Fernando Machado Heads Line Up of Speakers at Dubai Lynx 2020

Dubai Lynx has announced the first speakers in the Festival line-up (taking place from 8th - 11th March 2020). The 2020 content programme brings an exciting range of speakers from across both leading creative agencies and global brands to the stages, to share knowledge, insights and inspiration and explore how creativity can drive commercial growth. The content programme is organised into 10 themes, representing the current industry agenda for MENA and the world.

Thea Skelton, festival director at Dubai Lynx, commented: “We’re delighted to announce the first speakers for the 2020 edition of the Festival. These leading names have gained huge respect within the industry. Whether they have spearheaded important diversity initiatives, driven significant business growth through creative thinking or launched compelling campaigns that have forged new connections between brands and their audiences, the Festival’s stages will offer engaging sessions for all our delegates."

Among the first speakers announced is Fernando Machado, Burger King’s global chief marketing officer. Having led hugely successful campaigns such as ‘Proud Whopper’, ‘Burning Stores’ and recently ‘Whopper Detour’, Machado’s passion for growing brands and businesses is undeniable. By consistently pushing creative boundaries and infusing Burger King with purpose, Machado has featured on Business Insider’s top 10 most innovative CMOs list for the past three years and is the only person to have been named Adweek’s Grand Brand Genius twice. He now joins the Dubai Lynx speaker line up with 160 Lions Awards won at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

The Festival themes for 2020 include: ‘Driving digital and technological transformation’ which will offer invaluable insight into how brands can survive in an era of endless digital disruption. With years of experience working alongside valuable brands such as Google, Apple and Starbucks, Jennifer Fischer, TBWA\RAAD’s chief innovation officer will also join the speaker line-up. Known for challenging the status quo, Jennifer uses data, technology and intelligence to drive the agency’s innovation agenda and future-winning initiatives.

As Spotify’s global creative director for Partner Solutions and formerly the creative director at Warner Amex, Richard Frankel has spent nearly 40-years immersed within the entertainment, marketing and technology industries. Notably launching and marketing MTV, Nickelodeon and The Movie Channel and producing Emmy-awarded TV specials.

Being a curator of stories across multiple platforms, Jason Romeyko, worldwide executive creative director for Serviceplan is a distinguished creative within the industry. His long-standing career has seen him awarded with over 500 awards including Cannes Lions and MTV Music Awards’ ‘Video of the Year’ for Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’.

Embracing inclusion, equality and diversity is fundamental to the creative industry. Content sessions will feature diversity champions who will share original and credible perspectives on how to create inclusive workforces where creativity can thrive. As the inclusive design/digital accessibility lead at Wunderman Thompson, Christina Mallon is an expert in consulting brands on how to implement inclusive practices into their strategies. Christina’s drive to give a voice to consumers that are underrepresented has been recognised by NBC, Hulu and the BBC. Joining Christina is Lizi Hamer, Octagon’s regional director (APAC). Having designed the only LEGO character with ears, challenged masculinity in Australia and as a leader for SheSays Singapore, Lizi has made meaningful creativity a pillar of her career.

The Festival will also welcome Rob Newlan, global CEO for Virtue, the creative agency by VICE, who has crafted campaigns for iconic brands such as Budweiser, Unilever and McDonald’s. With a passion for NGOs, Rob has also worked across campaigns for Tommy’s, Médecins Sans Frontières and UNHCR.

The 2020 Festival programme is arranged into 10 content themes: