Conference Agenda

FIRST TIME ATTENDEES RECEPTION

Welcome to your first ANA Advertising Financial Management Conference! Join us for an informal afternoon of conversation, networking, and fun at the First-Time Attendees  Reception. It is a great way to meet new colleagues and AFM Conference veterans who are available to answer questions to help get you off to a great start for your first conference. This reception is open to all first-time conference attendees. We look forward to meeting you!

WELCOME REMARKS

Peter Kenigsberg

Senior Director, Brand and Media ANA

CLIENT-AGENCY RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING 101

Gain a foundational understanding of building and maintaining successful client-agency relationships in this insightful session. We'll explore key factors that contribute to long-term partnerships, including communication, collaboration, and performance measurement. The discussion will include a look at new AOR client-agency tenure data and best practices from a long-term client-agency relationship. 

Matthew Kasindorf

Senior Vice President, Business Intelligence and Insight 4A’s

BEST PRACTICES FOR PITCHING, AS TOLD BY CLIENT, AGENCY, AND CONSULTANT

So much of the pitch conversation focuses on the negatives and areas for improvement. Here, we will highlight the positives of the pitch with a multi-faceted panel perspective diving into conversations on how clients make their final decisions, how agencies determine what opportunities to prioritize, and what makes for an efficient RFP.

Tom Browning

President JLB + Partners

SESSION 3

Lori Murphree

Founder & Managing Partner Evalla Advisors

GLOBAL CONTENT PRODUCTION TRENDS

The advertising industry overall and production specifically is in a period of unprecedented change. Based on insights from new industry research, this session will cover primary production models in use, global vs. local dynamics, transparency in production, automation at scale including the use of GenAI, and the future of global content production.

Laura Forcetti

Director, Marketing Services Asia Pacific, and Global Sourcing World Federation of Advertisers

CLOSING REMARKS

Peter Kenigsberg

Senior Director, Brand and Media ANA

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

WELCOME REMARKS by DECIDEWARE

OPENING REMARKS

Bob Liodice

Chief Executive Officer ANA

HOST REMARKS AND HOUSEKEEPING

Kathryn Budzien

Director, Marketing and Sales Procurement Post Holdings, Inc.

CHIEF BRAND OFFICER KEYNOTE

Chris Brandt is the Chief Brand Officer for Chipotle Mexican Grill. Since joining the company in 2018, he has focused on transforming Chipotle into a purpose driven lifestyle brand, making it more visible, more culturally relevant, and more loved by consumers. Innovation and driving business from new customers have been key focus areas. Along the way, Chipotle has built a first-class marketing analytics team and has been ruthless on ROI measurement as a tool to make every dollar more efficient and effective. The results have been impressive. Revenue has more than doubled and Chipotle’s market cap has increased from approximately $12 billion to $70+ billion. Mr. Brandt has received widespread industry recognition including Ad Age A-List Awards’ Best Brand CMO (2023), an AdWeek Marketing Vanguard Awards (2024) winner, and featured on Variety 10: Entertainment Advertising Leaders (2024), Campaign US’s CMO 50 (2024), Business Insider’s Most Innovative CMOs (2024) and Forbes’s World’s Most Influential CMOs (2024) lists.

Chris Brandt

Chief Brand Officer Chipotle Mexican Grill

CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER KEYNOTE

Sopan Shah is “one of our own.” Previously, he led marketing procurement at Nestlé and was a speaker at the ANA Advertising Financial Management Conference; he even chaired the event in 2012. Sopan is now SVP, CPO at IHG Hotels & Resorts, which has a portfolio of 19 brands in 100+ countries. The focus of his role is on supporting its franchisees in areas including branding and operations and the transformation of the delivery of the guest promise (examples of the latter include IHG’s dynamically enabled website and development of an AI-based mobile app). He leads a team of 160+ individuals. Welcome back, Sopan!

