Join us for the highly anticipated return of the National HR Summit Australia, presenting a new immersive experience on 1-2 April 2025 at ICC Sydney featuring four content streams:
Dive into progressive sessions on the most pressing workforce challenges in talent management, learning and development and wellbeing presented by Australia’s top HR leaders, plus network with experts at our expansive expo and Innovation Hub.
Engage in dynamic discussions and gain invaluable insights to elevate your HR strategy along with a new interactive experience featuring hands-on activities, an expansive expo , and more!
Don’t miss the ultimate HR event of the year.
Hear evidence-based insights from HRDs, CHROs, and VPs of Australia’s most successful companies
Access multiple content streams plus new interactive activities across the two days and make the most out of your conference experience
Gain new perspectives from HR peers who are facing the same challenges – generate ideas, share real-life experiences, and hear proven strategies
Develop actionable strategies for the next set of workforce challenges across this two-day event
There aren’t many athletes who can lay claim to being the greatest of all time in their sport by the age of 27. If she weren’t so humble, Jess Fox OAM could do just that.
Jess is one of our all-time great Olympians. She now has six individual Olympic medals including three gold, one silver and two bronze, more than any Australian in history.
The most successful paddler (male or female) in history, Jess has a long list of achievements including 51 World Cup gold medals, 10 World Championship titles, and 3 Olympic gold medals (a total of 6 Olympic medals across four Games).
Born in Marseille, France, Jess moved to Australia at age four. With an elite paddling pedigree, her parents, both accomplished paddlers, inspired her passion for the sport. Coached by her mother, Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi, a bronze medallist in K1 at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Jess quickly rose through the ranks, joining the national junior team in 2009. Her early career was marked by four junior World Championship titles, eight under-23 world titles, and a Youth Olympics gold medal.
Jess made her Olympic debut at 18, winning silver in K1 at the London 2012 Olympics. Four years later, she secured a bronze in K1 at the Rio 2016 Olympics. However, it was at the Tokyo 2020 Games where Fox underlined her greatness when she won gold to become the C1 Olympic Champion. Earning the headline ‘Australia’s Golden Girl’ Fox also won the heart of the nation. Her technically flawless performance, without a single-time penalty, led to what was hailed as one of Australia’s greatest Olympic moments.
In July 2024, Jess cemented her legacy at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games leading the Australian Olympic Team as Flagbearer and claiming double Olympic gold. First up was the K1 event. In an exhilarating final, racing in eighth position out of twelve finalists, Jess maintained the fastest time (96.08) as she waited to watch seven athletes proceeding her.
After chasing gold at the previous three Olympic Games, Jess had finally secured that elusive K1 gold in Paris and became the only Australian to win four consecutive medals in the same event. Just days later, she defended her 2020 title, to again become C1 Olympic Champion.
These achievements bring Jess’s tally to a historic six individual Olympic medals, propelling her into the upper echelon of Australia’s most successful athletes of all time. To finish off her most successful Olympic Games, Jess was one of four athletes globally to be elected to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes’ Commission where she will serve an eight-year term leading into the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
In addition to her athletic achievements, Jess has completed a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science Psychology and is currently studying her Master of Business Administration through Griffith University.
Jess is an advocate for women in sport and a firm believer in balance of sport and education, achieving an ATAR of 99.1 while training for the Olympic Games. She is an inspiration to young children and business people around the world.
Director
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors
Director
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors
Julian is a Director at Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors, a workplace and employment law firm that only acts for employers and employer associations.
His expertise focuses on bargaining, union disputes and employee claims, and with his varied experience acting for peak employer associations he has been involved in large scale industrial test cases and, more recently, in consulting with Government regarding legislative change.
Over the past nine years, Julian has acted as the lead employer advocate in a range of prominent test cases including the Family and Domestic Violence Leave Test cases, the Family Friendly (s 65) award test case, the Paid Pandemic Leave case, the Childcare Industry case, the Retail Industry junior rates case, the casual and part-time test case and the Casual review 2021. Julian was also in the team involved in the well-known ‘penalty rates case’.
