ASFA Conference 2026
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ASFA Conference 2026

Conference program

Program details are subject to change.

Tuesday, 17 November 2026

1:00pm

Registration open

  • 1:00pm – 6:00pm

1:30pm

Masterclass 1

Navigating the Modern Superannuation Data Ecosystem: Governance, Interoperability and Member Outcomes

  • 1:30pm – 5:00pm

Bookings for ASFA Conference Masterclasses are now open, click here to register.

An interactive, hands-on session for trustees and senior executives navigating the rapidly evolving super data landscape.
Participants will explore how data flows across employers, payroll providers, funds and regulators, and what this means for governance, cyber risk and trustee oversight. Working in small teams with a SuperAPI Product Leader or Engineer, they’ll then design and build an intelligent software solution for a hypothetical super fund. Attendees will leave with a working prototype, a practical trustee readiness checklist, and key insights to take back to the boardroom.

3 CPD Points

Speakers:
Ben Styles, Director and Chief Commercial Officer at SuperAPI

Mark Bland, Partner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Partnered by

Masterclass 2

The Strategy–Experiment Loop: Building AI Capability that Learns

  • 1:30pm – 5:00pm

Bookings for ASFA Conference Masterclasses are now open, click here to register.

An executive working session for leaders ready to turn AI ambition into action. C-Suite, senior leaders and cross-functional teams will translate Board priorities into a practical AI strategy, identify and prioritise high-value experiments, and use the evidence generated to shape an AI-enabled delivery model. Grounded in superannuation industry case studies, attendees will leave with a clearer AI roadmap, a framework for prioritising experimentation, and practical tools to take back and apply within their organisation.

3 CPD Points

Speakers:
Kate Westacott, Executive Manager – Technology and AI Service IQ Group

Katherine Forrest, Chief Operating Officer - IQ Group

Shane Moore, Project Director, Superannuation and Employer Obligations, Australian Taxation Office

Alastair Ramsay, Risk Director – Super and Employer Obligations - ATO APRA Fund Member Reporting and Single Touch Payroll

Partnered by

IQ Group logo

Masterclass 3

Cyber, Trust and Resilience: Preparing for the Threats Ahead

  • 1:30pm – 5:00pm

Bookings for ASFA Conference Masterclasses are now open, click here to register.

Technology is transforming superannuation at pace, bringing new opportunities alongside an increasingly complex set of risks and leadership challenges. Designed for superannuation executives, trustee directors and senior leaders across cyber security, technology, risk, governance, operations and member experience, this interactive PwC Australia masterclass will explore emerging AI-enabled threats reshaping the cyber landscape. Through peer discussion, real-world scenarios and PwC’s Game of Threats, challenge conventional thinking and leave with practical priorities to strengthen resilience, protect member trust and prepare for what comes next.

3 CPD Points

Speakers:
To be announced

Katherine Forrest, Chief Operating Officer, IQ Group

Partnered by

2:00pm

Super Expo - Exhibitor bump-in

  • 2:00pm – 5:30pm

5:00pm

Welcome networking drinks

  • 5:00pm – 6:30pm

Wednesday, 18 November 2026

7:00am

Registration open

  • 7:00am – 8:30am

7:15am

Breakfast

  • 7:15am – 8:30am

8:45am

Welcome to Country

  • 8:45am – 8:50am

8:55am

Welcome & opening remarks

  • 8:55am – 9:05am

Mary Delahunty, ASFA CEO, will welcome delegates to the 64th annual ASFA Conference.

Speaker:
Mary Delahunty, Chief Executive Officer, ASFA

9:00am

MUFG opening keynote partner remarks

  • 9:00am – 9:05am

Speaker: To be announced

9:10am

Keynote 1: In conversation with Alastair Campbell

  • 9:10am – 9:45am

A fireside chat with Alastair Campbell a writer, communicator and political strategist, best known for his work at the heart of British politics and as co-host of the hugely popular podcast The Rest Is Politics, where he offers candid insight and analysis on current affairs, leadership and the political world.

