As GenAI generated content floods our feeds, brands are taking a step back to reassess what truly engages audiences. What wins trust? What is effective rather than just efficient? And who do people want to hear from?

Sought after international keynote speaker Robin O’Connell is here to share what works for the most successful brands on LinkedIn. He’ll explore how B2B marketers can make the shift from informational content to emotionally resonant storytelling and how you get your cast of employees, leaders and creators into brand videos and turn workplace culture into creative currency?

Learn how to build your brand presence on social with real-life examples from B2B brands.

+ Panellist on AI in B2B Marketing 2026 - From Tools to Teammates Panel

About Robin

Robin O’Connell is a sought-after keynote speaker and content marketing consultant who has worked with clients across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and APAC markets.

Currently based in Australia, Robin has collaborated with some of the world’s largest brands on their marketing and branding strategies.

With a particular specialty in B2B and employer branding, Robin is currently the head of LinkedIn’s content solutions consultancy team in ANZ. Robin and his team help companies create better, bolder content strategies that connect professionals to brands across APAC.

Learn more about Robin on LinkedIn.

In this live B2B edition of Canned the Marketing Podcast, hosts Ben van Rooy and Steph Quantrill are joined by Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak, and Fiona Taimana from Noel Leeming Commercial to unpack what it really takes to modernise marketing with a small budget and big ambitions.

Anna shares her perspective from more than twenty years in marketing and communications across B2C and B2B, including leading international brands such as 100% Pure New Zealand and Les Mills International. As CEO of Stickybeak, she brings a strong focus on brand strategy, data driven marketing, and the role of genuine customer feedback in making marketing more effective.

Fiona offers a practical, real world view of how her team started from scratch to introduce new technology, move away from old school tactics, and adopt a LinkedIn first approach that reframed content as a networking and sales enablement tool.

Expect honest insights on working through the LinkedIn funnel, empowering sales teams, gaining stakeholder buy in, and using customer validation to build momentum, proving that even small teams can create meaningful B2B impact.

About Stephanie

Stephanie Quantrill is a senior marketer with over 20 years’ experience working for some of the most respected and well-loved brands in New Zealand and overseas. She started her own business, Cue Marketing Partners in 2024, specialising as a fractional CMO.

She’s currently the Marketing Director at Hell Pizza , helping deliver a new brand platform  “Worth Going to Hell for” and redefining the channel strategy to deliver effective marketing in the highly competitive world of QSR.

She’s passionate about long term brand building and loves talking marketing and advertising with anyone who will listen.

About Canned the Marketing Podcast

Ben van Rooy and Stephanie Quantrill break down what's actually happening in marketing, from creative and content to digital, CX, and data.

We've done the work. Built campaigns, managed budgets, wrestled with stakeholders. Now we're unpacking it: what moves the needle, what's worth your time, and what's just noise.

Whether you're in B2B, B2C, or somewhere in between, we're talking about the stuff that matters when you're trying to build brands that perform.

No jargon. No guru shit. Just real talk from people who've been in the trenches.

Made in Aotearoa. For marketers everywhere.

In 2026, AI isn’t a sidekick, it’s embedded across the B2B buyer journey. This practical, future-facing panel unpacks what’s actually changing for B2B marketers as AI becomes an always-on copilot and agent across GTM stacks.

Drawing on real-world use cases - from AI-powered buying committee insights and hyper-personalised ABM to agent-led search, sales enablement and automation - this session will show where AI is delivering impact today, where teams are struggling to adapt workflows, and how to build trust, differentiation and discoverability in an AI-mediated world.

Key takeaways for the audience:

• Practical ways to be discovered and trusted in AI-driven search and research
• Real examples of agentic AI improving ABM, content, and GTM execution
• How to organise tools, workflows and “teams of agents” without chaos
• What to prioritise next to shift marketers from execution to strategy

About David

David Visser is an experienced eCommerce leader with over 14 years in key account management, digital strategy, and tech leadership. As CEO of Zyber, a Shopify Plus & Klaviyo Master Platinum Agency, he drives strategy, sales, and production, delivering data-driven solutions to help online retailers scale. A seasoned public speaker, he has presented at 150+ industry events and serves on the Partner Advisory Boards for Klaviyo, Rebuy, and Okendo. He is also a Klaviyo Community Champion. Outside of work, David enjoys exploring New Zealand’s outdoors and group fitness classes.

