Mad Men to debate Math Men at Media360Asia

In the first of three executive interviews, Michael Kassan, chairman and chief executive of MediaLink, will quiz Bloomberg Media chairman Andy Lack about the challenges of breaking down silos and creating a truly digital media organisation.

This will be followed by a discussion that sits at the very centre of today’s media business: Mad Men versus Math Men. The session will examine the future of advertising from the perspective of industry veterans, including Alicia Carey, marketing director, emerging markets, Microsoft Advertising; Dominique Delport, global managing director, Havas Media Group; Greg Williams, co-founder and SVP, Open Partnerships, MediaMath; and Rahul Welde, vice-president, media, Unilever Asia, Africa, Middle East, Turkey and Russia.

The last session of the morning will see GroupM president Dominic Proctor (left) share his views on topics such as changing client priorities, mega-mergers, the state of the industry in Asia-Pacific, and the role that auditors and consultants fulfil in the overall media picture.

Next up, a panel of marketers will address the changing nature of pitching. Budgetary power no longer rests exclusively in the hands of marketing. As the role of CFOs and procurement becomes an increasingly integral part of the process, media services are being excessively commoditized. Given the lack of truly discernible benchmarks for measuring ROI, persisting recessionary pressures and a greater move towards automation of media buying, what are the true determinants of a winning pitch?

Pitch Perfect will feature Caroline Giller, innovative marketing and digital manager, ASEAN & MENA, Fonterra; Jonathan Rudd, associate director, marketing agencies procurement Asia-Pacific, Johnson & Johnson; Sameer Singh, vice-president and head of global media, GlaxoSmithKline; and Jessica Spence (right), marketing director, Carlsberg Asia.

> Read more about the Media360Asia lineup

> Media360Asia is invite-only, but you can attend the Media360 Charity Dinner