IN:WA 2025 AGM highlights consolidation, breakthroughs, and member success

2025 has been a year of consolidation and breakthroughs for IN:WA, as reflected in their Annual General Meeting, held last week in the offices of equ.

 

As Western Australia’s independent communications and creative industry steps confidently into 2026, IN:WA is proud to reflect on a defining year for the member-driven organisation.

IN:WA Chair Jeff Champtaloup, commented on the AGM, and summed up 2025; “It is exciting and rewarding to see this local group mature into a recognised, influential, and increasingly essential representative body for WA indies. This year we have strengthened the foundations of the organisation, rallied the independent community, and built meaningful momentum for the future.”

Led by Jeff Champtaloup from Braincells, Deputy Chair Ivona Gaspar from Juicebox, and Treasurer, Claire Aindow from equ, the AGM covered the following key areas and acheivements.

Membership: Deepening Engagement
In 2025 the board focussed on strengthening engagement with the existing community. The aim was to reinforce membership value through targeted initiatives, with a constant focus on the three IN:WA pillars of Sharing, Learning and Representation.

IN:WA maintained membership strength, finishing the year with a total membership of 35 independent WA businesses, with seven new members welcomed during the year. The organisation will start 2026 with a stronger, more connected, and more aligned membership base than ever before.

Representation: A Stronger Voice for WA Independents
A major highlight of 2025 was IN:WA’s achievements in Representation: ensuring WA’s independent creative communications sector is seen and heard clearly by government and corporate decision makers.

Key achievements under the Representation pillar include:
● Direct engagement with State Government agencies such as Tourism WA, Department of Creative Industries, Tourism & Sport, Department of Finance and Department of Premier & Cabinet.
● Advocacy for Buy Local procurement practices in government communications.
● Ongoing submissions and consultation on the CUAMCS2025 Common Use Arrangement.
● Alignment work across Creative WA, Diversify WA and Made in WA policies.
● Participation in the WA Creative Industries Workshop.
● Nomination of IN:WA Board Member Mark Braddock to the Creative Industries Action Plan Taskforce.
● Acting as a unified industry voice to identify risks, surface issues, and propose solutions.

The WA State Government is recognising IN:WA as a significant partner in shaping and informing creative communications procurement. This milestone strengthens opportunities for independent businesses across the state and reinforces WA’s local creative economy.

Owners & Leaders Assembly: More Intimate, More Impactful
IN:WA’s marque activations, the Owners & Leaders Assemblies (OLA), were restructured into three smaller groups, each capped at 12 participants. These changes optimised relationship and trust building to maximise the sharing and learning value that is the focus of these gatherings.

Attendance across both the OLA mediated sessions and the informal gatherings remained high as the OLA continue to be one of IN:WA’s most valued offerings, providing real support, practical insights, and trusted peer-to-peer connections.

Events: A Year of Sell-Out Successes
IN:WA’s events program continued to strengthen, with two out of three major events selling out, and the third well attended. Members and non-members alike consistently praised the quality and relevance of the learning experiences delivered.

The IN:WA Panel Events have proven to be an important introduction of the IN:WA concept and community to the indie agency owners and leaders who are keen to join, and those who are curious. These activations offer prospective members a first-hand look at the community, the thinking, and the value that IN:WA creates.

Special Event: Professor Byron Sharp
One of the standout achievements of the year was the recent members-only audience with Professor Byron Sharp, of the Ehrenberg-bass Institute for Marketing Science, facilitated by Juicebox. This IN:CONVERSATION event, hosted by Joel Pember, was also a sell out and delivered a world-class finale to a strong events calendar.

LinkedIn Strategy: Community and Engagement Growth
Since September 1, IN:WA has executed a new, more strategic approach to LinkedIn content, one that emphasises the organisation’s three pillars and initiates meaningful conversations by sharing metrics, survey results, and asking questions of the professionals that make up our indie sector.

Over the first 3 months of the new strategy, the results have been exceptional:
● Impressions up 148% (36,378)
● Followers up 60% (40 new followers)
● Comments up 304% (198 comments)
● Reposts up 83% (22 reposts)
● 19% engagement rate (up 63% vs. competitors)

Alongside this, media coverage in Campaign Brief, in Business News, and on ABC Radio National increased IN:WA’s public profile and visibility with State Government stakeholders, again under the Representation pillar.

Thank You: Departing Board Members
Sincere gratitude goes out from the IN:WA board and community to two outstanding board members, who are completing their time on the board.

Claire Aindow, IN:WA Treasurer, strengthened the organisation’s financial position and governance, and helped enable initiatives such as the expanded OLA program and the new Independents Day. Her intellect, rigour and advocacy have been invaluable for almost three years.

Mark Braddock, an originator of IN:WA, has been instrumental since before the organisation formally existed, and an active board member in 2025. His Representation work this year has been extraordinary. Braddock has helped secure access to senior government departments and shape the Buy Local policy, and he will remain active with IN:WA as a member of the Representation action group.

Welcome: New Board Members
Jenni Wallis, Operations Director at Anthologie, will join the board as Treasurer, and Anne Gribble, CEO of Clarity Communications, will also join to lead IN:WA’s Representation initiatives, an area in which she has already been an active contributor.

Having Wallis and Gribble join the board, maintains the total number at eight members: Jeff Champtaloup as Chair, Ivona Gaspar as Deputy Chair, Nanda Gunnink as Secretary and ‘ordinary’ members John Petkovic, Ben De Jonge and Ryan Khong all continuing their board roles in 2026.

Happy New Concept: Independents Day 2026
IN:WA will start 2026 with the launch of Independents Day, a new concept that will become an annual rallying point for the owners, leaders and emerging leaders of WA’s independent commercial communications and creative companies. Independents Day will give members a unique opportunity to unlock new strategies, inspirations and positive energy to set them up for a powerful year.

With strengthening foundations, a highly engaged membership and a bold vision, IN:WA is shaping a stronger future for the indie communications and creative community, and the year ahead promises to be the most exciting so far.

Are you interested in the IN:WA community and pillars of Sharing, Learning and Representation? Get in touch and join us at www.in-wa.com.au.