2026 ERA Conference — Keynote and General Sessions

In McCarthy’s energizing keynote presentation, she will discuss why communication is not a “soft skill,” but the ultimate competitive advantage in innovation-driven industries. She will explore how technical brilliance means nothing if you can’t articulate it; why B2B sales no longer begins with product specs but with relationships; and how building genuine human connection is the key to cutting through digital noise and driving ideas that truly resonate.

McCarthy is an international speaker, communication expert and one of Australia’s most dynamic modern voices in leadership and public speaking. With more than 15 years of formal training and professional experience, McCarthy combines deep expertise with a vibrant, relatable energy that captivates audiences worldwide. She holds a diploma in teaching public speaking, as well as a double bachelor’s degree in law and languages & culture, majoring in Mandarin. A finalist at the World Public Speaking Championships (and a self-professed “total speaking nerd”), McCarthy has trained thousands of professionals, leaders and founders across 20+ industries and 15 countries, helping them speak with confidence, clarity and authority.

McCarthy has an engaged online community of more than 300,000 followers who resonate with her unapologetically modern approach. Her bold philosophy empowers others to embrace imperfection and challenge outdated norms.

This year’s ERA Conference theme —  Connected by Design — leads us to exactly what the global environment now demands: trust & adaptability. The world is shifting from a U.S.-led unipolar order to a multipolar, highly transactional system, and the electronics industry sits squarely in the crosshairs. In this new landscape, success depends less on efficiency and more on resilient partnerships, flexible planning and strategic urgency. Global power is realigning and while this comes with risks, it also creates opportunities for manufacturers and distributors to stay ahead. Key takeaways include:

• Why North America—especially Mexico under USMCA—is emerging as the most trusted, adaptable foundation for future electronics supply chains.
• Why exposure to China (and in some cases India) now carries structural risk that companies can no longer ignore.
• Reconceptualizing trust as infrastructure—and adaptability as strategy—to build more resilient sourcing, customer relationships, and operational plans.

Change is hitting the electronics industry faster than ever and it’s reshaping how all three legs of ERA’s “stool” operate: reps, manufacturers, and distributors. In this high-impact session, we’ll dig into what’s driving the latest supply-chain shifts and what they mean for how we sell, collaborate, and compete.

You’ll explore how AI is rapidly transforming our workflows, how sales teams can stay effective in a world where fewer customers want face-to-face meetings, and where the future of the rep model is headed. We’ll look back at previous cycles of rapid change to reveal the clues that will help us adapt even faster this time, supported by new research and real-world industry data.

Fast-moving, insightful, and essential – this is a do-not-miss roadmap to the future of electronics.

Today’s business landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by exponential technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital twins and robotics. They are transforming industries ranging from electronics, retail and healthcare to engineering, construction and defense. In this dynamic, entertaining and interactive keynote, James Taylor will guide you through a captivating exploration of how leaders and organizations are adapting to technological change. You will discover that, in this new world, your most valuable competitive advantage as a leader lies in your ability to foster creative collaboration between humans AND machines. This tailored and entertaining presentation is designed to inspire and equip you with the insights and strategies needed to be future-ready.

Watch this video to learn more about this session.

Technology is relentlessly accelerating the pace of invention and innovation, both causing and addressing the disruptions that have become abundant in our business.  There are lots of signs that we are now squarely on the exponential part of the exponential curve and that big, new-to-the-world businesses are being built from the technology supply chain for which we are a part.  We’ll look at the “gigatrends” through a series of what-if questions intended to spotlight the ever-growing opportunities for our industry.