AiMCO Summit line-up announced

By AdNews | 20 January 2026
 

Patrick Whitnall. 

The Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO) has released the initial line-up for its inaugural AiMCO Summit.

MECCA and Tourism Australia will present at next month’s event. Premier event partners include WPP Media and Are Media, major event partners are HELLO and Fabulate, audio partner, Original Audio, and Spawnpoint Media and Sticki.

Australian entrepreneur and internet star The Donut Daddy, Melbourne chef Anthony Randello-Jahn, is also set to present.

The summit will open with a creator session, led by AiMCO’s Creator Advisory Board, which is represented by some of the nation’s most well-known influencers, including Ryan Jon Dunn, Matty Fahd, Matt Johnson and Stephanie de Sousa.

It will also include workshops, panel discussions and case studies, culminating in a mentor “speed dating” session, with AiMCO members able to network with brands like Ego Pharmaceuticals, L’Oreal, Destination NSW and Audible.

This year’s event theme is The Creator Era – Exploring Creators, Culture and Commerce, deep diving into how creators are driving cultural shifts, building communities and fuelling commerce at-scale.

“Our inaugural AiMCO Summit is set to bring together the best and brightest voices in Australian marketing, media, platform and creator talent to share ideas, showcase bold thinking and help shape the future of the sector," said AiMCO managing director, Patrick Whitnall.

"We already have an incredible line-up of brands, agencies, platforms and creators on board for this year’s event.

"All these organisations have a wealth of experience in the national influencer space, with many pioneering Australia’s creator and influencer sector and helping to drive the industry’s significant growth in recent years. We’re looking forward to hearing their insights on the future of the industry, and how we can collaborate and unite to continue to push the conversation forward.”

“We are thrilled to support the first-ever AiMCO Summit," said premier event partner and chief creator officer at WPP Media, Shivani Maharaj.

"This event is set to redefine the Australian influencer sector, it is a significant learning and development opportunity for the nation’s creators, along with our biggest brands, tech innovators and agencies.

"Creators are not just shaping the national marketing industry, they are leading it. This is a chance to celebrate the influence, innovation and impact that is being reimagined by creators, and to equip our industry to thrive in this new influencer era.”

 Are Media sales director, Anna Quinn, said its about "influence and creativity working together". 

“Credibility has become the currency brands are chasing, but how is it built in a content-driven world?," she said.

"Are Media's partnership with the inaugural AiMCO Summit and Awards is about giving brands the complete picture, exploring how editorial creators and social-first creators work together as a modern cultural engine.

"It’s no longer about operating in parallel; it’s about influence and creativity working together to shape culture and commerce.”

The 2025/2026 AiMCO Summit will be held on Thursday, 26 February 2026, at NIDA Parade Theatre in Sydney.

This year’s premier event partners are WPP Media and Are Media. The major event sponsors are Fabulate, HELLO and YouTube with contributing event partners, Commercial Radio and Audio (CRA), RISER/Theory Crew and Vamp and audio partner Original Audio.

The event is proudly supported by oOh! and JCDecaux.

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