The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA) has announced its first major event for 2025 – the Indie-Pendence Day conference, featuring a line-up of top media industry leaders.
The conference will be held on Wednesday 19 February at HOYTS in Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter and will also be live-streamed.
The conference is set to offer insights from several Australian media experts into what to expect across the sector in 2025.
The event will commence with a welcome address from Val Morgan cinema managing director, Guy Burbidge and an Acknowledgement of Country from SBS and NITV national Indigenous affairs editor, John Paul Janke.
A leadership panel comprised of prominent media executives will include News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller, ARN Group CEO Ciaran Davis, Mamamia CEO Natalie Harvey, and Nine CEO Matthew Stanton. The panel will be moderated by Slingshot Media Ventures managing director, Jane Waterhouse.
Three keynote speakers have also been announced: Thinkerbell’s founder Adam Ferrier, Unmade and Mumbrella publisher Tim Burrowes, and Seven Network television presenter and former competitive swimmer, Johanna Griggs, who will be interviewed by Pearman Media general manager, Katy Lozancic.
Other panels to be featured at the Indie-Pendence Day conference will include a channel panel, moderated by Alchemy One managing partner, Huong Nguyen. It will feature panellists from Think News, ThinkTV, OMA, CRA and Boomtown. It will also see a data and privacy discussion featuring IAB Australia CEO, Gai Le Roy, and Fitzpatrick media and advertising consultancy director, Shannon Fitzpatrick.
“The Indie-Pendence Day conference is set to be the kick-off event for the independent media agency sector for 2025, as we gear up for another landmark year for the IMAA and our members. We’re thrilled to unveil our impressive speaker line-up for this year’s conference – we’ve been lucky enough to secure a veritable ‘who’s who’ of the Australian media sector, with panels set to feature some of the industry’s most experienced media executives,” IMAA CEO, Sam Buchanan said.
“Our leadership panel and guest speakers will offer invaluable insights into what lies ahead for the media sector. The stellar line-up of panellists and speakers is testament to the strength of the independent media sector and its continued growth nationally,” Buchanan added.
“Australians benefit greatly from independent, inspired, and local creative thinking. The Indie-Pendence conference will bring together the media and business leaders who will drive further positive outcomes together,” News Corp Australasia executive chairman, Michael Miller said.
“The independent media sector plays a vital role in Australia’s media ecosystem, bringing different perspectives, agility, and deep client partnerships. Events like Indie-Pendence Day provide a valuable platform for industry leaders to exchange insights, tackle shared challenges, and explore opportunities for growth. At Nine, we recognise the role all agencies play in delivering creative and effective outcomes for brands, and we remain committed to fostering a collaborative and thriving media industry,” Nine CEO, Matthew Stanton added.
“In an era where technology, platforms and audience behaviours are evolving at unprecedented speed, independent media companies like Mamamia are uniquely positioned to innovate and grow, together with our agency and client partners. As Australia’s largest independent digital publisher, we’re seeing extraordinary and unprecedented opportunities to deepen connections between brands and audiences. The agility of independent media allows us to rapidly adapt to changing consumption patterns and take advantage of tech innovation. The importance of moving quickly and authentically connecting with audiences has never been more valuable in the Australian and global media landscape,” Mamamia CEO, Natalie Harvey said.
The Indie-Pendence Day conference will be held from 9 am to 2 pm on 19 February and is available to all IMAA members and partner organisations. Following the conference, a networking event, sponsored by News Corp Australia, will be hosted at Watson’s EQ.
The event’s live stream will be available from 9 am on 19 February.
