中文Visual Connections has named the first speakers for the inaugural Connect Conference 2026, with significant names and leading experts already confirmed for a three-day event that promises to be the Australian and New Zealand print industry’s most important week this year. The conference will run from September 2–4 at Sydney Showground’s Hall 2A, directly adjacent to the Visual Impact Expo, creating a combined event that spans education, exhibition, and networking in one precinct.
Day 1: Better Business
The first day opens with international industry insights from Visual Connections CEO Karren Challoner-Miles, leading a panel of leaders from industry associations from the UK and US. The cross-border perspective is deliberate — the ANZ print market faces challenges that mirror those in mature print markets globally, and understanding how other regions are responding provides context that purely local discussions cannot offer.
Technology leader and author Steve Vamos will then deliver deep insights into leadership, innovation, and alignment. Vamos is described as one of the world’s most trusted voices on the human side of building high-performing organisations. His presence signals that Connect Conference is aiming beyond operational tactics — it is addressing the leadership and cultural dimensions that determine whether technology investments actually deliver results.
After morning tea, a panel session led by Visual Connections editor Robin Griffith will explore opportunities in education, training, and careers, with experts including Megan Lilly, deputy commissioner at Jobs and Skills Australia, and Paul Richards from TAFE NSW. The skills gap remains one of the most persistent challenges across the global print industry, and bringing government and education policymakers into the conversation is a pragmatic approach to a problem that individual companies cannot solve alone.
The day closes with a keynote from Dr David Cooke, executive director of ESG Advisory and author of Kind Business — How Values Create Value, addressing corporate responsibility and how values drive business success. In a market where ESG reporting is becoming a regulatory requirement rather than a voluntary commitment, this session has direct commercial relevance.
Day 2: Navigating Sustainability
The second day focuses on sustainability — the issue that dominates every packaging and print industry conversation in 2026. A sustainability fireside chat led by industry stalwart and government manufacturing expert Mel Ireland sets the frame, followed by a special presentation on energy transition, associated government regulation, and business imperatives around carbon neutrality and accreditation, with experts from Smartest Energy.
The day’s highlight is a conversation between Gillon McLachlan, CEO of Tabcorp and former CEO of the AFL, and Matt Aitkin, managing director of IVE Group, about McLachlan’s experience of leadership and how and where Tabcorp is transitioning from print to digital. This pairing is significant: McLachlan represents a major Australian corporation navigating the print-to-digital transition at scale, while Aitkin represents one of the country’s largest print and communications groups. Their conversation promises to address the transition from both the buyer and supplier perspectives simultaneously.
Day 3: Future Ready
The final day turns to future readiness, opening with a fireside chat exploring the role of both digital and print in the out-of-home advertising market with experts from JC Decaux and Signarama. Richard Williams from Precision Solutions Group then addresses cyber awareness and adaptability in business — a topic that has become urgent as print companies increasingly operate connected, cloud-based production systems that are vulnerable to the same cybersecurity threats facing every digital business.
ASGA president Mick Harrold leads a discussion on the future of signage with industry experts from SS Signs, Zimmerman Industries, and Insigns. Economist and former politician Dr Craig Emerson provides economic context before the day closes with case studies, including one with CSIRO’s Dr Xun Li exploring how AI can support greater automation and efficiency, reduce labour-intensive work, and improve decision-making while highlighting the importance of responsible adoption.
Beyond the Conference: A Full Industry Week
Connect Conference 2026 is one element of a larger industry week. More than 50 leading suppliers will showcase innovations at Visual Impact 2026. The 2026 Easy Signs National Sign and Graphics Awards will be presented at a gala dinner on September 3. A series of Make it Happen Signage Bootcamps will also run at the Sydney Showground during the week. The combination of conference, exhibition, awards, and hands-on training creates an event format that serves multiple audience needs simultaneously — a model that other regional industry events may find worth studying.
Early bird pricing is available until July 31, with daily tickets starting from $199 for Visual Connections members and three-day passes starting at $525.
Source: Print21 — “First speakers named for Connect Conference”