In 2026, AI isn’t a sidekick, it’s embedded across the B2B buyer journey. This practical, future-facing panel unpacks what’s actually changing for B2B marketers as AI becomes an always-on copilot and agent across GTM stacks.

Drawing on real-world use cases - from AI-powered buying committee insights and hyper-personalised ABM to agent-led search, sales enablement and automation - this session will show where AI is delivering impact today, where teams are struggling to adapt workflows, and how to build trust, differentiation and discoverability in an AI-mediated world.

Key takeaways for the audience:

• Practical ways to be discovered and trusted in AI-driven search and research
• Real examples of agentic AI improving ABM, content, and GTM execution
• How to organise tools, workflows and “teams of agents” without chaos
• What to prioritise next to shift marketers from execution to strategy

About Sophie

Sophie is a senior marketing leader with over 17 years of experience across the full spectrum of the marketing lifecycle. Throughout her career, Sophie has excelled in senior leadership roles at prestigious blue-chip companies, overseeing global teams and driving transformative marketing strategies on an international scale. Currently Sophie is the Global Head of Digital Marketing and Content for ABB’s Electrification Service division, a $100 billion USD technology company based in over 100 countries, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.

A seasoned expert in building and leading high-performing marketing teams, Sophie has consistently established and optimized key marketing functions. Her leadership has been instrumental in launching initiatives that have resulted in substantial commercial success. With a deep well of expertise and a strategic vision, Sophie adeptly harnesses marketing insights to fuel business growth, elevate brand presence, and drive innovation.

In this live B2B edition of Canned the Marketing Podcast, hosts Ben van Rooy and Steph Quantrill are joined by Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak, and Fiona Taimana from Noel Leeming Commercial to unpack what it really takes to modernise marketing with a small budget and big ambitions.

Anna shares her perspective from more than twenty years in marketing and communications across B2C and B2B, including leading international brands such as 100% Pure New Zealand and Les Mills International. As CEO of Stickybeak, she brings a strong focus on brand strategy, data driven marketing, and the role of genuine customer feedback in making marketing more effective.

Fiona offers a practical, real world view of how her team started from scratch to introduce new technology, move away from old school tactics, and adopt a LinkedIn first approach that reframed content as a networking and sales enablement tool.

Expect honest insights on working through the LinkedIn funnel, empowering sales teams, gaining stakeholder buy in, and using customer validation to build momentum, proving that even small teams can create meaningful B2B impact.

About Fiona

Fiona is the General Manager Marketing for Noel Leeming. A senior marketer who is passionate about using new technologies in customer connectivity, she works closely with internal stakeholders to align commercial goals with marketing principles.

With 10 years in the Middle East working with Emirates / HRG B2B brands, Fiona leads the brand, retail and commercial marketing, design, and digital/Ecom teams in Noel Leeming. Fiona is part of the Warehouse Group Retail Leadership Team, and won a Silver Effie for her brand work with Noel Leeming in 2025.

At a time when the phrase ‘Survive to 25’ captured the national sentiment and 94% of SME owners were not meeting business goals, Kiwibank stepped up. Trusted amongst everyday Kiwi, Kiwibank had low awareness and consideration in the business banking sector. That is, until they identified a gap in the market and took on the big guys.

Amy and Rachel will show what to do when you can’t outspend the competition, sharing the insights and tactics that helped them shift perceptions, build emotional connection – and smash campaign targets!

“This is Fuel for Your Rocket – Kiwibank Fast Capital” was recognised at the as the best B2B Marketing campaign of 2025 at the YouTube NZ Marketing Awards.

About Rachel

Rachel is a seasoned marketing leader with more than a decade of experience supercharging Kiwi brands across New Zealand and international markets. She leads Kiwibank’s four integrated marketing teams, driving customer centric strategies that deliver meaningful business outcomes for the bank. 

