has over 30 years of experience in senior roles in Australia, the UK and the United States. Prior to commencing his business career, Jonathan was a double Commonwealth Games swimming finalist representing Scotland and an All-American swimmer for the mighty Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Jamie Mckinlay
Senior Vice President, Asia Publishing
Jamie Mckinlay is Senior Vice President, Asia Publishing at EA, where he leads growth strategy, go-to-market, and live service execution across one of the most dynamic regions in global gaming. He has helped run and scale some of the world’s biggest sports entertainment brands, including EA SPORTS FC, combining brand building with the operating discipline required to deliver year-round relevance in a live service world. Known for forging partnerships that expand reach, translating player insight into durable business results, and driving hyper-local content and community at scale, Jamie brings a practical perspective on how global brands stay distinctive across cultures, platforms, and always-on channels.
Yasmina Pinto
Head of Brand
Yasmina Pinto is an award-winning brand leader with 20 years’ experience transforming some of Australia’s most recognised organisations. As Head of Brand at AGL, she has led major brand transformation initiatives, energy transition campaigns and innovative content partnerships that have helped shape one of Australia’s most recognised brands. Previously Head of Brand at HCF, Yasmina has also lectured in Brand Management at UNSW.
Anthony Dean
Marketing Director
Mel Hopkins
Founder
Dan Ferguson
Principal
Speakers
Sessions
and Development
Environment
Content by leaders, for leaders
Our cutting-edge content is carefully researched and curated, leveraging the expertise and insights of Connect Media’s vast network of industry specialists. Timely and uniquely tailored, our programmes ignite innovation, address leading industry challenges, and reveal the skills and tools needed to achieve future-focused business excellence.
Agenda
Mel Hopkins
Founder
From Customers to Fans: The New Rules of Emotional Brand Building
Drawing on almost two decades shaping and repositioning luxury, beauty and hospitality brands across Europe and Asia, Alex Schellenberger will examine how marketers create emotional preference when consumers face limitless choice and increasingly similar experiences.
Alex Schellenberger
Chief Brand & Marketing Officer
The Commercial Marketer: Driving Growth, Influence & Enterprise Impact
Marketing leaders are expected to protect long-term brand value, deliver immediate commercial results and strengthen their influence across the business. This discussion will focus on the measures, capabilities and cross-functional relationships required to meet that mandate.
- Defining marketing performance in the language of CEOs, CFOs and enterprise value
- Balancing brand investment with short-term growth and budget accountability
- Building the talent, operating models and cross-functional alignment required for greater influence
Sarah Shimmons
Marketing & Innovations Director
Jonathan Kerr
Chief Growth Officer
Alessia Taddei
Chief Marketing Officer
Joanna Robinson
Chief Customer & Marketing Officer
Tamara Howe
Chief Marketing Officer, International Division
As Target celebrates 100 years in Australia, Rennie Freer explores how marketers can turn brand heritage into contemporary relevance. She’ll share how Target is building on a century of quality, value and trust, while evolving how the brand connects with Australian families and positioning it for its next 100 years.
Rennie Freer
General Manager, Marketing
Connecting Nike with the Next Generation Across the Pacific
Young people are changing how sport intersects with identity and community, challenging brands to create with them. Nick Atkinson will explore how Nike Pacific connects with the next generation, sustains cultural momentum beyond major sporting moments and prepares its teams for the growing influence of AI on marketing.
- Understanding how the next generation relates to sport, identity and community, and what it means to create with rather than market to them
- Sustaining cultural momentum around the Matildas and defining the most useful role for brands before, during and beyond major sporting moments
- Using AI to strengthen how marketing teams work while developing the skills and human judgement that matter most
Nick Atkinson
Senior Marketing Director
Under Christelle Young, T2 has combined commercial discipline with renewed creative ambition, refocusing its range and creating sensory retail experiences grounded in the colour, craft and rituals that set it apart. Christelle will share how T2 is building on these foundations to shape an innovative next chapter for the brand.
Christelle Young
Managing Director
Eva Barrett
General Manager - Brand, Marketing & Customer Experience
Drawing on her experience leading marketing across Uber and Uber Eats in ANZ, Nicole Bardsley will examine how brands can connect commercial performance with customer experience and cultural relevance at scale.
Nicole Bardsley
Head of Marketing ANZ
Martech Transformation: Turning Innovation into Enterprise Growth
AI and martech create value only when they are adopted, governed, and embedded in everyday operations. Marketing leaders will consider how to move beyond fragmented tools and build capability that improves performance without adding unnecessary complexity.
