The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the first two speakers for its 2017 RESET conference in October.

Shadi Halliwell, group creative and marketing director at Harvey Nichols Group, and Bessie Lee, former CEO of WPP China and now founder and CEO of Withinlink, will join five other global marketing leaders as speakers at RESET in Sydney on Tuesday 17 October.

AANA chief executive Sunita Gloster said: “The RESET theme continues to resonate with our members – Australia’s national marketers – and we’re delighted to bring the RESET agenda back for its fourth year.

“Shadi is known for liking the unconventional, evidenced in the famous and award-winning work she has championed both for O2 and Harvey Nichols through the ‘Shoplifters’ spot which uses real CCTV footage of criminals shoplifting from its Knightsbridge store – traditionally a ‘no go’ area for a retailer.

“I’m thrilled to have secured Bessie Lee, one of China’s leading media executives who, having been responsible for WPP China, with more than US$1 billion in annual revenue in that market alone, is now heading up her own business Withinlink, which is aimed at incubating and accelerating start-ups in the media, technology and communication space.

“Many AANA members are keeping a keen eye on China as they accelerate into the digital landscape, looking to learn from the companies that are innovating and disrupting with extraordinary energy.”