Directors Forum | National HR Summit Australia

8:00 AM

Registration opens
8:55 AM

Interactive Networking Activity: Human Bingo

Kick off Day 1 with an engaging icebreaker to help you network. Connect with attendees through a fun game of bingo and expand your professional relationships. The best networker will win a prize!

(located in the Main Conference, Parkside 1)

Mitch Trevillion

Director of Operations
Beyond the Boardroom

Mitch Trevillion

Director of Operations
Beyond the Boardroom

Mitch Trevillion is the Director of Operations at Beyond the Boardroom. For 20 years, Beyond the Boardroom have created positive shared experiences for corporate groups throughout Australasia.
9:15 AM

OPENING KEYNOTE: Winning gold – the journey to becoming an Olympic champion

Currently the most successful paddler (male or female) in history, Jess Fox has a long list of achievements including 52 World Cup gold medals, 10 World Championship titles, and 3 Olympic gold medals (a total of 6 Olympic medals across four Games). In this inspiring keynote, Jess will share how she cemented her legacy with recent dual gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Touching on performance mindset, resilience and teamwork, Jess will share her journey to become one of the greatest Olympians in Australia.

(located in the Main Conference, Parkside 1)

Jessica Fox OAM

Jessica Fox OAM

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.
10:00 AM

Opening remarks from the Chairperson

(located in the Directors Forum, Parkside 2)
10:10 AM

Welcome remarks from the Event Partner, Origin Energy
10:15 AM

CASE STUDY: Leadership development rewired – navigating tomorrow’s workplace

How can companies enable employees to develop their skill sets and experience to create a pipeline of future leaders? In this session, a top company will discuss the steps they are taking to equip its leaders with the capability and skills to adapt to the changing world of work.   
10:45 AM

Morning tea and refreshments break
11:15 AM

LEGAL UPDATE: Navigating the new era of workplace and IR laws in 2025

In this session we will provide insights on the challenges ahead for employers and what you need to review in order to be compliant with new workplace and industrial relations laws and regulations in the workplace. With the Fair Work Commission having new powers, every HR professional should understand their role in leading a compliant workplace.

Luis Izzo

Managing Director
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors

Luis Izzo

Managing Director
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors

Luis oversees ABLA’s Sydney and Melbourne Workplace Relations teams and has over 15 years’ experience practicing as a specialist employment and industrial relations lawyer.

Acting only for employers or employer associations, he is well regarded in the industry for providing comprehensive and practical legal services for complex matters. This has included the conduct of investigations involving numerous allegations from multiple complainants; handing of workforce-wide underpayment claims; a judicial review application before the Full Court of the Federal Court; and being a lead employer advocate in test case proceedings relating to annual leave provisions and penalty rate provisions in over 100 modern awards.

In the public sector, Luis has previously been the principal legal advisor on department-wide enterprise agreement negotiations for the AFP and ATO.

Luis is regularly recognised by peers and clients as an expert in this field and was named a leading practitioner in employment law for the 2023 Doyles’ Guide.
12:00 PM

ASK THE EXPERT: Managing industrial relations and workplace reforms

In this interactive session, delegates are invited to ask a top employment lawyer their most pressing questions on industrial relations and their changing obligations.

Luis Izzo

Managing Director
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors

Luis Izzo

Managing Director
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors

Luis oversees ABLA’s Sydney and Melbourne Workplace Relations teams and has over 15 years’ experience practicing as a specialist employment and industrial relations lawyer.

Acting only for employers or employer associations, he is well regarded in the industry for providing comprehensive and practical legal services for complex matters. This has included the conduct of investigations involving numerous allegations from multiple complainants; handing of workforce-wide underpayment claims; a judicial review application before the Full Court of the Federal Court; and being a lead employer advocate in test case proceedings relating to annual leave provisions and penalty rate provisions in over 100 modern awards.

In the public sector, Luis has previously been the principal legal advisor on department-wide enterprise agreement negotiations for the AFP and ATO.

Luis is regularly recognised by peers and clients as an expert in this field and was named a leading practitioner in employment law for the 2023 Doyles’ Guide.
12:15 PM

INTERACTIVE BREAKOUT DISCUSSIONS

Delegates will participate in 3 highly interactive breakout sessions over the two days. These sessions are designed to actively engage participants in addressing key HR challenges and collaborating on strategies with one another.

Session 1: Employment law – How will recent updates affect employer obligations when it comes to mitigating risk and remaining compliant?

