Activision Blizzard and CommBank headline 2024's In-House Agency Summit

The In-House Agency Council (IHAC), in partnership with -lution has launched the 2024 IHAC Connect In-House Agency Summit, the only conference in Australia dedicated to deep-diving on the challenges facing in-house and hybrid agency teams. 

This year’s event takes place in Melbourne on Wednesday 11 September and features an international keynote from Claire Nance, head of global gaming business success strategy at Activision Blizzard – the gaming company responsible for releases like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush. Nance will cover how her in-house agency drives growth in a competitive gaming marketplace.

Other speakers announced so far include Sarah Hetherington, executive manager creative services at Commonwealth Bank, Cat van der Werff, executive creative director at Canva, Ben Oliver, head of media at Treasury Wines, and Georgie Bugelly, group head of agency services at Asahi.

Additionally, -lution’s Nick Thomas and Tim O'Neill of Time Under Tension will provide crucial discussions on AI integration, while recruitment experts Lea Walker and Ryan Kelly will share strategies for attracting top talent in-house.

Chris Maxwell, CEO of -lution and executive chairman of IHAC, says: “We’re delighted to bring back the Summit for a second year, after delivering a hugely successful inaugural event last year.

"The trend towards in-housing and hybrid agency models is only accelerating, and the IHAC Connect Summit is established as the region's premier event for those working in or considering these models. It’s an invaluable opportunity for the industry to share best practices, gain new insights, and connect with peers from leading brands like Asahi, Honda, Sportsbet, Foxtel, Bank of Queensland, and many more.”

Nick Thomas, partner and chief strategy officer at -lution, added: “As Australia’s leading experts in in-house and hybrid agency models, -lution is thrilled to partner with IHAC for this summit.

"This event brings together our partners and the IHAC community to exchange insights on the benefits and challenges of running successful in-house or hybrid agencies. We welcome all client-side marketers who are keen to explore these models as a way to enhance effectiveness, drive efficiency, and build internal capabilities.”

IHAC Connect will be held on 11 September at The Timberyard, Port Melbourne from 8:30-5 pm.