When it comes to experiential, it’s no mean feat to execute visually stunning and technologically sophisticated experiences that stay with consumers long after they walk away, but these agency leaders make it look easy.
This Best of the Best list is looking at the leaders of agencies with a sole or significant focus on experiential activations. It’s also looking at the leaders of these agencies as much as those on the tools themselves.
There are a couple of names we’d like to mention who were very close to making the top 10. First, WiredCo’s managing director Michelle Hampton. She’s helped lead the agency to create brilliant work such as the recent ‘Muttiholic’ activation for tinned tomato brand Mutti. The agency is also a finalist in the 2025 B&T Awards for Experiential / Promotional Agency. Hello’s CEO Sam Kelly has overseen the agency’s launch of the events and experience business this year and it has already delivered some impressive work, making it one to keep an eye on.
In our previous B&T Best of the Best instalment, we celebrated the Best of the Best consumer PR agency leaders.
As we near the end of the 2025 season, we only have a few more lists left–can you believe it! Before you go any further, make sure you nominate suggestions for future B&T Best of the Best lists. We read all of your suggestions and we take them into account. Next week, we’re looking at Mentors. Let us know who you think should be on the list by submitting a nomination below:
Without further ado, let’s get started with the pros who make the magic happen.
10. Erika Morton Allen, managing director, The Park
Erika Morton Allen crafts experiences that drive meaningful connections between brands and consumers. In a market where brand experience is evolving fast, Allen stands out for making every activation count.
With over 20 years of brand‑experience leadership across Australia’s experiential scene, she was head of experiential and a director for M+C Saatchi’s sport & entertainment division and Colenso BBDO’s pulse experiential division. She’s led and mentored teams of senior event managers, account managers, and executives to peak performance levels while growing business for clients such as Audi, Commonwealth Bank, Optus, Reebok, Smeg, Westpac, VISA, Air New Zealand, and DHL.
The Park’s work stands out with a range of impressive clients and innovative thinking, with highlights including Jack Daniel’s ‘Bonded’ tasting experience to the ‘Train Like a CommBank Matilda’ activation at Tumbalong Park, Sydney.
9. Paul Den, co-founder, Banter
Paul Den has built a career on the belief that meaningful experiences driven by consumer insights beat flashy exposure every time. After cutting his teeth in media at UM and MediaCom, Den co-founded Banter to help create “genuine connectedness between brands and audiences”. Since its launch in 2016, Banter has become one of Australia’s most dynamic independent experiential shops, delivering campaigns for Qantas, Volkswagen, Netflix and Nespresso. In 2024, Den and co-founder Mitchell Loadsman took full ownership of the business, buying their share from the Hausmann Group.
Den has evolved Banter from a specialist activations outfit into a full-service experience agency with PR, content, and social under one roof. For Den, the experience is the idea, and he’s built an agency that proves it.
Den oversaw the campaign ‘Grab Life by the Tugs’ activation for R.M.Williams, a four-day activation in Sydney, the EA SPORTS Sam Kerr-branded football pitch, a permanent five-a-side VOLTA football pitch launched during the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and a pop-up for Nespresso’s Vertuo Pop launch.
8. Vanessa Rolfe, director of client services, Misfits Media Company
Vanessa Rolfe is proof that the best experiences are built on connection. As director of client services at The Misfits Media Company (B&T‘s parent company), she brings a blend of professional insight and creative energy to deliver experiences for high-profile clients, including SAP, Snowflake, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and TPG Telecom, to name but a few.
Rolfe cut her teeth at McCorkell & Associates and George P Johnson before joining The Misfits in 2018. Since then, she has been instrumental in leading the client services team in fostering relationships built on a shared commitment to excellence and trust. This foundation has enabled The Misfits to consistently honour clients’ vision while bringing their professional touch and creativity to create memorable experiences that amplify brand presence. Rolfe’s contributions have not only driven The Misfits’ growth but have also set a standard for excellence in the events landscape.
Misfits won big at The 2025 Australian Event Awards, picking up trophies for its work on the SnowFlake World Tour 2024 and Cairns Crocodiles 2025.
7. Bridget O’Sullivan, head of experience, Bastion
Bridget O’Sullivan crafts brand experiences that never miss. With over a decade of experience across brand strategy, integrated campaigns and live experiences, O’Sullivan has played a pivotal role in shaping the experiential direction for some of Australia’s most ambitious activations.
Her people-first approach ensures that brands aren’t just crafting commercial success, but experiences that strike a chord, too. As a passionate advocate for the power of experience to transform consumer relationships, O’Sullivan mentors emerging talent and remains at the forefront of cultural and behavioural trends.
Her excellent leadership saw Bastion emerge as a finalist in this year’s B&T Awards for Experiential / Promotional Agency of the Year as well as Independent Agency – More than 50 Employees.
O’Sullivan joined Bastion in 2021 as client services director and was promoted to head of experience in 2024. Her work spans tech to sport, fashion to FMCG, and she’s worked across APAC, the UK, and Europe. Key highlights include Casa Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix and Kia’s Tasman Roadshow.