Session 2: AI and Technology – How can organisations capture opportunities in AI to support people-driven strategies?

Session 3: Leadership development – How can we enable leaders to develop their skill sets to drive engagement, lead with agility and thrive in the changing world of work?

Moderator

James McIlvena

Managing Director ANZ + SG
LHH

James McIlvena

Managing Director ANZ + SG
LHH

James is the MD of LHH Australia and New Zealand and the Executive Sponsor of LHH partnerships with large customers. James is passionate about helping build better careers, better leaders and better businesses. His strength is in developing solutions to complex problems and addressing these through mobilising and managing talented people. He is responsible for connecting local businesses with the best of globally available LHH solutions helping individuals and organisations reveal and harness their talent and providing tools to support a renewable workforce.

Prior to LLH, he gained extensive experience of in-house recruitment and RPO models across a range of industries and ASX100 companies. James has a degree in Psychology/ Psychophysiology and a Post Graduate qualification in Human Resources and Industrial Relations.

Nithya Ramaswamy

Solutions Director, ANZ
LHH

Nithya Ramaswamy

Solutions Director, ANZ
LHH

Nithya Ramaswamy is Solutions Director within the LHH Leadership Development practice, for Australia and New Zealand. Nithya brings over twenty years of experience in providing insights, consultancy, client engagement, leadership development design and delivery to leaders across a range of client organisations globally. Having led complex projects that span multiple levels of leadership and across various markets and functional areas, Nithya has a proven track record in partnering with stakeholders to co-create learning architectures and bring to life robust leadership development experiences. Having a career background as both industry leader and consultant, Nithya is a credible and commercial learning professional who brings insightful, practical and innovative approaches in her work. Nithya has diverse global and industry experience spanning banking and financial services, insurance, infrastructure, agribusiness, professional services, telecommunications, public sector, education, and pharmaceuticals.
12:45 PM

Networking lunch
1:55 PM

Event Partner session, Origin Energy
2:25 PM

INTERACTIVE BREAKOUT DISCUSSIONS

Delegates will participate in 3 interactive breakout sessions over the two days. These sessions are designed to actively engage participants in addressing key HR challenges and collaborating on strategies with one another.

See full description of topics offered under Day 1, 12.15pm.
2:55 PM

Afternoon tea and refreshments break
3:25 PM

PANEL: Deconstructing strategic workforce planning – how to achieve results

How can your company gear up for future workforce needs? From identifying emerging skills to enhancing internal capabilities, join us to explore innovative strategies for sustainable workforce planning that meets long-term talent demands.

Panellists

Natasha Cuthbert

‎Chief People Officer
Viva Energy

Natasha Cuthbert

‎Chief People Officer
Viva Energy

Natasha is a seasoned HR Executive who builds strong relationships across businesses by developing deeply commercial and strategic understanding of the operating environment.

Natasha has led various People and Culture functions focusing on key Human Resources disciplines including business transformation and change, workforce planning, organisational design and development, strategic talent management, and industrial relations.

After a long tenure in retail, including holding leadership roles during turnaround and transformation, Natasha has moved into an industry on the cusp of significant transformation. As the Chief People and Culture Officer, the focus of her role is to create an environment across Viva Energy with highly engaged and capable team members eager to contribute to delivering on the transformation agenda while sustaining high performance in core operations. Working with the Executive and senior leadership teams, Natasha is responsible for people strategy, operations and execution, as well as fostering the Viva Energy culture to ensure it is a great place to work.

Having completed honours in Science specialising in Conservation Biology, a HR career was not necessary the plan – however over 20 years later having started in management consulting, into organisational development and progressing into generalist People and Culture roles, Natasha’s true passion is delivering business results through great people.

Bo Manamperi

VP People Enablement ANZ
SUEZ

Bo Manamperi

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.

