Mobile Travel Agents (MTA) has revealed headline speakers for the upcoming annual national conference in Adelaide, taking place from 25 to 26 July.
Leading the charge of a powerhouse line-up is Generation Development Group CEO and former Olympian Grant Hackett, and internationally renowned brand and culture expert and CEO of culture consultancy Glow London, Emma Harris.
Marking 25 years of empowering Australia’s top independent travel advisors, this year’s ‘Milestones and Momentum’ event promises to be one of MTA’s biggest yet. Delivering a mix of professional growth, community spirit and cutting-edge thought leadership, with the support of major sponsor Business Events Adelaide, designed to inspire, educate and equip advisors for the next era of travel.
Widely recognised as one of the most influential voices in Australian financial services, Grant Hackett will share lessons from his corporate leadership journey, including his current role as CEO of Generation Development, a trusted investment service. Drawing on decades of experience in business strategy, innovation and high performance, Hackett will challenge attendees to think beyond the day to day and lead with vision and clarity. His background as a triple Olympic medallist offers a powerful, yet secondary, lens on resilience and goal setting.
Joining him is Emma Harris, a London based speaker, brand leader and founder of culture consultancy Glow London. With a career that spans executive roles in travel at Eurostar and Virgin Atlantic, Harris is known for her no-fluff approach to building bold brands and authentic workplace cultures, bringing a global perspective and unfiltered insights to her sessions.
Complementing the keynote sessions is a curated breakout program featuring:
- Pascale Helyar-Moray – award-winning entrepreneur and founder of Grow My Money, a world-first platform converting shopping into savings. With a background in financial services and leadership roles at firms like JPMorgan and BT Financial Group, she’s also an advocate for gender equality.
- Olivia Arezzolo – Australia’s leading sleep expert and bestselling author of Bear, Lion, Wolf, Olivia is regularly featured on major TV shows as an expert and works with leading wellness and lifestyle brands. She shares practical strategies for improving health, energy and performance through better sleep.
- Nicole O’Sullivan – Director of Birds Eye View Consulting and a leading coach for travel professionals. With more than 20 years’ experience, Nicole specialises in psychology backed sales strategies that help advisors connect with clients, grow their business, and sell with confidence.
MTA co-founder Karen Merricks expressed how excited the team is to welcome speakers of this calibre to this year’s 25th anniversary conference.
“Grant and Emma bring fresh, forward-thinking perspectives with insights that we know will resonate with the ambitions and challenges our advisors are navigating right now,” Merricks said.
“Our advisors are at the heart of everything we do, they’re experienced, independent and deeply committed to their clients. This year’s program reflects that, it’s about celebrating how far we’ve come over the last 25 years while continuing to invest in the tools, inspiration and support advisors need to thrive in a changing travel landscape.”
The ‘Milestones and Momentum’ conference will showcase Adelaide and its surrounds, bringing together 420 advisors and industry partners for a five-day program packed with keynote sessions and 14 breakout experiences – from historic walking tours to wine tasting experiences and even an Adelaide Oval roof climb for those daring. The program kicks off with three days of pre-conference training, covering everything from AI to marketing, sales and business best practice, a dedicated initiative that reflects MTA’s continued focus on professional development and advisor success.
Delegates will also have the opportunity to engage in this year’s CSR initiative, Cooking for a Cause with OzHarvest. The energy continues into the evening with spectacular gala events and opportunities to celebrate, network and reflect on 25 years of MTA magic.
