Elle started her career in advertising when she was a pipsqueak in the UK, building to over 20 years of experience in marketing, employer branding, and, more broadly, across AI for talent.

She was an early part of the LinkedIn APAC GTM team and led the education on how to use data (and the underpinning of AI) to change the way organisations could plan and execute talent attraction campaigns.

As an early CMO at a workforce intelligence platform, she had to write white papers on the use of ethical AI in talent, which hurtled her deeper into the uncomfortable AI space.

She was one of the founding team at The Martec, an AI-Powered content marketing platform, where she helped large, complex enterprise organisations understand how to use AI to create content from their people (and more) from strategy to measurement.

Now, as Head of Partnerships at Become, she is on a mission to ensure AI doesn't eat up the creative industry in ANZ, but perhaps enhances and provides different opportunities for talent and organisations alike!

Tom leads GroupM’s technology & data consulting practice, Acceleration, in Australia & New Zealand. Having spent 15+ years in consulting and strategy roles – including within Adobe and Google - Tom has a deep working knowledge of the marketing technology and customer experience tech landscape. His specialisms include, data & audience strategy, CDP, digital analytics, personalisation, marketing technology architecture and digital advertising strategy.

Ex-agency nerd turned Springboards.ai co-founder. 15 years in creative, media and marketing roles. Sydney -> San Francisco -> Noosa. 

PJ Pereira is an advertising and entertainment pioneer. He believes agencies must provide return not only for brands, but for the time consumers spend with the work. That balance is the ultimate challenge marketers face today. 

PJ's credentials in content, digital, and advertising have made him one of the industry's most influential and respected creatives. He has been named to Adweek's Creative 100 as Top CCO, Ad Age's Creativity 50, and to the 4A's 100 People Who Make Advertising Great. Most recently PJ was named jury president of the inaugural AI discipline at 2023 ADC Awards. 

In 2023, PJ will release a book (his 5th) about the unlikely combination of Artificial Intelligence and kung fu. Pereira is particularly drawn to the concept of an AI’s influence in design and creativity, and he tries to engage this emerging tech in his own creative process whenever possible.

Dr. Alana Maurushat, holds a joint position in the School of Computers, Data and Mathematical Sciences and the School of Social Sciences.  

Dr Maurushat is researching behavioural approaches to Cyber Incident Response, anti-money laundering through non-segmented cryptocurrency platforms, AI Generated Crime, Usable Inclusive Explainable AI, Payment Diversion Fraud and Ransomware, Cyber Reputation Risk Management, Tracking and Ethical Hacking.  

She has recently become the Director of a new cyber incident response centre assisting small businesses with cyber attacks, the Western Centre for Cybersecurity Aid and Community Engagement (WCACE).

Dr Maurushat is the Cyber-Ambassador for the NSW Cybersecurity Node with AusCyber and sits as an expert reviewer in cybersecurity and big data with the Australian Research Council.  

She is Special Advisor for the cybercrime investigation company IFW Global and Cybertrace, and sits on Advisory Boards for Crimestoppers, and the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

Dr Maurushat lectures & researches Cybersecurity, Privacy and Security by Design, Cyber Risk Management, and Artificial Intelligence across the disciplines of law, criminology, business, political science and information communications technology.

Alana has done consultancy work on cyber security, open data, big data, technology and civil liberties for the Australian and Canadian governments, industry and NGOs.

Dr Maurushat has appeared or been published on 60 Minutes, the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Insight, ABC, and 730 Report, and is the author of many books and articles. 

Ricky career spans 35 years at the intersection of journalism and technology. he has been a war correspondent, news editor, managing editor and advisor to News Corp globally.

In the mid-2000s, Ricky moved into tech, working with Microsoft and Bing in Australia before launching a media AI company Oovvuu, which now services ~200 media companies.

Ricky also authors the Future Media newsletter focusing on AI, Big Media and Big Tech, future business models and the rising antitrust movement.

As a senior strategic leader at media and technology companies in Australia and the US, Jenni has extensive experience redefining editorial brands for the future, building strategic partnerships across the media industry and crafting product and content strategies to grow new audiences.

She has spent her career at the forefront of digital media and the growth of content on the internet, from the golden years of Yahoo, the early days of news.com.au, the building of Pedestrian into a youth media powerhouse and the exciting, innovative years of exponential growth at Mashable. 