Speaker:
Alastair Campbell, Writer, Podcaster, Communicator, Strategist

Chair: To be announced

  • Policy

Partnered by

9:35am

Keynote 2: Address from the Treasurer

  • 9:45am – 10:05am

Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, Treasurer will address the ASFA Conference.​

Speaker:
Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, Treasurer

10:05am

Wellness break

  • 10:05am – 10:10am

Partnered by

10:10am

Keynote 3: Fostering the next generation

  • 10:10am – 10:40am

Addressing the challenges of elite competition, national expectations, and being an indigenous woman, Cathy Freeman AC, will provide insights into identity, representation, leadership and the role of sport in promoting social change and unity.

Speakers:
Cathy Freeman AC, Olympic Gold Medallist & Keynote Speaker

Chair: Robbie Campo, Chief Executive Officer, HESTA

  • Investment

10:40am

Keynote 4: Fireside Chat with the Minister of Finance, Luxembourg

  • 10:40am – 11:00am

In this fireside chat, Luxembourg’s Minister of Finance will provide insights on Europe’s macroeconomic outlook and policy developments, offering the perspective of a founding EU Member State and a major European financial centre, home to the world’s second-largest investment fund industry.

Speaker:
Gilles Roth, Minister of Finance, Luxembourg

  • Investment

11:05am

Morning tea

  • 11:05am – 11:30am

Partnered by

AIA_Logo

11:40am

Parallel 1A: Protecting human rights in the 21st century

  • 11:40am – 12:15pm

The panel will discuss how human rights capacity building is becoming increasingly important as accountability for human rights requires a broader risk management lens to be applied to activities such as procurement, operations, and investment, to protect the rights of minorities and First Nations peoples.

Speakers to be announced.

Speakers:

Phoebe Wynne Pope

Chair: Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope, Head of Responsible Business and ESG, Corrs Chambers Westgarth

  • Policy

Partnered by

Parallel 1B: Retirement planning from a member perspective

  • 11:40am – 12:15pm

In this session hear from leading financial advisers and platforms on how they collaborate together to ensure that members receive a holistic retirement planning service which ensures that members acheive their retirement goals.

Speakers:
Andrew Alcock, Managing Director & CEO, HUB24 Limited​

Nicola Beswick, Financial Adviser, White Rabbit Advisory

Neil Younger, Group CEO, Entireti

Chair: Ben Hillier, Director Retirement, AMP

  • Retirement

Parallel 1C: Evolution of risk management: The competitive advantage of ownership of data

  • 11:40am – 12:15pm

Data is becoming a competitive advantage, but this gives rise to increased governance and risk management issues. The panel will explore how investment teams and committees can gain visibility and control of data without dramatically increasing costs.

Speakers:
Barnali Das, Senior Manager, AustralianSuper

Will Liang, Chief Executive Officer, Amplify AI Group

Louisa Roberts, Head of Aladdin, Australia & NZ, BlackRock

Chair: Sarah Cornelius, Principal Consultant, Head of Investment Governance, Frontier Advisors

  • Investment

Partnered by

12:20pm

Networking lunch in the Super Expo

  • 12:20pm – 1:20pm

1:30pm

Parallel 2A: Leading AI enabled teams – the human side of AI adoption

  • 1:30pm – 2:05pm

AI is being embraced rapidly, but managing it at a workforce level is complicated and evolving. Hear from leading experts on how their organisations are making decisions on where AI starts and human judgement ends and what this means for executives on closing the gap between their own enthusiasm (or scepticism) and the experience of their teams.

Speakers:
Caroline O'Brien, General Manager, Data & Artificial Intelligence, Coles Group

Mahya Knox, Chief AI Officer, NAB

Kate Farrar, Chief Executive Officer, Brighter Super

Chair: Frank Lombardo, Chief Executive Officer ANZ, MUFG Retirement Solutions

  • AI & Technology

Partnered by

Parallel 2B: Designing a retirement system for 2040: What policy should we be advocating for now?