Rachel’s background spans medical, FMCG, aviation, loyalty, and banking across both B2B and B2C environments. This breadth of experience shapes her holistic approach to brand, commercial marketing, and customer engagement. She is invested in designing marketing that puts customers at the heart of decision making and builds enduring brand impact. 

About Fiona

Fiona Cresswell is a seasoned B2B technical marketing leader with 25 years of experience in global medical device manufacturing at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. She has successfully led teams of Clinical, Marketing and Operational professionals through numerous international product launches and transformation projects driving the growth of the organisation’s sleep apnea business to a turnover of more than NZ$350 million.

In recent years, Fi’s focus has been on improving the efficiency and collaboration of marketing business-wide, and leading a digital transformation of marketing systems, processes and practices to enable scalability and innovation.

In this live B2B edition of Canned the Marketing Podcast, hosts Ben van Rooy and Steph Quantrill are joined by Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak, and Fiona Taimana from Noel Leeming Commercial to unpack what it really takes to modernise marketing with a small budget and big ambitions.

Anna shares her perspective from more than twenty years in marketing and communications across B2C and B2B, including leading international brands such as 100% Pure New Zealand and Les Mills International. As CEO of Stickybeak, she brings a strong focus on brand strategy, data driven marketing, and the role of genuine customer feedback in making marketing more effective.

Fiona offers a practical, real world view of how her team started from scratch to introduce new technology, move away from old school tactics, and adopt a LinkedIn first approach that reframed content as a networking and sales enablement tool.

Expect honest insights on working through the LinkedIn funnel, empowering sales teams, gaining stakeholder buy in, and using customer validation to build momentum, proving that even small teams can create meaningful B2B impact.

About Ben

Ben van Rooy has been solving growth problems for 20 years, working with brands like American Express, Commonwealth Bank, and Deloitte in New York, London, Sydney, and Auckland. Now, as CEO of Human Digital, he helps marketers build brands that not only look good, but also deliver leads that convert.

He co-hosts Canned the Marketing Podcast, breaking down what actually works in marketing and what's just noise.

About Canned the Marketing Podcast

Ben van Rooy and Stephanie Quantrill break down what's actually happening in marketing, from creative and content to digital, CX, and data.

We've done the work. Built campaigns, managed budgets, wrestled with stakeholders. Now we're unpacking it: what moves the needle, what's worth your time, and what's just noise.

Whether you're in B2B, B2C, or somewhere in between, we're talking about the stuff that matters when you're trying to build brands that perform.

No jargon. No guru shit. Just real talk from people who've been in the trenches.

Made in Aotearoa. For marketers everywhere.

At a time when the phrase ‘Survive to 25’ captured the national sentiment and 94% of SME owners were not meeting business goals, Kiwibank stepped up. Trusted amongst everyday Kiwi, Kiwibank had low awareness and consideration in the business banking sector. That is, until they identified a gap in the market and took on the big guys.

Amy and Rachel will show what to do when you can’t outspend the competition, sharing the insights and tactics that helped them shift perceptions, build emotional connection – and smash campaign targets!

“This is Fuel for Your Rocket – Kiwibank Fast Capital” was recognised at the as the best B2B Marketing campaign of 2025 at the YouTube NZ Marketing Awards.

About Amy

Amy is an accomplished marketing leader with over 15 years’ experience across both the New Zealand and Australian markets. She has deep experience in financial services, within both B2B and B2C roles, and previously led the Commercial Marketing function for one of Australasia's largest banks. Amy is now the Head of Marketing at Kiwibank, where her team is focused on making more Kiwi better off by providing them with compelling reasons to choose and grow with Kiwibank. 

Amy has a proven track record of delivery in complex, cross functional environments. She has led award-winning marketing initiatives and is known for her commitment to effective, insight‑driven work that translates into measurable customer and business outcomes. 

About Dale

Dale heads up the marketing team at BlueOcean – The B2B Agency, where his 12+ years across both sales and marketing bring strategies fuelled by customer insight, and the tactical nous to deliver on them.

Getting sales and marketing on the same page is a passion point for Dale; helping marketers to create an environment where their ideas are respected, and their impact experienced.

