Wednesday, September 11th, 2024

Please join us for the IHAC Connect In-House Agency Summit!

IHAC Connect is designed to bring together IHAC members and non-members from various corners of our industry. Together, we will delve into the future of in-house agencies and explore the latest emerging trends. Prepare for a welcoming and engaging atmosphere filled with valuable insights, practical knowledge, and ample networking opportunities.

The summit is ideal for brands with in-house agency professionals ensuring a supportive and engaging environment for everyone involved.

Wednesday September 11th, 2024

The 2024 Speaker Line-up

  • Head of Global Gaming Business Success Strategy at Activision Blizzard

    Award-winning business and marketing leader with over 15 years’ experience driving global strategic initiatives within the advertising, technology, entertainment and media industries.

    Recognized by Business Insider, Ragan Communications, Crain’s New York, The PR Net and PRSA New York.

  • Executive Creative Director at Canva

    Cat is the Executive Creative Director at Canva, on a mission to empower the world to design and do the most good we can along the way. After joining Canva in 2018 as their first brand designer with 15 years experience in branding, Cat has built an in-house creative agency of 100+ talented creatives across brand, campaigns, performance and production. Focussed on building a globally loved brand, leading inspired creative teams, designing systems for scale – she believes the power of design can transform lives. Please sing out if there's anything else you need.

  • Executive Manager Creative Services, CommBank

    With 15+ years of creative agency experience, including M&C Saatchi, DDB and Clemenger; Sarah has now moved in-house and loves creating impact from within an exciting, iconic brand, CommBank. When asked what inspires her, Sarah said: "Great work inspires me. Brilliant & meaningful ideas. Intelligently made experiences. 

  • Nick Thomas; Partner & Chief Strategy Officer, -lution

    Nick helps run -lution; a marketing transformation consultancy run by marketers for marketers.  Nick’s background as an international executive has seen him lead marketing, product and P&L functions for big blue-chip consumer brands in the UK and Australia.

    His previous roles include CMO RACV, CMO Betfair, GM Consumer Telstra, and Head of Digital & Consumer O2 UK.  With practical experience leading growth and change for some of the biggest consumer brands in the world’s most competitive markets, Nick has also built and led in-house agency teams at Betfair, RACV, O2, and GE Money.

  • Founder - Time Under Tension

    Tim founded a successful digital agency in 1997, and after 20 years it grew to be one of the largest privately owned digital agencies in Australia and was acquired by Accenture Interactive. After the acquisition Tim worked as a Managing Director at Accenture Interactive for 3 years, and then started an online automotive startup called Summon. 6 months ago Tim started delving deep into generative AI, and recently launched a consulting business named Time Under Tension, who are helping businesses to understand and take advantage of the potential of this new fast changing technology.

  • Founder & CEO, -lution & Executive Chairman, In-House Agency Council

    Chris Maxwell is a senior marketer and business leader with 20 years’ experience across Australia, Asia Pacific and North American markets. 

    Chris is founder and CEO of -lution, Australia’s leading marketing transformation consultancy focused on in-house and hybrid agency models. Through -lution Chris and his team have built, run and optimised more in-house agencies than anyone in Australia. Chris is also Executive Chairman of the In-House Agency Council (IHAC), Asia’s leading industry body for in-house and hybrid agencies. Through IHAC Chris and his team share best practices, build capability and advocate for the in-house and hybrid agency industry.

    Prior to this Chris spent 13 years on the client side in senior marketing roles for ABInbev, SAB Miller and Carlton & United Breweries, leading a multi billion dollar portfolio of iconic Australian brands.

  • Vinetha is a marketing innovator with deep media expertise, having successfully led high-performing teams for 10 years agency-side before transitioning client-side to Optus and Commbank. At Optus, Vinetha business-cased, built and led an award-winning hybrid in-house agency, driving substantial gains in both effectiveness and efficiency. Additionally, she spearheaded several groundbreaking AdTech and automation projects, solidifying her reputation as a leader in the evolving marketing landscape

  • Ben is the Head of Media at Treasury Wine Estate’s in-house agency, Splash. Recognised as a media innovator and a seasoned marketing strategist, Ben is a proven problem-solver, who builds and nurtures high performing teams through trust, co-creation and purpose.

