SPEAKERS

Managing Director, Tourism Australia

Phillipa Harrison joined Tourism Australia in February 2017 to head up the organisation’s international operations for Asia, the Americas, Europe and New Zealand as well as Global Distribution and Partnerships. In September 2019, Phillipa was promoted to Managing Director. Prior to her time at Tourism Australia, she spent six years working for Hamilton Island Enterprises and before that held a variety of senior sales, marketing and product roles.

Executive General Manager Commercial & Business Events Australia, Tourism Australia

Robin Mack has worked in the travel and tourism industry for almost 30 years, working across travel retailers, wholesalers and airlines. Robin joined Tourism Australia in 2012 and has held several roles including Head of Distribution Development and Partnerships, Acting Executive General Manager International, Executive General Manager Commercial and is now Executive General Manager Commercial & Business Events Australia.

Future Crunch is a group of scientists, artists, technologists and entrepreneurs who believe there are new and better ways of doing things. Dr Angus Hervey and Tané Hunter are the dynamic Future Crunch duo whose mission is to foster intelligent, optimistic thinking about the future, and to empower people to contribute to it.

Brooke Boney is Today’s Entertainment Presenter and a Gamilaroi Gomeroi woman, known for her vibrant and informed opinion and reportage on everything from entertainment to politics. Formerly a journalist on triple j, ABC News, NITV and SBS, Brooke is an ambassador for UNICEF Australia and a member of the Indigenous Advisory Panel for the Museum of Contemporary Art. Forthright and funny, Brooke co-hosts her ‘Dream Club’ podcast with best friend Linda Marigliano. As the first Indigenous person on commercial breakfast television, Brooke believes we have arrived at a significant time in Australia. We are ready, as a nation, to start accepting and acknowledging our past – and perhaps re-evaluating who our national heroes are.

Kate Miller-Heidke is an award-winning composer and singer who effortlessly traverses the worlds of contemporary pop, folk, musical theatre and opera. She has released five top 10 studio albums and in 2019 represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Competition. Keir Nuttall has written several short films including multi-award-winning The Birthday Circle as well as producing several of Kate’s albums. Kate and Keir have worked as a collaborative team for over 15 years and began by writing, touring and producing albums together.

General Manager, Distribution & Partnerships, Tourism Australia

Jane Phillips has worked in the tourism industry for 25 years and joined Tourism Australia in 2021 as General Manager, Distribution Development and Partnerships. Jane has worked in a variety of roles within international and domestic tourism organisations, both locally and overseas. Jane is a passionate advocate for Australia as a destination and has travelled extensively across all Australian States and Territories

Executive General Manager, Strategy & Research, Tourism Australia

Before Rob joined Tourism Australia he was the Head of Strategy at Clemenger working on a range of brands including Tourism Australia for six years. Rob penned Tourism Australia’s brand vision in 2013 and led the strategy on the Restaurant Australia, Aquatic and Coastal, Undiscover, and Aussie News Today campaigns. In his 15 year career in advertising Rob has worked across a large range businesses including several travel brands such as easyJet, Helloworld, Virgin, Qantas and Tourism Tasmania.

Nick & Terysa have lived on board and sailed full time for 7 years. Their YouTube channel Sailing Ruby Rose, has now become Europes biggest YouTube Sailing Channel. They have visited 23 countries, completed two Atlantic crossings and this year are sailing Australia. Their refreshingly honest, visually engaging and genuinely entertaining content appeals to more than just the sailing demographic, pulling in viewers from around the world who are interested in boat life, minimalism and alternative lifestyles. They have featured in Forbes magazine, Business insider and the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Ducks is a great story of food, born in the surf! It all started with three good mates Mark LaBrooy, Sam Reid and Chris Sorrell travelling the world, cultivating ideas around a better, more sustainable approach to eating and living. During this time, with a shared belief for cooking food that is delicious and ethical, Three Blue Ducks was hatched. The boys returned to Bronte to enjoy the coastal surf lifestyle and soon the crew of three grew to six, with Jeff Bennett, Darren Robertson and Andy Allen coming onboard. Since opening their flagship Three Blue Ducks restaurant in Bronte, they've opened an authentic and relaxed range of dining venues in Byron Bay, Rosebery, Brisbane, Melbourne, Nimbo and sister venue Oma. 

Global Aussie Specialist Program Manager, Tourism Australia

The Aussie Specialist Program is jointly run by Tourism Australia and Australia’s eight State & Territory Tourism Organsiations. Team members are based around the world to support the website and train frontline travel sellers virtually and face to face on selling Australian holidays.

Chief Marketing Officer, Tourism Australia

As Tourism Australia’s Chief Marketing Officer, Susan is responsible for driving the organisation’s global marketing strategy, ensuring that Australia’s tourism marketing efforts continue to cut through in the competitive international marketplace. Having joined Tourism Australia in 2017, Susan lead the creative development for campaigns such as Dundee and Undiscover Australia. Susan was promoted to the role of Chief Marketing Officer in May 2019 to lead the Global Marketing team in creating and developing brand assets for innovative campaigns such as Matesong with Kylie Minogue and the domestic Holiday Here This Year campaign. 

Landscape and Nature photographer Ben Messina is originally from Cairns but now lives in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. As the son of a professional photographer Ben had the good fortune to have access to quality cameras from a young age. In 2014 one of Ben’s large artworks of Brisbane City was chosen by the Premier of Queensland to be gifted to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to Queensland. In the same year Ben’s artwork was also chosen to be gifted to all world leaders attending the G20 summit in Brisbane. 

Daniel Tran is an Australian based photographer who currently resides in Sydney with over 8 years of experience in the photographic industry. Daniel has established himself as one of Australia's leading photographers and specialises in commercial travel, tourism and major events photography. He has worked on numerous commissioned projects and assignments for clients such as Tourism Australia, Destination NSW, Tourism NT, Tourism Tasmania, Adobe and Canon Australia. Daniel's work has appeared on billboards across Australia, Times Square, Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon and in various international and regional publications. 

Hayley Baillie co-founded Baillie Lodges in 2003 with a vision to develop a premium boutique portfolio of contemporary Australian luxury lodge experiences. To date, Baillie Lodges operates three luxury lodges in standout locations of unique natural significance: Longitude 131° at Uluru–Kata Tjuta, Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island and Silky Oaks Lodge in the Daintree Rainforest. In 2013, Hayley joined the Tourism Australia Food and Wine advisory board, which was instrumental in driving the Restaurant Australia marketing campaign. Hayley was appointed to Tourism Australia’s Board in November 2015 and remains a Director.

Susan has led The Australian’s travel coverage since 1992, has won multiple national and international awards for her journalism, and is considered the nation’s top tourism commentator. She has lived and worked in England, France, Japan and Hong Kong, and diversified her print journalism career by presenting travel spots on radio, reporting as a refugee advocacy ambassador for Austcare, contributing to several anthologies, writing two lifestyle guidebooks and penning a best-selling novel based in India. She is the mother of two sons and lives on the NSW central coast with her husband, Graeme Blundell, an actor and TV presenter.

Distribution Development & Partnerships Manager, Tourism Australia

A member of the Tourism Australia team since 2014, Sarah joined the organization as Distribution Development Manager, Americas before relocating to Sydney in 2018 to support strategic global partnerships and distribution activity across all markets. Sarah first made her splash into the industry as a travel advisor, before holding various marketing roles with a major South Pacific wholesaler. Always on the hunt for the next adventure, she's passionate about exploring new destinations and some of Australia’s most remote corners sit atop her list.