6. Kym Chisholm, head of projects, Rizer
Since taking over from Edward Woolrych (fourth last year) as head of projects last year, Kym Chisholm has been on a mission to turbocharge the agency to consistently produce bold work, holding nothing back and dreaming big.
With over 15 years of experience crafting creative and strategic communication solutions across luxury, fashion, corporate and government landscapes, she has worked both locally and internationally for some of the world’s most coveted brands.
As head of projects, she thrives on building teams that transform creativity into truly spectacular moments. She keeps the engine running full throttle, guiding the team to seamlessly blend strategy and innovation to deliver high-impact events and world-class experiences.
That includes the recent partnership launch for Qantas and David Jones. A runway inside Hanger 96 at Sydney Airport featured the 787 Dreamliner as a striking backdrop and a finale performance by Kita Alexander. Or Netflix’s Wednesday Island event, which saw Cockatoo Island decked out in Gothic vibes for the launch of WEDNESDAY season 2 on the streaming giant.
5. Corey Clarke, head of experiential and co-founder, Those That Do
Corey Clarke has never been one to colour inside the lines — which is why Those That Do (formerly The Do Collective) has become one of the most innovative experiential agencies in the country.
A designer and creative strategist by background, Clarke’s career has been built on the belief that experiences should surprise, delight and tell a story worth sharing. That philosophy earned Those That Do a spot as a finalist in the 2025 B&T Awards for Experiential / Promotional Agency.
Over more than a decade, he’s worked across creative production, brand design, and live experience, growing Those That Do into a studio renowned for its originality and craft. Whether it’s Kmart and Target’s Annual Store Managers Conference in Auckland, ING’s cheeky Sweet Nothings dessert pop-up, or a ’90s live rock revival for nostalgia-loving guests, Clarke’s team specialises in turning everyday moments into extraordinary memories.
4. Michael Ozard, group brand experience director, Havas Blvd
As group brand experience director at Havas Blvd, Ozard has made a career out of turning creative concepts into immersive, sensory worlds. His expertise helped Havas Blvd become a finalist in the 2025 B&T Awards in the Experiential / Promotional Agency category.
His path through the industry has taken him from event production to leading multidisciplinary teams across PR, content and experiential strategy. Under Ozard’s direction, the agency has delivered some of the year’s most talked-about activations, including Smirnoff’s Fire vs. Freeze party igloos, Wise’s playful fleece pop-up and Norco’s Grass to Glass experience at the Ekka Show.
In an era where audiences demand more than just shock value, Ozard continues to raise the bar, proving that great experiences create enduring connections that reach beyond the moment.
3. Gareth Davies, managing partner, Amplify
Gareth Davies has left a distinctive mark on the experiential scene. With a career spanning 15 years across brand strategy, content and live experience, Davies has evolved from a creative producer into one of the industry’s most forward-thinking agency leaders.
His early years in production and creative strategy gave him an appreciation for the detail behind the spectacle, an insight that’s become a trademark of Amplify’s global work. Under his watch, Amplify brought to life Samsung’s Space to Dream at Vivid Sydney, which secured has secured a finalist spot in this year’s B&T Awards. He also oversaw Netflix’s Squid Game Festival in Melbourne, Nike’s Air Max celebrations, and Canva’s Mardi Gras showcase.
The agency is also a finalist in this year’s B&T Awards for Experiential / Promotional Agency.
2. Laura Roberts, managing director APAC, INVNT
Few people have shaped the experiential landscape across the Asia-Pacific quite like Laura Roberts. From LinkedIn’s Talent Connect Series across three countries to Netflix’s Sports Club activation and BHP’s milestone celebrations, Roberts’ leadership has turned brand stories into cultural moments. Under her guidance, INVNT APAC has delivered more than 50 live experiences in the past year alone, each one pushing creative and strategic boundaries in equal measure.
But what truly sets Roberts apart is her commitment to people and purpose. She’s built a diverse, innovative team that’s rewriting the rulebook on how stories are told. With vision, empathy, and serious creative expertise, Roberts is redefining experiential in APAC.
1. Miles Scott, partner and COO, Akcelo
Miles Scott is truly a driving force for brand creativity and experiential excellence in Australia. He’s played a key role in establishing one of the country’s fastest-growing agencies, growing it to over 200 employees. Blending brand, experience, and culture into campaigns that people don’t just experience, they live, Scott’s operational expertise has enabled Akcelo to redefine the agency model.
Scott’s rise through the industry has been fuelled by a restless curiosity and a knack for spotting the sweet spot where bold ideas meet meaningful connection. His impactful campaigns for brands including McDonald’s, TikTok and Asahi have set industry benchmarks.
That track record saw the agency secure the 2024 B&T Awards Grand Prix prize, traditionally dominated by more conventional agencies. They also picked up the trophy for Experiential/Promotional Agency, Independent Agency with more than 50 employees and NSW Agency of the Year. This year, the agency is a finalist in the 2025 B&T Awards for People & Culture – More than 100 Employees, Independent Agency – More than 50 Employees, and Experiential/Promotional Agency presented by Displaywise.
Its Macca’s and Squid Games campaign, ‘Dare to Play’ with OMD, won a suite of awards at this year’s Cairns Crocodiles, too. The Redfern-based agency is on some run and it appears to show no signs of slowing down just yet.
