Line//Up
Be Less Boring
Dull. Tired. Middle of the road. Unremarkable. Boring.
You wouldn’t use these words on your tinder profile, so why would you want them associated with your brand?
At the quarter point of this century, it’s time for marketers to be less boring.
The good news is that there’s a compelling case for adding fun, bold thinking, energy, entertainment, unconventional ideas + the odd calculated risk to what you do. And there’s more - making a clean break with boredom is likely to lead to happier, more creative + productive workplaces, where talent thrives + people embrace a rock the boat attitude.
So how will you stand out from the crowd?
What rules are you going to break to be less beige?
How are marketers reigniting their creative edge + creating campaigns + experiences that truly resonate with people?
From old school heritage brands through to punk new school challengers + everything in between, MAD//Fest London is here to break free of boredom + encourage a new golden era of entertainment, experiences + exceptional ideas that just pop!
Stages
2025’s MAD//Fest London features 12 awesome stages where you can get clued up on the most topical industry issues, hear from CMOs at top global brands, and discover the most exciting innovation + disruptors.
Julia Goldin
// Chief Marketing + Product Officer, LEGO
Julia Goldin is the Chief Product & Marketing Officer at The LEGO Group, where she leads the creation of products and play experiences that inspire, excite, and educate children worldwide. She oversees product development, marketing, research, licensing, partnerships, and the company’s in-house creative agency.
Prior to joining LEGO in 2014, Julia was Global Chief Marketing Officer at Revlon and held senior marketing roles at The Coca-Cola Company. She serves on the Boards of UN Live Museum and Fiskars Group. Julia holds an MBA in International Marketing and Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Munnawar Chishty
// Chief Marketing Officer, Carlsberg Britvic
Munnawar leads marketing across the Carlsberg Britvic business, which combines the brewer’s and soft drink maker’s brands together in a newly merged company as of January 2025. She oversees marketing not only across Britvic’s portfolio of soft drinks brands, which includes Robinsons, Tango and J2O, but also across a new group of beer brands including Danish pilsner brand Carlsberg, Birrificio Angelo Poretti and Brooklyn Brewery beers. Prior to her CMO role, Munnaway was Marketing Director for Britvic plc from February 2023. Before joining Britvic plc, Munnawar held several senior global strategic and local leadership roles at WBA, GSK and Johnson & Johnson in beauty and healthcare. In her previous role as Vice President and Global Category Director for Beauty, No7 Beauty Company, she led a team of Global marketeers leading strategy, communication, and innovation across the entire Beauty Portfolio for brands including No7, Liz Earle and Soap & Glory. She led the Incubator Team leading digital consumer experience transformation, the seasonal Gifting team and local marketing teams across the globe. She has delivered growth for international brands including No7, Sensodyne, Neutrogena, Aveeno and Gillette and for leading UK brands including Walkers Crisps, John Smiths, Newcastle Brown Ale and Liz Earle and a personal favourite Monster Munch! Munnawar plays an active role in championing diversity and inclusion within the business and wider marketing industry. Passionate about marketing transformation and the value it brings to an organisation, Munnawar also judges several industry leading effectiveness awards such as Effie’s, Marketing Society and Campaign. She is also on the board of Bucks & Berks FA.
Rory Sutherland
// Vice Chair, Ogilvy
Vicki Maguire
// Chief Creative Officer, Havas
Vicki Maguire is a rare breed – a world-class creative, a woman leading the charge and a force for modernising our industry.
From her disastrous career in fashion, sacked by the likes of French Connection and Vivienne Westwood, she discovered a love for copy when Paul Smith told her to stop trying to draw and write her ideas down instead. She’s worked on campaigns for some of the best agencies in the world – including Grey, Widen + Kennedy, Mojo and Amsterdam International.
She was appointed Havas London’s first female Chief Creative Officer in January 2020 – just eight weeks before the global pandemic hit. Despite that, she helped steer the agency to its best-ever year creatively – winning its first Cannes Gold Lion in nearly a decade for the Black Plaque Project – led one of the most successful new business drives in its history, culminating in Havas being awarded the hotly-contested Asda account in May 2021, produced work that built fame and commercial resilience for clients, and drove culture which engaged and helped consumers and communities.
She was named Creative Leader of the Year in both 2020 and 2021 by Campaign Magazine, which cited the agency’s ‘creative renaissance’, as well as a Female Frontiers honouree for her ground-breaking achievements in advertising. She was also named on the IPA’s inaugural iList – recognising the industry’s 30 most outstanding diversity and inclusivity game-changers – and an IPA Fellow for ‘services to advertising’ in its New Year Honours list, plus Campaign’s 40 over 40 in 2023.
