Wednesday 18 February 2026 | Wembley Golf Course - Ambrose Estate
Independents Day 2026
Independents Day is your annual opportunity to refocus, refresh, and reignite your business journey
Get ready for a powerful day dedicated to Western Australia’s independent commercial communications community.
Join your peers for a day of:
Inspiration from proven business leaders from WA
Interactive, hands-on workshop with industry experts
Meaningful connection and collaboration with fellow independents
Kick-start the year with fresh insights, practical strategies, and the mindset to make 2026 your strongest year yet.
Keynote: Dr Marcus Tan
Built. Broken. Reborn. The Leadership Lessons You Only Learn the Hard Way
Every founder dreams of building something extraordinary, until the moment it all begins to unravel.
In this candid and deeply human keynote, Dr Marcus Tan, founder and former CEO of one of Australia’s most recognised health-tech companies, shares what it really takes to lead through crisis, complexity, and change.
From rapid growth and headline success to moments of real adversity, Marcus explores how values, culture, and character define leadership when control slips away. With raw honesty and hard-won wisdom, he offers a rare look at what it means to rebuild trust, rediscover purpose, and emerge stronger as a company, and as a leader.
This is not a story about failure; it’s a story about becoming the kind of leader who can rise again.
“Kill The Company” Workshop
Facilitated by Taryn Marcus - Reinvention Academy Australia, powered by Modern People
An immersive, in-person workshop designed to challenge assumptions, spark creativity, and build reinvention capability.
Through provocative exercises and collaborative problem-solving, participants will explore the hidden forces that cause even strong companies to stagnate, and uncover new ways to drive adaptability, innovation, and sustained relevance.
Walk away with fresh perspectives, actionable reinvention opportunities, and a renewed sense of leadership agility to future-proof your organisation.
IN:Conversation - Creative WA: Policy in Practice
What does Creative WA really mean for your business?
This closing session will feature a Q&A between Nikki Miller, Executive Director and Marty Cunningham, Director of Special Projects - Creative Industries, Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport; and IN:WA Representation Board Member, Anne Gribble about how Creative WA and the Creative Industries Action Plan is shaping the future of the state's commercial creative sector. The conversation will cover current support, upcoming opportunities, and how independents can connect with government initiatives. A brief, practical discussion focused on what this all means for the industry moving forward.
Food, Coffee & Connection
Enjoy a delicious morning tea featuring fresh croissants, fruit, scones, and juice, along with coffee and light refreshments. Later, we’ll serve a hot sit-down lunch accompanied by a fresh salad.
Your ticket includes a generous food and beverage offering throughout the day - All enjoyed in the beautiful surrounds of Ambrose Estate.
After The Program
After the program concludes at 3:00PM, you’re invited to stay on for beverages and further connection! It's the perfect opportunity to continue conversations, build new relationships, and celebrate the strength of WA’s independent community.
Join us for Independents Day, and don’t come alone!
This event is open to other team members within your organisation, and we strongly encourage you to bring along a business partner, director, or senior leader who will benefit from the experience.
Make the most of the day by bringing at least one other person from your business.