Workshops examine critical business issues

By John Mellor on 2nd June 2026 Marketing, News AADA, AADA Convention

THE 2026 Australian Automotive Dealer Association Convention and Expo has released more details on the event taking place from July 29-30 at the International Convention Centre Sydney.

AADA 2026 will feature several major networking and industry events and the program includes a number of breakfast and lunchtime speakers, networking drinks and an industry dinner.

Patrick Tessier

Convention director, Patrick Tessier OAM said the industry and networking events were “designed to bring Australia’s franchised new car dealers together at a critical time for the industry”.

The program begins with the AADA Chairman’s Dinner on Tuesday July 28, bringing together senior industry leaders ahead of the convention which starts the following morning.

Michael McQueen, Auto-IT

The Convention and Expo opens on Day One with the Auto-IT Opening Breakfast, featuring futurist, bestselling author and change strategist Michael McQueen. In this session, Mr McQueen will show dealer principals, general managers and senior leaders how to identify change earlier, adapt with confidence, and make stronger decisions in uncertain conditions.

Later in the day delegates will gather for the AADA Castrol Australia Expo Luncheon, a relaxed opportunity to connect with fellow dealers, exhibitors and industry partners in the Expo Lounge.

Day One wraps up with the AADA Presidian – Protect Networking Event, inviting all attendees to unwind, connect, and discuss the day’s insights over drinks and hors d’oeuvres directly on the main expo floor.

Maz Farrelly

Day Two Thursday July 30 kicks off with the AADA MotorOne Breakfast featuring award-winning television producer and film producer Marion “Maz” Farrelly who will show how to make leadership “land harder”, how to have your voice to travel further, and what’s needed for your business to have The X Factor.

Dr Louise Mahler

The AADA Impel Feature Luncheon will bring a different kind of leadership conversation to Day Two of AADA 2026. Featuring Dr Louise Mahler, one of the world’s leading experts in body language, communication and leadership presence. This session will explore how leaders build trust, project confidence and influence the people around them.

Workshops to stimulate fresh thinking

From the afternoon on Day One, the convention shifts gears into its targeted Workshop Series.

Patrick Tessier said: “The two-day Workshop Series gives delegates access to focused, practical sessions across the issues dealers are facing inside their businesses.

“The workshops are designed to provide practical takeaways rather than broad theory.

“Across the two days, delegates will be able to choose from concurrent workshops covering topics including AI readiness, cybersecurity, fixed operations, marketing ROI, customer experience, used EVs, ADAS, data visibility, dealership profitability, customer retention, legal risk and business strategy.”

Matthew Hawkes, AADA

Melissa Dimovski, AADA

In Workshop Block A, AADA’s Matthew Hawkes, Melissa Dimovski and HWL Ebsworth’s Justin Pasa and Maria Townsend discuss ‘Mandatory Merger Notification Regime’, providing a practical overview of the regime, when obligations may arise, why early planning matters, and industry analysis from AADA-commissioned research examining the potential impact of the reforms on franchised new car dealers.

Cyber product lead Ben Richardson from QBE Insurance presents ‘QBE Cyber Update: Risks, Reality and Readiness’, outlining how cyber threats are increasingly affecting automotive manufacturers and dealerships of all sizes, and will present actionable steps dealers can take to better protect customer information and maintain business continuity as the industry continues to digitise.

Michael Clarke, Impel

Michael Clarke, managing director APAC of Impel will present ‘Reclaiming Margin: Eliminating Data Silos with the AI Operating System’ in which delegates will learn to move from reactive workflows to operational velocity and how to leverage proactive automation to offload drudgery, reclaim vital labour hours and allow staff to refocus on high-value human relationships.

Lucy Kelly, Auto-IT

Auto-IT Australia’s Lucy Kelly will take centre stage presenting ‘The Compound One per cent Approach: System Efficiencies That Restore Lost Margins’ about next system workflows, automation and process discipline – and will demonstrate how to help claw back profitability and improve return on sales by reducing friction, improve efficiency, and unlock small operational improvements that compound over time.