Rebecca Roberts

Chief People and Culture Officer
St. Vincent’s Health

Rebecca Roberts

Chief People and Culture Officer
St. Vincent’s Health

Rebecca is a versatile executive with an extensive background in People and Culture and law who has led organisational change to ensure operations are strategic, optimised and service focused. After a career in law both within Australia and internationally, Rebecca joined St Vincent’s as Executive Director Legal and Commercial Services in 2014 at St Vincent’s Public Hospital Melbourne. In 2018, Rebecca was appointed to lead the People and Culture and Corporate Services and 2021, Rebecca took up the same role at St Vincent’s Public Health Network Sydney. Rebecca commenced her role as Chief People & Culture Officer at St Vincent’s in early 2023 where she now proudly leads our 30,000 people who deliver incredible care to those we serve.
4:10 PM

HR 2030 – emerging HR tech trends transforming the workplace

Beyond chatbots and automation, how will AI change the game to enhance ways of working? How will data enhance the personalisation of the employee experience? Hear the top trends that will change the way we manage our teams and understand how to stay ahead in this dynamic landscape.
4:40 PM

Networking drinks
5:40 PM

Day one ends

8:15 AM

Registration opens
9:30 AM

Opening remarks from the Chairperson
9:40 AM

CASE STUDY: Becoming an employer of choice – embracing new recruitment strategies

In this session, hear how Hilton transformed the way they attract and recruit employees through progressive recruitment channels and tapping into new media, igniting a national conversation on the future of recruitment and successfully engaging their target demographic.

Mary Hogg

Senior Director of Human Resources, Australasia
Hilton

Mary Hogg

Senior Director of Human Resources, Australasia
Hilton
10:20 AM

How to Translate Business Goals into Tangible HR Initiatives: Framing Proposals for Executive and Board Alignment

In this session, we’ll focus on how to effectively translate business goals into HR projects that add value to the orgaisation. Learn how to frame HR project proposals for executives and boards, ensuring clear connections between initiatives and organisational metrics. We’ll also discuss how to report qualitative results as tangible, quantitative outcomes, providing clear visibility of HR’s impact on the bottom line.
10:50 AM

Morning tea and refreshments break
11:20 AM

PANEL: Developing the next-gen HR business partner

From managing employee engagement, culture to experience, there can be a lack of clarity in HR roles. How can HR business partners go beyond operational tasks and focus on strategic initiatives, such as workforce planning? In this session, hear how organisations are developing their HR teams to operate on a strategic-level through shifting responsibilities in HR and embracing the role as a change catalyst in the boardroom.

Panelists

Laura Durkan

Chief People and Culture Officer
Harris Farm Markets

Laura Durkan

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.



Ida Pulic

VP, Human Resources, Toll Global Forwarding ANZ
Toll Group

Ida Pulic

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.

Gaya Srikumar

Senior Director People Experience, EM & Developed Asia
Pfizer

Gaya Srikumar

Senior Director People Experience, EM & Developed Asia
Pfizer

She has been with Pfizer for 19 years, having led teams and operations in many international markets. In her present role she is responsible for the Asia Pacific region.
Gaya’s early career began as an Industrial Chemist in Pharmaceuticals and has since worked in consulting, training, commercial and manufacturing operations in healthcare.
Gaya has a Bachelor of Science majoring in Applied Chemistry and post graduate qualifications in organisational development.
Gaya is an HR practitioner that is passionate about maximising the potential of talents and culture of organisations to maximise business outcomes.
12:05 PM

INTERACTIVE BREAKOUT DISCUSSIONS

Delegates will participate in 3 interactive breakout sessions over the two days. These sessions are designed to actively engage participants in addressing key HR challenges and collaborating on strategies with one another.

See full description of topics offered under Day 1, 12.15pm.
12:35 PM

Networking lunch
1:45 PM

Creating a positive employee experience (EX) to impact the customer experience (CX)

Employee engagement can have a profound impact on customer satisfaction. How can companies align HR to business performance through developing a positive employee experience? How can we measure EX against CX? What can data tell us about the EX/CX relationship?

Kerrie Challenor

Chief People and Service Officer
NTI

Kerrie Challenor

Chief People and Service Officer
NTI

As NTI’s Chief People and Services Officer, Kerrie maintains the standard of excellence across NTI people, and customer experience. In this capacity, she leads NTI’s People & Capability team, two Australia-based national Customer Service Centres, and has corporate responsibility for NTI’s Environment, Social & Governance (ESG).

Under Kerrie’s stewardship, NTI has been recognised year on year as one of the best places to work in Australia; this includes winner of HRD 5 Star Employer of Choice, Kincentric’s Best Employer Australia, and Australian HR Awards Employer of Choice.

In her day-to-day Kerrie focuses on delivering NTI’s People Strategy, with an emphasis on culture, engagement, and talent development. She also manages NTI’s Customer Service operations which is dedicated to roadside assistance, claims, and policy support. More recently, Kerrie has taken on leadership of NTI initiatives to address the organisation’s key environmental and sustainability priorities.

