ANZ

Amit specialises in brand development and marketing strategy. He has 15+ years of experience across a variety of industries championing an integrated communications approach for start-ups and established brands. Amit helps clients fine-tune their communication strategy online and offline, through brand copy, presentation, strategic partnerships and visual showcases. His strong background in UX, UI and design thinking enables him to tackle every hurdle and challenge with a methodical and efficient approach.

Amit’s network of creative and technical experts helps him stay at the forefront of technology and brand trends.

He holds a Bachelor of Business specialising in marketing and advertising from Auckland University of Technology, a Diploma in digital media, a Diploma in graphic design and certificates in UX, UI and design thinking. 

Chris is a Brisbane-based creative leader with over two decades of experience in brand strategy, identity development, creative direction, and marketing. He has played a pivotal role in shaping and elevating brands across a wide range of industries, blending strategic insight with compelling storytelling and design.

Chris is known for his ability to distil complex ideas into clear, resonant brand experiences that connect deeply with audiences and drive long-term value. His approach combines analytical thinking with a refined aesthetic sensibility, resulting in work that is both purposeful and visually impactful.

Beyond his professional achievements, Chris has contributed to the creative community, serving as a National Board Director for the Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) and as a design judge for the PIAA Printing Industries Craftsmanship Awards.

His leadership and advocacy reflects a commitment to raising the standard of design and supporting the industry’s growth in Australia.

Chris is the co-founder and managing director of WithFeeling, a sonic branding and music agency in Dubai whose fast-growing tally of awards and new business isn’t just a success story, but an indicator that creative boundaries are being pushed with every new project. He is renowned for his pursuit of excellence and one needs only to hear the extraordinarily immersive and engaging sonic branding for BBC World Service, Saudi Ministry of Tourism, Dubai World Cup, Ferrari World and Qiddiya for confirmation. Expo 2020 was the most high profile of Chris’ successes, particularly the now iconic No.1 hit ‘This is Our Time’.

Ian is a brand design director who combines creativity, empathy, and systems thinking to shape brand expressions for scale and measurable results. Based in Sydney, he is currently Design Director of Brand & Marketing at Karbon, a global growth-stage software company. Previously, he was Creative Director of Brand and Marketing Design for QuickBooks, overseeing brand design worldwide across acquisition and retention. Prior to that, he co-founded the San Francisco agency Ready State, leading work for clients including Google, Airbnb, and YouTube. Earlier in his career, he held creative leadership roles at MRM (McCann Worldgroup) and Razorfish Australia. Ian is at home in complex, fast-moving environments, bringing structure, clarity, and focus to brand and marketing design.

Gui de Andrade is a Brazil-born, Sydney-based design director currently working at Canva, and formerly at Folk. He works with multidisciplinary teams to shape and create brands, experiences, and digital products, striving for logic, clarity, and craft. 

Julie is co-founder of Yonder, the creative agency that takes brands to new places. With over two decades of experience spanning Australia, the US, and Asia, Julie has helped shape and transform brands across industries, crafting bold, insight-driven creative that cuts through and connect with audiences.

Her work has earned global recognition, including an Emmy for Best Public Service Announcement and the first-ever Diamond Transform Award for Best use of Copy or Tone of Voice.

A firm believer in the power of design to drive impact, Julie brings sharp strategic thinking and creative integrity to every Yonder project.

Michael is a creative director who believes the best ideas don’t just sell, they stick. A copy-led thinker with a taste for brand building and culture-shaping work, he’s crafted campaigns that play everywhere: above the line, below the line, and in all the messy, interesting space in between. He leads from the front, working with his team to create moments that matter: ideas that spark conversations, shift perceptions, and live long after the media plan ends.

