Marc Fennell to headline ABU Con-Fest 2025 in Kuala Lumpur

The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union will hold its annual content festival, ABU Con-Fest, from July 8–10, 2025, at the Holiday Inn in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. The event draws around 250 delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region and focuses on trends in video, audio and digital media.

Australian journalist, podcaster and filmmaker Marc Fennell will headline this year’s event. Fennell is the creator of ‘Stuff the British Stole,’ a podcast and television series that has aired on ABC Australia, BBC Select and CBC Canada. He is also known for hosting more than 400 episodes of SBS Australia’s nightly quiz show ‘Mastermind.’

At Con-Fest, Fennell will speak about the origins of “Stuff the British Stole,” how it was developed into a successful podcast and later adapted into a television series. A Walkley Award winner and AACTA nominee, Fennell has received international recognition, including a James Beard Foundation Award, Canadian Screen Award, Webby Award honors and medals from the New York Festivals.

The event begins on July 8 with a dedicated podcast workshop and showcase. This will be followed by two days of talks and discussions covering a wide range of topics, including drama production, the key elements of successful storytelling, and strategies for co-productions. Other sessions will explore content tools and trends related to artificial intelligence, the legal considerations around intellectual property and AI, and best practices for content promotion and distribution. The agenda will also include a focus on sound design across both video and audio formats.

The event organizers say rooms will be available for international attendees at the Holiday Inn Bangsar.