- Operationalising AI and automation without overwhelming teams or weakening brand governance
- Driving organisation-wide adoption so technology investment translates into performance
- Prioritising platforms, capabilities and governance when budgets are constrained
Jonathan Goh
Head of Marketing Technology & Orchestration
Adrian McCaffrey
General Manager Marketing & Digital
Amanda Green
General Manager of Digital & Innovation (Global)
Storytelling as a Catalyst: How Brand Narratives Drive Measurable Commercial Outcomes
As channels fragment and attention becomes harder to earn, brand storytelling must work harder to remain distinctive, relevant and commercially credible. The challenge is to preserve authenticity and emotional connection while demonstrating commercial return.
- Measuring the long-term value of storytelling beyond reach and engagement
- Cutting through content saturation while protecting authenticity and brand coherence
- Defending investment in brand narrative alongside short-term performance pressure
Tim Snape
Chief Brand Officer
Yasmina Pinto
Head of Brand
Abigail Forsyth
Co-Founder & Managing Director
How the LEGO Group Turns Creativity, Collaboration and Craft into Global Brand Impact
This virtual international interview will explore how the LEGO Group brings creative teams, partners and markets together to deliver globally consistent work without losing the craft, imagination and cultural relevance behind an iconic brand.
- Building collaboration and creative standards across a global organisation
- Balancing brand consistency with market relevance and local creative insight
- Designing agency capability that turns craft and creativity into measurable brand impact
Nic Taylor
Senior Vice President & the Head of LEGO Agency
Sian Chadwick’s executive remit across marketing, retail brand and customer experience at ANZ places her at the centre of the commercial marketing agenda. She will set out how the function can strengthen its influence, demonstrate accountability and contribute more directly to enterprise performance.
Sian Chadwick
Chief Marketing Officer & General Manager, Retail Brand and Marketing
Mel Hopkins
Founder
Mel Hopkins
Founder
How to Lead a Creative Revolution That Delivers Growth
Creativity becomes a force for growth when leaders create the conditions for it to thrive. Patricia Corsi will share what that requires inside an established global organisation, from shifting internal barriers and strengthening partnerships to balancing creative ambition with commercial accountability.
- Overcoming the internal barriers that prevent creativity from driving growth
- Building high-performing partnerships across internal teams, agencies and external collaborators
- Protecting long-term brand value under immediate commercial pressure, and deciding when creative awards justify the investment
Patricia Corsi
Chief Growth Officer
Global challenges can feel distant or overwhelming when their scale and complexity obscure the people affected. Drawing on campaigns across the UN system and beyond, David Ohana explores how communicators can tell clear, human stories that resonate across cultures, build understanding and inspire action.
David Ohana
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
Building Brand Resilience in the Age of AI Saturation
When every organisation can access similar generative tools, differentiation depends on distinctive assets, creative judgement and a brand voice that remains recognisable at scale. The challenge is to harness AI without allowing efficiency to flatten originality.
- Balancing AI-enabled speed with the creative risk-taking that builds memorable brands
- Protecting authenticity, intellectual property and distinctive brand assets in an AI-native environment
- Building the capabilities and operating choices required for creative advantage
Jamie Mckinlay
Senior Vice President, Asia Publishing
Nikki Clarkson
Chief Marketing Officer
James Holloman
Chief Marketing Officer
Leveraging her experience across marketing, retail and customer leadership, Jana Kotatko will explore how brands can set their own direction, create genuine distinction and draw people in.
Jana Kotatko
Chief Marketing Officer & Retail Executive
Against a backdrop of economic volatility, abundant choice and fast-changing customer expectations, Oonagh Flanagan will share how brands can sustain confidence, relevance and strategic clarity.
Oonagh Flanagan
Chief Marketing Officer
The New Agency Model: Speed, Creativity & Performance at Scale
Emerging technology, tighter budgets and higher delivery expectations are changing what brands need from agencies and what belongs in-house. Leaders will unpack how to build faster, more collaborative models, protect creative quality and rethink the role of external partners.
- Determining which capabilities belong in-house and where agency partnership creates greater value
- Building faster, more collaborative ways of working while protecting creative quality
- Rethinking investment and performance measures across brand, creative and media
Anthony Dean
Marketing Director
Adam Jacka
General Manager Marketing - Brand, Campaigns, Activation & IHA
How to Balance Legacy, Innovation and Customer Expectation in Complex Categories
This conversation will examine how established brands can evolve in complex categories where heritage, product cycles and customer expectations move at different speeds.
- Protecting valuable brand equity while creating permission to modernise
- Balancing innovation with the realities of complex products, channels and customer journeys
- Translating global heritage into relevant local experiences and expectations
Heath Walker
Director, Marketing - Australia & New Zealand
Leading Creativity in a World Where Trends Move at Cultural Speed
Across three decades in fashion media, brand strategy, technology and industry leadership, Kellie Hush has built and reinvented platforms at the intersection of creativity and culture. She will share what it takes to move with culture while creating enduring commercial value and global relevance.
