Joint AFM & Agency Relations Committee Meeting

I. NETWORKING BREAKFAST (9:00 – 9:30a.m. ET)

II. WELCOME REMARKS AND INTRODUCTIONS (9:30 – 9:50a.m. ET)

III. THE ICONIC FRAMEWORK: REINVENTING PROCUREMENT AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (9:50 – 10:25a.m. ET)
Procurement isn’t fading into the sunset, it’s evolving. The era of cost-cutting and rigid RFPs is yesterday’s game. The future is ICONIC Procurement, where we create, optimize, and drive competitive advantage. More than negotiators managing spend, procurement are innovators engineering ecosystems. Here, Michael Takyi will break down the ICONIC framework and how procurement becomes a powerhouse for impact, agility, and business transformation.

Speaker:
Michael Takyi, Procurement Industry Expert (former Danone, Modelez, bp)

IV. UPDATE ON THE SAG-AFTRA COMMERCIALS CONTRACT (10:25 – 11:00a.m. ET)
In April 2025, the Joint Policy Committee and SAG-AFTRA reached an agreement on successor contracts to the Commercial Agreements. Stacy Marcus and Michael Isselin from the JPC will break down the changes to the new agreement that marketers must understand before working with SAG-AFTRA talent.

Speakers:
Michael Isselin, Partner and Legal Counsel – DLA Piper and JPC
Stacy Marcus, Partner and Chief Negotiator – DLA Piper and JPC

V. BREAK (11:00 – 11:15a.m. ET)

VI. NEW REPORTS FROM THE ANA AND 4As (11:15 – 11:50a.m. ET)
The ANA and 4As have worked in close partnership this year on several industry reports including the new Client-Agency Tenure Research. Greg Wright from the ANA and Matt Kasindorf from the 4As will break down the latest data and its impact on client-agency partnerships moving forward.

Speakers:
Matt Kasindorf, SVP, Business Intelligence & Insight – 4As
Greg Wright, SVP, Brand & Media – ANA

 VII. STRENGTHENING PROCUREMENT THROUGH THE POWER OF COLLECTIVES (11:50a.m. – 12:25p.m. ET)
A growing wave of highly skilled executives and experts—tired of both the rigid structures of corporate agencies and the isolation of pure freelance work—are banding together in “collectives.” These groups combine the best aspects of independent consulting (nimble teams, senior talent) with the reassurance and scalability of established firms. For procurement specialists at enterprise-level organizations, understanding this emerging model is vital. In this session, we’ll explore how collectives function, why they’re attracting top-tier talent, and the unique value they bring to large-scale businesses. We’ll also address real-world considerations, from payment term negotiations to compliance hurdles and onboarding. Attendees will learn strategies for capitalizing on a collective’s flexibility and specialization, while mitigating risks through clear contracting and strong governance.

Speaker: 
Freddie Laker, Founding Partner-Collective OS

VIII. NETWORKING LUNCH (12:25-1:30p.m. ET)