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As a senior editorial and strategic voice at Mashable in Australia and New York, she led video, audience and content strategy teams globally for the tech-media company and launched innovative products such as the first-to-market vertical video player, an e-commerce brand and data-led products to drive newsroom efficiencies. 

She also brings deep knowledge of the workings of traditional media companies due to leading the digital transformation of large organisations, including the US local news broadcaster TEGNA.
Most recently, she worked in news partnerships at Meta, driving innovation for publishers through new content types, products such as Facebook News and significant investments in the news industry.

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At her role at Bastion Transform, she leads business development and strategy for the content, tech and media arm of the consulting business. It allows her to use her industry knowledge to help companies transform for the next iteration of the internet, while ensuring revenue sustainability. 

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Bastion Transform is currently building out its AI capability and has run successful experiments for Google and newsrooms, including BusinessDesk’s AI experiment, in which AI writes news stories based on updates from the New Zealand Stock Exchange. 

Jenni is interested in the practical application of AI in the media space, the strategic considerations media companies should take before implementing AI for efficiency and the need to experiment with the latest technologies to drive transformational change. 
 

Andrés is the General Manager at Storyation, one of Australia's best-regarded content agencies, and a senior marketing leader who has developed strategies and content targeting audiences in Australia and around the world.

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With more than 15 years experience in marketing, content, strategy and management roles, Andrés manages all of Storyation’s content and strategy work, heading a team of content leads and producers, strategists and editorial experts to create incisive and effective work for clients across industries like travel and tourism, financial services, healthcare and wellness, technology, property and more.

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He also led the content program for Tourism Australia from 2014 to 2017 where he revamped the tourism body’s content. As well as discovering an unexpected love of wombats, he evolved the way Tourism Australia tackled content by combining a data-led, consumer-first approach with an editorial style of content creation. During his time, Australia.com was named among the 25 best tourism websites in the world by the good people at travel industry publisher Skift.

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When he’s not putting his high-school debating skills to use leading workshops for clients, he’s probably making or eating baked goods or being a proud cat-dad to Oliver and Moxie, the latter of whom can lay claim to being named ‘The 2018 Face of Mosman Vet’.

Ashadi Hopper partners with CxOs and senior executives to drive change through digital transformation programs.

Prior to starting AH&O, he had a diverse career spanning two decades, working with Asia-Pacific's most respected business leaders in automotive, healthcare, financial services, education and retail. He has extensive experience driving digital change having held leadership roles within global marketing and technology groups including WPP and Interpublic.

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More recently he led the digital & technology practice at private equity firm Crescent Capital Partners.

A psychology grad with a passion for innovation.  Vijay has launched new products & services over 30 years in corporate, scale-up and start-up.  Behaviourism, curiosity & paranoia are his drivers.
 

He's been part of the digital inflection points in this time.  Launching a website for Unilever in the 1990s, launching the Shazam app pre-iphone in 2002, setting up a CRM for lastminute.com in 2005, working with a Swedish tech company to track player performance for Castrol using infra-red tech in 2008, building Facebook pages for BlackBerry in 2010 across EMEA, launching mobile optimised websites for Philips along with a series of connected products (toothbrush, baby monitor, cooker etc) when the internet of things kicked off in 2013 and a multi-radio station streaming app in AU back in 2016.  In the last 5 years he has been immersed in the ANZ start-up scene launching a mental health start-up and coaching over 150 founders.  In 2023, he developed an AI presentation for higher education whilst at tech company Sinorbis.

Mitch is the Head of Strategy at Media.Monks, AdNews Inaugural AI Agency of the year. He has 20 years of digital strategy and integrated marketing experience, helping transform leading brands like Google, CommBank, Samsung, Netflix, Nike, Unilever and Toyota to realize sustainable growth in the new economy. Underpinning this knowledge and know–how is an impressive education and career, having earned three degrees in design, communications and a masters in marketing along with a proven track record across global consultancies, creative agencies and media agencies. 

Dre Horton wants people to live happier and healthier lives. She’s spent over 20 years as an experience & innovation leader, understanding enough about desirability, feasibility, viability, and durability to help businesses know; does someone actually want this, can we deliver against this, can we make coin from it, and does it have legs.