In 2021, Vicki claimed one of the highest-profile gigs in the industry: Cannes Lions jury President, where she presided over the Brand Experience & Activation Lions jury. She returned in 2022 to sit on the Sustainable Development Goals Lions jury, and again in 2023 to judge the Dan Wieden Titanium Lions. This year also saw Havas London’s ‘Me, My Autism, and I’ for Vanish clean up on the awards circuit, with the campaign winning a host of major awards including a Cannes Gold Lion (one of three) and a prestigious D&AD Yellow Pencil (one of six).
Fleur East
// Presenter / Singer + Founder, Kurl Kitchen
Craig Inglis
// Chief Marketing Officer, Merlin
Dirujan Sabesan
// Chief Marketing Officer, Wingstop
Sophie Brisborne-Rhodes
// Chief Marketing Officer, CleanCo
Belén Frau Uriarte
// Global Communications Manager, IKEA
Belén Frau Uriarte is the Global Communication Manager for Ingka Group. In this role she leads the communication agenda focused on creating a strong purpose-led communication that contributes to better homes, better people, better planet and a better company.Beléns IKEA journey started in the IKEA store in Barakaldo Spain, where she later became store manager. After that, she has held various positions. First as Country Retail Manager in Spain, navigating through the economic crises. Later as Country Retail Manager for IKEA Italy.Before her role as communication manager Belén was Deputy Retail Operations Manager. Here she was responsible for eight IKEA markets, while at the same time contributing and leading cross-functional initiatives related mainly to people development and omnichannel retailing.Throughout her career, Belén has been heavily involved in raising awareness around diversity and inclusion. Topics that are close to her heart. Belén has received a lot of recognition, awards and prizes for her unstoppable engagement, especially in female leadership.Belén is married and has three children. She has a great personal interest in home furnishing and in her spare time, Belén loves to spend time with her family and friends and discover the world.
Thiago Rapp
// Marketing + Media Director, Kraft-Heinz
Thiago is currently the Director of Taste Elevation and Masterbrand for Heinz, overseeing brand strategy, commercial operations, and new product development for sauces across the UK and Ireland.
He has been at Kraft Heinz since 2016, holding key marketing leadership roles and driving impactful campaigns that have strengthened the brand’s presence across the globe.
Thiago is a passionate and forward-thinking marketer who thrives on blending creativity with data-driven insights. He enjoys building brands that resonate with consumers and leading teams to unlock growth through bold, purpose-driven marketing.
Based in London since 2020, Thiago continues to shape the future of some of Britain’s most loved food brands.
Gemma Parkinson
// Global Marketing and Business Development Director - Belvedere Vodka, LVMH
Gemma Parkinson, Chief Marketing Officer at Moët Hennessy, is the revolutionary force behind the luxury spirits brand Belvedere Vodka. With impactful media campaigns, brand identity transformations, and disruptive product launches, she's taking the luxury wines and spirits industry by storm. Hailing from Scotland and adopting a Parisian flair, Gemma is a bold, creative leader known for crafting long-term international marketing strategies that deliver exceptional business performance.
With more than 15 years of experience, before rewriting the rules of marketing in the luxury wines and spirits industry, Gemma honed her leadership skills in esteemed media companies like BBC, Condé Nast, and Global Radio. Always on the move, you'll find Gemma exuding impeccable style in the lounges of international hubs, waiting to seize her next opportunity.
With her exceptional ability to influence, motivate, and excite people, Gemma embraces diverse markets and cultures. Her relentless pursuit of results and excellence, paired with outstanding communication skills, consistently delivers exceptional outcomes.
At heart, Gemma is a creative storyteller who inspires and engages others to achieve common goals. Her unwavering commitment to making a meaningful difference and infectious enthusiasm make her a captivating and effective leader.
Sadira Furlow
// Chief of Global Brand + Communications Officer, Tony's Chocolonely
From managing billion-dollar brands to scaling a unicorn start-up, Sadira is a true brand + creative marketing genius – with the awards to prove it. Forever fuelled by curiosity, she’s architected growth and generated smiles for over 20 different brands, delivering performance with purpose for Lay’s, Happy Money and more. And now, she’s swapped the city that never sleeps for the city that always cycles to lead Tony’s team of impact-makers.
A steward of stories, Sadira captures and champions the magic of Tony’s like no other, allowing the brand to reach its greatest potential and impact in cocoa. Heading up both the Creative and Global Comms team, she’s responsible for the long-term strategy, culture and brand identity – overseeing the challenger brand marketing that makes us uniquely, undeniably and unreservedly Tony’s. And she does it all without a wand, cape or top hat (but with some fresh new kicks). Pretty magical, eh?
