DAY 3
Thursday, 14 May 2026
9:00 am - 10:00 am
Registration and Networking
Check in, grab a coffee and kickstart Cairns Crocodiles by connecting with industry leaders and creative minds. Explore the space, visit our brand partners and spark conversations before diving into an action-packed agenda.
BUILDING BRANDS
Auditorium C | DAY 3 MORNING
10:00 am - 10:05 am
MC Welcome
Global Speaker Coach & Director, Speakerstephspeak
10:05 am - 10:40 am
Defining Marketing’s Next Era
The future of marketing will not be decided by platforms but by leadership. As AI reshapes production, media fragments and culture accelerates, the pressure on brand leaders has never been greater. Growth expectations are sharper and scrutiny is sharper. This panel of senior brand leaders will confront what is really changing and what actually matters. How do you protect brand equity while delivering quarterly results? Where does creative risk sit in a boardroom conversation? Candid and strategic, this is about the decisions defining marketing’s next era.
Brand Director & Co-Founder, Yo-Chi
Chief Growth Officer, Growth Ops, Auto & General Holdings
Marketing Director, Reckitt ANZ
Managing Director, Media, APAC, Accenture Song
10:40 am - 11:15 am
The Conviction Effect: Why Belief Drives Growth
In a world obsessed with optimisation and short-term ROI, brands are measuring more but meaning less. Jiunn Shih, Global CMO of Driscoll’s, one of the world’s leading fresh food brands and a US-founded billion-dollar global powerhouse, explores why belief is becoming one of the most powerful forces in modern marketing. As choice explodes and attention fragments, brands are no longer competing on logic alone, but on emotional connection, instinct and memory. This is a perspective on what it really takes to build brands that resonate. This session will then morph into a candid fireside chat where Shih will reflect on more than a decade in global leadership roles across some of the world’s biggest brands.
Global Chief Marketing Officer, Driscoll’s
Marketing Consultant & Chair, The Marketing Club ANZ
11:15 am - 11:50 am
Earning Access In An Age Of Invisible Influence
Most brands are chasing attention. But the people driving the most value are often invisible and unaddressable. They don’t engage with traditional marketing, yet they shape what becomes desirable at scale. This session offers a rare look into the hidden influence systems shaping modern demand—from the discreet world of high-net-worth individuals to culturally connected communities, where preferences are formed long before brands appear. This is not about reach; it’s about earning access. Expect a sharp look at why conventional approaches are falling short and how brands need to rethink influence, desirability, and growth in a world where decisions are made before you even enter consideration.
Private Client Director Australia & New Zealand, Moët Hennessy
Strategic Brand & Marketing Leader, Jaguar Land Rover
Founder & CEO, POLARIS+
Features and Analysis Editor, B&T
11:50 am - 12:25 pm
Growing in the Attention Recession
Attention is the scarcest currency in modern marketing. Audiences are overwhelmed, platforms are crowded and reach no longer guarantees impact. This session explores how brands are earning attention through distinctive assets, creative bravery and smarter media choices.
Head of Marketing, Bonds
Senior Marketing Manager, ANZ, Tonies
B&T Editor
Asia Pacific Marketing Director, Uber Eats & Uber
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
MC CLOSE
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch and Connection Hub
REWILDING CREATIVITY
AUDITORIUM B | DAY 3 MORNING
10:00 am - 10:05 am
MC Welcome
CMO Tendertrace & Founder Best Case Scenario
10:05 am - 10:40 am
Humans vs The LinkedIn Algorithm: Who’s Really Winning?
Unless you’re a white male executive in a corporate role, you may be the algorithmic victim of “proxy bias” suppressing your reach on LinkedIn and other platforms. Jane Evans and Matt Lawton share findings from LinkedIn experiments conducted with Cindy Gallop and an international cohort of women and male allies that will shock, enrage, and challenge assumptions. They unpack why your posts underperform and what you can do by joining the campaign for Fairness in the Feed, as fresh data exposes bias in a system critical to careers, funding, influence, and power.
B&T Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, Founder, Author, Keynote Speaker, Matriarch, Futurist, Myth Buster
Global CMO, Five by Five
10:40 am - 11:15 am
Rebuilding a Nation’s Telco: Creativity, Courage and the New Rules of Brand
What happens when you throw away 30 years of brand equity, rewrite the playbook and rebuild from scratch? In this candid conversation, One New Zealand’s marketing leader unpacks the bold decision to walk away from Vodafone, the six-month countdown that changed everything and the high-stakes rebrand that followed. From scything its performance budget to redefining what a telco can be in culture, this is modern brand building under pressure.
GM of Brand and Marketing, One New Zealand
Global Brand & Media Strategist
11:15 am - 11:50 am
Creativity Needs Different Brains
Advertising thrives on fresh thinking and different perspectives, yet one of the richest sources of creativity is still overlooked: neurodiversity. In this session, neurodiversity advocate and executive producer of Poppet, Nat Taylor, shares her journey from childhood stigma of dyslexia to discovering the creative strengths that come with thinking differently. She’s joined by creative leaders bringing perspectives from ADHD, autism and raising neurodivergent kids, including Char Adorjan, whose autistic son Woody became the youngest person ever to win a D&AD at the age of eight. Accompanied by Josh Mann and Michael Skarbek, they explore how different brains tackle problems, spark ideas and challenge convention, and how neurotypical and neurodiverse brains can best collaborate. Because great creativity does not come from thinking the same way. It comes from thinking differently, together.
