Wellington Event: Capital Connect

Senior Advisor-AI Strategy, Chair-Garage Project, Advisory Board-Youdooh

Matt Bale has built his career at the intersection of media, marketing and technology, working with Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO, Starcom and OMD before co-founding MBM, New Zealand's largest locally owned media agency, acquired by Publicis. He studied AI at Stanford and is now Senior Advisor on AI at Together.

Strategic Marketing Lead, EECA

Russ is the Strategic Marketing Lead at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, leading engagement programmes that help New Zealanders make better energy decisions. He's spent a decade leading behaviour change programmes across government, from health to conservation to energy, applying social marketing to complex public challenges at national scale.

Strategy Partner, Bastion Aotearoa

Anna is Strategy Partner at Bastion Aotearoa, known as "Anna the Planner." A natural collaborator, she spent half her 21-year career selling products for McDonald's, AA Insurance, Westpac and Lion, and the second half selling behaviours, shaping ACC's Have a hmmm and Health NZ's Stick It To Hep C campaigns. 

Manager Campaigns, Public Affairs, Ministry for Primary Industries, Manatū Ahu Matua | IAB NZ Wellington Council Co-Chair

Paul is a marketing professional with 20 years' experience across public and private sectors, 16 in public sector roles at Te Papa, EECA, NZ Police and MPI. At MPI, he leads the team developing marketing and campaign requirements across branded units, including food safety, biosecurity, fisheries and animal welfare.

Marketing & Content Manager, NZTA

Emma Hartley is a marketing and communications leader delivering nationally significant public sector programmes in New Zealand and the UK. As Marketing and Content Manager at Waka Kotahi, she leads marketing, social media and content, including road safety campaigns, and previously led voter participation campaigns at the UK's Electoral Commission.

Chief Data & Analytics Technologist, Google Cloud

Rob Hawthorne is Chief Data & Analytics Technologist and Chief Technologist for the public sector at Google Cloud NZ, a role he's held since 2020, helping public sector agencies leverage open-source technologies. His background spans Z Energy, Theta, Microsoft and KPMG Consulting. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Otago.

Chief Executive, Tumu Whakarae | Experience Wellington

Diana Marsh has 25+ years' experience leading arts organisations nationally and internationally. She is Chief Executive Tumu Whakarae of Wheako Pōneke Experience Wellington, previously leading SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music for eight years and serving as President of the International Association of Music Information Centres. 

Business Director, MBM | IAB NZ Wellington Co-Chair

Kaitlin brings over a decade of experience across media, with a focus on partnerships and integrated solutions. Her career spans agency, supplier and client-side roles, plus digital strategy for government and private clients. Now Business Director at MBM, she leverages audience planning, data-driven buying and omnichannel integration to maximise impact.

Head of Marketing & Communications, Sport New Zealand Ihi Aotearoa

Kelley is Head of Marketing and Communications at Sport NZ Ihi Aotearoa. With an engineering background, she spent 15 years launching products for Fonterra, was Marketing Director for a tech start-up in Hong Kong, and spent 5 years at Fire and Emergency NZ, leading the Grand Effie-winning campaign You're Cooked