ACAM launches AI advisor network with Maestro

The Australian Centre for AI in Marketing (ACAM) has launched a national network of accredited advisors, with fractional executive community Maestro joining as its first strategic partner to help marketing teams implement AI across their organisations.

Four Maestro practitioners have already been accredited, and another 10 are in the program. The partnership will initially support ACAM’s enterprise services, including AI capability building, strategic support and transformation reviews.

The network brings together marketing practitioners, executives, consultants and specialists who can draw on ACAM’s research, benchmarking, education programs and AI Results Transformation methodology.

Moving from trials to implementation

ACAM co-founder and CEO Louise Cummins said organisations were increasingly seeking help to put AI into practice across teams, workflows and operating models.

“Over the past year we’ve seen organisations move very quickly from asking what AI in marketing can do to asking how they actually make it work across their organisation,” Cummins said. “That requires much more than technology. Organisations need capability, leadership, change, operating model expertise and experienced people who can help turn AI opportunities into action.

“At the same time, there is an extraordinary pool of senior professionals moving into fractional, independent and portfolio careers. This partnership allows us to bring those two shifts together. Our courses and programs have always been designed by marketers, for marketers, and as we scale it was important to us to remain true to that. ACAM Accredited Advisors bring deep AI marketing capability across a broad range of disciplines, which means we now have the ability to work with many more marketing teams.”

Selected practitioners must build familiarity with ACAM’s research, methodologies, education programs and approach to responsible AI adoption before becoming eligible to represent or deliver defined ACAM services.

Cummins said the network would allow ACAM to draw on external expertise as engagements required.

“Our ambition isn’t to build a huge permanent consulting team, but to build a strong core organisation around our intellectual property, research, data and customer relationships, supported by a highly credible collection of experienced advocates who can be brought into engagements when their expertise is needed.”

Maestro joins as first partner

Maestro’s community includes fractional experts, interim executives, independent consultants and contractors. Vetted members will undertake accreditation and participate in the delivery and commercial expansion of ACAM’s programs and transformation services.

The initial enterprise offering includes ACAM’s AI Advantage and AI-Ready programs, alongside ongoing strategic support and reviews through its AI Results Transformation methodology.

Maestro co-founder Annabel Acton said the partnership reflected a shift in how organisations access specialist skills.

“The future of work is increasingly about bringing the right expertise into an organisation at the right moment, rather than building every capability permanently in-house. Our partnership with ACAM is a great example of that model in action, combining ACAM’s AI and marketing expertise with the depth, flexibility and sector experience of the Maestro network.”

Accreditation program expands

ACAM senior industry advisor Kathryn Illy is leading the Maestro accreditation program, with further candidates to be identified beyond the four accredited practitioners and 10 currently in training.

“One of the things we are seeing is a significant group of highly experienced people between traditional roles who have enormous expertise, relationships and value to contribute. Rather than seeing that experience sitting on the sidelines, we want to create pathways for these Maestro professionals to build their AI capability and participate directly in the transformation taking place across industry.”

The network follows the launch of the Global Centre for AI in Marketing (GCAM), an international platform that combines research, benchmarking, and insights to help marketing leaders measure organisational AI maturity. The United States is GCAM’s first international benchmark market through a partnership with The CMO Syndicate.