A designer at heart, Louis Hu is currently the Creative Director at KPMG Australia, leading a team of thinkers and makers to deliver brand-led campaigns, events, and thought leadership across sectors including government, financial services, healthcare and not-for-profit. Prior to going in-house, Louis held senior roles in advertising and design agencies, where he built high-performing teams and fused creativity with commercial strategy. Louis’ work has been recognised and awarded across categories spanning consumer goods, automotive, entertainment and social impact – reflecting his ability to craft meaningful brand experiences across diverse industries. He believes that in today's AI-driven world, design thinking is more vital than ever – offering a human lens to innovation and empowering the next generation of creative talent to lead with purpose.

Sarah is a seasoned creative leader with 25 years’ experience across design and brand agencies and in-house teams, both in Melbourne and London. Starting her career as a graphic designer and progressing to client service director, she now leads the multi-disciplinary Creative Services team at AustralianSuper. Sarah brings deep expertise in brand development, design and creative strategy, along with a passion for building strong, collaborative partnerships. Her strengths in team leadership and creative culture-building help drive impactful, high-performing outcomes.

As a brand strategist and brand manager, Zoe is a curious and highly conceptual thinker. Her experience runs from transformational creative strategy through to rigorous corporate branding. Zoe has led and facilitated brand and research immersion projects across the UK, South America, Europe and Australia, and believes that branding has a strong role to play in boardrooms everywhere. She is on a personal mission to demonstrate how well-executed brand strategy can transform business.

Zoe is the Senior manager, brand strategy at CommBank, where she steers the strategic direction of Australia's most valuable brand and the 2020 refresh of the Bank's iconic 30 year old diamond logo. 

Prior to working at CommBank, Zoe worked as Strategy director at DesignStudio London, as an independent consultant and at Re Brand Agency Sydney. Throughout her career Zoe has received awards from leading bodies, including D&AD Wood Pencil, AGDA Pinnacle, New York Art Director's Club Silver Cube, Award New York Festival, Mohawk Awards Best of Show, among others. 

Connie is a marketing leader with 15 years’ experience spanning FMCG, luxury cosmetics, health and beauty, and brand strategy across Europe and ANZ. With a strong background in brand development and cross-functional leadership, she brings deep expertise in the commercial levers that drive both brand and business growth.
Her career includes leading brand repositioning, rebranding and packaging design projects, launching successful NPDs, and developing mid-term brand plans that delivered measurable commercial impact. While grounded in brand strategy, Connie consistently bridges commercial, shopper, and field teams to ensure cohesive execution and market-ready delivery. She is driven by a passion for excellence and for inspiring those around her to achieve their best.

With over 20 years of global experience across Asia, the Middle East and Australia, Henri is a wayfinding and industrial design specialist renowned for his ability to transform sketches into immersive spatial experiences. Henri is a member of the Sydney Airport Planning and design team. He integrates customer experience with brand identity into the airport's built environment, contributing to its evolution of serving its 2 billionth passenger.

Internationally, Henri has consulted for prestigious hospitality brands, including Hyatt, Intercontinental Hotel Group, and Marriott, to implement their wayfinding systems and brand designs in new properties. His expertise has significantly enhanced user experiences in various high-profile, luxury environments.

Rick is co-managing partner of thrills™, with over 25 years of international experience across retail, PCG and corporate sectors. His unique ability to link strategy with creative execution comes from a blend of creative and client-facing roles. A firm believer in collaboration, Rick values the idea that great ideas can come from anywhere. He thrives on pushing boundaries with his team, working to create Australia’s most thrilling brands.

Debjit is the founder of The Sonic Story, a cutting-edge sonic branding and audio solutions studio based in New Delhi. As the former design lead of sonic branding at ZEE5, Debjit crafted innovative soundscapes that strengthened brand identity across digital platforms. With over a decade of experience as a music producer and sound engineer, he specializes in creating immersive auditory experiences that forge emotional connections between brands and consumers. Debjit combines expertise in UX sound design with advanced AI technologies to develop scientifically-grounded sonic identification formulas, positioning him at the forefront of audio branding innovation.

Pete is Xero’s global head of brand & design strategy, known for turning bold thinking into brand work that lands with clarity and emotional punch. He has led brand and design strategy for global campaigns, content, and experiences across markets including ANZ, the UK, and North America. From defining brand platforms to shaping global event identities and employee value propositions, Pete blends creative instinct with commercial rigour, helping brands find their voice and connect with people in meaningful ways. 