- Reading cultural shifts without allowing short-lived trends to dictate strategy
- Connecting creative storytelling with brand relevance, commercial value and audience experience
- Reinventing established platforms while elevating Australian creativity on the global stage
Kellie Hush
CEO Australia Fashion Week
As Bupa brings its businesses together under a single enterprise brand platform, Naomi Driver is helping shape a more connected expression of health. Drawing on the development of “Everything for Health”, she will explore how marketers can align a complex organisation around one customer-led promise, create consistency while remaining relevant across different business areas, and turn a brand platform into an idea that influences communications, experiences and services.
Naomi Driver
General Manager, Marketing
Mel Hopkins
Founder
What’s included in my delegate pass
Access to the Full Event Program
Exclusive Networking Opportunities
Executive Insights & Event Content
Delegate registration is strictly for in-house marketing professionals from consumer or government-facing organisations. Please note, service providers are not permitted to attend through standard delegate registration. If you are a Service Provider to marketing executives, please email jackm@connectmedia.com to discuss your involvement.
Registrations will be reviewed for the correct rate, Connect Media reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone not paying the correct rate. Furthermore, we will not be responsible for travel costs if you do not pay the correct rate.
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Our Partners
Yakkazoo is a specialist experiential agency that helps businesses turn their vision and ambitions into beautifully crafted, intentional events that leave a high-impact and lasting impression on their audiences, while delivering measurable results for marketing and event leaders.
We exist to help marketers show up, stand out, and scale through the power of experience.
Whether it’s building awareness, creating demand, strengthening existing relationships or uniting a team – our team of passionate experts work hand-in-hand with you to make the extraordinary real.
Birdeye is the #1 Agentic Marketing Platform for multi-location brands, trusted by more than 200,000 businesses worldwide. Its intelligent AI agents help organisations build their online presence, manage reputation, engage customers across search, social, and web, and uncover real-time insights into customer sentiment and competitor activity, all from a single platform. By unifying data and workflows that are typically spread across multiple tools and teams, Birdeye enables marketing, operations, and customer experience teams to act faster, improve visibility, and deliver consistent customer experiences at scale. The result is more reviews, stronger local search performance, increased leads and foot traffic, and faster revenue growth.
Spotify is the essential daily companion for fans. That’s why your ads work harder here — with more moments to reach your audience, more attention paid to your message, and more success across the funnel.
Assembled Media turns collaboration into commercial outcomes. Independent, senior-led and hands-on, we connect strategy, media, data and technology to deliver performance breakthroughs.
As pioneers of autonomous digital advertising, Quantcast is the AI-powered ad platform built for performance marketers. Quantcast helps advertisers understand their audiences and turn ad spend into measurable business growth.
Become A Partner
Marketing Leaders 2026 is Australia’s essential event for marketing professionals. Our events foster an environment for unlocking the invaluable connections needed to deliver long-term impact for businesses. We focus on actionable insights and real-world solutions by bringing together the critical voices shaping the sector. Every year we refine our event to unlock greater value for our partners and to ensure that our delegation’s expectations are exceeded.
Whether you’re looking for brand visibility, lead generation or exclusive event networking opportunities, our sponsorship packages are tailor-made and designed to maximise your ROI.
Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss what these opportunities could look like for you and your brand.
PARTNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES
Jack Martin
Growth Director
T: +61 451 548 447
E: jackm@connectmedia.com
GENERAL
ENQUIRIES
T: +61 2 8004 8590
E: team@connectmedia.com
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Venue & Accommodation
Crown Melbourne
Conference Hall, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC
Exclusive Crown Accommodation Offer
Enjoy exclusive delegate discounts at Crown’s premium hotel properties – Crown Towers, Crown Metropol, and Crown Promenade.
Discount: Save 5% to 10% on the daily rate.
Please note: Discount rates are subject to change and dependent on availability at the time of booking. Special event dates may require a minimum stay.
Booking Links:
We encourage guests to review the terms and conditions carefully before booking, including any restrictions or minimum-stay requirements.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What does my delegate pass include?
A delegate pass includes access to all event sessions, scheduled refreshment breaks and networking functions, along with any speaker presentations approved for distribution. Each pass is valid for one person and cannot be shared. Connect Media reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone who is not registered.
Are group booking discounts available?
Yes. Discounts are available for groups of three or more. Current rates are listed on the registration page. For help with a group booking, email team@connectmedia.com.
Can I transfer my pass?
