Todd Sampson and MECCA’s Kate Blythe Confirmed as Latest Keynote Speakers for ADMA Global Forum 2025

Senior leaders from Woolworths, Optus and NAB to join the conversation on marketing’s next horizon

MEDIA RELEASE - AUSTRALIA: July 24, 2025: The Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) has revealed renowned marketing veteran and TV personality Todd Sampson as the closing keynote for ADMA Global Forum 2025.

Joining him in a packed lineup of incredible marketing talent is Kate Blythe, Chief Marketing Officer at MECCA, while leaders from Optus, PepsiCo and NAB will also take the stage. Marketing provocateur Tom Goodwin and respected leadership strategist Holly Ransom have already been confirmed for ADMA Global Forum, taking place on September 9, 2025, at Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney.

This year’s agenda confronts the questions every marketer should be asking - how to build future-ready teams, deliver customer experiences that truly cut through, navigate compliance with clarity, and lead with confidence in a more complex data-driven world – all through the lens of the 2025 theme: ‘Elevate – Marketing’s Next Horizon’. 

Andrea Martens, CEO of ADMA, says: “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.

“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.”

Award-winning documentary-maker and television presenter Todd Sampson will deliver a powerful and thought-provoking Brain Power keynote live and exclusively 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. The session will feature bold tales of creative courage and rule-breaking, revealing why truth and vulnerability ignite belief, not just awareness. 

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 powerful panels, including one unmissable conversation where senior leaders from NAB, PepsiCo, and Optus will explore how today’s top 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: As Vice President, Small Business, at Optus, Jensen brings extensive expertise in B2C and B2B marketing and digital transformation across multiple industries and countries. She will join the panel to discuss how capability is being built within marketing teams, particularly in adapting to ever-evolving business and industry needs.
• Susan Press: Marketing Director at PepsiCo with over 20 years’ experience in FMCG brand management. She will join the panel to discuss how marketing leaders can turn capability pressure into performance advantage by closing critical skills gaps and building adaptable, future-ready teams.
• Natalie Lockwood: The Chief Marketing Officer at NAB brings a wealth of experience leading marketing transformation in the financial services sector. She will share her perspective on marketing’s evolving role in regulated environments, and how data and brand together build lasting trust.

More keynote speakers, exclusive insights from ADMA’s upcoming AI industry research, and additional program highlights will be revealed soon, with more industry heavyweights set to join the 2025 lineup. For virtual attendees, a dedicated headline presenter will deliver a compelling alternative to the in-room Todd Sampson experience.

This year’s ADMA Global Forum will offer a flexible live streaming format, with virtual attendees able to join for the morning, afternoon or full day. Student tickets are also available as part of ADMA’s focus on supporting future industry capability.

With limited seats for in-person attendees and a fast-growing virtual audience, ADMA Global Forum is set to define marketing’s next chapter. 

Tickets are available at  https://www.adma.com.au/GF25