The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA), Australia’s national industry body representing independent media agencies, held its first-ever Fast.Future.Present. conference yesterday, with more than 400 members and 45 media delegates in attendance.
The event, sponsored by News Australia and supporting partner QBE, presented a deep-dive into the future of the national media landscape with 29 of the IMAA’s media partners sharing business updates via designated activations, providing opportunities for networking and exclusive industry insights.
A keynote presentation from global futurist Anders Sörman-Nilsson was a highlight of the conference, as he shared his thoughts around the future of consumer behaviour and strategic foresight.
The “AI with a Human Soul” presentation explored the megatrends reshaping the media and marketing landscape, including the presence of predictive, context-aware experiences and how agencies can win with algorithmic precision, while creating authentic human connection in a screen-fatigued world.
Sörman-Nilsson also discussed the idea of the “algorithmic consumer”, with AI agents now reshaping purchasing decisions, and how agencies can use predictive customer experience to solve problems before they appear and meet the expectations of consumers and investors.
“Independent agencies face converging disruptions: AI automation, in-house pressure and rapidly shifting consumer behaviour,” he said.
“But these forces create unprecedented opportunities for nimble indies who understand what’s next. Independent agencies can win through agility and foresight—they need to understand these major shifts faster and position clients ahead of the curve.”
Speaker Mark Byrne, the founder of Headspring, explored the concept of “escaping the age of average,” sharing ways for attendees to think sharper, work smarter and use AI without losing their edge.
He pointed to the Microsoft Work Trends Index Annual Report 2025, which found that 75 per cent of Australian office workers are regularly using GenAI in their jobs and nearly 80 per cent of workplaces use “BYO AI”.
Byrne explored the challenges with this evolution, particularly issues with data leakage, uncaptured productivity gains and even greater cognitive atrophy and “workslop”. He said his mission was to enable forward-thinking teams to shift from GenAI adoption to impact.
A panel discussion on “Is social the new search?” featured insights from TikTok agency head, Nhi Le, Pinterest agency lead, Natasa Tintor, and Meta industry head, independent agencies ANZ, Kristy Barclay-Allen.
Moderated by Vonnimedia managing director, Veronica Cremen, the panel explored how people are now using TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook to actively seek out information about a product or service.
Barclay-Allen said, “This is about consumers tapping into their online networks to discover new businesses, creators and communities they love. It’s transforming search from a simple information retrieval tool into a powerful, personalised and community-centric discovery engine.”
Le added, “Daily search on TikTok grew by 40 per cent this year globally. For us, the world’s best search results are found through entertainment, where discovery can happen instantly and intent is created by an organic behaviour like scrolling.”
The panel also delved into the future of search, predicting deeper AI-driven personalisation, the rise of short-form video as a search tool, and creators and influencers continuing to drive trends and engagement. They also offered insights for CMOs, recommending agencies invest in best practice paid ads and carve out budget for the intent-capture funnel.
The future of media was also explored, with a discussion focused on navigating the shifting changes in the media landscape, along with strategies for success, featuring insights from IAB Australia CEO, Gai Le Roy, News Australia general manager of digital, Jessica Gilby and returning to the stage for a second discussion was Byrne.
Ian Paterson, general manager, client partnerships NSW at News Australia, said, “News Australia was proud to sponsor yesterday’s Fast. Future. Present event—a fantastic success and a real credit to the IMAA team. The energy, activations, and program content reflected the strength and ambition of the independent agency community. The sessions were insightful and highly relevant, particularly the ‘Future of Media’ panel featuring our own Jess Gilby, who provided sharp insights into the opportunities emerging at the intersection of content, technology, and audience connection.”
IMAA CEO, Sam Buchanan, summed up the evening, “Our first-ever Fast.Future.Present. conference was a significant moment for our industry, with the exclusive insights shared helping indie media agencies shape future strategies for their clients and set them up for success heading into 2026. The sheer number of attendees and the incredible support from our media partners is a testament to the strong interest in the future of the sector and what’s to come for indie agencies.”
