Group CEO, Merchantwise Group

Alan is an experienced leader in the development of entrepreneurial business initiatives across the brand licensing, media, entertainment, retail and consumer products sectors.

In 1999, he co-founded and now leads Merchantwise Group, a brand management, marketing and media agency. The Group of six businesses combines licensing, creative, marketing and digital media capabilities to build and extend great brands.

Today, its Brand Management division – comprising Merchantwise and Asembl – is the largest independent licensing agency in Australia and New Zealand, representing some of the world’s most iconic gaming, entertainment, FMCG, and lifestyle brands.  These include Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, Xbox, Call of Duty, Peppa Pig, The Beatles, Violet Crumble, Golden Gaytime, Chupa Chups, Bundaberg Rum, and Rip Curl.

After graduating from Monash University with a Bachelor of Economics in 1993, Alan worked as a strategy consultant for the Boston Consulting Group in Australia and Canada across a wide array of projects in industries including entertainment, manufacturing, telecommunications, primary resources and banking.

Later, as Business Development Manager for Disney Consumer Products, he was responsible for the development of new business initiatives across eight markets in Southeast Asia and Australasia.

In 2000, Alan also founded BrandTrends, a market research business which has grown to become the leading market intelligence data source for the entertainment brand industry worldwide.

Manager Consumer Products (Softlines) at Mattel

Hi there! I’m Emma, for the last 10 years I’ve been wrapped up in the wonderful world of Entertainment Licensing. From Paw Patrol to UFC, I’ve had the joy of working with some truly amazing brands. My journey has taken me through roles with Licensors (both local and abroad), as well as Licensees, Agencies, and Retail – giving me the opportunity to work across so many sectors of the industry. Every day brings a new adventure, and my love for working with exciting IP grows stronger each week.

When I’m not negotiating licensing agreements or brainstorming brand strategies, I’m either getting my hands dirty in the garden, crushing it at the gym, or adding to my ever-growing collection of vintage Polly Pockets.

I’m excited to be part of the mentoring program, where I’ll have the chance to connect with fellow licensing enthusiasts, share what I’ve learned, and build meaningful connections along the way. Looking forward to this opportunity to learn, grow, and mentor!

I am a Senior Commercial Manager at The Walt Disney Company with over 15 years of Licensing industry experience. With a background in commercial partnership management, I have been fortunate to establish a strong reputation in the industry as someone who is hardworking, commercially minded and able to foster longstanding relationships.  

I am passionate about creating and executing cross-category marketing and consumer products programs that deliver value, innovation and growth.

As a purpose driven leader, I have a proven track record of exceeding financial targets, developing and presenting detailed brand plans and implementing efficient reporting systems. I also value teamwork, collaboration and adaptation and I have successfully led and empowered teams across different functions and regions.

Having also worked in the UK, my experiences working collaboratively across high profile brands has offered me a well-rounded skill set including strategic business development and strong negotiation skills.

I am excited to meet the next generation of professionals through this exciting Mentor Mornings program

Founder & principal consultant of Blueprint Licensing, a Strategic Consulting agency with a passion for Brand Building, focussed on Innovation & Business Development in the Global Licensing, Consumer Products, Tourism & Music Industries.

25+ years Brand Marketing experience; including 10 years as a Licensing Specialist in the Australian Retail Channel and more recently as Licensing & Marketing manager at a leading Australian Licensee provides me with unique insights & contacts in the International Licensing, Toy & Consumer Products industries.

Blueprint Licensing also provides proven Brand Marketing & Business Growth Strategies for small to medium sized enterprises in the Events, International Tourism & Travel sectors.

Consultancy Services;

• Licensing Strategy
• Business Planning & Sales Strategy Development
• Integrated Marketing Communications
• Digital Marketing, Website Development, E-commerce, Social Media, Influencer Marketing
• Concept Ideation, Design & Development
• Consumer Products Category Development & Management
• Experiential Retail & Visual Merchandising
• Destination Tourism & Attraction Management
• Blueprint Sounds – Live Music Event Production & Artist Services

Global Vision, Local Solutions. Let me help you grow your business, navigating the complex world of Brand Marketing to Build a Blueprint for Your Brand’s Success.

Naomi is worked in the toy and entertainment industry her whole career, spanning nearly 20 years on brands including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Disney Princess, Marvel. A career highlight is managing the merchandise planning and execution for the Barbie Movie. Naomi has spent half her time in Europe working for both Mattel EMEA and The Walt Disney Company EMEA, managing a range of projects across multiple markets. In her spare time Naomi loves to travel although not as frequently now that she has two small children in tow.

With over 25 years in the licensed merchandise industry, I’ve built a career turning pop culture into successful products at retail.

I began at Pyramid International in the UK before co-founding Blue Dog Posters in Australia—now a long-running online, events and bricks and mortar retailer.

In 2007, we acquired and later rebranded Impact Posters into Impact Merch., where I now serve as Co-Director alongside Juliet Thornton. We supply licensed products—from Posters and Stationery to Ceramics and Homewares—to Big Box, specialty, and niche retailers nationwide.

We proudly partner with around 30 top-tier brand owners, including Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, Pokémon as well as a wide range of artists and IP holders—delivering products that fans love and retailers trust.

Hi, I’m Jacqui Jones, founder and CEO of Way We Do.

Systems may not sound sexy, but they really do drive everything we do and that’s what makes them exciting! From standardised processes, procedures, and automation, to using artificial intelligence and machine learning. This increases efficiency and compliance, enabling businesses and their teams to thrive.

I started Way We Do, a cloud-based platform that turns static Franchise and Business Operation Manuals into a living, breathing tool. It actively prompts team members to do tasks they are responsible for and shows them the procedure on how to do it. Management gain insights on what their team are doing and how they can make improvements.

Having previously run two businesses and worked in senior positions of great companies, I know firsthand that running a business can be overwhelming. You are constantly juggling projects and resources, whilst aiming to be an effective leader… taking people where they don’t always want to go, to help them realise their true potential, and build a business and brand, that all can be proud of.

We designed Way We Do to help teams globally remember all the recurring tasks they need to do, so nothing is forgotten, allowing them to grow and scale, whilst staying compliant with required standards and regulations.

My background is in Internet product management and Internet marketing. I’ve been in the Internet industry since the days of Netscape Navigator 1.2! It’s been a privilege seeing all the innovation and technology advances, and being part of that change.