His experience ranges across a wide variety of industries including aged care, labour hire, horticulture, early childhood education and care, retail, health and transport.
In 2023 he co-authored the first book on Owner-Driver Law in Australia and has been recognized by Doyles as a Rising Star in Employment law.
HR Executive
Former Telstra
HR Executive
Former Telstra
Helen Anderson is a dynamic HR Executive and visionary leader, reshaping how organizations and individuals thrive in the ever-evolving world of work. Renowned for her ability to craft strategies that drive sustainable success, Helen champions the power of ‘capability as currency,’ empowering businesses to pivot dynamically in fast-changing markets. By integrating AI and systemic approaches, she has delivered transformative results that unlock hidden potential and foster adaptability across entire workforces.
With a career spanning Executive roles in Talent, Leadership, DEI, Learning, and Capability at leading organizations such as Telstra, KPMG, ANZ Bank and Merck Sharpe Dohme, Helen brings a wealth of cross-industry expertise. At Telstra, she spearheaded the development of an AI-enabled open talent marketplace, revolutionizing career transparency and fostering adaptive capacity for employees while optimizing organizational resources.
Helen is passionate about creating equitable workplace cultures where every individual is empowered to own their career, develop future-ready skills, and embrace continuous growth resulting in businesses achieving their greatest potential – moving dynamically and adapting; ready for the future whatever it brings.
Australia’s pre-eminent Explorer,
keynote speaker & adventure thinker
Australia’s pre-eminent Explorer,
keynote speaker & adventure thinker
Justin Jones – otherwise affectionately known as Jonesy, is Australia’s pre-eminent Explorer, keynote speaker, adventure thinker and storyteller.
His expeditions have taken him to the very corners of the world. From the depths of blizzards in Antarctica, to the terror of 10 metre waves towering above – in a storm at sea and the suffocating heat in the heart of the Outback. He currently holds two Guinness World Record and a place as one of Australia’s 50 Greatest Explorers of all time.
Jonesy is a passionate story teller. Over the past 18 years he has made a career of undertaking huge, epic, record setting expeditions around the world and sharing these on the stage and the screen.
A humble, charismatic and inspiring character…he is the perfect example of how determination, detailed planning and foresight can enable the most ‘normal’ of us to undertake the most extraordinary feats.
VP People Enablement ANZ
SUEZ
VP People Enablement ANZ
SUEZ
Bo is currently the VP People Enablement for SUEZ in ANZ. Bo has over 15 years experience in complex global organisations. Bo has been with SUEZ for 6 years and leads a team of HR and IT professionals across Australia and New Zealand.
During his time at SUEZ, Bo has supported the growth of the business and led through periods of significant change.
Prior to joining SUEZ, Bo has worked across Australia and the Pacific regions as well as roles in the United Kingdom and Central Europe.
Senior Director of Human Resources, Australasia
Hilton
Senior Director of Human Resources, Australasia
Hilton
VP, Human Resources, Toll Global Forwarding ANZ
Toll Group
VP, Human Resources, Toll Global Forwarding ANZ
Toll Group
Ida Pulic is an experienced HR professional with over 10 years of expertise in strategic human resources management. With a passion for fostering organizational culture and optimizing talent development, Ida has led HR initiatives in predominately the logistics industry. She specializes in driving employee engagement, performance management, and leadership development, while ensuring alignment between business goals and HR strategies. Known for her collaborative leadership style, Ida excels in building strong, inclusive teams and implementing HR solutions that promote growth, innovation, and employee well-being.
Chief People and Culture Officer
Harris Farm Markets
Chief People and Culture Officer
Harris Farm Markets
Laura Durkan is the Chief People and Culture Officer at Harris Farm Markets, where she leads with energy, values and a commitment to placing people at the heart of business success. A dynamic executive, Laura has earned a reputation for fostering high-performance cultures that become a key driver of competitive advantage.