Having grown up with parents in precision engineering, Dale has always had a soft spot for technical industries and complex manufacturing, though also loves healthcare and the primary sector.

In 2026, AI isn’t a sidekick, it’s embedded across the B2B buyer journey. This practical, future-facing panel unpacks what’s actually changing for B2B marketers as AI becomes an always-on copilot and agent across GTM stacks.

Drawing on real-world use cases - from AI-powered buying committee insights and hyper-personalised ABM to agent-led search, sales enablement and automation - this session will show where AI is delivering impact today, where teams are struggling to adapt workflows, and how to build trust, differentiation and discoverability in an AI-mediated world.

Key takeaways for the audience:

• Practical ways to be discovered and trusted in AI-driven search and research
• Real examples of agentic AI improving ABM, content, and GTM execution
• How to organise tools, workflows and “teams of agents” without chaos
• What to prioritise next to shift marketers from execution to strategy

About Alaina

Kia ora, I’m Alaina.

Creativity and connection are my ikigai; my sense of contribution, purpose and passion.

In the-job-I-get-paid-for I put those to use as Director of Marketing for RUSH, New Zealand's leading AI-first, human-centred digital experience partner who champion the philosophy of "make better happen" believing in the power of technology to better serve humankind.

Aside from the expected BAU of a marketer, it’s weaving together people, places and participation where I can have the greatest impact; concepting and producing quarterly salons, immersive events and delightful hosted experiences.

This expanded this year when I started a podcast with our CTO/Founder and Head of AI & Engineering called "Human In The Loop" to explore the dynamic intersection of artificial intelligence and human expertise in Aotearoa New Zealand. Bringing really interesting tech professionals, business owners, social commentators and curious minds on to have unstructured conversations about everything from emerging technologies to ethical AI development feels like a tangible way to contribute in VUCA times.

In the-job-I-don’t-get-paid-for I serve as a Board Member and Trustee for both STIEF (Sexually Transmitted Infections Education Foundation) and the New Zealand Herpes Foundation, both national non-profit organisations providing medically accurate information and support for optimal sexual health outcomes across New Zealand.

Specifically, I help advocate for the consumer / patient voice in these roles, and ensure that our messaging can cut through in a sea of information overwhelm. Bringing the ‘Best Place In The World To Have Herpes’ campaign to life has been one of the most rewarding projects in my five years with these charities.

Rounding it out with what many may agree is the-hardest-job-in-the-world, I’m a parent. Trying as hard as possible to steer three sons and two bonus sons through contemporary life and times, and prepare them for a future that we can’t quite yet envisage.

I’m never sure I’m doing enough… or too much. But I am sure of one thing - and it’s the power of creativity and connection to have a positive impact.

In this live B2B edition of Canned the Marketing Podcast, hosts Ben van Rooy and Steph Quantrill are joined by Anna Henwood, CEO of Stickybeak, and Fiona Taimana from Noel Leeming Commercial to unpack what it really takes to modernise marketing with a small budget and big ambitions.

Anna shares her perspective from more than twenty years in marketing and communications across B2C and B2B, including leading international brands such as 100% Pure New Zealand and Les Mills International. As CEO of Stickybeak, she brings a strong focus on brand strategy, data driven marketing, and the role of genuine customer feedback in making marketing more effective.

Fiona offers a practical, real world view of how her team started from scratch to introduce new technology, move away from old school tactics, and adopt a LinkedIn first approach that reframed content as a networking and sales enablement tool.

Expect honest insights on working through the LinkedIn funnel, empowering sales teams, gaining stakeholder buy in, and using customer validation to build momentum, proving that even small teams can create meaningful B2B impact.

About Anna

Anna has over twenty years’ experience in marketing and communications, across both B2C and B2B and a range of industries. She’s passionate about brand strategy, data-driven marketing and the importance of customer feedback.

The majority of Anna’s career has been in international marketing from managing the successful tourism brand 100% Pure New Zealand as well as leading global marketing as CMO for Les Mills International. Championing an active lifestyle, Anna is also a proud advocate for female leadership.