Welcome to FWD: Sydney—where bold ideas meet cutting-edge technology, and the next era of marketing begins.

APAC Managing Director, Anthony Capano, opens with Mailchimp's vision for Australia. Discover how fresh investments, cutting-edge tools, and a commitment to innovation are creating new opportunities for marketers.

Building on this vision, VP of Product and Design, Fay Kallel, unveils the design and technology shaping the future of email marketing—revealing the intelligent new features helping brands grow, connect, and engage more effectively.

The future of marketing isn't coming—it's here.

In an algorithm-driven world, direct audience access is your greatest  advantage.

As the ultimate opt-in channel, email puts you in control—fueling every stage of the customer journey and giving you a clearer, more direct connection with your audience. 

Seamlessly integrated with other channels, it strengthens relationships, accelerates growth, and drives measurable impact.

Join New York Times bestselling author and Forbes Top 10 Marketer, Neil Patel, as he shares expert strategies for making email the backbone of thriving, future-proof marketing strategy.

AI is trained on the past—it remixes, refines, and repeats. But true originality? That starts with you. In a world where AI-generated content is everywhere, the challenge isn't just standing out—it's keeping creativity vibrant, human, and full of possibility.

Join Karen Ferry in conversation with Bluey creator Joe Brumm, Canva's Zach Kitschke, and WINK's Jeremy Jones as they explore how to unlock fresh ideas, use AI as a creative collaborator, and build a future where technology enhances imagination—rather than replaces it.

Comedy, confidence, and a little bit of chaos— homegrown megastar, Rebel Wilson, knows how to grab attention and keep audiences coming back for more.

In this fireside chat, she shares how humour, storytelling, and authenticity built her brand and made her unforgettable. From the art of audience connection to embracing individuality, discover how to turn personality into impact—and why the best brands keep people coming back for more.

Expect honest insights, candid conversation, and lots of laughs as we get up close and personal with one of entertainment's most magnetic personalities.

More data, more dashboards—more distractions. When everything is measurable, how do you know what really matters? 

The future of marketing isn't about drowning in numbers—it's about clarity, confidence, and impact.

Join Alita Harvey-Rodriguez, Managing Director of MI Academy, as she cuts through the noise, demystifies data, and uncovers the insights that drive growth. Learn how to make the most of your Marketing Efficiency Ratio (MER), optimise budgets with confidence, and transform email into a creative and commercial powerhouse—without the analysis paralysis.

Marketing moves fast, but the principles of growth remain constant. In this future-focused closing keynote, Professor Byron Sharp, Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and author of How Brands Grow, will challenge conventional wisdom with evidence-based insights on what drives brand success.

Discover why the future of email doesn't end at personalisation—it's about scale, reach, and reinforcing brand memory structures. Expect a thought-provoking session that reshapes how you think about marketing effectiveness for years to come.