Before joining Harris Farm Markets, Laura served as Executive Director of People and Culture at the Foxtel Group, where she led cost transformation initiatives, improved employee engagement, and strengthened strategic business partnership capabilities. Prior to that, she spent seven years at Richard Crookes Construction, heading the People & Culture function alongside Corporate Strategy. During her tenure, the company received numerous accolades, including recognition as one of the top 10 Great Places to Work and achieving a top 5 ranking for employee engagement across ANZ. Earlier in her career, Laura held specialised HR roles at Campbell Arnott’s, refining her expertise in talent management and organisational development.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Laura is deeply committed to social causes and serves as a Board Director of the Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation.
Head of Learning
Ramsay Health Care
Head of Learning
Ramsay Health Care
Rebecca Rundle is the Head of Learning at Ramsay Health Care, Australia’s largest private hospital operator with over 35,000 employees.
She leads the Ramsay’s centralised learning function, overseeing all enterprise-wide capability initiatives including leadership development programs. With a career spanning healthcare, finance, and telecommunications, Rebecca brings a wealth of experience in building programs that support both people and organisational success.
Executive General Manager - People and Culture
Australian Financial Complaints Authority
Executive General Manager - People and Culture
Australian Financial Complaints Authority
Mathew Paine boasts a distinguished career spanning over two decades, marked by his leadership in human resources, organisational culture, diversity, inclusion, and belonging domains. His altruistic endeavours are evident in his passionate advocacy for best-practice and pioneering initiatives in people and culture, alongside his unwavering commitment to social justice and equality. Notable among his philanthropic contributions are his collaborations with The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, Australia’s oldest community-based HIV organisation, and his involvement with the Australian HR Institute (AHRI).
Driven by a deep-seated passion for enhancing Australian workplaces, Mathew has continually championed the optimisation of organisational dynamics and the establishment of world-class people and culture teams. His overarching vision is centred on fostering safe, inclusive, and productive work environments, progressively shaping one workplace at a time.
Currently serving as the Executive General Manager of People & Culture at the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, Mathew also assumes pivotal roles as the Chair and President of the Board of Directors at The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, the Founder and Executive Director of HR Expert Australia, and a Member of the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Panel. Additionally, he co-convenes the NSW Industrial/Employee Relations (IR/ER) Committee at AHRI.
Mathew’s leadership acumen has gained widespread recognition, culminating in numerous industry accolades. These include prestigious honours such as the Australian HR Team of the Year, Australian HR Employee of the Year, Best Talent Development Program, Best Recruitment Campaign, and Most Inclusive Workplace Awards, among others, reflecting his exceptional contributions to the field.
Head of Learning and Leadership (Organisational Capability)
Allianz
Head of Learning and Leadership (Organisational Capability)
Allianz
Georgia Tsamis is the Head of Learning and Leadership at Allianz, bringing over 15 years of experience in building and driving strategic initiatives across diverse industries. She has successfully led transformative initiatives in both blue and white-collar sectors, driving growth and innovation. Georgia excels in aligning organizational strategies with business goals and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Her expertise spans talent management, leadership development, change management, and capability uplift.
Digital Design Manager - Retail Training & Development
Specsavers
Digital Design Manager - Retail Training & Development
Specsavers
Bill is a accomplished Digital Design Manager with 20 years of experience driving innovation across diverse industries. For the past 8 years, he has applied his expertise in the Learning and Development space at Specsavers, using his design skills to enhance the capability of retail optics and audiology teams. Bill is also at the forefront of innovation in the XR space, leveraging emerging technologies to create immersive and engaging learning experiences. Passionate about user-centered design, he excels in blending creativity with strategic thinking to deliver impactful digital solutions. A trusted leader, Bill is dedicated to mentoring teams to achieve exceptional results.
