IMAA – Independent Media Agencies Australia has announced the speaker line-up for its 2026 Indie-Pendence Day conference, with leading voices across AI, marketing, media, technology and economics set to take the stage in Sydney and Melbourne.
The annual conference will be held in Sydney on February 19 at HOYTS Entertainment Quarter, followed by Melbourne on February 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground AFL Dining Room in the Shane Warne Stand.
Sponsored by News Australia and Tubi, the events are expected to set the tone for the independent media agency sector in 2026.
Focus on AI, economics and creative intelligence
This year’s conference program brings together futurists, economists, CMOs and AI specialists to explore the forces shaping the media and marketing landscape.
In Sydney, futurist and Say Robots founder Katie Rigg-Smith will present Fact, fiction or fad? Which are the futures that indies need to prepare for in 2026?, examining the key consumer and technology trends expected to impact agencies over the next 12 to 24 months.
Sean Aylmer, host of Nova Entertainment’s Fear & Greed podcast, will deliver a general business and economic outlook.
Little Black Book Managing Editor AUNZ Brittney Rigby and Asia-Pacific Managing Director Toby Hemming will deliver keynote sessions in Sydney and Melbourne respectively, exploring creative effectiveness and media intelligence.
In Melbourne, finance expert Betsy Westcott will present The 2026 Economic Outlook: What Indie Agencies need to know to stay ahead, while Headspring founder Mark Byrne will examine how agencies can use AI without sacrificing strategic edge.
AI takes centre stage
AI will be a major theme across both conferences.
The Sydney event will feature a panel discussion with Bel Harper from oOh!media, BRAIVE founder Matt Travers, Kathryn Illy, Margie Reid, and Rigg-Smith, moderated by Australian Centre for AI in Marketing co-founder Louise Cummins.
In Melbourne, Thinkerbell founder Adam Ferrier will join Cummins for a fireside chat on the current state and future direction of AI in marketing.
Celebrating indie momentum
The Sydney conference will open with an Acknowledgement of Country delivered by Dan Bourchier, NITV Editor-in-Chief and General Manager. Both events will be MC’d by news.com.au entertainment reporter and The Newsroom podcast host Andrew Bucklow.
News Australia National Client Partnerships Managing Director Lou Barrett said the conference arrives at a pivotal moment for the sector.
“Following an extraordinary 2025 for the IMAA and its members, this event brings the independent agency community together to explore the economic outlook and the AI advantage needed to stay ahead,” Barrett said.
IMAA CEO Sam Buchanan said Indie-Pendence Day remains a cornerstone of the organisation’s calendar.
“Our annual Indie-Pendence Day conference is an important opportunity for us to reflect on both our achievements to date and what’s in store for the year ahead,” Buchanan said.
Dates and details
The 2026 Indie-Pendence Day conference will run from 9am to 12.30pm in both cities, followed by networking sessions presented by Tubi. The event is open to IMAA members and partner organisations