Sopan Shah

SVP, Chief Procurement Officer IHG Hotels & Resorts

BECOMING A ZERO-WASTE MARKETER: SUSTAINABILITY FROM PERSONAL TO PROFESSIONAL TO THE PLANET

Sustainability is more than just keeping plastics out of the ocean or preserving wildlife habitats (although those are certainly important). In fact, sustainability requires an equal focus on environmental, economic and social factors. Marketers can play a critical role in driving change but need to start by looking inward. Consider that the greenhouse gas emissions from digital advertising are comparable to those of the aviation industry. Careless marketing not only pollutes the consumer landscape but actually harms the planet. In this session, we will explore how marketers can impact the world we share by taking a zero-waste approach to their professional activity, and how sustainability starts with a personal commitment to creativity, learning and growth.

Dan Dipiazzo

Chief Marketing and Experience Officer Georgia Aquarium

THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES ON THE MINDS OF AGENCIES

Abbey Klaassen is CEO at Dentsu Creative U.S. and current Chair of the 4A’s Board of Directors. At Dentsu she is responsible for driving growth and transformation for clients and pursuing innovation that continuously elevates Dentsu Creative’s reputation. In her role as 4A’s Chair, she advocates for the advertising industry and helps influence and guide the industry agenda. From this unique perspective, Abbey will discuss the most pressing issues on the minds of agencies (as well as their clients). Those issues include Gen AI, how agencies are using technology, DEI, and more.

Abbey Klaassen

CEO, Dentsu Creative U.S. Chair, 4A’s Board of Directors

PRAGMATIC AI IN MARKETING PROCUREMENT

Steven Wales, Chief Revenue Officer of Decideware, will host a panel discussion with brand-side practitioners exploring the ways organizations are employing AI in their marketing procurement processes, from contracting to budget management and everything in between.

Steven Wales

Chief Revenue Officer Decideware

TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR MARTECH STACK: TRANSFORMATION TIPS FOR PROCUREMENT

As the need for marketing technology (“martech”) grows, so too does the financial investment required to maintain an effective tech stack. It’s more important than ever for procurement leaders to take stock of their company’s martech and make informed rent, build, or buy decisions. Carmen True will lend her perspective on the myriads of considerations procurement leaders must make when auditing their martech.

Carmen True

Vice President Marketing, Channel Sales Enablement and Digital Ecosystems Qualcomm

HOW TO GET YOUR AGENCY TO RUN THROUGH BRICK WALLS – WITHOUT PAYING MORE

This session will share best practices for motivating agencies – without overpaying. Examples of good client behavior underscore how great marketers can encourage their agencies to, figuratively, run through brick walls, jump through hoops, and walk on hot coals for their clients without asking for more fees. Based on Joanne Davis’s successful book of the same name and her 18 years supporting Jim Akers as he led or oversaw marketing procurement at companies including Pfizer, BMS, and Avis Budget (and Jim hosted this conference in 2010), they will present ideas for procurement, marketing, and agencies on effective behaviors and actions for client agency management.

Jim Akers

VP Procurement Avis Budget Group

WHAT SETS APART A TOP PERFORMING AGENCY?

All agencies are not created equal and those who are “top performing” can have a significant impact on client business. Denis Budniewski, a seasoned industry veteran, has seen both sides of the agency-client relationship. After decades at agencies leading iconic brands like McDonald's, Cadillac, and P&G, he brought his expertise to Verizon. There, he spearheaded agency ecosystem strategy, investment, and talent management. In this session, Denis will share data-driven insights into the key factors that define a top-performing agency.

Denis Budniewski

Former Verizon and Agency Executive

THE INNOFICIENCY PROBLEM

How do you procure creativity without killing it? That's the billion dollar question at the heart of what Blair Enns calls "The Innoficiency Problem." Enns maintains that innovation and efficiency are mutually opposable objectives and that you cannot realize gains in one without suffering losses in the other. The tension created by this poorly understood tradeoff can be seen within client-side organizations, agencies, and their relationships—most prominently in the marketing procurement function. "Once you understand this principle," says Enns, "you will see it everywhere." But what do you do about it?

