Hear from the industry's leading minds
Bringing together speakers from across the country, Talks 2026 features thought-leaders from Canva, Boost Juice, Wavemaker, BMF, Splash, Ogilvy, KWP+Partners, ERA-co and oOh!media, along with professional musicians, futurists, artists and packaging designers.
Speakers will tackle a range of topics, including: 'Hardwiring the soft skills of effectiveness', 'Finding marketing clarity in chaos', 'The evolving world of in-house agencies', 'Finding creative gold in the slop era', 'Are we losing the big creative idea?' and 'My role is changing, what do I need to know to stay ahead?'
Talk 1 | Adelaide Town Hall | 9:00–10:30am
Kevin Kivi, Managing Director, Wavemaker Adelaide
Talk topic – Don’t lose yourself: 25 years in an industry that changes everything (including you).
With more than 25 years’ experience across Australia and North America, Kevin Kivi has built a career at the intersection of leadership, media and culture.
As Managing Director of Wavemaker Adelaide, he is focused on helping people, teams and businesses thrive.
A Cannes Lion winner for the iconic Skittles campaign, Kevin is an unapologetic media and pop culture enthusiast who believes great ideas start with curiosity.
He is also an executive coach, devoted husband, proud dad to two teenage daughters, and can usually be found in a swimming pool when not at work.
Sarah-Jane Finlayson, Head of Marketing & Loyalty, Boost Juice International
Talk topic – From insight to impact: How customer truths create better brands
Sarah-Jane Finlayson is a senior marketing and customer leader with experience across some of Australia’s most recognised retail and hospitality brands, including Boost Juice and Bunnings.
She specialises in turning customer insight into commercial action, connecting strategy, brand, innovation and customer experience to drive growth. Sarah-Jane is passionate about cutting through complexity, finding the customer truth that matters, and translating it into ideas and experiences that create meaningful business impact.
Josh Gurgiel, Head of Creative & Ally Henthorn, Head of Audience & Insight
oOh!media
Talk topic – Big brand energy: How challenger brands are disrupting in OOH
Ten years ago, Josh Gurgiel and Ally Henthorn were going to set up a travel company allowing Australian students to party on American college campuses without actually studying there.
Whilst still an awesome idea, they didn’t quite start that company, instead both opting to work at oOh!media, where Ally has risen to Head of Audience and Insight and Josh to Head of Creative.
With more collective energy and enthusiasm than a group of labradors at a tennis ball factory, together they bring the Art and Science of OOH to life for advertisers and agencies across Australia…and maybe even some American college campuses, one day!
Talk 2 | Adelaide Rowing Club | 11:00am–12:30pm
Lindsey Cummings, Global Creative Strategy Director, Canva
Talk topic – Is the big creative idea still alive?
Lindsey is Canva’s Global Creative Strategy Director where she leads the creative strategy for all of Canva’s major campaigns, events and product launches.
Prior to Canva, Lindsey spent 17 years in creative agencies across SE Asia, North America and the UK where she championed work designed to move people and move results at the same time. Her clients include Google, Nike, American Express, The Obama White House, TikTok, Ikea, Chupa Chups, Depeche Mode, H&M and so many more.
She knows that a good ad doesn't need to look like an ad and is driven by a consistent willingness to make something that hasn't been made before.
Travis Demsey, Professional Drummer and Public Speaker
Talk topic – Doing more with less
Travis has been a professional drummer for over 25 years and is best known for his work in The Living End, one of Australia’s biggest bands.
His Music resume includes World Tours, over 100 Album Credits and The Living End being inducted into the Aria Hall of fame 2026.
He has used his passion for drumming to work in a myriad of sectors such as Community development, Wellbeing, Corporate Team Building and Mentoring.
His keynote presentations combine real-life insights with unforgettable drumming experiences and have been used by over 150 corporate clients, schools and elite sporting clubs.
Mollie Starr, Brand and Packaging Designer
Talk topic – Finding creative gold in the slop era
Mollie is a brand director specialised in branding and packaging, with expertise in strategy and positioning.
She helps brands build visual systems around a core idea, exploring how that idea can manifest across channels. She's drawn to briefs that push the boundaries, especially in categories that feel saturated or uninspired. She began her career in food and beverage packaging in Boulder, Colorado.
