Contemporary communication is multi-faceted and complex. Strategic media planning that amplifies creativity / innovation in PR has become a necessary tool in the marketers’ armoury to maximise their reach and share of voice.

Join us in the Spencer Hotel on Thursday 2nd November for this superb showcase of how you can overlay a great PR campaign with paid media once it has earned attention. Flying in from Toronto to join us for this one-off event is Andrew Simon, Edelman’s Global Creative Director, Chair of the Advertising & Design Club of Canada and 2023 Cannes Lions PR Jury Member.

Andrew will present some world-class case-studies and share valuable insights emphasising the importance of core ideas and creativity in driving real-world impact.

With a Master’s degree from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Andrew is anything but the typical creative leader. His career spans both the U.S., with agencies including JWT New York and Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles, as well as Canada, notably leading DDB to be named Canada’s most creative agency six times and Strategy Magazine's Agency of the Year five times.

As creative lead for Edelman’s Canadian operation, he led the agency to its first Cannes Lions’ wins as well as to be the first PR agency named a finalist for Agency of the Year (twice).

Kelli O'Keeffe is a Managing Director with Teneo Ireland and oversees the sports advisory team that specialises in strategic sponsorship work and sports communications. Kelli has over 15 years’ experience leading award-winning sponsorship and sports communications campaigns in Ireland. Kelli is a leading expert in sponsorship strategy, activation, and commercial valuation and works on behalf of both brands (sponsors) and rights holders. Kelli’s client experience includes working with major brands such as Vodafone, Vhi, Just Eat, and Bord Gáis Energy as well as rightsholders and governing bodies such as Sport Ireland, the GAA, the IRFU, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, to name a few.

Kelli is a strong advocate for women’s sport in Ireland and was appointed by Sport Ireland to its first Women in Sport committee in 2019 and served a two year term. She is now a member of the FAI’s Women’s Football Strategic Committee.

Niall Tracey is the Director of Demand Development at Fáilte Ireland. Niall leads visitor-focused initiatives at Fáilte Ireland including tourism marketing campaigns, online presence, business tourism and research & insights. Adopting a customer-centric approach, Niall is passionate about creativity and collaboration when promoting Ireland as a destination.

Niall is based in Sligo and joined the national tourism development authority in 2018 after a spell overseas with roles in England and America. His marketing expertise led to several international positions, working with some of the world’s most recognisable brands including Guinness, Aviva and Kerrygold.