The Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) has revealed marketing veteran and TV personality Todd Sampson and Kate Blythe, chief marketing officer at MECCA, as the closing keynote speakers for the ADMA Global Forum 2025.
Joining them in a packed lineup are leaders from Optus, PepsiCo, and NAB. Tom Goodwin and strategist Holly Ransom have also been confirmed for the ADMA Global Forum, taking place on 9 September 2025 at Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney.
This year’s agenda confronts how to build future-ready teams, deliver customer experiences that cut through, navigate compliance with clarity, and lead with confidence in a more complex data-driven world, through the lens of the 2025 theme: ‘Elevate – Marketing’s Next Horizon’.
“We’re thrilled to bring an incredible lineup of powerhouse marketing leaders to the stage once again. There’s a reason ADMA Global Forum has become the must-attend event for ambitious marketers – we’re challenging assumptions, bridging disciplines, and equipping marketers to navigate change and deliver with confidence,” Andrea Martens, CEO of ADMA said.
“This year’s agenda is a bold mix of strategy, innovation, and creative prowess, spanning everything from B2B transformation to customer trust, regulatory reform, and AI. Our speakers aren’t just talking about the future; they’re building it. Whether you’re wrestling with regulation, closing capability gaps, pushing for sharper CX, or enhancing your team’s potential through AI, you’ll walk away with the clarity and capability to lead with confidence, armed with insights you can act on immediately,” Martens added.
Documentary-maker and television presenter Todd Sampson will deliver a Brain Power keynote live for in-person attendees. He will explore how the brain craves story over stats, showing how marketers can capture attention through emotion, tension and surprise.
Kate Blythe, chief marketing officer at MECCA, will discuss how the brand is transforming customer experience into customer inspiration, powered by data and empathy. Her keynote will explore MECCA’s approach to creating deeper, more human connections in a digitally rich world, offering practical strategies to deliver real emotional value and drive loyalty across every touchpoint.
The Forum will feature three panels, including one conversation where senior leaders from NAB, PepsiCo, and Optus will explore how today’s marketers are transforming capability challenges into performance advantages by innovating, engaging customers, building brands, and influencing boardrooms in a data-driven world.
The panel lineup includes:
Emma Jensen, vice president, small business, at Optus.
Susan Press: marketing director at PepsiCo.
Natalie Lockwood: chief marketing officer at NAB.
More keynote speakers, insights from ADMA’s upcoming AI industry research, and additional program highlights will be revealed soon, with more industry professionals set to join the 2025 lineup.
For virtual attendees, a headline presenter will deliver an alternative to the in-room Todd Sampson experience.
This year’s ADMA Global Forum will offer a live streaming format, with virtual attendees able to join for the morning, afternoon or full day. Student tickets are also available.