Since moving to Sydney in 2019, she has worked across drinks, beauty, philanthropy, healthcare and technology.
Talk 3 | SAHMRI Auditorium | 1:30–3:00pm
Anna Bollinger, Executive Planning Director, BMF
Talk topic – Hardwiring the soft skills of effectiveness
With 20 years in advertising as an integrated, brand-driven strategist, "Anna the planner" has deep experience across QSR, FMCG, service and retail brands.
Awarded APG Planning Idol for top Account Planner in Australia under the age of 30, her work has since been recognised at Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia and the Effies, including a Global Grand Effie for ALDI Australia.
Sam Davies, Managing Director, KWP+Partners
Talk topic – Are we losing the big creative idea and ability to create an emotional response?
Sam Davies is a creative leader, strategist and entrepreneur with 20 years’ experience across brand, digital and creative industries.
A designer by background, he founded Digital Noir in 2011, grew it into an Adelaide digital studio, then merged it with KWP in 2021.
He now helps leadership teams connect brand, strategy, digital experience and growth. His work brings clarity to complex business and creative challenges. Sam believes resilient brands require better judgement and human thinking—not simply faster execution.
He also hosts Humans Aren’t Robots, a podcast on creativity, leadership and automation
Matt Richards, Group Strategy Director, Ogilvy
Talk topic – Black Box Thinking: The case for getting honest about failure
Matt is driven by a simple belief: brands should make work your mates talk about in the pub.
As Group Strategy Director at Ogilvy Australia, he has created campaigns for the world's biggest brands including Coca-Cola, Amazon, KFC and Land Rover — winning a Cannes Lion for Coca-Cola's "Meet Me at The Coke Sign."
He also teaches future advertising leaders at the Advertising Council of Australia. When not working, Matt is a passionate – but not very good – surfer and skater.
Talk 4 | The Cumby | 3:30–5:00pm
Sarah Owen, Strategy Director, ERA-co
Sarah Owen is a futurist using a sociological lens to uncover the cultural shifts that precede products, trends and behaviours.
She refracts global movements across local cultures to surface non-obvious human needs - identifying what society is doing before industry catches up.
She holds a Master of Sociology from ISCTE Lisbon and has spent fifteen years in foresight, cultural research and organisational strategy, with experience at RADAR agency, The LEGO Group, WGSN, SOON Future Studies, The New York Times, VOGUE, L'Oreal, Mars Wrigley, Design Hotels, Amazon and Chanel.
Tom Opie & Phil van Bruchem, Head of Creative at Splash (In-House agency of Treasury Wine Estates)
Talk topic – Life on the inside: the evolving world of in-house agencies
Tom and Phil are Creative Directors of Splash, the in-house agency of Treasury Wine Estates.
In 4 years, Splash has evolved from a traditional agency offering into a strategic creative partner, helping drive business growth through culturally-led, commercially effective work across some of the world’s most recognised wine brands.
Recently named IHAC In-House Agency of the Year, Splash has also been recognised at the Clios, Effie's, One Show and CommsCon - helping demonstrate the growing influence and capability of modern in-house agencies.
Thomas Readett, Artist
Thomas is an established Ngarrindjeri/ Kaurna artist born, raised and based on Kaurna Country (Adelaide, SA).
His multidisciplinary practice spans painting, drawing, murals, sculpture, video, music and advocacy. A graduate of Adelaide Central School of Art, Thomas creates striking works exploring identity, love, loss and belonging through a distinctive graphic aesthetic.
His work has been exhibited widely, alongside major public art commissions for councils, government and leading arts organisations.
In 2026, he illustrated his first children’s book, Finding My Culture.
Tickets
All Talks
If you're having a hard time deciding what talk to attend | we get it. Make life easier and grab an "All Talks" ticket. It's the best value (4 talks for the price of 3), the most fun and the easiest way to make new connections and catch-up with old ones while walking from each venue.
AADC Members – $175
Non-Members – $215
If you are only able to join us for one or two of the Talks, that’s ok, we’d love to see you there.
Individual Talks
AADC Members – $55
Non-Members – $70
This event is proudly brought to you by oOh!media, and supported by AEDA, Merlin, NATION and Stickbird.