IMAA announces inaugural Fast Future Present conference for members, clients and partners
IMA) has announced its Fast.Future.Present conference – a deep dive into the media landscape of today and tomorrow for its members, their clients and IMAA media partners.
The announcement:
The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA), Australia’s national industry body representing independent media agencies, today announced its first-ever Fast.Future.Present conference – a deep dive into the media landscape of today and tomorrow – exclusively for its members, their clients and IMAA media partners.
Sponsored by News Australia, with supporting partner QBE, the inaugural conference will be held on Thursday, October 16 at the Sydney Masonic Centre, and will include spectacular media partner activations and networking, along with presentations from futurists, AI experts and media industry professionals.
The event will kick off with IMAA media partners sharing company and market updates with IMAA members via designated activations. A total of 29 IMAA media partners are set to attend, including ATN, Audience360, ARN, Bishopp, Blis, Channel Factory, Commercial Radio Audio (CRA), Crimtan, Criteo, Double Verify, Foxtel Media, Gumtree Group, IAS, Mamamia, Meta, News Australia, QBE, Nexxen, Nine, oOh!media, Pinterest, QMS, REA Group, Scentre Group, Seven Network, StackAdapt, TikTok, Uber and Weatherzone.
Guests will then enjoy a keynote presentation from Anders Sörman-Nilsson, a global futurist and founder of the think tank and trend analysis firm – Thinque, which provides data-based research, foresight and thought leadership assets for clients including Microsoft, Apple, Meta, McKinsey, Jaguar Land Rover, Adobe, MINI, Dyson, Rugby New Zealand and Lego. He has published three books on digital transformation and innovation and is a member of TEDGlobal and the Entrepreneurs Organization where he is the Sydney Chapter’s Leadership Impact Chair.
In addition, a panel discussion on “Is social the new search?” will feature several leading social media experts, including TikTok Agency Head, Nhi Le, Pinterest Agency Lead, Natasa Tintor, and Meta Industry Head, Independent Agencies | ANZ , Kristy Barclay-Allen and will be moderated by Vonnimedia Managing Director Veronica Cremen.
The future of media will also be explored, with a discussion focused on navigating the shifting changes in the media landscape, along with strategies for success. The panel will include insights from IAB Australia CEO, Gai Le Roy, Headspring Founder, Mark Byrne, and News Corp General Manager – Digital, Jessica Gilby, and will be moderated by IMAA CEO, Sam Buchanan.
Byrne will also present a session on the concept of “escaping the age of average”, exploring ways for attendees to think sharper, work smarter and use AI – without losing their edge. After a long career in media agencies, Byrne launched Headspring this year to enable agency teams to shift from Gen AI adoption to impact.
News Australia managing director of client partnerships, Lou Barrett, said: “News Australia is proud to support the IMAA’s inaugural ‘Fast.Future.Present’ event as headline sponsor. The IMAA community plays an important role in championing the independent sector, creating opportunities for collaboration and growth. In a time when our industry is evolving at a record pace with AI, new technologies and shifting consumer behaviours, events like this are invaluable. They provide the space to connect, share knowledge and explore the future together. We look forward to engaging with more than 300 decision makers from across the independent agency community at what’s sure to be a thought-provoking event.”
IMAA CEO, Sam Buchanan, said: “Our first-ever ‘Fast.Future.Present’ event is part of the IMAA’s commitment to both innovate in the sector and provide our members and their clients with a unique and exciting opportunity to connect with our media partners and gain valuable insights we head into 2026.
“This is an opportunity for our members to come together to hear about the current state-of-play of the national media landscape, along with what’s to come, from some of the nation’s foremost tech and media experts. Events discussing the future of media are vital, particularly as the sector is undergoing such rapid, transformative change. These events provide critical platforms for industry leaders to share knowledge, adapt strategies and foster innovation, and ensure that we all stay relevant, sustainable and impactful in an increasingly complex, digital-first world.”
To conclude the formalities a networking event will be held in partnership with News Australia and featuring a DJ courtesy of CRA.
The Fast.Future.Present conference exclusively for IMAA members will be held on Thursday, October 16 from 3pm to 8pm at SMC, 279 Castlereagh Street, Sydney.
For more information, visit www.theimaa.com.au.
Source: Third Avenue Consulting
