From spreading controversy to spreading pistachios, our second wave of Cairns Crocodiles 2027 speakers has landed!
Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest, has unveiled a huge second wave of speakers for 2027, led by one of Australia’s most fearless business journalists, Joe Aston, and the founder of viral food sensation Pistachio Papi, Mark Abdelmalik.
Following its first wave of speaker announcements, the festival is turning up the heat with another stellar line-up of marketing heavyweights, creative leaders and disruptive thinkers, including senior marketers from KFC South Pacific, Unilever Korea, Blundstone, T2 and Children’s Hospital Foundation, alongside Special Group’s acclaimed creative duo Tom Martin and Julian Schreiber.
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Returning to the Cairns Convention Centre from 25 to 27 May 2027, Cairns Crocodiles will bring together some of the brightest minds in marketing, creativity, business and entertainment from across Australia and Asia-Pacific.
Cairns Crocodiles content director Pippa Chambers said the festival was deliberately seeking out speakers who challenge conventional thinking.
“We want disruptors, visionaries and people who aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo,” Chambers said.
“Cairns Crocodiles is about bringing together bold thinkers, creative risk-takers and people with genuinely interesting stories to tell.
“Whether they’re shaking up an entire industry, building a brand from scratch or challenging some of the country’s most powerful institutions, we want people on our stages who will spark debate, inspire fresh thinking and leave audiences looking at things a little differently.”
Few Australian journalists have struck fear into corporate boardrooms quite like Joe Aston.
For 12 years, Aston was the sharp-tongued force behind The Australian Financial Review’s Rear Window column, taking aim at the country’s most powerful business and political figures and establishing himself as one of Australia’s most influential commentators on business and finance.
In 2024, he became a bestselling author with The Chairman’s Lounge: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out, before launching premium subscription news publication Rampart in 2025.
Aston joins Cairns Crocodiles for what promises to be a fascinating conversation about corporate power, reputation and accountability.
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From a pistachio spread to an international food phenomenon, Mark Abdelmalik has built Pistachio Papi into one of Australia’s most exciting challenger brands.
With a marketing approach centred on entertainment, storytelling and selling a feeling rather than just a product, Abdelmalik has taken audiences along for the ride through social media, turning customers into a loyal community of fans.
The brand has since expanded well beyond its original spread, collaborating with major names including Hungry Jack’s, Domino’s, Bakers Delight and Krispy Kreme. Now available in more than 12 countries, Pistachio Papi is proving that personality, community and a little bit of obsession can go a long way.
“The growth and evolution of Pistachio Papi has been phenomenal and you can’t look anywhere without seeing another unexpected collaboration or partnership,” Chambers said.
“It’s a brand that knows how to have fun, doesn’t take itself too seriously and has built a genuine connection with its audience. There’s a lot marketers can learn from that, particularly when it comes to creativity, cultural relevance and the power of a great partnership.”
With more than 25 years of experience together, Tom Martin and Julian Schreiber have helped build Special into one of the world’s most respected independent agencies, contributing to more than 60 Agency of the Year titles.
As global chief creative officers for Uber across Special’s offices, their work includes Uber Eats’ Tonight I’ll Be Eating, Get Almost Almost Anything and Football Is For Food, which won 11 Cannes Lions, including a Media Grand Prix, as well as a Grand Effie.
Their extraordinary creative track record also includes Virgin Australia’s Middle Seat Lottery, Tourism New Zealand’s Good Morning World and NAB’s Break Up. Beyond the awards, they’ve helped champion industry-wide change through initiatives including Shift 20, driving greater disability inclusion in advertising.
“Despite being two of Australia’s most celebrated creative minds, Tom and Jules have never graced the Cairns Crocodiles stage,” Chambers said. It’s an appearance that’s well overdue, and we can’t wait to finally welcome them to the tropics!”
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KFC South Pacific’s Vanessa Rowed is bringing some serious creative ambition to the tropics.