Angela Affinita
// Director of Global Marketing Creative - Consumer Products, Disney
From immersive events to brand campaigns to product launches, Angela has led the creative execution of some of the world’s most beloved consumer products brands such as Mickey & Friends, Disney Princess, Pixar’s Toy Story, as well as Star Wars and Marvel. With over 25 years’ experience in broadcast and studio entertainment properties, storytelling and creative innovation is at the heart of everything Angela delivers.
Pete Harbour
// Head of Condiments, Unilever
Sharry Cramond
// Marketing Director, M&S
Em Heath
// Director of Engagement, Rexona / Unilever
Margaret Heffernan
// Entrepreneur, CEO + Author
Wendy Duggan
// Director of Marketing, Primark
As Director of Marketing, Wendy Duggan is responsible for delivering the global marketing strategy for Primark. Celebrating eleven years at Primark this year, Wendy has worked her way through various positions starting in a European PR role and overseeing new market entries with a career highlight of launching the brand into the USA in September 2015. A strategic comms professional, Wendy has worked across internal and fashion communications strategies for the business most notably building global press showrooms and in market marketing capability, embedding an influencer portfolio, and introducing celebrity collaborations.
Wendy was promoted to the newly created Marketing Director position in January 2021 with a team of 100+ across marketing operations, marketing communications, creative and visual merchandising. Prior to Primark, Wendy spent 10 years working in various marketing retail roles in Dublin.
Wendy holds a first-class honours degree in Business Studies from Dublin City University with a specialism in Marketing.
Adam Gardiner
// Marketing Director, Arsenal FC
Charlie Copsey
// Founder + Chief Executive Officer, Underground Fan Club
James Kirkham
// Founder, ICONIC
Manashi Guha
// Chief Growth Officer, L'Oreal
Trevor Robinson OBE
// Founder and CCO, Quiet Storm
Trevor Robinson OBE is renowned for his contribution to society and for encouraging future creative talent. He set up Quiet Storm in 1995 – the first creative agency and production company dedicated to transforming businesses, lives and society through creativity. He set up Create Not Hate in 2007 – an initiative to give under-represented young people the opportunity to experience the advertising industry and help unlock their creative potential while tackling social issues they live with every day (specifically: gun and knife crime). He was awarded an OBE in 2009 for services to charity and advertising.
Trevor is also responsible for some of our era's most talked-about, innovative advertising, including the multi-award-winning, game-changing ‘You’ve been Tango-ed’ campaign. More recently, his business is best known for its work for brands including HARIBO, Google, On The Beach, Vimto, Yakult, Young’s Seafood, and Women’s Equality Party.
Herwig Vennekens
// Chief Commercial Officer, Sales & Marketing, Haribo
Steering HARIBO's global commercial initiatives, Herwig’s role encompasses driving sales and marketing strategies across the HARIBO Group. With expertise in strategy and marketing management, he has championed brand growth in a competitive confectionery landscape. His team has successfully expanded HARIBO's market presence, solidifying its position as the world's premier sugar confectionery brand.
Herwig’s leadership philosophy is anchored in cross-functional collaboration, fostering innovation and excellence within our organization. At HARIBO, we've nurtured a culture of continuous improvement, leveraging brand management skills to resonate with diverse markets. These efforts have contributed to sustained business development and have been instrumental in achieving our strategic objectives.
Alessandra de Dreuille
// Marketing & Commercial Director, Kraft-Heinz
Alessandra is currently the Meals Director for Heinz, with P&L responsibility for the Beanz, Soup, Pasta and Baby Food portfolio in the UK.
She has been at Kraft Heinz for 8 years, with a strong track record in marketing & commercial roles across different categories and within both regional & local teams.
Most recently she spent two years leading the People & Performance team for Northern Europe, taking engagement from an all-time low post pandemic to close to best in class UK benchmarks and rolling out the culture changing Living Leader program across the entire business.
Alec Barr
// Head of Behavioural Science, Oliver Agency
Global HCD practitioner, behavioural science ethicist and experimental AI designer – currently failing fast redefining experiences for all humans.
I have over 12 years experience in all three pillars of Experience Design — Research, Strategy and Design — with a particular craft emphasis on behavioural science and UX research. Over the course of my career I have run the gamut of XD strategy: conducting user research, designing products & websites, creating omnichannel customer journeys, developing loyalty programmes, and building rigorous and effective Experience Design teams at leading end-to-end creative agencies.
