The Marketing Academy has named 21 marketing leaders for the second cohort of its 2026 Global Fellowship Program, including several from Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
The cohort includes Alexandra Sloane, VP marketing and communications, Australasia, Mastercard; Astrud Burgess, CMO and MD customer proposition, ANZ; Florence Paoli, marketing director ANZ, Reckitt; Hazel Pitchers, CMO, IFM Investors; Jade McKellar, CCO, Sydney Opera House; and Sian Chadwick, general manager, marketing, ANZ.
The full cohort spans executives from Taco Bell, Manolo Blahnik, Thoughtworks, AWS, Bupa Global, HSBC, The Coca-Cola Company, Škoda Auto, Bacardi, Google, Tata Realty, Reliance Industries, CIMB Niaga, New England Seafood International and SOCAR Azerigaz.
The program moved from three regional fellowships to a single global initiative in January 2026.
"The enthusiasm for our 2026 Global Fellowship continues to exceed our expectations. In moving the program into a single global initiative, we've brought a new meaning to 'world-class' talent,” said Sherilyn Shackell, founder and global CEO of The Marketing Academy.
“Having reviewed a remarkable breadth of leaders for this second cohort, the selection process remains a profound responsibility.
“Earning a seat in this cohort is a testament to an individual's impact and welcomes them into a borderless community where leadership is refined through a global lens. We are incredibly proud to introduce this new group of fellows."
The curriculum covers board responsibilities including corporate finance, strategy, organisational vitality, transformational change and stakeholder engagement. Fellows receive mentoring from board members and dedicated executive coaching throughout the program.
The Fellows appointed for this cohort:
Alexandra Sloane, VP Marketing & Communications, Australasia, Mastercard
Amir Widjaya, EVP Head of Marketing, Brand & Customer Experience, CIMB Niaga
Andrea Beer, APAC CMO, Taco Bell
Astrud Burgess, CMO, MD Customer Proposition, ANZ
Darragh Ryan, Marketing Director, Global Retail Travel, Bacardi Limited
Florence Paoli, Marketing Director ANZ, Reckitt
Gayatri Yadav, Group CMO & EVP Strategic Initiatives, Chairman’s Office, Reliance Industries
Hazel Pitchers, CMO IFM Investors & Founder, IFM Investors, Merakiting
Jade McKellar, CCO, Sydney Opera House
Jodie Blake, CMO, Manolo Blahnik
Julie Woods-Moss, CMO, Thoughtworks
Matthias Blume, Vice President, Alcohol Ready-to-Drink, The Coca-Cola Company, ASEAN & South Pacific Operating
Unit
Meredith Kelly, CMO, Škoda Auto
Ning Li, CMO, Greater China Region, AWS
Pardeep Duggal, Marketing & Digital Director, Bupa Global
Rich Lawrence, Marketing Director, New England Seafood International
Sarthak Seth, SVP & Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Tata Realty and Infrastructure Ltd
Shaifali Gurnani Nathan, Senior Director, Ads Marketing & Insights, APAC, Google
Sian Chadwick, General Manager, Marketing, ANZ
Stephanie Ng, MD, Global Head of Marketing, International Wealth & Premier Banking, HSBC
Teymur Valiyev, Chief Commercial Officer, SOCAR Azerigaz
Admission is merit-based and the program is provided at no cost to fellows, who cover their own travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses.
The 2026 program is sponsored by Salesforce, The Brandtech Group, TikTok and Omnicom, and delivered in partnership with McKinsey & Company, marketing leadership expert Thomas Barta and board-level coaching organisation Wisdom8.
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