Blair Enns

Founder Win Without Pitching

CLOSING REMARKS

Kathryn Budzien

Director, Marketing and Sales Procurement Post Holdings, Inc.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

WELCOME REMARKS AND HOUSEKEEPING

Kathryn Budzien

Director, Marketing and Sales Procurement Post Holdings, Inc.

SESSION 14

REVOLUTIONIZING AGENCY MANAGEMENT: AT&T'S INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO MARKETING TRANSFORMATION

AT&T's three-year journey to revamp its marketing operations went through a comprehensive transformation of agency management. Their new approach was designed to enhance efficiency, optimize fees, and improve overall performance by leveraging a mix of in-house capabilities and improved external partnerships. By building an in-house studio, centralizing scope development, implementing transparent processes, introducing performance-based compensation, and conducting regular evaluations, AT&T set a new standard for marketing efficiency and effectiveness. This transformation ultimately empowered AT&T to better control costs, enhance performance, and achieve its strategic marketing goals.

David Ohrn

Head of Agency Strategy and Operations AT&T

DEFINING PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

The career of Ciare James reflects passion for defining pathways to sustainable growth of brands across a variety of categories and market positions. She was recently promoted to CMO at Bob Evans Farms, a Post Holdings subsidiary. With demonstrated excellence in P&L management, strategic planning, insights mining, integrated marketing and team leadership, Ciare aims to cultivate strong, growth-oriented brands while also making lasting impact on broader organizational design, talent and culture.

Ciare James

Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President Bob Evans Farms, Inc.

SESSION 17

ECONOMIC KEYNOTE

The Conference Board is a nonpartisan global think tank committed to providing Trusted Insights for What's Ahead™. Since its founding in 1916, the organization has been instrumental in helping leading organizations enhance performance and societal impact. They are renowned for their objective insights and ability to convene influential business leaders worldwide. Stephanie Guichard, senior economist at The Conference Board, heads the Global Business Cycle Indicators team. She oversees a suite of key economic indicators, including the Consumer Confidence Index®, The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence™, and The Conference Board Leading Economic Index.® Stephanie will offer a comprehensive macroeconomic perspective and delve into the potential economic implications of the new administration in Washington.

Stephanie Guichard, PhD

Senior Economist, Global Indicators The Conference Board

THE MEDIA PROCUREMENT PERSPECTIVE ON MEASURING MEDIA ROI

With over 100 recognizable consumer brands, Kenvue delivers essential health, self-care, skin health, and more healthcare needs around the world. Their reach demands a clear media strategy, set in motion by the efforts of procurement who accurately track spend and ROI. Ricardo Armbrust, global media procurement director, will discuss his department’s impact on Kenvue’s media strategy, as well as his relationships with data and analytics colleagues to create a detailed picture of Kenuve's media ROI.

Ricardo Armbrust

Global Media Procurement Director Kenvue

TRANSLATING MARKETING INVESTMENTS TO FINANCE AND THE BOARD

What happens when there's no CMO to translate marketing investments to finance and the board? And what happens when there is?  Details to come.

Luana Bumachar

Chief Marketing Officer Solo Brands

THE DEBATE ABOUT PRINCIPAL MEDIA BUYING

According to Jared Belsky, the practice of principal media buying has repeatedly prioritized agency profits and causes systemic problems. Too often, brands are in the dark about whether the media they’re buying is best for their business or simply the agency's bottom line. Marketers need to ask more of their teams and partners. Agencies need to stop sneaking in the back door with margin fixes and take the compensation issue head-on with clients. Jared has even launched a website focused on the issue – http://www.saynotoprincipalmediabuying.com/.

Jared Belsky

CEO and Co-Founder Acadia

SHARED GOALS X SHARED SUCCESS

Michelle Banks, Sr. Manager, ERG Programs, Charles Schwab, will provide her unique perspective having worked as a marketing sourcing manager in vendor management and as an internal client interfacing with vendor management. She’ll share best practices that procurement leaders can employ to support their internal clients by focusing on time & efficiency, understanding business partners’ priorities, maximizing dollars to get the highest ROI and leveraging supplier networks.