With more than two decades of marketing experience across KFC, BIG W and BWS, Rowed is leading an ambitious new chapter for the fast-food giant, championing creativity, entertainment and product innovation as engines of commercial growth.
Since joining KFC, she has overseen the launch of its Go Full Chicken brand platform, the viral Picklecore range and the entertainment-led More Tender Than Ever campaign. Under her leadership, KFC has recorded a 17 per cent increase in its Brand Index and a five per cent lift in quality scores.
Bringing another important Asia-Pacific perspective to the festival is Emily Hye-Jung Lyu, marketing director for AHC at Unilever Korea, who Chambers saw speak at MadStars Korea this year.
Operating in one of the world’s most dynamic and competitive beauty markets, Lyu brings experience in building brands in South Korea, where fast-moving consumer trends, product innovation and K-beauty continue to influence audiences around the world.
Her inclusion reflects Cairns Crocodiles’ growing commitment to bringing more marketing leaders and fresh perspectives from across Asia-Pacific to Cairns.
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Amy Munting, Head of Marketing & Brand, Blundstone (above)
From the worksite to the fashion capitals of the world, Blundstone has come a long way from its Tasmanian roots.
Helping steer the iconic Australian bootmaker’s next chapter is Amy Munting, who is driving the brand’s global growth while protecting the heritage and authenticity that have made it a cultural favourite.
Now sold in more than 70 countries, Blundstone is increasingly finding its place at the intersection of fashion, culture and everyday utility.
Featured in B&T’s 2026 CMOs To Watch series, Munting brings a perspective on how heritage brands can find new audiences, embrace creativity and build global relevance without losing what made them distinctive in the first place.
Read more about Amy Munting in B&T’s CMOs To Watch series here.
Tracey, Head of Strategic Marketing & Communications, Children’s Hospital Foundation (above)
Proving that creativity thrives beyond big brand budgets, Inga Tracey has helped transform Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Help Make Hospital Feel More Like Home campaign into a statewide creative movement.
Rejecting traditional charity advertising, the campaign invited Queenslanders to draw what home means to them, culminating in a spectacular six-night projection across Brisbane Powerhouse. Originally developed with Publicis Worldwide Australia, its second year was driven entirely in-house under Tracey’s leadership.
“Charities, foundations and not-for-profits don’t have it easy,” Chambers said.
“They’re often working with limited budgets, competing for attention and tackling incredibly complex challenges. This campaign is a powerful example of creativity at its best, and proof that marketers in the commercial world have plenty to learn from these sectors.”
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Peter Randeria, Marketing Director, T2 (above)
Leading the marketing charge at Australian tea brand T2 is Peter Randeria, a global brand and marketing leader with experience spanning luxury, FMCG and lifestyle.
Currently spearheading T2’s omnichannel brand transformation and growth, Randeria previously led global strategy and innovation at Treasury Wine Estates, and built and ran agencies and global teams at WPP.
He joins the program with insights into transforming brands, driving growth and bringing fresh creative thinking to established categories.
The latest speaker announcement follows Cairns Crocodiles’ first speaker drop in September. which featured a diverse mix of international marketing leaders, creative disruptors, journalists and entrepreneurs.
The first eight speakers announced were:
– Lindsey Belknap, Global Vice President, Marketing, ŌURA (New York, USA)
– Joe La Pompe, Creative Plagiarism Hunter, Founder & Author (Paris, France)
– Tetyana Denford, Founder of the Nobody Cares Movement, Author & Speaker (New York, USA)
– Sherele Moody, Award-Winning Social Justice Journalist, Founder of Australian Femicide Watch & She Matters Podcast Host (Australia)
– Serena Kim, Integrated Media and Marketing Communications Manager, IKEA Korea (Seoul, South Korea)
– Lem Zakharia, Creator, Brand Builder, Podcast Producer & Director, Bedou (Australia)
– Tristan Graham, VP, Executive Creative Director, Vacation (Australia)
Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest, returns to the Cairns Convention Centre from 25 to 27 May 2027, with more speakers and program announcements to follow.
For tickets and further information see HERE! (before prices go up).