Head of Workplace Health & Safety
Qantas Group
Head of Workplace Health & Safety
Qantas Group
Pete is the Head of WHS for the Qantas Group and a medical doctor. He believes that aviation and health have more in common than they in how they differ, and sees how both fields require high performance and carry the responsibility of human life in their respective safety critical work environments. He also sees how success and failure factors arise from the performance and vulnerability of people. So, Pete works passionately in humanising systems of work – by managing the confluence of WHS, psychological safety and moral safety towards trauma informed and inclusive safety cultures.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leader
IKEA
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leader
IKEA
Growing up in Western Sydney as the son of Sri Lankan migrants, Josh has experienced both the benefits of diversity and the barriers to inclusion. Sparked by this lived experience, Josh has forged a career empowering underrepresented communities including Multicultural and Disability Inclusion Leader at AFL NSW/ ACT, launching programs like Kickability and wheelchair AFL. At IKEA Australia, Josh drives strategic initiatives to embed equality, diversity, and inclusion into business operations, fostering an inclusive culture where co-workers can thrive. His work ensures IKEA Australia contributes to our global ambition to be a leader in equality and inclusion.
Chief People Officer
mycar
Chief People Officer
mycar
Fiona Murphy is the Chief People Officer at mycar Tyre & Auto. In this role, Fiona is responsible for HR, Safety, Talent, Internal Communications, L&D and Sustainability. Prior to joining mycar, Fiona held senior HR roles across many industries and three continents, including education; community services; not for profit; retail; media; technology; and engineering. With qualifications in psychology and law, Fiona’s expertise spans employee relations, employee engagement, learning and organisational development, and workplace health and safety. She is passionate about building great cultures and ensuring organisations have a people first focus. In addition to her role at mycar, Fiona was Deputy Chair of the Automotive Light Vehicle Industry Reference Council for a number of years, and is now a proud member of AAAAWomen, championing careers for women in the automotive aftermarket.
Head of Health, Wellbeing & Injury Management
BAE Systems
Head of Health, Wellbeing & Injury Management
BAE Systems
Over her 20-year career, Karen has seen the Health & Safety industry transition from focussing only on physical risks to one that is embracing wellbeing and psychosocial safety. As a Health & Safety Leader and wellness advocate dedicated to fostering psychosocial wellbeing in both professional and personal spheres, Karen is passionate about collaboration and creating supportive workplace environments that integrate initiatives promoting mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Karen’s mission is to shape workplaces where employees are supported to thrive at work, leveraging the intersection of leadership, empathy, and proactive wellbeing strategies to deliver effective risk management strategy for the organisation.
Acorn PLMS (Performance Learning Management System) is a dynamic AI-powered platform that connects performance and learning. It’s the only solution that shows learners how to be successful in their role, guides leaders through productive performance conversations and ties development plans to organizational goals.
CU Health is Australia’s leading health and wellbeing platform for businesses; providing employees with whole-person care. Our custom-built software uses the latest technology to deliver high quality mental and physical healthcare services throughout Australia and New Zealand superseding all EAPs. Our commitment to evidence-based practice, innovation and focus on organisational impact empowers leading companies to elevate their EVP by sustainably protecting and uplifting their employees’ wellbeing.
Origin 360 EV is a dedicated business within Origin Energy focused on providing holistic solutions to help customers accelerate the switch to electric vehicles. Origin’s Salary Packaged EV Subscription helps employees of sustainability focused organisations to get into their first EV by providing flexible month to month contracts combined with the tax benefits through salary packaging.
Contact details:
Peter Ellis, Business Development Lead EV Subscriptions
https://www.originenergy.com.au/electric-vehicles/subscriptions/
Humanforce provides the market leading, employee-centred, intelligent and compliant HCM suite for frontline and flexible workforces, offering highly configurable, best-in-one WFM, HR and Payroll – without compromise. Founded in 2002, Humanforce has 2300+ customers and over 600,000 users worldwide. Today, we have offices across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
Our vision is to make work easier and life better by focusing on the needs and fulfilment of frontline workers and the efficiency and optimisation of businesses.
We advise our clients on how to succeed in the evolving world of work, helping organisations build their capabilities and individuals build better, brighter futures through career transition, career development, leadership development and assessment.
To understand how LHH can support organisational change please contact us for more information.
Founded in 2002, ELMO Software is the trusted provider of HR technology solutions to 3,000+ mid-sized organisations and more than one million end users across Australia and New Zealand. With a comprehensive suite of ISO-certified solutions that span the full employee lifecycle, ELMO Software is designed to scale as organisations grow.
