Kim McConnie

Group Executive Marketing, Tourism and Events Queensland

The CMO role is being rewired, and Kim McConnie is navigating that shift from one of the most competitive arenas in global marketing. With more than 25 years across sports marketing, sponsorship, broadcasting and streaming, she has held senior roles with PepsiCo, led the Big Bash Leagues, and helped scale Kayo Sports to nearly 1.5 million subscribers as Director of Marketing.

Now Group Executive Marketing at Tourism and Events Queensland, Kim leads one of Australia’s most globally recognised destination brands at the intersection of brand, experience and growth. In her session, she’ll explore how brand and performance work together as a commercial multiplier, how agentic AI and Generative Engine Optimisation are reshaping discoverability, and what it takes to build the evidence boards actually act on.

See Kim's full bio here.

Aarron Spinley

Fellow, Field Bell Institute

Modern marketing is rich with tools, but often poor in understanding where customers, technology and commercial value truly intersect. Aarron Spinley has built his career challenging that gap, bringing sharp behavioural insight and academic rigour to the assumptions that shape customer experience, loyalty and growth.

A Fellow at the Field Bell Institute, Aarron is a trained marketer whose 30-year career spans customer science, strategy, technology and transformation. He is the author of the Institute’s core text and has been featured by Forbes, ZDNet, CMO, Mumbrella and Mi3. Known for his evidence-based approach and highly regarded teaching, Aarron brings a provocative perspective to one of marketing’s most untapped opportunities—what it really takes to align commercial outcomes with how customers decide, engage and stay loyal.

See Aarron's full bio here.

Industry Panel

Kirsten Hasler

Head of Marketing & Insights, IKEA

As Head of Marketing & Insights for IKEA Australia and New Zealand, Kirsten Hasler leads ambitious brand and commercial growth strategies across the region. A seasoned marketer with experience in both Australia and Europe, she has spearheaded transformation projects across social media, CRM and customer loyalty, and led the marketing strategy behind IKEA's launch into New Zealand, successfully introducing the iconic retailer to its 63rd global destination. See Kirsten's full bio here.

Nick Whitehead

Chief Marketing Officer, Serko

Nick Whitehead leads global marketing and communications at Serko, bringing 20 years of experience commercialising technology through go-to-market strategy for a platform used by tens of thousands of companies worldwide. Today, he oversees the global marketing function for a business powering travel booking and management solutions across multiple international brands and partners. See Nick's full bio here.