12:00pm Registration

12:30pm AdNews Welcome

12:35pm The Economic Roadmap: Risks, Trends and Opportunities

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Chief Economist David Robertson

By popular demand, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Chief Economist David Robertson returns with a sharp read on the economic forces shaping the year ahead. From growth and inflation to consumer confidence and spending behaviour, this session cuts through the noise to focus on what will actually shape decisions in boardrooms and businesses in 2026.

1:00pm Media Dollars: Where to Next?

Standard Media Index APAC MD and Co-Founder Jane Ractliffe

Media investment is fragmented, fast-moving and fiercely competitive. Guideline SMI APAC Managing Director Jane Ractliffe lays out where media dollars are really going, which channels are winning and which are under pressure. With macro trends and local spend under the microscope, this session exposes how the market is shifting and what it now takes to stay competitive.

1:25pm Adelaide Agencies: The State of the Pitch

Trinity P3 Founder &Global CEO Darren Woolley

Pitching has become harder, faster and more decisive. This session unpacks what’s happening in the national pitch market before turning the focus to Adelaide. Trinity P3 Global CEO Darren Woolley delves into East Coast competition and where SA agencies are winning or losing ground, revealing what it takes to compete nationally without losing local advantage.

1:55pm Afternoon tea break

2:25pm PANEL: Navigating Regulation, Policy and Platform Power

Nine Chief Data, Product & Technology Officer, Enterprise Suzie Cardwell, Audience360 Head of Product & Technology Shruneek Prasad, Carat Digital & Integration Partner Claire Bryan and Blis Regional Director ANZ Elias Psarologos

The balance of power in digital is shifting. With privacy reforms, the news bargaining code and growing platform accountability all coming into play, the rules of the game are changing fast. This panel goes beyond headlines to provide a clear understanding of what stakeholders need to know, what changes are ahead and how industry is responding.

2:50pm Agency Outlook: M&A, Competition and Power

SI Global Director, Australia Julia Vargiu

M&A activity across national networks — including a headline Adelaide deal — is actively reshaping who holds power, who sets the terms and who gets left out. This session explores the outlook for agency mergers and acquisitions, examining the appetite for deals what these changes mean for the sector as a whole.

3:15pm PANEL: Inside the New Marketing Playbook

Mitsubishi Motors General Manager Marketing & Corporate Affairs Sam Wight, Adelaide University Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Benjamin Grindlay, Coopers Brand Manager Jessica Douglas and South Australian Tourism Commission Chief Marketing Officer Erik de Roos

Where is marketing money really moving in 2026? Adelaide’s top-spending marketers step on stage to explain how decisions are being made, where investment is shifting and how they’re navigating broader market forces. Expect frank views on marketing priorities, investment strategies and what agencies, media owners and tech platforms can do to deliver value.

3:55pm AdNews closing remarks

4:00pm Formalities conclude, networking begins