Her experience spans advertising, start-ups, global transformations, and lecturing. She’s survived a few incubators, several earn-outs, and the occasional Monday live TV attempted hacking.

She has helped people engage in some couch questioning for ABC’s Q&A via Twitter, enabled people to pick up that blocked number credit chasing call for EFX, made on-demand fitness accessible through buddee fitness and her current passion, helping people deal with the legacy of COVID to change personal behaviors and make better day-to-day decisions.

She is the co-founder of Knowing.Me, who are using ethical AI to empower people with genuine self-awareness and facilitate positive habit change for personal preventative health improvements.

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 data, tech, team building and life.

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Bridget has spent the last few years working in Technology and Management Consulting at RXP Services and Capgemini Invent, to build upon almost two decades in agencies including Big Red, TBWA, Sapient, Ogilvy and Y&R. Bridget is building a new venture in partnership with Ted Horton called BRX.

He works with companies around the world to help innovate their idea-generation
capabilities so they can accelerate growth. Wade is also a corporate facilitator,
running ideation sessions, retreats and off-sites for companies.

Wade’s experience includes over 25 years in media, marketing and sales working
in leadership roles at Nova Entertainment, Southern Cross Austereo and dentsu.

In 2017, he started his own company - ‘The Ideas Business’ - which was recognised as one of Australia’s fastest-growing start-ups in 2021 by

The Australian Financial Review.

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He is the Australian Ambassador for World Creativity and Innovation Week.

Jeremy Somers, a lifetime creative and storyteller, embarked on a remarkable path that began in the realm of photography and design.

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It was his venture into Australia's early and esteemed digital agencies that truly propelled him forward. Jeremy's journey of innovation and transformative endeavors unfolded, pushing boundaries and shaping industries along the way.

In 2009, he founded the iconic fashion label, We Are Handsome, leaving an indelible impact on the landscape of style.

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Driven by an insatiable thirst for change and bringing top-notch creative into the world, Jeremy ventured into uncharted territory once again in 2022, founding NotContent—the world's first AI-driven creative agency. This groundbreaking endeavor holds the potential to reshape the very foundations of the creative world.

Jeremy Somers' remarkable narrative epitomizes an unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries and an unparalleled dedication to crafting a new era of creativity.

Kate Young is the Executive Manager – Marketing Strategy & Capability at ANZ, where she leads strategic marketing initiatives and capability development across the enterprise. With over eight years at ANZ, Kate is driving cultural change by putting customers at the heart of marketing while fostering a forward-thinking, globally competitive marketing team.
Kate works closely with ANZ’s Chief Marketing Officer on enterprise-wide strategic initiatives,
creating evidence-based frameworks that empower marketers to drive growth backed by science, bringing greater rigour and a  methodical approach to ANZ’s marketing function. Her dual role includes shaping ANZ’s marketing capability roadmap to ensure teams are future-ready, leveraging upskilling and reskilling programs to build the mindset, foresight, and expertise required for
sustained success.

A key achievement has been the development and implementation of ANZ’s Marketing Masters
capability program, which equips marketers to reach their potential and contribute to enterprise growth. Beyond her work at ANZ, Kate’s purpose is to inspire people to recognise their potential and take bold steps toward growth. Her values of courage, independence, and making a difference are evident in her contributions to the marketing industry, including her role as an Australian Marketing
Institute Ambassador for the Emerging Marketers program.

With over 25 years of experience spanning financial services, retail property management, health and wellbeing, hospitality, and tourism, Kate is a seasoned marketing and capability leader. Her expertise spans B2B, B2B2C, and B2C sectors in large organisations, including Westfield, GE Capital, and AIA Australia. She is also an engaging podcast guest, sought-after conference speaker and MC, and a member of numerous industry advisory boards.

Kate’s passion for advancing the marketing profession is further demonstrated through her role as a judge for leading industry awards such as the CX Awards, AdNews, and the Effie Awards. Holding a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Victoria University, Kate has a proven track record of delivering innovative business models, customer segmentation strategies, and marketing frameworks that drive commercial success and exceptional customer experiences.

Her expertise in capability building has had significant impact within multinational organisations, where she has designed and delivered programs that enhance marketing effectiveness and inspire teams to excel.