Speaker lineup

AADC is bringing a stellar line up of speakers for the fourth edition of AADC Talks, on Wed 17 Sep 2025. Featuring the best in creative thinking, innovation and industry leadership from many that you have not heard from before.

Bringing together speakers from across the country, Talks 2025 features thought leaders from Special Group, Heaps Normal, UNSW, R/GA, POLY, Büro North, Cocogun, NATION, un-held and more.

Talk One | Adelaide Zoo Rotunda | 09:00–10:35

Tash Menon-Verheul
Sparring Partner, Menon Curatorial

Talk topic – To reach the right people, you need the right people

Tash began her career in London, shaping events like the BRIT Awards before unexpectedly becoming a sparring partner to world-class chefs. She founded and scaled Mash – an award-winning creative company that reimagined the agency model, despite never having worked in advertising herself. While others chased the west, she bet on the east – earning Mash Forbes’ ‘Mighty Mouse’ title in APAC and building a fully remote model across 15 countries in Asia. Now based between Melbourne and Singapore, she advises leaders navigating Asia’s opportunities.

Soren Luckins
Founder & Partner, Büro North

Talk topic – Running a marathon whilst being kicked in the chins

Founder and partner at Büro North, an Australian-based but globally connected user-experience, human-centred design and wayfinding studio.

Brent Hill
Executive Global Leader

Talk topic – The Diary of a CEO: What I learnt and what works

After a career in marketing that included stints with Telstra in Sydney, PeopleFirst Bank and South Australian Tourism Commission in Adelaide, Brent moved to Nadi, Fiji and was CEO of Tourism Fiji for 4 years, from 2021 to August 2025, leading the team to record-breaking visitor arrivals and spend.

Talk Two | Torrens Parade Ground | 11:00–12:30

Katheryn Korczak
Head of Copy & Co-owner, NATION

Talk topic – Words, work and what matters most

From account executive to Head of Copy, Katheryn has worked across Victoria and South Australia over the last 15 years. She’s been an AWARD School Head, appeared on ABC’s Gruen and has recently become an agency owner.

Tim Harvey
Founder, un-held

Talk topic – Economies of Small: Why small is the new BIG thing

Tim runs un-held, an un-holding co. Inspired by his 15 years working within Publicis Groupe agencies, most recently as Global Chief Growth Officer at BBH, he’s now helping Indies scale without a sale, and championing Economies of Small!

Andy Miller
Co-Founder and CEO, Heaps Normal

Talk topic – The contradiction of cool: Balancing culture and commercial success

Andy is the co-founder and CEO of Heaps Normal. With a background in strategy, communications and marketing, Andy came to Heaps Normal armed with 15 years of experience working in industries including FMCG, health, liquor, automotive, marketplaces and arts & music.

Talk Three | AGSA Radford Auditorium | 13:30–15:00

Josh Gurgiel
Head of POLY

Talk topic – Influencer A: Going viral in the physical world

Josh used to be a lawyer and wasn't very happy. Now he works in advertising and is very happy. Hooray! Passionate about all things media and creativity, particularly in the OOH space, and feels privileged to be surrounded by exceptionally talented and super smart people at POLY.

Trea Murphy
Senior Manager, External Engagement, UNSW

Talk topic – Be a better client

Trea’s career has always been about people. From the checkouts at Woolworths to BMF boardrooms and the Chancellery at UNSW, she’s honed the art of collaboration. Trea's career path has been anything but a straight line and she's all the better for it. Over 20 years spent servicing the client, being the client, starting an agency, and back to a large client again, Trea has kept one thing consistent: always working with colleagues with heart and shared purpose.

Loz Maneschi & Lew Clark
Creatives, Cocogun

Talk topic – Creative frequencies and where to find them

Loz&Lew craft creative made to live in your head. The pair discovered that when Loz’s strategic nous and eye for detail fuses with Lew’s creative storytelling and production chops, good things happen – including creating a new AI-proof punctuation mark, working with Fred Again, and taking home gold for Young Lions Australia.

Talk Four | Belgian Beer Cafe | 15:15–16:45

Lauren Regolini & Locki Choi
Senior Creatives, Special Group

Talk topic – Hundreds of unique billboards and only one near-death

Howdy! We’re Senior Creatives at Special Group Melbourne. Been working together for 7 years on a bunch of great brands like Coopers Brewery, Uber Eats, Virgin Australia, Pepsi, BONDS, you get the gist. Most notably, we put a fitbit on a chicken to promote free-range eggs – we’re very serious like that.

Stephanie Winkler
Founder, MAGIC GOLD

Talk topic – Undercurrents: Decoding culture in the uncertainty era

Stephanie Winkler is a cultural researcher, futurist and strategist with 15+ years experience helping the world's biggest brands win across the Asia Pacific. She is the founder of MAGIC GOLD, a collective of cultural insight and strategy experts working across 12 APAC markets to help brands build meaningful, lasting connections with audiences across the region.

Prue Jones
Executive Creative Director – Experience, R/GA

Talk topic – Creativity in the intelligence age

Described by LBBOnline as one of the world's foremost creative experts, Prue works with local and global brands to tackle complex challenges – from designing future-ready products and services to embedding AI in ways that make systems smarter and more human.

All Talks

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 – $159
Non-Members – $195

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 – $50
Non-Members – $65

This event is proudly brought to you by oOh!media, and supported by AEDA, un-held, NATION and Stickbird.