Passes cannot be shared, but you may transfer your registration to a substitute attendee at any time before the event. Please send transfer requests in writing to team@connectmedia.com.
How will I receive my delegate pass?
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email. We will send your QR e-ticket the day before the event. Please have it ready on your device when you arrive.
Is media registration available?
No. This is a closed and confidential event, and media registration is not available.
What is the cancellation policy?
Written cancellation requests received within 10 days of registration are eligible for a full refund, less a $250 GST-inclusive processing fee. No refunds are available for cancellations submitted more than 10 days after registration.
If Connect Media reschedules the event, your pass will be transferred automatically to the new date. If Connect Media is unable to deliver the event within 12 months of the original event date, you will be entitled to a full refund.
What is a service provider?
A service provider is an individual or organisation that supplies products or services to the event’s primary delegate audience.
Will a delegate list be available?
No. Delegate lists are not available to general attendees.
Are third-party attendee lists legitimate?
No. Connect Media does not sell or distribute attendee lists. Any third party offering access to event attendee data is not associated with us, and any information it provides is unauthorised and unverified. If you receive a suspicious offer, please contact us directly.
For any other questions, call +61 2 8004 8590 or email team@connectmedia.com.
Terms and Conditions
Delegate Pass:
Delegate Pass includes access to all sessions, refreshment breaks, networking lunches, networking drinks reception, and access to approved speaker presentations/on demand content. Please note: Sharing of speaker presentation’s is subject to approval from the guest speaker. One delegate ticket is entry for one person only, passes cannot be shared. Organiser’s reserve the right to deny entry to anyone not registered.
Digital Pass (only applicable for digital events):
A digital pass is valid for the use of 1 user and provides access to live content, inclusive of all keynotes, and sessions. The pass also includes access to approved speaker presentations/on demand content; this will be available to you via email in the week following the event. Please note: Sharing of speaker presentation’s is subject to approval from the guest speaker. Access must not be shared by multiple user’s or redistributed in any way. Organiser’s reserve the right to deny access to anyone who is found violating the above terms.
Payment & Discounts:
Only one promotional discount code can be applied per registrant. All prices and promotions are valid at the time of purchase only and may not be redeemed after the point of purchase.
Registrations will be reviewed for the correct rate, Connect Media reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone not paying the correct rate. Furthermore, we will not be responsible for travel costs if you do not pay the correct rate.
Organiser’s Rights:
Connect Media and Communications Group Pty Ltd endeavours to ensure the conference programme and speaker line-up is correct at the time of the event. All advertised details are correct at time of publishing. Due to unforeseen circumstances Connect Media and Communications Group Pty Ltd reserves the right to alter the programme prior to the event without notice. We also reserve the right to cancel or postpone the event. Where Connect Media is unable to run the event in the next 12 months (from the date of the event), you will be entitled to a full refund. In the unlikely event that it is cancelled or postponed, no compensation will be provided for cancelled/amended travel arrangements.
Connect Media and Communications Group Pty Ltd reserves the right to deny access to any individual that engages in or is alleged to engage in practices that are considered unprofessional and inappropriate for a business conference. We reserve the right to deny access to delegates that may affect the client / vendor ratio of attendance in favour of the interests of sponsors and commercial partners of the event.
In registering for this event, delegates grant permission to Connect Media and Communications Group Pty Ltd to take and to have full and free use of video/photographs containing their image/likeness for promotional use. Should a delegate not agree to the above image release, they must advise team@connectmedia.com.
Cancellation Policy:
A substitute delegate is welcome at any time provided the request is made in writing. A full refund less a $250 (GST Inclusive) processing fee is applicable on cancellation requests made in writing within 10 days of registration. No refunds are available for cancellations made more than 10 days after registration. Where Connect Media is required to reschedule the event in the interest of the event partner’s and guests, your pass will be automatically transferred to the rescheduled dates. Should you be provided with a credit note at the discretion of the event organisers, this credit is valid for the specified amount of passes, and not the monetary value. Should Connect Media be unable to offer, deliver or fulfil any engagement within 12 months, you will be entitled to a full refund.
Event Delivery:
In case of a change in government restrictions and advice, Connect Media reserves the right to make the decision to deliver the event completely digital, or completely in person. Should you hold a different pass, you are entitled to move your registration to digital/in person, or receive a credit for the following edition of the event.
Privacy Disclosure:
We take your privacy seriously. Information collected on this registration will be held in the strictest of confidence on a secure database. This information may be used in order to contact you regarding future events, product development and services offered. If you do not wish to be contacted please email team@connectmedia.com. To view our full privacy policy please visit: https://dashboard.connectmedia.com/privacy-policy/.