Global Head of Creative, Movember
Founder & Executive Producer, Poppet
Executive Creative Director, Taboo Group
Creative Director & Creative Consultant
11:50 am - 12:25 pm
Beyond Western Playbooks
This session brings together senior Asia-Pacific leaders who have built global brands by navigating Western business systems through Eastern philosophies of creativity, leadership and long-term value. Drawing on experience across China, Japan and Mumbai, the panel explores how cultural perspective shapes decision-making. From global competition for budget and more - speakers will share practical insights on operating within Western frameworks while applying Eastern wisdom.
Managing Partner, Meliora
Ex-IBM, Motorola, Conde Nast China, Chair Shenzhen International Fashion Week
CEO Helios & Partners, Board Director Asia Pacific, Worldwide Partners
Global Executive Creative Director, Hakuhodo
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
MC Close
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch and Connection Hub
Cairns Masterclass
Presented by News Australia
PLENARY 1 & 2 | DAY 3 MORNING
10:00 am - 10:05 am
MC WELCOME
Head of Strategy & Emerging Industries - News Australia
10:05 am - 10:50 am
Session TBA
Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Alien Baby, Chief Marketing Officer of Idris Elba's IE7
10:50 am - 11:35 am
Session TBA
Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, United Nations Foundation
11:35 am - 12:20 pm
SESSION TBA
Founder & Soundsmith, BrandMusiq
12:20 pm - 12:25 pm
MC CLOSE
12:35 pm - 1:45 pm
Networking break
Take a break, grab a bite and dive into the experience! Visit brand partners, collect exclusive swag and explore immersive installations designed to inspire and connect.
KEYNOTE
AUDITORIUM C | Day 3 Afternoon
1:30 pm - 1:35 pm
MC Welcome
Ex TV Producer Now Keynote Speaker
1:35 pm - 2:20 pm
Global Brand, Local Brilliance: Marketing IKEA Across Cultures
What does it take to lead marketing for one of the world’s most recognised brands across very different cultures? Hear from a trio of top marketers behind IKEA in Australia & New Zealand, Japan and South Korea as they share how they balance global brand power with local insight. With Australia marking 50 years of IKEA, New Zealand only just launching in December 2025, and Japan and South Korea’s highly distinctive retail landscapes, these marketing leaders reveal how strategy, creativity and cultural understanding shape success across multiple markets. A rare look at how global brands stay relevant, bold and locally loved.
Head of Marketing & Communications, IKEA Korea
Head of Marketing, IKEA Japan
Head of Marketing, IKEA AU/NZ
2:20 pm - 3:05 pm
The Great Media Breakaway
In a turbulent industry where trust, authenticity and ownership matter more than ever, creators are choosing independence over institutions, building powerful communities and speaking directly to their audiences. Chart-topping It’s A Lot host Abbie Chatfield, Walkley Award–winning journalist and Ette Media co-founder Jan Fran, and Lamestream podcast co-host and former Age and SMH culture editor Osman Faruqi come together to explore why big voices are taking control of their platforms, how they’re building influence outside traditional media structures, and how they’re navigating relationships with brands in a world where authenticity matters more than ever.
Co-Founder, Ette Media, Co-Host of We Used To be Journos Podcast
Journalist, Co-Host, Lamestream Podcast
TV and Radio Host, Podcaster & Reality Star
3:05 pm - 3:50 pm
Beyond the Script: Craft, Instinct and Creative Courage
In this closing fireside, actor Daniel MacPherson explores how Australian talent is pushing creative boundaries across film, television and beyond. Fresh off his latest critically acclaimed lead role in Beast, MacPherson reflects on a career shaped by instinct, risk and reinvention, sharing insights into the evolving entertainment landscape. From navigating global productions to embracing new forms of storytelling, this conversation will unpack the role of craft, intuition and creative courage in building a lasting career — and what it takes to stay relevant in an industry constantly in flux.
Lead Actor Beast, TV Star, Logie Winner
Founder Curious Media, Journalist
3:50 pm - 3:55 pm
MC Close
4:00 pm - 4:45 pm
Hatchlings presented by
Cairns Hatchlings, Presented by Yahoo The inaugural Cairns Hatchlings Winners, Presented by Yahoo, will be revealed. Celebrating emerging leaders from around the Asia-Pacific region with three to eight years of experience, the Cairns Hatchlings is the place to spot the next big things in advertising, marketing and media.
4:45 pm - 6:00 pm
Cairns Crocodiles Awards
Find out who wins the celebrated and sought-after Cairns Crocodiles Awards, lauding the greatest creativity from across the Asia-Pacific region.
6:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Official Closing Party At Mexicairns
Celebrate a world-class week of inspiration and experiences, and catch up with anyone you may have missed at this vibrant, high-end Mexican-inspired venue.
HEMINGWAY'S TRACK
Official Partner, News Australia
Day 3 Afternoon
1:30 pm - 1:35 pm
MC WELCOME
MC & Partnerships Lead at Debate Club
Australian Paralympic Swimmer and Motivational Speaker
1:35 pm - 2:05 pm
Who Gets Cast, Who Gets Missed, and Why It Matters
Culture is shaped by the stories we watch and share on TV and socials, but who gets the spotlight, and who’s still missing, reveals how far we have to go. From reality TV to mainstream entertainment, Asian representation remains limited and often misunderstood. This session explores the realities of representation, the progress made, the barriers that remain, and why visibility matters. Bringing together lived experience and industry perspective, join us for a conversation on how the industry can move beyond performative representation to build a more inclusive media future that reflects the full breadth of our rich cultural landscape.
ACD, Leo Burnett & Industry-Declared Nicest Guy & Co-Head of Online AWARD School
Senior Influencer Specialist, Havas Red & Former Reality TV Show Contestant
CEO Inclusively Made, Paralympian
2:05 pm - 2:35 pm
Artists, Rights and the Rise of Agentic Media
As artificial intelligence moves beyond generating content to assembling entire media experiences, the structure of media itself is beginning to change. In this session, inventor, musician and media technologist Finbar O’Hanlon joins global brand strategist and cultural analyst Keeva Stratton to explore the rise of agentic media — a new paradigm where intelligent systems orchestrate personalised content and experiences for every individual. Drawing on decades across music, media technology and digital innovation, they examine what this shift means for artists, brands and agencies, from creative identity and authorship to emerging rights frameworks and new commercial models in a world where intelligence increasingly directs media.
Innovator, Inventor, Entrepreneur
Global Brand & Media Strategist
2:35 pm - 3:05 pm
When The Shit Hits The Fan: Leadership Decisions That Make or Break a Crisis
Brand scandals, backlash and reputational crises now move at the speed of culture. One moment a brand is in control of the narrative, the next it is facing public scrutiny. In those moments, leadership decisions matter more than any comms plan. Speak too soon and you risk inflaming the situation. Stay silent and the backlash can spiral. This session explores crisis communication as a leadership discipline, examining the judgement calls executives must make under pressure and why the response to a crisis often determines whether reputational damage is contained or amplified.
GM, Bud Communications APAC
Co-Founder & Partner, SKMG
3:05 pm - 3:50 pm
Debate Club: Your Consumers Don’t Give AF About Sustainability
Back and bolder than ever, Debate Club returns with a motion guaranteed to spark sparks. Has sustainability become brand foreplay with no real follow-through, or does it still drive desire at the checkout? In this high-voltage showdown, two sides go head-to-head over whether consumers truly buy with purpose or default to price, convenience and instant gratification, and whether the explosion of “green” products proves that consumer demand has already forced industries to evolve. Expect sharp tongues, hard data and zero safe answers in a debate that strips marketing spin back to raw behavioural truth, and confronts the rise of greenwashing and what it reveals about the commercial power of sustainability
Founder, Debate Club
Associate Strategy Director, Mindshare
Strategy Director, EssenceMediaCom
Founding CEO, Citizens of the Reef & Earth Hour
B&T Editor
3:50 pm - 3:55 pm
MC Close
4:00 pm - 4:45 pm
Hatchlings Presented by
The inaugural Cairns Hatchlings Winners, Presented by Yahoo, will be revealed. Celebrating emerging leaders from around the Asia-Pacific region with three to eight years of experience, the Cairns Hatchlings is the place to spot the next big things in advertising, marketing and media.
4:45 pm - 6:00 pm
Cairns Crocodiles Awards
Find out who wins the celebrated and sought-after Cairns Crocodiles Awards, lauding the greatest creativity from across the Asia-Pacific region.
6:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Official Closing Party At Mexicairns
Celebrate a world-class week of inspiration and experiences, and catch up with anyone you may have missed at this vibrant, high-end Mexican-inspired venue.
Cairns Masterclass
Presented by News Australia
PLENARY 1 & 2 | DAY 3 MORNING
1:50 pm - 3:00 pm
Speed Mentoring
4:00 pm - 4:45 pm
Cairns Hatchlings
Cairns Hatchlings, Presented by Yahoo The inaugural Cairns Hatchlings Winners, Presented by Yahoo, will be revealed. Celebrating emerging leaders from around the Asia-Pacific region with three to eight years of experience, the Cairns Hatchlings is the place to spot the next big things in advertising, marketing and media.
4:45 pm - 6:00 pm
Cairns Crocodiles Awards
Find out who wins the celebrated and sought-after Cairns Crocodiles Awards, lauding the greatest creativity from across the Asia-Pacific region.
6:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Official Closing Party At Mexicairns
Celebrate a world-class week of inspiration and experiences, and catch up with anyone you may have missed at this vibrant, high-end Mexican-inspired venue.