  • 1:30pm – 2:05pm

The challenges facing the superannuation system are already clear: an ageing population, more Australians retiring with non‑linear work histories, growing pressure on retirement income adequacy, and rising expectations that super should be simpler, fairer and better connected to how people live in retirement. The expert panel will consider possible policy settings to enhance the current system by 2040.

Speakers:
Joseph Mitchell, Assistant Secretary, Australian Council of Trade Union

Guy Debelle, Chair, FundsSA

Simon Sheikh, Future Super

Chair: Mary Delahunty, Chief Executive Officer, ASFA

  • Policy

Partnered by

Parallel 2C: Engaged by design: how digital readiness shapes the member experience

  • 1:30pm – 2:05pm

Members experience their fund through a series of moments across their working life: joining, choosing how their super is invested, understanding their cover, seeking advice, making a claim, and eventually planning for retirement. Increasingly, how well a fund shows up in these moments comes down to digital readiness. Bringing together perspectives from across the industry, this panel explores how digital readiness can enable engagement at scale, and what the member experience of the future looks like. 

Speakers to be announced

Phoebe Wynne Pope

Chair: Dan Taylor, General Manager, Group Partnerships, TAL

  • Insurance

Partnered by

2:10pm

Parallel 3A: The age pension - The forgotten third pillar of the retirement system?

  • 2:10pm – 2:45pm

The Age Pension is the important third pillar of our retirement system, but remains complex to apply for and separate to superannuation. The session will focus on what more funds could do, both in terms of member servicing and policy advocacy, to make the Age Pension (and other government income support) more integrated with super and more accessible for Australians.

Speakers:
Sarah Forman, Chief Retirement Officer, Team Super

Jeremy Duffield, Co-founder and Director, SuperEd/Retirement Essentials

Linda Scott, Chair - Member-Representative Director, CareSuper

Chair: Enrico Burgio, General Manager, Public Policy & Advocacy, Rest Super

  • Retirement

Parallel 3B: The transformation leader's dilemma - pace vs stability in an AI-world

  • 2:10pm – 2:45pm

Superannuation funds aren't startups - you can't move fast and break things when members' retirement savings are at stake. But in an increasingly AI-powered world, you cannot move so carefully that you are structurally behind. This session puts that tension on the table explicitly, hear from leaders who make those decisions daily.

Speakers:
Sarah Carney, Head of AI, AustralianSuper

Allanna Rigby, AWS

Chair: Jason McLean, Senior Partner & Industry Leader, Superannuation, Wealth and Asset Management, PwC

  • Business Transformation

Parallel 3C: Navigating change together - How insurers can help funds respond to a changing member and administration landscape

  • 2:10pm – 2:45pm

This panel explores the evolving role of insurers beyond traditional insurance functions, how technology and AI can enable more personalised member support, and how the industry can work together to build a more connected and proactive ecosystem that benefits members.

Speakers to be announced

Speakers:
Will Barsby,

Chair:

  • Insurance

2:50pm

Afternoon tea in the Super Expo

  • 2:50pm – 3:20pm

3:30pm

Keynote 5: Productivity commission address

  • 3:30pm – 4:00pm

As Chair of the Productivity Commission, Danielle Wood, will address delegates on priorities for the year ahead.

Speakers:
Danielle Wood, Chair, Productivity Commission

  • Policy

4:00pm

Future Leaders lightning talk

  • 4:00pm – 4:10pm

Speakers:

Speakers:

Jackson Swain, Private Wealth Adviser, UniSuper

Braidon Whatley , Founding Engineer, SuperAPI

  • Future Leaders

Partnered by

4:10pm

Keynote 6: CEO panel discussion

  • 4:10pm – 4:50pm

A panel of CEOs drawn from the superannuation sector will discuss the opportunities, challenges and prospects for the next 5-10 years as funds under management reaches $4 trillion.

Speakers:
Peter Chun, Chief Executive Officer, UniSuper

Vicki Doyle, Chief Executive Officer, Rest

Deanne Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, Aware Super

Blair Vernon, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, AMP Limited

  • Policy

4:50pm

Wellness break

  • 4:50pm – 4:55pm

Partnered by

4:55pm

Keynote 7: Global investment trends and challenges

  • 4:55pm – 5:30pm

An esteemed panel, drawn from Australia and overseas, will discuss the impact of global investment trends and challenges on how superannuation and pension funds invest the retirement savings of members in Australia and overseas.

