Marketing Association's Think Again lunch tackles the AI operating model for CMOs at Auckland's Northern Club

The event

The Marketing Association's next Think Again event, titled "The AI Operating Model: What Marketing Leadership Looks Like in 2026", takes place on 11 August 2026 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm at The Northern Club, 19 Princes Street, in central Auckland. According to the organiser's event page, the session is a candid panel conversation with CMOs and agency leaders on how AI is reshaping marketing teams, decision-making and leadership. At the time of research the event was listed as sold out, with a waitlist offered via events@marketing.org.nz.

The Marketing Association frames the discussion around the shift from standalone AI tools to "agentic" systems embedded across the marketing function. Its programme notes say the panel will cover the CMO's role as an operating-model architect, which marketing capabilities become more valuable versus automated, how to preserve brand integrity and governance when AI is embedded across functions, and how to move beyond "tool sprawl" toward coherent AI-enabled workflows. The organiser cites a figure of 88% of marketers already using AI daily.

Who runs it

Think Again is a series produced by the Marketing Association, New Zealand's membership body for the marketing industry. The Association describes Think Again on its events overview as one of its recurring formats, bringing senior marketers and agency leaders together for networking and drinks, a sit-down lunch at an exclusive venue, and a panel of leading CMOs, CEOs and other thought leaders. The August 2026 edition is sponsored by Federation. The series has previously been covered by New Zealand marketing trade press, including StopPress, which reported on earlier Think Again events run by the Association.

Who it is for and the programme

The event is pitched at senior marketers and agency leaders. Per the organiser, the panel comprises Georgia Mahaffie, GM of Brand & Marketing at One New Zealand; Jane Stanley, GM and Chapter Area Lead Marketing at Air New Zealand; Nick Whitehead, Chief Marketing Officer at Serko; and Simon Bird, Partner of Strategy & Measurement at Lassoo. The discussion is moderated by Dominic Quin, former Group General Manager of Marketing & Customer Experience at Foodstuffs New Zealand. The format combines networking, a seated lunch and the moderated panel over the two-hour window.

Venue and getting there

The Northern Club sits at 19 Princes Street in Auckland's CBD, adjacent to Albert Park and within walking distance of Queen Street, the University of Auckland and much of the central business district's hotel stock. For out-of-town attendees, the venue is in the heart of the city, reached from Auckland Airport, roughly 20 kilometres to the south, by motorway, the airport bus or taxi and rideshare. The central-city location places it close to a dense concentration of accommodation and hospitality, which is a practical consideration for a midday event drawing marketing leaders from across the region. This detail is provided as reporting context only.

Why it matters in NZ MICE

As a compact, invitation-tier lunch built around senior industry figures, Think Again reflects a steady strand of New Zealand business events: high-value, low-volume gatherings hosted at established member venues rather than large convention centres. Its sold-out status and a panel drawn from One New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Serko and Foodstuffs point to sustained demand among Auckland's marketing leadership for AI-focused, peer-level discussion, and to the continued role of professional bodies like the Marketing Association in convening it.