Continue networking, sharing ideas and celebrate a great day at the official drinks reception!

High-performing creative teams often reach a tipping point, where output is strong, but the lack of structure, visibility, and alignment begins to limit both efficiency and creativity.

Wajmah Strange and Jeff Costello explain what it really takes to move from that state of controlled chaos to a more scalable, sustainable Creative Operation.

Drawing on shared experience across organizations including AOL, ABC News, and CBS/Paramount Global, this session reflects years of navigating these challenges in different environments.

What now?

Assertion

A gap is widening inside brand organizations. The C-suite is meeting vendors, seeing demos, and greenlighting AI transformation at speed - while the teams and agencies responsible for execution are often the last to know what changed. 

What is to be done?

A candid look at the knowledge gap reshaping Creative Ops: 

We are in the midst of a significant shift across organizations and technology, and how value is defined. As AI continues to scale, so do important questions about its impact on the human experience at work. At the same time, employee expectations are evolving - particularly among creative teams - toward work that supports agency, originality, and meaning.

Pick two. That's been the deal in creative production for as long as anyone can remember.

Generative AI made us think the deal had changed. Marcia Howard, Senior Director of Creative Technology & Enablement at Target, was one of the first people at a major retailer to find out whether that was actually true.

In this session, she traces the full journey, from managing photo shoots across Berlin and New York, to running 3D CGI production, to standing up GenAI workstreams inside a large-scale creative studio in retail.

What she found along the way:

How Global Brands Build the Systems to Deliver Better Work, Faster and More Consistently

For global brands, scaling creativity takes more than great ideas. It requires the right teams, workflows, partnerships, and operating models working together seamlessly across markets.

The ‘How’ Conversation

As generative AI reshapes how we create, the question is no longer just what's possible; it's what we're willing to put our name on. 

Abhilasha explores how creative leaders can harness AI's power while keeping human judgment, brand integrity, and authentic representation at the center of every decision. 

A practical framework for using AI responsibly, so we can move boldly without losing the trust, authenticity, and human voice that make creative work matter.

Changing your name is the easy part. Getting 60 chapters and 600 people to actually adopt it is the work. 

When JDRF became Breakthrough T1D, the organization had to roll out a new identity across a nationwide network, all while operating in full public view. 

Arielle Cilaire of Breakthrough T1D and Emily Hughes of Orange Logic share an honest look at what it took to make the transition stick.

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