With over 40 years of experience in the insurance industry, and more than 20 years in leadership, Kerrie’s career has spanned a wide range of disciplines, including Human Resources, Risk and Compliance, Distribution, Corporate Strategy, Business Transformation, and Customer Experience. Her professional journey also includes an executive role within a respected not-for-profit organisation, where she applied HR leadership and expertise across international settings.

Kerrie has a genuine passion for leading people through change, growing engagement, and achieving strategic and commercial outcomes through harnessing the richness of thought diversity.

Kerrie holds formal qualifications in Management, Human Resources, and Training & Assessment.
2:30 PM

Chairperson Closing Remarks
2:40 PM

CLOSING KEYNOTE: Adventure thinking – navigating the unknown

What does it take to embark on a 2200km unsupported kayak journey across the open ocean? What kind of mindset is needed to survive skiing 3 months across Antarctica surviving blizzards, crevasses and severe malnourishment? Why on earth would someone willingly commit to a 102-day walk across the Australian Outback with a one-year-old??

In this inspirational keynote presentation, Jonesy unpacks the lessons he’s learnt from the past 20 years of adventure and the ‘expedition mindset’ that allows the most ’normal of us’ to focus, adapt, overcome and achieve under extreme stress situations.

(located in the Main Conference, Parkside 1)

Justin ‘Jonesy’ Jones

Australia’s pre-eminent Explorer,
keynote speaker & adventure thinker

Justin ‘Jonesy’ Jones

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.
3:30 PM

Prize draw announcements (located in the Workshops stage in the Expo hall)

Expo Passport Grand Prize

Collect all exhibitors’ stamps on the Expo Passport for the chance to win a $5,000 cash prize!

Workshops All Star Grand Prize

Attend all workshops for the chance to win a $5,000 cash prize!

Sponsor Prize Draws
Visit the exhibitors to join prize giveaways!
3:35 PM

Event concludes

Day 1

Day 2

8:00 AM

Registration opens

8:55 AM

Interactive Networking Activity: Human Bingo

Mitch Trevillion

9:15 AM

OPENING KEYNOTE: Winning gold – the journey to becoming an Olympic champion

Jessica Fox OAM

10:00 AM

Opening remarks from the Chairperson

10:10 AM

Welcome remarks from the Event Partner, Origin Energy

10:15 AM

CASE STUDY: Leadership development rewired – navigating tomorrow’s workplace

10:45 AM

Morning tea and refreshments break

11:15 AM

LEGAL UPDATE: Navigating the new era of workplace and IR laws in 2025

Luis Izzo

12:00 PM

ASK THE EXPERT: Managing industrial relations and workplace reforms

Luis Izzo

12:15 PM

INTERACTIVE BREAKOUT DISCUSSIONS

Moderator

James McIlvena

Nithya Ramaswamy

12:45 PM

Networking lunch

1:55 PM

Event Partner session, Origin Energy

2:25 PM

INTERACTIVE BREAKOUT DISCUSSIONS

2:55 PM

Afternoon tea and refreshments break

3:25 PM

PANEL: Deconstructing strategic workforce planning – how to achieve results

Panellists

Natasha Cuthbert

Bo Manamperi

Rebecca Roberts

4:10 PM

HR 2030 – emerging HR tech trends transforming the workplace

4:40 PM

Networking drinks

5:40 PM

Day one ends

8:15 AM

Registration opens

9:30 AM

Opening remarks from the Chairperson

9:40 AM

CASE STUDY: Becoming an employer of choice – embracing new recruitment strategies

Mary Hogg

10:20 AM

How to Translate Business Goals into Tangible HR Initiatives: Framing Proposals for Executive and Board Alignment

10:50 AM

Morning tea and refreshments break

11:20 AM

PANEL: Developing the next-gen HR business partner

Panelists

Laura Durkan

Ida Pulic

Gaya Srikumar

12:05 PM

INTERACTIVE BREAKOUT DISCUSSIONS

12:35 PM

Networking lunch

1:45 PM

Creating a positive employee experience (EX) to impact the customer experience (CX)

Kerrie Challenor

2:30 PM

Chairperson Closing Remarks

2:40 PM

CLOSING KEYNOTE: Adventure thinking – navigating the unknown

Justin ‘Jonesy’ Jones

3:30 PM

Prize draw announcements (located in the Workshops stage in the Expo hall)