The ANZ PR and Comms Leaders’ Gen AI Summit 2026 is the region’s most senior-level forum dedicated to how Generative AI and Agentic PR are reshaping communications, reputation management, storytelling, and stakeholder engagement.
As AI moves beyond tools into agent-driven workflows, communications teams are entering a new era — where intelligent systems can plan, monitor, generate, and optimise communications at scale. This two-day summit brings together ANZ and
global communications leaders, brand executives, agency heads, and AI specialists to explore what this transformation means in practice. Across keynote presentations, interactive panels, real-world case studies, and executive roundtables, the summit focuses on what works, what doesn’t, and
what remains fundamentally human in modern communications. Attendees will gain practical insights into building AI-enabled PR functions while safeguarding trust, ethics, brand integrity, and organisational culture
ENDORSED BY 
ENDORSED BY
SUPPORTING SPONSORDelegate Registration & Coffee
8:55 Opening remarks from the Chair
• How agent driven workflows are reshaping core PR functions
• Early wins and workable use cases
• What remains fundamentally human
LACHLAN ANDREWS
Head of Corporate & Internal Communications, Canva
• Designing a GEN AI and Agentic PR strategy
• Guardrails and training data that keep outputs on brand
• Practical starting points for lean teams
MATTHEW WU
Head of PR, AWS
• Production, monitoring and analysis tools gaining traction
• What is proving valuable versus what is noise
• Integrating new platforms without disrupting operations
SARAH LOUISE ROBINSON
Head of Communications, Tourism Fiji
LOUISE NEALON
Managing Director, PR with Purpose
EMMA LOWDE
Senior Communications Manager, Intuit
10:50 Morning Coffee & Networking Break
• Global examples from leading markets
• Signals of a mature AI enabled communications function
• A clear view of where ANZ stands
BRENDA CHAN
PR Lead, Tourism New Zealand
• Practical frameworks for governing AI activity
• Reducing exposure to hallucinations, bias and misinformation
• Communicating mistakes when they occur
AMRITA SIDHU
Managing Director, Medianet
EMILY FINDLAY
PR Executive, SEPHORA
13:00 Lunch and Networking
• What audiences expect when AI is involved
• Moving beyond compliance to principled practice
• Lessons from brands who got it right and wrong
DANIELLE SHAW
Brand, Communications and Marketing Manager, Clifford Chance
RITA ARRIGO
Strategic Engagement Manager, National AI Centre
• Campaigns and workflows that delivered measurable outcomes
• What teams learned when things did not go to plan
• How to scale without losing control
JAMES HUTCHINSON
CEO, Sling & Stone
15:00 Afternoon Tea
• Capabilities rising in importance
• Working confidently in hybrid AI and human environments
• How leaders can support rapid upskilling
RHIAN MASON
Managing Partner, M+C Saatchi
DANI REDMOND
Program Leader, Media and Communications, Blue Mountains City Council
PAUL CHEAL
Founding Partner, 3cPR
• The new mind set of 2026 comms innovators
• How best to upskill in relentless change
ALENA DARCY
PR and Media Director, The Iconic
The training and development requirements for teams
17:10 Closing Remarks from the chair
17:10- 18:10 1 Hour Networking Drinks
8:20 Delegate Registration & Coffee
8:55 Opening remarks from the Chair
• How AI is changing the rules of communications
• Mindset shifts leaders need to make
• Lessons from brands navigating ambiguity
KATRIN MAURER
Head of Communications, Google
• Case studies of AI-driven decision-making in PR
• Balancing speed, scale, and authenticity
• Early lessons and pitfalls
REBECCA O’HEARN
Social and PR Manager, Freedom Furniture
• Real-world Gen AI tools that transform PR workflows
• Integrating AI without disrupting culture
• Metrics and KPIs for AI-driven campaigns
ELIABETH ANDERSON-FUNNELL
Head of Communications, Australian Fashion Council
AURORA SASSONE
Former Head of Communications, Oracle
11:00 COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKING
• Using AI to enhance creativity without losing voice
• Strategies for AI-assisted narrative creation
• Examples of successful campaigns
DANIEL YOUNG
Managing Director, Ogilvy
• Addressing bias and fairness in AI-generated messaging
• Transparency with stakeholders
• Lessons from crisis management involving AI outputs
RITA ARRIGO
Strategic Engagement Manager, National AI Centre
12:40 Networking Lunch
• Using AI to detect trends, sentiment, and emerging narratives
• Turning insights into strategic communications
• Case studies of predictive PR
SARAH MAY
Fractional Web3 and AI Social and PR Specialist - UK
• AI as a reputation multiplier: how generative AI, algorithms and automation can amplify trust or accelerate reputational damage in seconds
• Managing AI-driven risk: misinformation, deepfakes, data bias and model hallucinations — what leaders must anticipate and control
• Governance, accountability and transparency: who owns AI decisions, how to explain them, and what regulators and stakeholders now expect
• Protecting brand trust in an AI world: practical strategies for monitoring, responding and recovering when AI impacts reputation
ASHA OBEROI
Managing Director and Head of Digital and Insights, FTI Consulting
15:10 Coffee Break & Networking
• How AI can help identify and respond to issues faster
• Balancing automated alerts with human judgment
• Preparing for AI-enabled crisis management
MANMINDER KAUR DHILLON
CEO, Supernewsroom.ai
• Predictions for 2026 and beyond
• Lessons from early AI adopters
• How to lead in an era of uncertainty and rapid change
GLORIA LEE
Head of Brand and AI< Quantium
17:00 Closing remarks from the Chair
17:10 End of conference
