The Marketing Academy Scholarship Program.
The Marketing Academy Australia has selected 30 marketing executives for its 2026 Scholarship Program, drawn from client-side brands, media owners, agencies and start-ups.
The fully-funded program pairs scholars with one-on-one mentors from the industry's senior ranks, including Jo Boundy, CMO at CBA; Brent Smart, CMO at Telstra; Jenni Dill, CMO at The Arnott's Group; Susan Coghill, CMO at Tourism Australia; and Annabel Fribence, CMO at McDonald's Australia. Scholars also attend three residential bootcamps and participate in masterclasses from global experts.
"Every year we meet extraordinary marketers through the Scholarship, but what makes the program special is what happens when they come together," said Sherilyn Shackell, founder and global CEO of The Marketing Academy.
"The combination of generous mentors, a powerful peer group and the space to think differently about leadership creates something genuinely transformative."
The 2026 cohort : Alex Cogan-Briata (NBL Group), Alex Collins (WEX), Alvaro Bretel Tagliabue (Thinkerbell), Bec Alexander (IAG), Belinda Sanderson (Pernod Ricard), Chloe Jones (Princess Cruises), Chris Stratton (Reflections Holidays), Danielle Galipienzo (Initiative), David Hustwit (Optus), Denny Handlin (VaynerX), Desmond Campbell (Welcome to Country), Dylan Parker (Newcastle Airport), Elaine Loke (VML), Emma Dodd (Google), Gab McKenzie (MYOB), Gemma Healey (Johnson & Johnson), Isabel Thomson-Officer (Manifest), Jonathan Munschi (The Trade Desk), Maria Paula Gudiño (Unilever), Melissa Cicero (Commonwealth Bank), Natasha Cormier (News Australia), Nathan Olivieri (RightPaw), Rebecca Psaltis (Domain), Renee Barton (Coles), Renee Cathcart (Workday), Rob Frost (OMD), Stuart Wragg (Herd MSL), Suzy Smiley (Apparent), Tommy Pollock (Razorfish) and Vincent Cotte (Salesforce).
The program is sponsored by Salesforce, Google, CBA, NRMA Insurance, Thinkerbell, Optus and Coles.
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