The Australian Data and Insights Association (ADIA), previously the Association of Market and Social Research Organisations (AMSRO), has announced the return of its Future Leaders conference program designed to cultivate business and leadership skills among the next generation of research and insights professionals.

George Zdanowicz, President of ADIA, said this year's forum comes at a time "when the nation is in-flux, with rising cost-of-living, inflationary pressures, and global turbulence, leaving many leaders feeling unsettled about the future. The Leaders Forum is a safe space for our C-Suite executive members to come together to navigate these complexities. When businesses are faced with economic uncertainty, they need leaders who can rise above challenges, innovate, and build a path to success - this conference program is designed to give our members the tools and insights to fortify their organisations."

The program on March 6 will offer up-and-coming data, insights, and research executives the opportunity to engage and learn to lead in an ever-changing world. The program will delve into leadership issues relating to risk, legal strategy and vision, health and wellness, and leading through change. The full Leaders Forum, designed for data, insights, and research industry C-suite executives, will be held on Thursday, March 7.

The Leaders Forum will feature a range of keynote speakers, discussing how to lead with purpose. Topics will include AI and technology, upcoming changes to privacy law, economic forecasting, business strategy, corporate social responsibility, data quality, and critical industry insights.

Sarah Campbell, CEO of ADIA, said: "The ADIA Leaders Forum has a long legacy within the industry, and we're excited to continue that in 2024. We were overwhelmed with the success of our inaugural Future Leaders program last year and we're thrilled to have it on our 2024 agenda. The Future Leaders program is a good opportunity to start preparing our leaders of tomorrow - we want our up-and-coming industry representatives to leave the session with new ideas and inspiration to take into their careers."

Tori Hunt, Senior Consultant at Wallis Social Research, said of her experience with the Future Leaders program: "The Future Leaders session was a great experience. It wasn't just about tools and inspiration, but a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded peers at a similar career juncture. Rarely do we get the chance to co-mingle with counterparts from other research companies, making this session refreshing and quite different to any other professional development day I've participated in before."

ADIA represents close to 100 of Australia's leading data, insights, and research companies, with members employing more than 5,000 employees, generates more than $3 billion of economic activity annually.