Overview
AI systems are becoming the way audiences find information. That changes how content gets used, what it’s worth, and who gets credit for it.
This event brings together content marketers, publishers, and platform leaders to work through the practical side: what does it mean to own, protect, and derive value from content when your readers arrive via an AI?
Attendees come from brands, media organisations, and publishing groups – people whose content is already being ingested, transformed, and surfaced by AI systems, and whose audiences are shifting accordingly.
Who should attend?
- Content marketers at brands. Media and publishing professionals. SEO and audience strategy leaders. Anyone responsible for content distribution, monetisation, or governance in an AI-driven landscape.
- Discounted tickets are available for APMA members – email alex@openattribution.org for details!
- If you’re working on content strategy, distribution, or monetisation – and navigating what AI systems mean for your business – apply for a place.
The format is a working forum. Short sessions, practitioners on stage, time to talk.
Agenda
1-2pm. Closed working group: APMA AI Taskforce and OA Steering Committee. By invitation.
2-3pm. Welcome and mingle.
3pm. Welcome comments. Alex Springer, Director, OpenAttribution
3:05-3:25pm. Opening fireside. Advika Jalan, Head of Research, MMC Ventures. A conversation on how AI-content relationships are evolving, drawing on MMC’s research into business models that keep creators in the loop.
3:30-3:45pm. OpenAttribution: technical first look. A demo of the OA platform and a proof-of-concept third party implementation.
3:45-4:15pm. Panel 1: Owning your content. Blocking, redirecting, licensing, and emerging AI content marketplaces – for brand SEO teams and publishers. Panellists: Noel Penzer (Fastly), Dr Paul Farrow (Microsoft), David Buttle (SPUR Coalition), Achim Schlosser (Bertelsmann). Moderator: Michael McNerney, Publisher, Martech Record.
4:15-4:45pm. Panel 2: The value of content. Influence as the new attention. Upper-funnel content in AI-driven discovery. Brand-owned vs partner-distributed. The changing economics of visibility. Panellists: Helen Southgate (Acceleration Partners), plus a brand-side and publisher-side voice to be announced. Moderator: Julia Linehan, The Digital Voice.
4:45-4:50pm. Closing. Florian Gramshammer, Director, OpenAttribution
5pm onwards. Cocktail reception, same venue.
Speakers
Advika Jalan
Head of Research, MMC Ventures
Advika leads research at MMC Ventures. She authored MMC’s Ethical AI: Moving from Napster to Spotify era, on the technical and business model innovations that could create a sustainable relationship between creators, data rights holders, and AI companies. Previously an equity research analyst at Goldman Sachs and Peel Hunt.
Dr Paul Farrow
Principal Product Manager, Microsoft
Paul leads product work at Microsoft on content, privacy, and advertising technology. He drives privacy-preserving systems including the Ad Selection API, and works on data-driven advertising as traditional identity signals erode.
Noel Penzer
Fastly
Noel has over 20 years’ leadership experience across technology, media, and content. Eight of those have been at Fastly, where he’s driven regional growth in EMEA and earned trusted-advisor status with many of the company’s customers in the region. He works on Fastly’s mission of making the internet faster, safer, and more engaging.
Lee-Ann Johnstone
Konverj Agency
With over two decades of digital and affiliate marketing experience Lee-Ann Johnstone is an affiliate marketing veteran (recently voted : Top 20 Industry Icon of the Year 2026 – Hello Partner) industry thought leader and agency founder of Konverj.io and original founder of AffiverseMedia.com a leading affiliate marketing publication that ranks #1 in Google worldwide for Affiliate Marketing News. Lee-Ann started in affiliate marketing in the early 2000’s, and has decades of expertise under her belt working across a range of different industries. She’s the host of The Affiliate Marketing podcast which boasts over 700,000 downloads worldwide and ranks in the Top 2% of Global Podcasts. She runs a 12 week mastermind program for Affiliate program Managers called the Affiliate Manager Academy that’s CPD certified and manages affiliate programs from companies like the Ziff Davis Group and Sage Accounting, to name just a few.
David Buttle
SPUR Coalition
David is founder of DJB Strategies, a boutique consultancy for media businesses at the intersection of strategy and technology. Much of his current work is on AI and the changing platform environment. Before founding DJB, he was Director of Public Affairs and Platform Strategy at the Financial Times, responsible for the FT’s relationships with big tech, governments, and legislators. MBA from Warwick. Columnist for Press Gazette. Board member, Independent Publishers Alliance.
Michael McNerney
Publisher, Martech Record
Michael is founder and publisher of Martech Record, an independent trade publication covering marketing, content, and commerce, with a particular focus on affiliate and partner marketing. Martech Record’s coverage increasingly focuses on how AI is reshaping content distribution, monetisation, and attribution.
Julia Linehan
Founder, The Digital Voice
Julia founded The Digital Voice to help individuals and brands communicate with clarity in the digital age. Background in content strategy and digital media. She works on authentic narratives that connect across channels, combining creative judgement with data.
Helen Southgate
Chief Strategy Officer, Acceleration Partners
Helen has 24 years’ experience helping brands turn partnerships into a growth engine. She leads strategy for AP’s global enterprise clients, with a focus on measurable growth and an AI-shaped marketing landscape. Since joining AP in 2017 she’s been central to building the international business – launching EMEA, expanding across Europe, and leading growth into APAC. Previously Managing Director at affilinet and earlier brand-side at Sky. Known for cutting through complexity and pushing the industry past last-click thinking. Lifelong Norwich City fan.
Florian Gramshammer
Director, OpenAttribution
He works with publishers, brands, AI platforms and measurement partners to create a more transparent content ecosystem for the AI era. Previously, he was MD EMEA at impact.com and has 20+ years’ experience in commercial leadership, partnerships and technology.
Alex Springer
Director, OpenAttribution
Alex directs OpenAttribution, the standards body developing transparency and attribution for content used by AI systems. His focus is the economics of content in the zero-click era – making sure creators get credited and compensated when AI platforms use their work.
