Yahoo Academy, now in its 13th year, has revealed that its 2024 program will feature industry leaders Rob Campbell, Simone Gupta, Tim Sharp, and Kathryn Williams as speakers.
It has also released the list of 30 emerging industry leaders chosen to participate in this year’s program. The cohort includes people from major holding companies, indie agencies, and brand marketers in Australia and Singapore.
From 14 to 15 May, the attendees will participate in a curated and immersive learning experience designed to help them master the skills needed to thrive in the future of work.
Over the two days, the participants will be mentored by industry experts with workshops, including Campbell, head of strategy, Colenso BBDO;Gupta, co-founder, Supermassive; Sharp, founder and principal, GEN8; and Williams, owner, KMint.
The two days will culminate in a Pitch Off that will see the delegates break into teams to solve a real business problem for Australian charity Musicians Making a Difference (MMAD). They will be challenged to apply what they learned from the workshops to a practical, team-based challenge.
The winning team of the Pitch Off will receive a trip to a leading media and marketing conference in June, including flights, 4-nights’ accommodation, and conference tickets.
John McNerney, managing director of Yahoo AUSEA, said this year’s program has been designed to help delegates master a range of skills that will be essential in a more automated future workplace.
“At Yahoo, we are excited to offer practical and innovative approaches to solve partner business challenges, which is something we are dedicated to help spread across more of the industry.
“We’re proud of the Yahoo Academy and its impact over the last decade, providing a unique career development experience for many of today’s industry leaders.”
Trent McMillan, founder and chief digital officer of Kaimera, noted that the Yahoo Academy has been an “incredible platform for cultivating the next generation of agency leaders”, which is something the independent agency is committed to.
“Our ongoing engagement with the Academy has enabled our rising stars to access critical learning and networking opportunities, and we’re excited to see the fresh thinking and ideas our delegate brings back from this year’s event.”
Brad Palmer, national programmatic director at JCDecaux Australia and New Zealand, added that the Yahoo Academy has been a space that has provided a foundational layer to advancing the future leaders of the media industry.
“JCDecaux is thrilled to have our nominees included in the 2024 program to build a deeper understanding of the omnichannel landscape, foster industry connections and develop their skills for future success.”
The Yahoo Academy Class of 2024:
• Jasmine Phua, Team Lead, CPXi Asia
• Tom Doran, Digital Media Coordinator, Endeavour Group
• Santiago Aristizabal, Performance Associate Manager, EssenceMediacom
• Judith Kottwitz, Client Dev Manager, Group M Nexus
• Shriya Tewari, Client Solutions Executive, Half Dome
• Connor Dempsey, Investment Manager, Initiative
• Tate Boden, Associate Digital Director, Initiative
• Alexandra Whitehouse, Senior Programmatic Manager, iProspect
• Daniel Caruso, Senior Programmatic Account Manager, JCDecaux Australia
• Daniel Miller, Senior Platforms Manager, Kaimera
• Luke Pritchard, Addressable Manager, Kinesso
• James Hill, Addressable Account Director, Kinesso/IPG
• Navzeeth Bijayananda, Associate Director – Performance, Mindshare
• Marcus Billingham-Yuen, Client Strategy Manager, News Corp Australia
• Shelby Healey, Account Director, OMD
• Sophie Cole, Senior Account Manager, OMD
• James Porteous, Digital Director, OMD WA
• Arunima Sharma, Digital Manager, PHD Media
• Angelica Frago, Digital Manager, Publicis
• Benjamin Smith, Senior Digital Trader, Qantas Loyalty
• Mike Tekeu, Senior Programmatic Trader, Slingshot Media
• Charlotte Delay, Senior Exec, Spark Foundry
• Kati Wilmer, Associate Digital Director, Spark Foundry
• Amirah Mokhtar, Digital Manager, Starcom
• Peter Tait, Client Planner, The Speed Agency
• Xuan Vo, Senior Account Manager, Them Advertising
• Cara Thomson, Planning Manager, UM
• Liam Wilson, Strategist, UM Australia
• Kate Hughes, Digital Manager, Zenith
• Matt Taylor, Digital Executive, Zenith Media Brisbane
The Yahoo Academy has produced 360 graduates to-date. Participants in the program must have 1-7 years of digital media experience, currently work within a media agency or marketing team and have a passion for the digital media industry.
Endorsement by a senior manager was also required to secure a place in the final cohort.
See also: Yahoo Academy opens nominations for its 2024 program