Rounding out the initial block, Ollie Nugent and Jo Stephens from carsales will inform dealers on the ‘The Hidden New Car Buyer Journey: Where Dealers Miss Out’, exposing major digital retail path blind spots where local networks routinely miss out on customer acquisitions.

Workshop Block B continues in the afternoon, where AADA’s Matthew Hawke, Kathy Zdravevski and Mick McKenna join Stefanie Orlando and Hamish Glaspole from Macpherson Kelley to present ‘How the ACL is Failing New Car Dealers and What We Can Do About It’ examine why the current Australian Consumer Law framework can leave dealers exposed and what business owners should understand as regulatory scrutiny and market complexity continue to increase.

Michael Johnson, SalesLogs

Michael Johnson of SalesLogs will explore ‘Blind Spots to Total Visibility: Where Top Dealers Quietly Win’ and identify the five pillars helping delegates learn to score their dealership, build a 30-day plan, and run what the winning dealers in 2026 already do.

Stefano Battiston, CCO of the Audi Revolut F1 Team, will present the masterclass ‘The Business of Speed: Value Creation in Formula 1’ in premium brand positioning and commercial ecosystem growth, and will give delegates an exclusive look at the commercial engine driving Formula 1.

Edward Tapley, Podium

Ed Tapley from Podium will address ‘Beyond Headcount – How AI is Redefining the Dealer Operating Model’ and why dealers embracing this are pulling ahead in revenue, retention, and efficiency.

Andre Beeson, Presidian Group

Andre Beeson of Presidian Group’s presentation ‘Maximising Dealership Profitability: Unlocking New Revenue Streams & Customer Retention’ will focus on practical ways dealerships can strengthen customer retention, improve customer value, and create additional income opportunities across the ownership journey.

On the morning of Day Two, Workshop Block C has Suncorp’s, motor insights and operations manager, Steven Cratchley sharing data in the workshop ‘Getting the Most from ADAS: Building Trust in Safety Technology’ from claims analysis to reveal how drivers are really using ADAS, why key features are often switched off, and what’s at stake when they are.

Matt Kroll, Titan DMS

Matthew Kroll of Titan DMS will focus on practical steps dealership leaders should take to ensure they benefit as AI tools become mainstream. ‘AI Readiness Starts Now: Fix Your Foundations First’ will break down the core foundations of AI readiness, connected systems, data practices, and technology ecosystems that drive future capability.

Kylie Brewer, AutoGrab

During ‘AI, Data & the Customers You Already Own’, Kylie Brewer and Sam Busbridge of AutoGrab, will show how to improve visibility in an AI-powered search landscape, turn customer databases into a sales channel using lifecycle triggers and equity data, and apply AI beyond websites and into P&L.

Sam Busbridge, AutoGrab

Andrew Baker from Sesimi will present a panel discussion titled ‘Run More Campaigns, Spend Less: How Top OEMs Get Ahead’ examining how OEM marketing teams can reduce duplication, streamline approvals, and help dealers execute campaigns more efficiently at the local level.

The final sessions of the event are in the afternoon, with Workshop Block D where Brendon Green from Pickles Auctions will discuss ‘Winning the Used EV Market: Battery Health and Pricing’and will unpack the March 2026 price surge, volume growth, make and model mix, buyer demographics, clearance rates and time to sell plus insights on what a digital shopfront needs to convert EV buyers online.

Tao Lim of AutoYou explores ‘No AI Here: Winning the Human Moments That Matter’ and how dealers can improve customer experience by focusing on fewer, better moments – the touchpoints that genuinely build trust.

Nicholas Johnson, AdTorque

Nicholas Johnson from AdTorque Edge presents ‘Maximising Dealer Marketing ROI in a Changing Media Landscape’ and how new car dealerships can improve marketing performance through better media decisions. Drawing on dealership campaign data and current market trends, this workshop will examine which channels are working effectively, how buyer behaviour and media consumption have changed, and where wasted spend commonly occurs.