1-2 April 2025, International Convention Centre, Sydney
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.
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.
Market HR Lead, Australia & New Zealand
Google
Market HR Lead, Australia & New Zealand
Google
Jess leads Google’s People strategy across Australia and New Zealand, where she’s building a workplace that continues to attract and empower some of the world’s top talent. She champions diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, fosters organisational health, and ensures Google remains a leader in the dynamic Aussie and Kiwi tech landscape.
With over 20 years of HR experience across diverse industries—from consumer goods and airlines to tech—Jess has partnered with teams ranging from sales and customer service to pilots and engineers. Her decade at Qantas sharpened her strategic thinking, particularly in navigating complex agreements and leading through major organisational change.
Jess is passionate about driving positive change, developing future leaders, and creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive. She’s a firm believer in understanding what motivates her team and fostering a culture of belonging.
Outside of Google, you’ll find Jess exploring new destinations, immersing herself in music, and enjoying quality time with her husband, kids, and friends.
former Head of People & Culture
Uber Carshare
former Head of People & Culture
Uber Carshare
Head of Employee Experience (Director)
Macquarie Group
Head of Employee Experience (Director)
Macquarie Group
Helen has 15+ years of experience in leadership roles in marketing, communications and employee engagement in the UK and Australia. Currently Head of Employee Experience in Macquarie Group’s retail bank, Helen oversees a diverse portfolio that includes culture, engagement and communications, talent development, employee lifecycle moments, employee listening, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Head of People, Culture & Talent – ANZ
Zip Co
Head of People, Culture & Talent – ANZ
Zip Co
3 x Olympic Gold Medallist and 10 x Canoe Slalom World Champion
3 x Olympic Gold Medallist and 10 x Canoe Slalom World Champion
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.
Chief People Officer
Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation
Chief People Officer
Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation
With over a decade in human resources, Mariam is committed to fostering inclusive, high-performing cultures that put people first. As Chief People and Culture Officer at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation (SCHF), she leads initiatives that align with SCHF’s mission to support children’s health and wellbeing across NSW. Her diverse experience in industries like finance, consumer goods, and real estate informs her people-first strategies, recognised through awards such as HRD Australia’s Best Workplace Flexibility Program 2024. Passionate about meaningful employment and children’s health, Mariam brings both purpose and drive to her role, creating positive change for staff and families alike.
Director, Workforce Planning and Strategy
UNSW
Director, Workforce Planning and Strategy
UNSW
Jane is the Director of Workforce Strategy and Planning at the University of New South Wales. Throughout her career, she has been a catalyst for transforming large, diverse workforces into high-performing, agile teams that drive strategic outcomes. With a background spanning financial services, professional services, IT consulting, and now the higher education sector, she excels in navigating workforce challenges and aligning talent with organisational goals. Jane creates and executes cutting-edge strategies to close talent gaps, build resilient teams, drive digital transformation and optimise the labour cost profile. Her data-driven approach boosts performance, reduces turnover, and ensures sustainable growth, all while fostering continuous improvement and long-term organisational agility in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Global Head of Talent
Employment Hero
Global Head of Talent
Employment Hero
Kate Jolly is the Global Head of Talent acquisition at Employment Hero. Kate has over 10 years experience hiring on a global scale for both start-ups and FTSE100 businesses. She’s worked with candidates from graduate level through to senior leadership and is passionate about building high-performing, high-velocity recruitment teams.
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.
General Manager People Planning and Enablement
John Holland
General Manager People Planning and Enablement
John Holland
Sarah Jordan is the General Manager of People Planning & Enablement at John Holland. With extensive experience in workforce planning, people analytics, and people systems, Sarah leads enterprise workforce planning initiatives to enhance organisational effectiveness. Previously, Sarah held senior roles across NSW Government, including Director Workforce Insights and Planning at Transport NSW, where she led strategic workforce planning, organisational design, and the implementation of machine learning software for talent management.
Head of HR JAPAC & SAMEA
Spotify
Head of HR JAPAC & SAMEA
Spotify
Executive Transition Lead
Suncorp
Executive Transition Lead
Suncorp
Angela is a seasoned Strategic People, Culture & Transformation Leader with over two decades of experience driving HR innovation and organizational change across diverse industries. Recently leading the successful separation of Suncorp Bank to ANZ, following roles as Director with Deloitte, KPMG and her own business Org. Culture Bites, Angela thrives in providing guidance through complex transformations, M&A integrations, HR and culture optimisation. Her roles have effectively linked organisational and HR strategy, with practical deployment, leadership enablement, whilst also ensuring a focus on customer and employee experience. Angela’s collaborative approach has consistently delivered high performance and engagement, making her a sought-after speaker on balancing the new wave of AI transformation with human-centered innovation. She holds a Masters Degree with HR Strategy specialisation and is a Fellow Certified Practitioner with the Australian HR Institute.
Chief R&D Officer and Head of Client Success
Art of Mentoring
Chief R&D Officer and Head of Client Success
Art of Mentoring
With over 12 years of experience in designing, implementing, and managing mentoring and coaching programs across Asia-Pacific and globally, Gina serves as the Chief R&D Officer and Head of Client Success at Art of Mentoring. She leads the development of best practices and delivers world-class resources to help clients achieve their strategic goals through impactful connections. As a Principal Facilitator, Consultant, and Coach with EMCC Global Senior Practitioner accreditation, Gina aligns mentoring and coaching goals with organizational visions and supports leadership development. Passionate about empowering others, she provides guidance and feedback, creating engaging learning experiences to help individuals gain insight and achieve their aspirations.
Group Head of Talent & DEIB
Crown Resorts
Group Head of Talent & DEIB
Crown Resorts
Harleen Oberoi is a seasoned Talent and Diversity & Inclusion strategist dedicated to fostering positive change. As the Group Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Talent at Crown Resorts, she plays a pivotal role in the company’s transformational journey under Blackstone Inc.’s leadership.