Working across a broad spectrum of projects, from small, tactical briefs to large-scale strategic endeavours, my aim is to create beautiful, ethical, effective and enjoyable experiences for everyone, everywhere.
Michelle Spillane
// Managing Director, Marketing, Paddy Power
Rajeev Sathyesh
// Marketing Director (CMO), Heineken (UK)
Passionate brand builder with experience in developing and executing brand marketing and innovation strategies, creating marketing campaigns, managing a mega brand with a complex and growing product portfolio and launching new product lines and categories.
Strong business leader with experience in handling complexity, managing a P&L and leading multifunctional teams of different nationalities.
Swagat Choudhury
// Global Digital Commerce Director, Mars Wrigley
A 22 years career that has kept me in the forefront of new-age marketing. Focusing the last 10 years in the space of digital, media, content and e-commerce. My global marketing exposure for last 5 years has provided me with skills to understand and execute in multiple global markets working with agile cross-function teams to drive business outcomes. With a purpose to inspire and guide people to a better today and greater tomorrow, my career being focussed on setting up new capabilities and driving business and people outcomes has been genuinely fulfilling to date.
Bronwen Foster-Butler
// Chief Marketing Officer, Finisterre
Eleanor Barker
// Chief Marketing Officer, Lipton Teas and Infusions
At LIPTON Teas and Infusions, my role as Chief Marketing Officer is to champion brand innovation and marketing leadership with a focus on revitalizing the tea industry in the UK and Ireland. My team and I are committed to fostering an adaptive approach to market dynamics, which has been instrumental in driving brand growth across our iconic brand portfolio which includes PG Tips, Pukka herbal teas, Lyon's Tea and Scottish Blend.
We prioritize creativity and genuine consumer insights to create a collaborative environment that fuels our collective success. Our shared vision is to transform the business in a way that resonates with consumer preferences, igniting significant market engagement and expansion.
Michael Stewart
// Founder, Human Forest
A self-driven professional with solid experience in different industries across various aspects of Marketing (B2B and B2C), including Strategy, Growth, Branding, Advertising & PR, Digital, CRM, E-COM, Social Media, UX, UI, Market Research, Sales and Sustainability.
Proven significant experience leading creative, multicultural and multifunctional teams.
Brand challenges
Our ever-popular brand challenges are back in 2025 giving the most innovative start-ups + scale-ups the opportunity to pitch for a series of £20k pilot pitches from major global brands. From creative conundrums to personalisation problems + data dilemmas, the format is the perfect way to check out the latest innovation + understand how it can address real brand challenges.
We’re currently developing the line-up of challenges. In the meantime, here’s a sample of the challenges we ran in 2024:
1. How do we inspire more girls to play with more LEGO sets?
Challenge owner: Claudia Miceli, Brand Director, UK / Ireland Marketing, LEGO
Pitch brief: The LEGO group has always been at the forefront of inclusivity, however from our research we know that different types of play are still heavily judged as being gender specific. This is why we are committed to championing inclusive play and ensuring that children’s creative ambitions, both now and in the future, are not limited by gender stereotypes. We are therefore excited to hear from young companies on how we could build even further engagement with girls in the UKI.
2. How can we convince Gen Z audiences who are interested in beauty, that our teeth whitening products are far more superior vs Hi Smile through social acceleration?
Challenge owner: Lauren Payne, Digital Engagement Lead, Northern Europe, Colgate-Palmolive
Pitch brief: Colgate is dedicated to enhancing every smile with superior whitening solutions. Our challenge at MAD//Fest is calling for innovative social acceleration ideas to show Gen Z how our products outshine the rest, making beauty and confidence accessible to everyone.
3. How can Boots acquire the next generation (18–35-year) of shoppers through showing them that the retailer is “with you for life"?
Challenger Owner: Stephanie Taylor, Head of Omni-Media & Partnerships at Boots UK
Pitch breif: Boots have been proudly supporting the British public in all their health and beauty needs for 175 years! As we look towards the next 175 years, we’re searching for a partner to help authentically engage with a new generation of customers and to show them how Boots is with them for life.
Are you a start-up or scale-up with the perfect solution to these challenges? Would you like subsidised exhibition space? Get in touch today.
MAD//Insight
Get your fix of news + views by visiting MAD//Insight + SUBSCRIBING HERE for our ‘Time for a MAD//Break’ weekly newsletter featuring commentary, insight + opinion from the industry’s key protagonists.
Got an editorial pitch? Email luke@madfestlondon.com
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