  • Head of IHAC

    With 15+ years experience running and optimising agencies, Abby turned her expertise towards creating and growing the in-house agency for DuluxGroup. Now she brings her skills in creating and growing in-house teams, as well as her huge P&L, creative operations and people leadership experience to heading up IHAC to help our members supercharge their own in-house capability.

  • Creative Natives are a recruitment agency that specialises in telling the stories of our clients to the candidate market.

    We recruit across the digital, creative and market landscape, Our approach is different, authentic, and highly effective at attracting the very best talent in the market.

  • For almost thirty years, Lea has been lucky enough to have worked for and partnered with some of the most respected individuals and creative organisations in Australia, London and the US. 

    She started Mrs Walker after leaving her role as Director of Recruitment for Wieden + Kennedy in Portland. The goal was to offer independent and bespoke Talent Consultation in Recruitment and Talent Operations to Agencies and Marketers around the world.

    Lea has worked globally with the likes of Mother, BBH, BBDO, TBWA, Google, Special Group and Grey to name a few, on agency roles across all levels and disciplines, as well as Marketing leadership and in-house agency roles for global brands.

    Her clients have so far extended to 17 cities around the world over the last 6 years of business.

  • Georgie is a highly awarded, results driven marketing, brand, creative and content specialist, with over 20 years in the top Creative agencies in Australia and the UK. During her time in Creative agencies, Georgie has led extensive global and local brand portfolios for the likes of Unilever, Colgate, Danone, EnergyAustralia, GE, AXA, Google, KraftHeinz, McCain and BeyondBlue whilst leading and managing many high performing teams of agency specialists.

    In 2023, Georgie made the leap into the Asahi Beverages business to take on a leadership role within 1House, Asahi’s inhouse agency offering. 1House services 28 brands within the business, specialises in social and content and provides a full service offering of specialists with a team of 70 people.

  • Phil and Tom have spent the majority of their careers working in leading advertising agencies, such as Clemenger BBDO, McCann, CHEP and together at BWM Dentsu.

    The pair have worked on some of the world’s most iconic brands - Toyota, Kmart, Deliveroo, Vegemite, and many more.  And have work recognised at all major international award shows, like Cannes, One Show, D&AD (and even the Logies).

    With a growing movement building in the in-house world, they made the move to see what all the fuss was about. Two years later they are converts. Along with a talented team, they’ve helped create and build Splash, an in-house agency at Treasury Wine Estates. Here, they are creating world-class work and a creative culture to match.

  • Head of Media at Youi Pty Ltd

    Bringing over 12 years of experience from the media industry and full-service agencies. Marcel has a proven track record of leading teams across diverse sectors, including financial services, technology, tourism, retail, and automotive.

    Marcel is passionate about building cross-functional teams, driving innovation, and fostering an inclusive culture. His leadership style is rooted in collaboration, trust-building, and adaptability, all of which are further enhanced by his ongoing Master of Business Administration (MBA) studies at Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

    When he's not leading media strategies, Marcel enjoys surfing, playing tennis, or cooking up a Brazilian BBQ.

  • Guy is the Group Executive Creative Director of Balboa- the Foxtel group creative agency. 

    As ECD of the group, Guy is a brand broadcast specialist with over 20 years in the game. Highlights include coaxing Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist onto a floating commentary box on Sydney harbour is a 25-knot south wester. Getting a lesson in lighting from John Travolta and having Sam Neil wink at him while calling Foxtel an old dinosaur.

    As well as the ability to drop names into the simplest of bio’s, Guy and his team are behind some of the biggest brand launches at the group From Fox Footy, League and Cricket to countless entertainment channels and streaming brands like Kayo & Hubbl.


    One thing Guy is proudest of is the ability to assemble a team of world class creatives who are individually the best in their fields and together make one of the most formidable creative units in the county.

The Location…

The Timber Yard, Melbourne VIC

The Timber Yard is built on the philosophy of recycling, up cycling and bringing people together for amazing events. Located on 6,000 sqm, comprised of indoor and outdoor space, in the Port Melbourne industrial precinct, The Timber Yard is a landmark Melbourne venue of unprecedented size and event flexibility.

The site has been restored remaining true to it’s heritage of second hand timber storage and fabrication. The Timber Yard is an urban sanctuary designed to bring the flavour and personality of the country into the city.