Meet The Panellists: Thank F*ck For Indies
On Tuesday 17th June at 12:45, the LBB & friends Beach, in partnership with MCA, is set to host leading voices from the world’s most exciting indie agencies who are pushing creative standards and innovating new models.
In a panel titled ‘Thank F*ck for Indies’, Brittney Rigby, Managing Editor AUNZ at Little Black Book, will host these creative leaders as they share sharp insights, honest takes, and plenty of passion for what makes indie agencies tick, and why their role in the industry is more essential than ever.
Britt will be joined by:
- Laura Rowan, chief strategy officer, Wieden+Kennedy New York
- Katie Newman, global CMO & partner, The Grid (The Independent Network Behind Mischief, Courage and No Fixed Address)
- Micah Walker, founder & CCO, Bear Meets Eagle on Fire
- Tim Gordon, CCO & partner, Zulu Alpha Kilo
View the full LBB & Friends Beach content programme.
Thank F*ck for Indies
We've all heard the arguments in favour of independent agencies in terms of the work they produce and talent they attract, but does their magic spread beyond the walls of the agency? Speakers from some of the world's liveliest indie markets explore the hypothesis that a strong independent scene benefits everyone, even the networks.
PANELLISTS
Laura Rowan, Chief Strategy Officer, Wieden+Kennedy New York
As chief strategy officer at Wieden+Kennedy New York, Laura oversees the brand, communications, social, and data strategy teams, guiding the strategic direction for a diverse client roster, which includes AB InBev, McDonald’s, Ford, Delta, Verizon, Marriott, Nestlé, and more.
Prior to W+K, Laura spent more than a decade of her 20-year career at Anomaly, in both New York and Toronto, where she led the agency’s total strategy approach for marketers. She has helped with creative storytelling for brands including AB InBev, Google, YouTube, Ally Financial, Hershey, and Panera. While at Anomaly, she also co-chaired the agency’s LGBTQ+ champions group, which focused on driving inclusiveness and visibility of the community within the industry and in the work.
Before joining Anomaly, Laura was a VP, Senior Global Brand Planner at Grey, working across P&G globally, helping Febreze become P&G’s fastest-growing billion-dollar brand. Her work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, APG, One Show, D&AD, Effies, Jay Chiat, Emmys, and Clios.
Katie Newman, Global CMO & Partner, The Grid (The Independent Network Behind Mischief, Courage and No Fixed Address)
Katie credits her competitive nature to a 1991 hot-dog-eating competition. Seven sausages later, she took home the junior high championship trophy, and her love of winning was forever solidified. Three decades later, Katie leads growth for The Grid, a collective of some of the most talked about independent agencies, including Mischief, Courage and No Fixed Address.
Before joining Mischief, Katie helped Burger King become Marketer of the Decade (AdAge), put Allstate at the forefront of culture with its award-winning Mayhem campaign and built a start-up that was eventually sold to a major holding company. She has been recognized by AdAge as a “Woman to Watch” and by Crain’s Chicago Business as a “40 Under 40.”
Micah Walker, Founder & CCO, Bear Meets Eagle on Fire
Micah is the founder and chief creative officer of award winning creative studio Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, which celebrated its sixth birthday on April Fool's Day, in 2025. The studio was the first recipient of the AWARD Special Award for Individual Creative Agency of the Year in 2023, and was named by Adage in New York as the #2 International Agency at the 2023 Small Agency Awards. They have also been named Small Agency of the Year, for two years in a row, by Campaign Brief.
Prior to Bear, Micah built his unique, global reputation working with some of the most respected creative brands and agencies in the world. Formerly a Creative Partner at Fallon London, he has led various agencies as Executive Creative Director in Australia, the UK and US. Before returning to Sydney in 2017, he spent four and a half years as one of the creative leaders of Wieden + Kennedy in Portland. His work has been recognised with over 200 international and local Awards, including Australia’s first ever Grand Clio in film for the iconic Boag’s “Pure Waters” campaign and has D&AD awards in both advertising and design. He has been named to juries at D&AD, Cannes, AWARD, the One Show, London International Awards, AICP, Creative Review UK, and the Immortal Awards.
Tim Gordon, CCO & Partner, Zulu Alpha Kilo
Before starting Zulu Alpha Kilo NY, Tim was the co-chief creative officer of Droga5 where he spent 14 years producing not only award-winning work but also driving effectiveness and influence for iconic brands such as the New York Times, Puma, Under Armour and Chase. During his decade plus tenure, Droga5 was named Agency of the Decade by both Adweek and Adage, and most recently was named Adage Agency of the Year in 2021. He’s also been named Creative of the Year by Campaign magazine. Under Tim’s leadership Zulu Alpha Kilo NY has created Kantar’s most effective Super Bowl campaign and award-winning work for Booking.com along with relaunching Harry’s Grooming Essentials to mass acclaim.
MODERATOR
Brittney Rigby, Managing Editor, AUNZ, Little Black Book
Brittney is LBB's managing editor across Australia and New Zealand. She joined in 2024 to grow the brand and editorial momentum across the region, champion the most creative and effective work, and ask the biggest names the biggest questions about the biggest issues.
She is a seasoned journalist with leadership experience across both newsrooms and agencies, including as editor at Mediaweek, deputy managing editor at Mumbrella, and head of communications at DDB Group Australia.
She has also written for a range of other industry titles, freelances regularly for mastheads like The Guardian and Sydney Morning Herald, and appears on radio and TV to talk about her work. In 2022, she was awarded a 30 under 30 accolade.
Brittney is qualified as a lawyer, and worked in law firms before joining adland.
Read the full ‘Better Together’ content programme.
