At the New York Philharmonic, the Archives isn’t just preserving history, it’s helping fill seats. By leading the rollout of a powerful Digital Asset Management System (DAMS), the Archives has made over 3 million digitized and born-digital assets instantly accessible to teams across the organization. That access fuels campaigns tied to anniversaries, supports content for upcoming performances, and helps the marketing team surface timely, relevant stories that connect with audiences.

Let’s be honest: your calendar’s a disaster. Your inbox is a landfill. And half your meetings are performative.

You’re not here because you’re broken. But some days, you know you’re leading on fumes.

Wayne Barringer led an in-house team at Boeing — much like yours. Today, he works with leaders at Peacock, Expedia, Synchrony and more who’ve tried everything: new tools, new hires, new org charts. He helps them reset — starting with how they are showing up.

Chris Butler from Uber, will discuss the evolving dynamics between in-house creative teams and agency partnerships, examining how organizational structure impacts stakeholder relationships and creative output. 

This session will address critical questions facing Creative Operations leaders today, including team resourcing strategies, stakeholder negotiation leverage, and the changing agency landscape amid industry consolidation.

Know the System, Break the Rules 

Facts:

• AI is redefining creative processes and organizational systems.
• There is always tension between established frameworks and innovation.

The Response:

Crafting a Career with Perspective

Ever wondered how your Creative Ops experience stacks up across different types of organizations? 

In this session, Kate will share what she has learned navigating the worlds of agencies, in-house brand teams, and a global holding company. 

Each one comes with its own challenges and insights—and each helped shape not only her skillset but also her point of view as a Creative Operations leader. 

Creative teams face immense pressure to meet deadlines and business demands.  

Great creative work requires protected time and space. Without it we risk losing the very creativity that drives brand differentiation and long-term success. 

The Challenge: 

How to balance business priorities without sacrificing innovation. 

How to shield creativity amidst competing pressures. 

The Response: 

How to transform your in-house creative agency from a traditional production house into an agile powerhouse.

Tested strategies for:

The challenge:

How to develop and sustain a creative workplace across both people and processes.

The context:

How creativity manifests at all stages and in multiple forms from campaign concepts to solving scheduling problems - and at its most powerful makes the apparently impossible deliverable.

Covering: 

The Power of People in Creative Organizations

Join us for an enlightening session with Paco Toledo, who leads creative and content strategy at Revlon, and Anthony Del Monte, CEO of the innovative independent agency Squeaky. 

This talk, titled "Creative [PEOPLE] Matter," will delve into the critical role of creative individuals within organizations. The discussion will emphasize the intrinsic value of their talent and contributions, extending beyond mere outputs to highlight their essential role in organizational success.

Your chance to visit the exhibition and network with fellow Creative Ops professionals.