Boomtown has announced the up-and-coming talent set to champion regional media, as members of its new Boomtown Insiders advisory council for 2026.
The Boomtown Insiders are: Marcus Billingham-Yuen, senior client partner – media strategy, Afterpay; Courtney Birch, media manager, Enigma; Zoe Gothard, sales executive, Nine; Angus McLeod, senior planning & trading executive, Atomic 212; Arya Mishra, account executive, Ptarmigan Media; Eamonn O’Reilly, senior trading manager, Sanctuary Media.
From SCA, Madeleine Riddle, radio sales specialist; Sophie Rivers, senior media manager, Enigma; Angie Shen, investment director, Clemenger BBDO; and Matthew Tan, investment manager, Starcom Australia.
Boomtown Insiders represents the collective’s new advisory council, designed to nurture budding industry talent, encouraging them to be lifelong advocates for regional media.
The group will act as advisors to the collective, attending regular meetings to share learnings, agency results, and industry insights while also driving uptake of Boomtown’s regional media planning tool, the Boomtown Hub, and its masterclasses.
The Boomtown Insiders were selected by a panel of industry professionals, including Peter Chapman, chief marketing officer at Reflections Holidays, Katie Finney, sales director at the Seven Network, and Boomtown chairman, Andrew ‘Billy’ Baxter, who assessed the applicants’ video submissions, along with recommendations from their managers.
All the successful applicants bring between three to six years’ media experience to the group and a strong interest in the power of regional marketing.
“We were really impressed with the calibre of submissions for the Boomtown Insiders. Each applicant impressed us with their thinking, collaborative nature, insights and above all, their enthusiasm for regional advertising,” Peter Chapman said.
“Many of our Insiders have been raised in the regions, bringing a real-world understanding of Boomtown to their new roles; while others have a genuine curiosity for regional advertising and its ability to intimately connect with audiences. Some have already executed successful Boomtown campaigns, and we welcome their experience, feedback and knowledge on advertising in regional markets to the Insiders,” he added.
“Our Boomtown Insiders represent the future of regional media. The applicants’ professionalism, work ethic, adaptability and willingness to learn stood out in their submissions. I’m confident we have some of the most talented and well-rounded up-and-coming media operators in the industry appointed to the council,” Andrew ‘Billy’ Baxter said.
“Most are already championing regional media within their roles, acting as the ‘go-to’ for all things Boomtown with their colleagues and clients. The Insiders is a chance to formalise their enthusiasm for regional media, directly contributing to the future of Boomtown and its partners,” he added.
Among their initial remit , the Boomtown Insiders will attend the 2026 Cairns Crocodiles and report to the industry on the collective’s behalf. They are also set to attend a bespoke Boomtown Masterclass, networking events and roundtable ideation sessions.
Boomtown is the media industry collective representing the 9.9 million people living in regional Australia,
