Karen Ferry, Creative Director, Consultant

Karen Ferry is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning Creative Director and advertising cultural commentator. With over 14 years’ experience at some of Sydney’s best advertising agencies, she offered her unique insights and creative thinking on brands including IKEA, Volkswagen, McDonald’s, Comparethemeerkat.com.au and CommBank.

She’s a regular guest panellist on ABC’s Gruen, has appeared on the Project, Sunrise, and podcasts including Yumi Styles’ Ladies We Need to Talk, The Signal, Claire Hooper’s The Pineapple Project and the culturally-diverse Brown Riot.

Having won over 100 awards and accolades for her creative work, she was selected in 2018 as one of 20 worldwide See It Be It delegates for the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. She recently completed her tenure as the National Head of AWARD School (the industry’s leading entry level creative program), and is a member of the Australasian Writers and Art Directors committee.

Dee Madigan, Executive Creative Director, Campaign Edge

Award winning Advertising Creative Director.

Regular panelist on Gruen, The Drum, Weekend Sunrise, The Today Show and The Latest

Creative Director/Owner of national ad agency Campaign Edge.

Author of The Hard Sell and contributing author on Mothermorphosis and Change! Combining analytic approaches with street wisdom.

Accomplished speaker/MC.

Great for facilitating activities to get people thinking creatively in business.

Umberto Mecchi, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Mecchinism

Umberto is a seasoned Marketing professional with over 30 years experience in senior marketing and strategic roles. 

His simple but effective application of strategic marketing fundamentals has enabled Umberto to create breakthrough marketing programs and brand campaigns for leading brands in Australia.

Prior to establishing Mecchinism Pty Ltd in January 2019,  he was the Chief Marketing Officer at Hostplus – the National Industry Superannuation Fund for workers in hospitality, tourism, recreation and sport – where he managed the strategy, business intelligence, PMO, Client Sales and Services and the Marketing portfolios.

Umberto’s marketing work has been consistently recognised by industry for excellence having received the following accolades:

• 2017 – Ranked 11^th in the coveted CMO Top 50 list in Australia for his Marketing Influence and Excellence
• 2017 – AIST Platinum Award for Communications Excellence for the Humans of Hostplus campaign
• 2009 – Rainmaker Superannuation Marketer of the Year
• 2008 - AIST (Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees) Superannuation Marketer of the Year Award for Excellence;
• 2008 – ASFA Communications Award
• 2008 – AIST Gold Communication Award for Excellence

Umberto also holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from RMIT and a Graduate Diploma in Organisational Leadership from Melbourne Business School that included module placements at London Business School, INSEAD Singapore and Kellogg University.  Umberto has also completed Squared Online (with honours) – a digital marketing leadership course developed with Google.

Ali Moore, Journalist and Broadcaster

Ali Moore has more than 25 years experience as a journalist and broadcaster, working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia's Nine Network, and for the BBCs global news network, based in Singapore. She has covered major news and current affairs events across the region, reporting from Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China.

In her more than two decades as a broadcaster Ali has interviewed key decision makers from a range of companies, industries and political theatres. Her previous roles include ABC China Correspondent, host of Australia's premier late night TV current affairs program (Lateline), and anchor of some of the country's key business news programs (Business Sunday, Lateline Business). She is now a freelance broadcaster and journalist.