Well-known marketing figure Adam Ferrier has been added to the speaker roster for next month's ACannabis conference, where he will address the reputation challenges confronting the medicinal cannabis sector.
Ferrier, whose career started in forensic psychology before he went on to co-found two of Australia's best-known advertising agencies, Naked and Tinkerbell, will give a keynote address followed by a question-and-answer session with co-founder Martin Lane.
During his session, Ferrier will examine whether the sector currently finds itself managing its public image or handling an outright crisis, and outline what separates the two situations.
The presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11, at the Crown Promenade in Melbourne.
Beyond his agency background, Ferrier has written two books, The Advertising Effect and Stop Listening to the Customer, and appears regularly as a media commentator on Sunrise and Gruen.
Ferrier's inclusion strengthens an already packed agenda that, across three days, will bring together regulators, business leaders, growers, pharmacists, researchers and policy specialists as the industry navigates fierce competition, regulatory scrutiny and the possibility of reform.
The first day, on August 10, is dedicated to advisory and compliance matters and will run three parallel streams covering business leadership, manufacturing and cultivation, touching on subjects such as mergers and acquisitions, risk management and product testing.
The following two days will dig into further pressing issues for the sector, including data insights, lessons the medicinal cannabis industry might draw from other regulated fields, and an executive round table looking ahead at the next five years for medicinal cannabis in Australia.
Outside the conference sessions, the industry will mark its achievements at an awards night on the evening of August 11.
Building on her well-received turn last year, comedian Katie Wainhouse returns to host the event, bringing her sharp-edged stand-up style back to the Plaza Ballroom.
Delivering fresh material alongside her hosting role, Wainhouse becomes the first host asked back to run the ceremony a second time.
This year's awards presentation is expected to sell out, so secure your tickets now via this link.