Harleen’s career began in HR operations, quickly evolving into HR consulting with prestigious firms such as Ernst & Young, Hewitt, and KPMG, where she managed large-scale programs for global clients. She has led multi-award-winning teams and has a wealth of experience in Human Resources, Organizational Development, and Diversity & Inclusion.
Her expertise in program management, policy development, and change management has consistently driven successful organizational transformations. Harleen’s proven track record in implementing long-term strategies underscores her commitment to creating impactful and sustainable change
Head of People Function, ANZ
Kenvue
Head of People Function, ANZ
Kenvue
Dina Papadopoulos is the Head of People, Australia and New Zealand at Kenvue, bringing nearly two decades of extensive experience in human resources and organisational development and change.
Dina has a strong track record in driving strategic HR initiatives, leading global talent development, fostering inclusive cultures through DE&I leadership, and building high-performing teams. Her expertise spans across talent management, employee engagement, and leadership development.
Before joining Kenvue, Dina held senior HR roles at several leading organisations across Asia Pacific including Johnson & Johnson, Link Group Financial Services (now MUFG) and Dulux Group where she successfully led transformative projects, drove talent strategy and initiatives, and championed diversity and inclusion.
Head of Enterprise Capability & Transformation
Westpac
Head of Enterprise Capability & Transformation
Westpac
Deepti is a Learning and Capability Leader with 17+ years of experience across various industries, including Banking, Telecommunications, and the Public Sector. As the Head of Enterprise Capability and Transformation at Westpac Group, she champions learning agility and equitable, sustainable learning cultures. A storyteller at heart, Deepti applies people-centric approaches to create impactful learning experiences. She has successfully led Westpac’s Data and Digital Capability Uplift program, reskilling over 7,000 employees, earning multiple industry accolades, including the 2024 Brandon Hall Group Gold Award and the 2023 LearnX Platinum Award for the program’s innovative design approach and delivery of business outcomes.
Chief Human Resources Officer
Essential Energy
Chief Human Resources Officer
Essential Energy
Amalie Smith is the Chief People Officer, responsible for People and Safety at Essential Energy. Essential Energy is taking a leading role in the energy transition and is accountable for the safe and reliable delivery of electricity to over 890,000 customers across regional New South Wales and southern Queensland
With an MBA in Supply Chain and Logistics Management, a Graduate Certificate in Business Management and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), Amalie brings extensive experience to her role. Since joining Essential Energy in 2018, she has held various senior management positions, driving initiatives that improve operational efficiency and customer engagement. Amalie is dedicated to fostering diversity in an inclusive and positive work culture, focusing on employee well-being. Her leadership has been pivotal in navigating the complexities of the energy sector and the teams work has also been recently recognised for contributions to workplace equity, receiving the Pay Equity award and the Mining Resources and Energy award at the 2024 Equitable Workplace Awards. Prior to Essential Energy, Amalie worked in senior leader roles with Graincorp and was the Managing Director of the Territory Medical Group.
Host
Key Media
Host
Key Media
Kylie Speer is a television host, media professional and author with international experience spanning more than 15 years. Since graduating from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kylie’s career has seen her assume posts in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Dubai, Los Angeles and New York across numerous print, online and broadcast television media outlets including The Sunday Telegraph, nineMSN, the Nine Network Australia and Sky TV in the UK.
People & Engagement Director, Australia & New Zealand
Egis
People & Engagement Director, Australia & New Zealand
Egis
Lisa Taylor-Mesiti has been working in People & Culture for over 18 years, holding a variety of people leadership roles across generalist HR, Talent Management, Industrial Relations and HR Operations. In addition to leading her own HR consultancy practice for a number of years, Lisa has worked in HR leadership roles in the engineering, professional services, retail and government sectors.
A pragmatic and authentic HR leader, Lisa is passionate about supporting leaders through change and creating meaningful employee experience while balancing business needs.
Lisa believes that the key to a successful People function is enabling an environment where HR is a trusted partner, and by delivering People practices and initiatives which are simple and efficient.
Working from Wurundjeri land in Melbourne, Lisa currently works as the ANZ People & Engagement Director for Egis, a global multi-disciplinary engineering firm with over 20,000 employees worldwide.
Wellbeing coach, counsellor, author and speaker
Wellbeing coach, counsellor, author and speaker
Timo Topp is a wellbeing coach, counsellor, author and speaker with 30 years experience. Timo is passionate about empowering people to live healthier, happier lives by improving their physical and mental health, around a busy work schedule. He is the creator of a workplace wellbeing program called WORKBEING: The art of being healthy, happy and productive at work which empowers busy corporate professionals with simple, scientifically proven strategies to help people and businesses thrive. He is also author of the book: EAT, MOVE, LIVE – An authentic approach to look and feel your best for life.
Director of Operations
Beyond the Boardroom
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.
Head of Capability
Coles Group
Head of Capability
Coles Group
Chief People Officer
ELMO Software
Chief People Officer
ELMO Software
As the Chief People Officer, Kate is responsible for driving the people strategy across ANZ & the Philippines along with her team – People & Culture.
She is a data driven, people focused and empathetic leader who is passionate about creating a compelling culture experience that scales high performance teams and builds workforce capability in an inclusive, psychologically safe environment.
Kate has over 20 years of diverse experience as part of a broader Human Resources function for privately owned, ASX-listed and major global corporations within the Technology, FMCG, Mining, Oil & Gas, Industrial Services and Construction sectors across APAC & the UK. Her experience has enabled her to build a deep understanding of how to attract, secure, develop and retain top talent through delivering an outstanding people experience whilst adding positive commercial impact to the business.