Kate is a creative director with over a decade of experience driving brand transformation through strategic design and storytelling. She has led award-winning creative teams globally, delivering cohesive brand experiences across packaging, digital, content strategy, and campaign development. As global creative director at OX Tools and founder of Seven Point Studio, Kate brings a deep commitment to brand consistency, a passion for creative leadership, and a dedication to work that both resonates and performs. 

Karolina is global head of creative & creative strategy at amp and leads the Creative Team. With degrees in Musicology, Music Informatics, and Philosophy and Cultural Studies from the University of Music in Karlsruhe and the renowned KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), Karolina was an integral part of the amp’s team of the first hour. Together with Founder and CEO, Michele Arnese, she significantly shaped the methodology and creative processes at amp to help the growth of the agency - from its early beginnings to its elevated standing as a top player with major clients around the world. Her creative leadership and the environment she cultivates have made amp one of the most awarded Sonic Branding agencies in the world. 

Sally is a Melbourne-based designer and creative director with over 20 years of experience shaping engaging and meaningful design. She currently leads Arts Centre Melbourne’s in-house creative studio, where she drives creative outcomes for brand identity, campaigns, and environmental signage that connect diverse audiences with the performing arts.

Sally is known for her collaborations with Australia’s leading creatives, her support of the creative community, and her passion for bringing people together through design. Across her career, she has guided creative teams in the retail, hospitality, and arts sectors, building lasting relationships and delivering work that resonates beyond the page or screen. 

Gareth is a creative director with over 20 years of global experience in design and branding studios across London, Sydney, and now Brisbane, Australia. He currently leads the design team at Coinstash, leading the brand, product, and marketing transformation for one of Australia’s fastest-growing crypto platforms.

With a background spanning graphic design, digital design, and art direction, Gareth has extensive experience across the property, lifestyle, luxury, corporate, and commerce sectors.

His approach is collaborative and considered, blending culture, strategy, and design to deliver meaningful, idea-driven work. Gareth is committed to quality, originality, and elegance—building brands with depth and purpose.

Andrew's expertise lies in brand development, brand communications, experiential marketing and PR, enabling him to craft captivating brand stories and engage diverse audiences effectively across various channels.

Currently serving as the Brand and communications manager for Own Brands at Foodstuffs NZ, Andrew leads the brand and communications strategy for Own Brands and its Private Label brand, Pams, New Zealand's most popular grocery brand, with a rich kiwi history spanning over 85 years.

Prior to joining Foodstuffs, Andrew made contributions to esteemed luxury brands such as Webb’s, New Zealand’s premier Auction House and Jaguar Land Rover NZ. 

Ant Smith is a branding and identity specialist, with two decades of experience across global agencies in both London and Sydney. Known for leading branding projects and crafting purposeful design systems, Ant combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution to deliver cohesive brand experiences. Agencies and brands alike trust Ant for his clarity, collaboration, and no-nonsense approach to solving creative challenges.

Ben is a passionate marketer with 10+ years’ experience working on global consumer brands in Australia and the UK. He has been privileged to be custodian of some wonderful brands including Cadbury, The Natural Confectionery Company, Lavazza, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Maggi, and Nescafe. Uncovering human insight to creatively solve problems, build strategy and tell compelling stories is his sweet spot. Ben is also Founding Non-Executive Director of CoFutures, a consultancy with expertise in urban planning, community engagement and communication.

Yvonne is the Design Director at Dotagency, the in-house creative team of Azabu Group, one of Australia’s leading hospitality groups renowned for its Japanese-inspired venues. She oversees design across all brand touch points, delivering cohesive and memorable brand experiences. With over 13 years of international experience at global agencies including Ogilvy Shanghai and Brand Union, Yvonne brings deep expertise in brand identity, packaging, and integrated communications, helping businesses create meaningful connections and drive success.