A renowned chief marketer, a cult brand co-owner, a leading marketing director and a top media leader are set to take to the stage at Cairns Crocodiles presented by Pinterest, with the ‘Defining Marketing’s Next Era’ panel now officially locked in.
The session runs on the Building Brands track in the Cairns Convention Centre on day three of the event, Thursday 14 May, and will bring together senior leaders to unpack what is really changing in modern marketing.
Taking part in the session are Jonathan Kerr, chief growth officer at Auto & General, Oliver Allis, co-owner and brand director of popular Australian self-serve frozen yogurt chain Yo-Chi, Florence Paoli, marketing director at Reckitt ANZ, with Melissa Fein, MD of media APAC at Accenture Song, who is moderating.
Pippa Chambers, Cairns Crocodiles content director, stressed unique combination of leaders. “Not only do we have, as declared by Mark Ritson, “Australia’s best marketer” Kerr, but also a brand like Yo-Chi that has genuinely embedded itself into local culture,” she said.
“Alongside that, you’ve got the depth, scale and legacy of a business like Reckitt. It’s three very different brands, three very different perspectives, and that’s what will make this conversation so interesting.”
As AI reshapes production, media continues to fragment and culture accelerates at pace, the pressure on marketing leaders has never been greater. Growth expectations are rising, scrutiny is intensifying and the role of marketing at the leadership table is evolving fast.
This session will confront the tension at the heart of modern marketing. How do you protect long-term brand equity while delivering short-term results? Where does creative risk sit in a boardroom increasingly driven by data and performance? And what does effective leadership actually look like in this environment?
Kerr’s (also known as JK) reputation was recently underscored by marketing professor Mark Ritson, who said at Commercial Radio & Audio Australia’s Herd event: “I don’t think there’s a better marketer in Australia than JK. He’s not flashy, he’s been there a long time, he does the business and he grows that brand every year. He’s a super impressive marketer here or in any other country…”
Allis is co-owner and brand director of cult frozen yoghurt brand Yo-Chi, which has built a loyal following by encouraging customers to create their own personalised experiences. As the business expands nationally, his focus is on scaling Yo-Chi’s positive energy beyond its stores, with an emphasis on community impact and a more transparent, accountable approach to sustainability.
Paoli leads marketing for Reckitt ANZ, overseeing brands including Nurofen, Dettol and Finish, and has been at the forefront of integrating AI into modern brand building while championing meaningful, inclusive storytelling.
Fein will moderate the session, bringing a perspective shaped by a career across agencies, media and brand leadership.
Candid and strategic, ‘Defining Marketing’s Next Era’ will focus on the real decisions leaders are making right now, and what it takes to navigate a landscape where everything is changing, but not everything matters.
Cairns Crocodiles presented by Pinterest takes place from Tuesday 12 May to Thursday 14 May. In addition to launching a new Film and Screen Track, the event has revealed a strong line-up of speakers including actor and director Taika Waititi, legendary filmmaker Warwick Thornton, founder and chief strategy officer at Alien Baby and CMO of Idris Elba’s IE7, Paula Bloodworth, chief marketing officer at the United Nations Foundation David Ohana, creative sociologist and bestselling author Amy Kean, media personality and podcaster Abbie Chatfield, TV presenter and podcaster Karl Stefanovic, and many more.
For more information on Cairns Crocodiles and to buy tickets, see the official Crocs website here.
To check out the full slate of speakers click on the pic below or read the Speaker Spotlight stories on B&T.
To view the agenda, see here. And to secure hotel discounts before they’re gone, see here.