Employment Hero is the world’s leading HR, payroll and employee engagement platform. Its powerful employment platform and groundbreaking employment superapp, Swag, are changing work for the better. The award-winning employment software helps launch businesses on the path to success by powering more productivity every day. Employment Hero powers over 300,000 businesses and its core platform reduces admin time by up to 80 per cent. For more information visit employmenthero.com
LinkedIn connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful and transforms the way companies hire, learn, market, and sell. Our vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce through the ongoing development of the world’s first Economic Graph. LinkedIn has over 950 million members who have added more than 41,000 unique skills to their profiles and over 21,000 LinkedIn Learning courses to help create, support, and propel a whole new kind of job marketplace.
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors continues to lead significant test cases and engage in critical workplace policy discussions, representing employers across Australia. They took a pioneering role by leading the first multi-employer supported bargaining case under the new laws of 2023. ABLA plays a pivotal role in convening unions, employers and the Government to negotiate equitable industry-wide conditions.
As part of their commitment to providing equal access to legal resources for businesses of all sizes across Australia, they continue to offer free monthly educational webinars to assist employers navigate and implement legal obligations in the workplace.
Contact details:
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA)
1300 565 846
Art of Mentoring (AoM) bridges the gap for organisations to seamlessly exchange knowledge and cultural information to support employee satisfaction and well-being. With over two decades of expertise in crafting evidence-based and strategic mentoring programs, AoM empowers clients to foster thriving cultures, enhancing employee engagement, talent retention, and organizational triumphs.
Contact details:
Georgia Ridgewell, Account Manager
(+612) 9113 7265
hubPass for Business is a digital healthcare membership providing comprehensive health solutions for companies. With services like unlimited telehealth consultations, digital health checks, and priority access to healthcare, hubPass helps organisations improve employee well-being, boost productivity, and reduce absenteeism, all while enhancing Employee Value Propositions (EVP) with accessible, proactive health support.
SG Fleet improves the way people and businesses move with an industry-leading suite of vehicle leasing, fleet management and salary packaging services.
SG Fleet will keep you mobile and save you time and money. They help customers manage total cost of ownership, focus on employee safety and satisfaction, while reducing emissions.
They’ll lead you to a more connected and electric future as the world of mobility rapidly changes. With SG Fleet as your mobility partner, you can spend more time on what you do best.
Contact details:
Aparna Ahmad, Manager Sponsorship, Events and Strategic Partnerships ANZ
+61 3 9269 2251 / +61 423 029 226
Cloud Assess is the alternative LMS tailored to mobile, compliance-driven industries. With a focus on automation and actionable insights, this award-winning company operates in Australia and the UK, delivering fast, local support. Businesses trust Cloud Assess to drive team adoption, achieve trackable results and accelerate growth.
Contact details:
Lynley Hukins, Head of Sales & Partnerships
Level 1, 19 Village Harbour Parade, Coomera, Qld, 4209
SG Fleet improves the way people and businesses move with an industry-leading suite of vehicle leasing, fleet management and salary packaging services.
SG Fleet will keep you mobile and save you time and money. They help customers manage total cost of ownership, focus on employee safety and satisfaction, while reducing emissions.
They’ll lead you to a more connected and electric future as the world of mobility rapidly changes. With SG Fleet as your mobility partner, you can spend more time on what you do best.
Contact details:
Aparna Ahmad, Manager Sponsorship, Events and Strategic Partnerships ANZ
+61 3 9269 2251 / +61 423 029 226
Our advanced payroll technology is specifically designed to address the complex legislative requirements faced by businesses in Australia and New Zealand. By leveraging cutting-edge software, we open up a world of possibilities to our customers, simplifying and automating payroll like never before.
Contact details:
Tegan Cain, Head of Marketing
+61 450 425 509
Auto-UX is a technology company reshaping novated leasing reality. Our vision is to unlock the benefits of novated leasing through a paradigm-shifting UX.
Novated leasing is incredible, but the industry is stuck in the dark ages – culturally and technologically.
That’s why we founded Auto-UX. To flip the user experience on its head.
