Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest, has appointed former Cannes Lions executive Helen McManamon as strategic partnerships manager, JAPAC, as the festival continues to accelerate its growth across the region ahead of its 2027 return.
McManamon joins The Misfits Media following more than three years at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where she most recently served as senior partnerships manager in New York.
Her appointment comes as Cairns Crocodiles sharpens its focus on Asia, with plans to significantly grow the number of agencies, brands, speakers and delegates attending from across the region in 2027.
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“Asia represents an enormous opportunity for Cairns Crocodiles, and we’re investing in the right people and relationships to take our presence across the region to the next level,” said Rosie Oakshott, managing partner, The Misfits Media Company.
“Helen brings an incredible network, international experience and a deep understanding of the creative industries. Having someone with her background at Cannes Lions joining the team is a huge boost as we continue to build Cairns Crocodiles into a truly regional festival.”
Before joining Cannes Lions, McManamon held roles across media and entertainment including LADbible Group, Vue Entertainment and Sky, giving her a strong background in brand partnerships, marketing and global industry events.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with brilliant agencies and brands from around the world over the past few years, and I’m incredibly excited to now be joining The Misfits Media,” said McManamon.
“There is so much creative talent and ambition across Asia, and a real opportunity to deepen Cairns Crocodiles’ relationships throughout the region. I’m looking forward to getting out there, meeting our partners and agencies and helping bring even more of the region to Cairns next May.”
The appointment follows a landmark year for Cairns Crocodiles, which welcomed a record 2,300-plus delegates in 2026 and featured a stellar line-up of speakers including Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi and acclaimed First Nations director Warwick Thornton. See past speakers HERE.
The festival also launched its dedicated Film & Screen track in 2026, expanding its reach into the entertainment industry and further strengthening the connections between creativity, brands and culture.
Now heading into its sixth year, Cairns Crocodiles shows no signs of slowing down, with ambitious plans to expand its footprint across Asia and attract an even greater mix of international talent, brands and creative leaders.
Already this year, Cairns Crocodiles has unveiled an incredible first eight speakers for 2027, including Ukrainian-American author Tetyana Denford, Paris-based creative plagiarism hunter Joe La Pompe, Serena Kim of IKEA Korea and more. See the 2027 speakers here.
The festival has also launched a new regional ambassador program, with senior industry figures based in China, South Korea, Japan and India helping champion Cairns Crocodiles in their respective markets, strengthen regional relationships and identify outstanding creative talent and speakers to bring to Cairns. Its first ambassadors include Gill Zhou in Shenzhen, Yuli Park in Seoul, Hideo Rai in Tokyo and Rajeev Raja in Mumbai.
SEE: Cairns Crocodiles Unveils New Advisory Board And Regional Ambassadors
In addition to the three-day conference, the festival also hosts the Cairns Crocodiles Awards, celebrating outstanding creative work, and Cairns Hatchlings, recognising and nurturing the next generation of emerging creative talent.
Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest, returns to the Cairns Convention Centre from 25–27 May 2027. If you’ve a session idea you can submit it right HERE.
Earlier this week, Team Cairns Crocodiles was in Melbourne for the launch of Film & Screen 2027. Check out the photos here.
Tomorrow, Thursday 22 October, the team will be in Singapore for a special invite-only gathering at Artemis Grill, hosted in partnership with Innovid. The event will celebrate the launch of Cairns Crocodiles 2027, showcase winning work from the 2026 Awards and unveil the first Cairns Hatchlings brief for 2027. Keep an eye on B&T for more.
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