Speakers:
Fiona Bassett, Chief Executive Officer, FTSE Russell

Dan Mikulskis, Chief Investment Officer, People's Partnership

David Whiteley, Global Head of External Relations, IFM Investors

Chair: Adam Lygoe, Macquarie Asset Management

  • Investment

5:30pm

Closing remarks

  • 5:30pm – 5:35pm

7:00pm

ASFA Conference dinner event

  • 7:00pm – 10:00pm

A vibrant stand-up dinner designed for effortless mingling, great food and drinks, and valuable connections with industry leaders.

Dress code: Cocktail

Partnered by

Thursday, 19 November 2026

7:00am

Registration open

  • 7:00am – 9:30am

Women in Super Networking Breakfast

  • 7:00am – 8:30am

Begin your day with an engaging panel discussion.

Women in Super Chair, Robbie Campo, will facilitate a dynamic discussion between industry leaders in the superannuation sector. This conversation will explore each panelists career journey, how they have faced and overcome challenges - as well as what kind of support systems they have accessed and implemented to help them achieve their inspiring leadership success stories.

Bookings essential. Tickets available from Women in Super

Speakers:
Linda Elkins, Non-Executive Director, AMP

Joan Fitzpatrick, President, ESS Super

Nicole Oborne, Partner, Superannuation & Asset Management Assurance Leader, PwC Australia

Chair: Robbie Campo , Chair, Women in Super

Partnered by

7:30am

Super Expo open

  • 7:30am – 2:35pm

9:00am

Welcome

  • 9:00am – 9:10am

ASFA's CEO, Mary Delahunty, welcomes delegates to the second day of the 2026 ASFA Conference.

Mary Delahunty, Chief Executive Officer, ASFA

9:10am

Keynote 8: Address from the Shadow Treasurer

  • 9:10am – 9:25am

The Hon Tim Wilson MP will address the ASFA Conference.

Speaker:
Hon Tim Wilson MP, Shadow Treasurer

  • Policy

9:25am

Keynote 9: Insurance CEO panel

  • 9:25am – 10:00am

Returning for a second year, this highly-anticipated panel of insurers will discuss how the insurance sector is meeting the needs of superannuation fund members in a continuously changing and challenging world.

Speakers:
Damien Mu, Chief Executive Officer, AIA

Fiona Macgregor, Group CEO and Managing Director, TAL

Chair: Maree Pallisco, Partner, Ernst and Young

  • Insurance

10:00am

Wellness break

  • 10:00am – 10:05am

Partnered by

10:05am

Keynote 10: Fireside chat with ACCC

  • 10:05am – 10:30am

Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe will reflect on ACCC's recent initiatives and priorities.

Speaker:
Dr Catriona Lowe, Deputy Chair, ACCC

  • Policy

10:35am

Morning tea

  • 10:35am – 11:05am

11:15am

Parallel 4A: Changing landscape of customer loyalty – lessons from brands

  • 11:15am – 11:50am

Member retention strategies are becoming increasingly important and the panel will provide insights into how retention challenges can be overcome if member expectations and attitudes are understood and supported.

Speakers:
Gavin Perera-Betts, Chief Customer Officer, Nest Pensions

Chair: Georgie Obst, General Manager - Digital, HESTA

More speakers to be announced.

  • Member Engagement & Servicing

Parallel 4B: From evidence to action: Implementing the superannuation white paper recommendations

  • 11:15am – 11:50am

This session brings together key stakeholders to discuss the Insurance Superannuation White Paper to critically analyse how to translate recommendations, such as the impact of mental health driven claims, fragmented income support systems, into practical actions that can lead to sustainable, member-outcome driven resolutions.

