Smelly Lunch Stories will kick off with its first event on October 31st, 2024 at social enterprise restaurant Kyiv Social in Chippendale, Sydney, featuring a lineup from across the industry including moderator Gambol Creative’s Camey O’Keefe, Pedestrian.tv Co-Founder and current Linkby co-founder and CEO Chris Wirasinha, WPP’s ANZ President, Rose Herceg and Smelly Lunch Stories’ own An Le.

With support from leading lifestyle publisher, Urban List, the event is a part of an ongoing series involving intimate and lively conversation over food in vibrant and unique restaurant locations, to share personal stories and experiences from a diverse rotation of the industry’s most prominent and emerging leaders.

Smelly Lunch Stories events are open to everyone in the industry, particularly those who may be seeking inspiration and support on how to further their careers, to existing industry leaders and allies that want fresh and informed advice on how to best support their culturally diverse teams and workplaces.

Smelly Lunch Stories is a not-for-profit organisation, and all funds go into running the event and into Humanitix’s charity partners.

Ticket prices include food and drinks.

Our moderator and panellists:

Camey O’Keefe, Director of Gambol Creative and Panellist of Gruen Transfer (Moderator)

I’m in the business of storytelling and have always believed richer, more interesting stories come when we hear from more diverse voices.

As a “halfie” myself (Aussie Dad / Japanese Mum) I was the only kid of Asian heritage in my suburban WA primary school - until Wai Shun joined our class in year 5. Being from a different cultural background came with pros and cons growing up in the 80s, but it’s not something that was celebrated. Would love to see that change – to fully embrace and celebrate diversity in all its Smelly Lunch glory!

Chris Wirasinha, Co-Founder Pedestrian.tv & Co-Founder & CEO Linkby

Ever since I was a 10-year-old, swapping my curry sandwiches for my friends plain chicken ones as the only brown kid in my entire school I had a sense of otherness. I've been fortunate enough to turn this ability to stand out into a superpower and love helping the next generation of media talent do the same.

Rose Herceg, ANZ President, WPP

This country continues to be an extraordinary example of multiculturalism at its best. I am but one of the millions of kids whose parents came to Australia for a better life and found one.

For those of us who live between two or more cultures and speak languages other than English, initiatives like Smelly Lunch Stories, is a fantastic way to promote our industry as a great place to work.

An Le, Co-Founder Smelly Lunch Stories

When I started my career in marketing, the leaders I looked up to just didn't look like me. As a Vietnamese-Australian female who grew up 'out west', I accepted that I had to work harder to progress and I tried so hard to fit in. But what if we embraced what makes us all different, rather than pretending we're all the same? That's why I partnered with the team to start this ambitious initiative - to encourage our industry to see leadership potential in those with different backgrounds and perspectives, one Smelly Lunch Story at a time.

smellylunchstories.com