AG1 CMO Paulie Dery and Blackmores Group CMO Joanne Smith have joined the keynote speaker lineup at the Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) Global Forum 2025.
Their addition adds to a lineup of marketers, including Tom Goodwin, Todd Sampson and MECCA CMO Kate Blythe.
Smith will deliver a virtual-exclusive closing keynote and a new panel on privacy regulation exploring the acceptable limits of personalisation in a privacy-led world.
This year’s theme is ‘Elevate – Marketing’s Next Horizon,’ focused on marketing’s next era in a complex data-driven world.
Dery, CMO of AG1 and former brand leader at YETI and Uber, will deliver a keynote exploring the rise of identity-first brands. He will unpack what happens when brands don’t just market products, but evangelise identity, revealing how purpose-driven narrative fuels global brand movements. He’ll share how he transformed YETI from a rugged cooler company into a billion-dollar company through emotionally rich storytelling that sold a lifestyle, not just a product.
Now at AG1, Dery is applying the same mindset to wellness, turning a daily ritual into a global movement. Drawing on two decades of global marketing leadership across Sydney and New York, Paulie’s keynote will explore why belief, not benefits, drives loyalty and why Australia is uniquely placed to lead a new wave of world-class storytelling.
Adding to the lineup is Smith, together with Warren Mackay-Smith, general manager of AI Health Lab at Blackmores Group. They will deliver a virtual-exclusive closing keynote on how data, innovation and capability work in concert to build high-performing marketing teams. They’ll also share how Blackmores is bridging the gap between potential and performance through data-driven insight, continuous learning and bold experimentation. Expect a future-focused session showing why capability is the engine, data is the compass, and innovation is the outcome.
“This year’s Global Forum is shaping up to be our strongest yet, with Paulie Dery and Joanne Smith elevating an already exceptional program. From global brand leaders who have transformed some of the world’s most recognisable brands, to experts advancing capability, compliance, change and the ever-increasing and evolving role of AI, the Forum is designed to meet the moment and help marketers lead with confidence,” Andrea Martens, CEO of ADMA said.
“We see Global Forum 2025 as a defining moment for marketing – where ambition meets action. It’s about giving marketing leaders the clarity and tools to shape what’s next and drive meaningful impact,” Martens added.
An interactive regulatory session exploring the acceptable limits of personalisation in a privacy-led world will feature Peter Leonard and Sarla Fernando, chair and deputy chair of ADMA’s Regulatory and Privacy Working Group. Using case studies such as personalised pricing, hyper-targeted campaigns and shared data to serve personalised content, the session will invite audience voting on whether each scenario is acceptable or not, before hearing consumer perspectives, regulatory insights and practical steps for marketers to innovate responsibly while anticipating future reforms.
The lineup of previously announced industry leaders includes senior marketers such as MECCA (Kate Blythe), NAB (Natalie Lockwood), PepsiCo (Susan Press) and Optus (Emma Jensen).
The full agenda, a third panel, and an ADMA announcement will be unveiled soon.
ADMA is offering both in-person tickets and flexible streaming options to allow online attendees to join for the morning, afternoon or full day, whilst student tickets are also available.