Michelle Banks

Senior Manager, ERG Programs Charles Schwab

ELIMINATING WASTE VIA CROSS MEDIA MEASUREMENT

The media landscape is fragmented and complex. Consumer habits are changing, and traditional TV viewership is declining as streaming and digital platforms grow. Current measurement systems, often funded by media sellers, can’t keep up with these changes. As a result, advertisers waste money, annoy consumers with excess frequency, and make poor decisions due to inaccurate data. Aquila, built by marketers for marketers and owned by the ANA, measures deduplicated reach and frequency. By reducing excessive ad frequency, companies using Aquila can create more cost-effective media plans by purchasing fewer GRPs, thereby reducing waste by as much as 20 percent.  Aquila is the gamechanger marketers have been waiting for.

Bill Tucker

CEO, Aquila Group EVP, ANA

CLOSING REMARKS

Kathryn Budzien

Director, Marketing and Sales Procurement Post Holdings, Inc.

WELCOME REMARKS AND HOUSEKEEPING

Kathryn Budzien

Director, Marketing and Sales Procurement Post Holdings, Inc.

PROCUREMENT’S OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE IN CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND TRANSFORMATION

When new agency reviews begin, change management is sure to follow. As category managers, it is an opportunity to move the marketing organization forward with more efficient workflows, stronger relationships with suppliers, and maximized value creation. Communication with internal and external stakeholders is paramount to successful transformations, keeping both parties engaged with ongoing updates on process reengineering and risk management plans. Lauren Klein, global category lead of agency production and channel delivery, will leverage recent changes at Astellas Pharma to illustrate the difference procurement can make in periods of transformation.

Lauren Klein

Global Category Lead of Agency Production and Channel Delivery Astellas Pharma

TRENDS IN AGENCY COMPENSATION, 19TH EDITION

For more than 50 years, the ANA has fielded this unique and comprehensive agency compensation survey among client-side marketer members. The survey distributed for this 19th edition was updated to include revised terminology for various compensation methods and addresses the impact of AI on compensation strategies. Co-authors of the report, Tom Browning from JLB + Partners and Greg Wright from the ANA, will review the major findings.

Tom Browning

President JLB + Partners

BEST PRACTICES OF AI GOVERNANCE

We are no longer on the precipice of AI in marketing. It is a full-fledged reality for marketing organizations across industries and of all sizes. Now comes a difficult challenge for marketing leaders: how do you govern AI’s use across the organization? How do you keep your marketers and your company’s IP safe as AI proliferates? Krista Sande-Kerback has advised enterprises on this critical topic during her time as a marketing leader at IBM. Now as director of product marketing at Computer General Solutions, she will offer platform-agnostic solutions to tame the AI beast.

Krista Sande-Kerback

Director of Product Marketing Computer Generated Solutions

THE STATE OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY

Five years ago, much of corporate America leaned into supplier diversity (sadly, sparked by the killing of George Floyd). The primary result of that for the advertising industry was increased investment in diverse-owned and targeted media. Yet recently, there has been a broadly reported scaling back of corporate DEI initiatives. New research from ANA and AIMM (the Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing) has taken the pulse of the current state of supplier diversity for advertising and marketing – it’s importance, current practices, and more.

Gilbert Dávila

Co-Founder, Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM) Co-President, DMI Consulting

INSIGHTS FROM THE CONVERSATION BOARD

The Advertising Financial Management Conference will conclude by reviewing posts made to the Conversation Boards stationed around the conference floor. If you post a marketing procurement, sourcing, or financial management challenge and/or question to the board, our panel of experts will take this time to offer their advice.

CLOSING REMARKS

Kathryn Budzien

Director, Marketing and Sales Procurement Post Holdings, Inc.