First Advantage is a leading global provider of technology solutions for screening, verifications, safety and compliance related to human capital. Enabled by their proprietary technology platform, First Advantage’s products help companies hire smarter and onboard faster. Headquartered in Atlanta, FA has offices in North America, Europe, Middle East, and APAC. To learn more, visit fadv.com/apac.
Herrmann are the originators of Whole Brain® Thinking and the highly validated HBDI® which measures thinking preferences of individuals, teams and organisations. It provides organisations with a framework to harness thinking diversity and enhance inclusion, communication, innovation and results.
“Masters of the way” we are a learning agency that creates meaningful and memorable experiences that are editable and support L&D teams to build internal capability. Virtual Learning Dept, eLearning skins, strategy, and design.
Contact details:
Steve Corney, Head of Strategy and Commercialisation
0414830535
We advise our clients on how to succeed in the evolving world of work, helping organisations build their capabilities and individuals build better, brighter futures through career transition, career development, leadership development and assessment.
To understand how LHH can support organisational change please contact us for more information.
Rippling transforms workforce management by unifying payroll, HR, IT, and expenses in a single platform. Its all-in-one solution eliminates reliance on fragmented systems, empowering businesses to manage local and global teams seamlessly with automation and real-time insights. Backed by $1.2B in funding, Rippling enables businesses to efficiently and compliantly scale their operation worldwide.
Auto-UX is a technology company reshaping novated leasing reality. Our vision is to unlock the benefits of novated leasing through a paradigm-shifting UX.
Novated leasing is incredible, but the industry is stuck in the dark ages – culturally and technologically.
That’s why we founded Auto-UX. To flip the user experience on its head.
Rippling transforms workforce management by unifying payroll, HR, IT, and expenses in a single platform. Its all-in-one solution eliminates reliance on fragmented systems, empowering businesses to manage local and global teams seamlessly with automation and real-time insights. Backed by $1.2B in funding, Rippling enables businesses to efficiently and compliantly scale their operation worldwide.
Deel is the all-in-one HR platform for global teams. It helps companies simplify every aspect of managing an international workforce, from culture and onboarding, to local payroll and compliance. Deel works for independent contractors and full-time employees in more than 150 countries, compliantly. And getting set up takes just a few minutes. For more information, visit Deel.com.
HiBob’s HR platform, Bob, creates a work experience your people will love by giving HR, managers, and employees tools to connect, develop, and grow. Powerful analytics, seamless automation, and unmatched configurability keep you focused, while a beautifully intuitive UI and collaboration tools keep your people productive, engaged, and happy—no matter where or how they work.
With a remarkable 25-year legacy, Polyglot Group stands as a trusted partner in driving global expansion. As a comprehensive HR service provider, we operate across 4 continents and speak 28 languages in-house, making us the ultimate growth partner for your business.
Our services span Talent Acquisition, HR & Payroll Outsourcing, and Employer of Record (EOR) solutions, alongside local Corporate Services such as Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Tax Compliance. At Polyglot, we are dedicated to helping your business not just succeed, but thrive in the global market.
Contact details:
Polyglot Group
(02) 9518 4388
25 Burton St, Glebe NSW 2037
At Strategy Assist, we guide organizations through seamless technology modernization journeys, ensuring vendor accountability and delivering measurable results. With our expert insights and strategic support, we help you navigate complexities, overcome challenges, and achieve your vision with confidence.
Covalent creates the best employee perks programs in Australia. Frictionless rewards, bespoke perks partners, and all the big brands. Full white labelling and cost leaders.
TALY’s new approach to personality profiling unlocks the valuable insights from profiling by leveraging technology and AI to get people decision makers and leaders the insights they need, when they need them. Whether for recruitment or existing teams, TALY’s approach, built on a foundation of science and a proven track record with leading Australian organisations, helps put empathy at the heart of every conversation.
workit is the world’s most affordable and user-friendly online HR Software. workit has developed an HR System that’s simple, adaptable, straightforward forward and scalable depending on each organisation’s needs. Whether you’re looking for recruitment, onboarding, compliance management or everyday HR solutions, workit has you covered. Visit us at workit.com.au.