Speakers:
Darren Wickham, Head of Group Insurance, Zurich Financial Services Australia

Christine Cupitt, Chief Executive Officer, Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI)

Chair: Cass Wild, General Manager, Insurance Solutions, EML

  • Insurance

Parallel 4C: The increasing systemic importance of super

  • 11:15am – 11:50am

The panel of experts will provide insights into how portfolio resilience has become a major focus for trustees and CIOs given the impact of the uncertain investment environment and regulatory requirements on asset allocation, FX hedging decisions and liquidity management.

Seakers:
Rodrigo Catril, Senior FX Strategist, NAB

Anna Shelley, Chief Investment Officer, Executive Director, AMP

Kirsten Temple, General Manager, Investment Strategy, JANA Investment Advisers

Chair: Jamie Bonic, Head of FX and Derivatives Sales, NAB

  • Investment

Partnered by

11:55pm

Parallel 5A: Consumer protections in the wake of shield and first guardian

  • 11:55am – 12:30pm

Following the Shield and First Guardian collapses, members' confidence that the superannuation system will protect their retirement savings has been challenged. The panel will discuss the priorities and reforms needed to strengthen consumer protections.

Speakers:
Phil Marquet, Partner, Minter Ellison

Jean Skeat, Consumer Law Action Centre

Patricia Sparrow, Chief Executive Officer, COTA

Chair: Kristian Fok, Chief Executive Officer, Cbus Super

  • Policy

Parallel 5B: Meeting younger members in their space

  • 11:55am – 12:30pm

Understanding where and how younger generations engage with financial products is key to meeting their demands and needs. Our panel of experts will provide insights from their experience and knowledge of working with younger members.

Speakers:
Natasha Etschmann, Personal Finance Educator, TashInvests, Tash Lends

Bonyit Mabor, Retirement Advice Consultant, Cbus Super

James Wrigley, Principal Financial Adviser, First Financial

Chair: Kevin Fernandez, Senior Partner, Novigi

  • Future Leaders

Parallel 5C: Friction by design: secure digital journeys without excluding members

  • 11:55am – 12:30pm

As super funds push members online, two exposures grow at the same time: financial crime and fraud risk on the one hand and member disengagement on the other. In a heightened regulatory risk environment, this panel focuses on what superannuation funds can do now to build secure member journeys that remain accessible and cost-effective.

Speakers:
Simonne Burnett, Australian Retirement Trust

Brendan Donoghue, Head of Digital & Customer Experience, UniSuper

Eliza Goldsmith, Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence analyst, CI-ISAC

Chair: Michelle Bower, Chief Executive Officer, Gateway Network Governance Body (GNGB)

  • AI & Technology

12:35pm

Networking lunch in the Super Expo

  • 12:35pm – 1:35pm

1:40pm

Parallel 6A: What keeps trustee directors awake at night?

  • 1:40pm – 2:15pm

Trustee Directors will share their priorities and challenges as they help steer their respective organisations into the future.

Speakers:
Laura Catterick, Director, Resilience & Cyber, UK Finance

Hanny Hassan, Partner, Financial Services, Ernst & Young

Andrew Major, Strategic Advisor, Investment Operating Model, HESTA

Chair: Linda Elkins, AMP

Speakers to be announced.

Parallel 6B: A Perspective on the development of initial AI adoption through to use of agentic AI for everyday impact.​

  • 1:40pm – 2:15pm

Across the industry, AI is increasingly being applied to productivity, operations and now servicing. This session draws on lessons from Australia and other markets further along the adoption curve to explore how AI is being used in practice today to drive member experience.​

Speakers:
Abigail Holman, Deloitte

Andrew Creighton, SS&C

Speakers:

  • Business Transformation

Partnered by

Parallel 6C: The engagement effect: When greater awareness demands better services

  • 1:40pm – 2:15pm

Member engagement is critical to helping Australians understand the importance of financial security in retirement but as members become more engaged and infromed, their expectations rise. This panel will explore the next evolution of a more relevant, personalised service that leverages AI-enabled innovation to meet the changing needs of members across their retirement journey.

Speakers:
Katrina McPhee, CareSuper

More speakers to be announced.

Chair: Jimmy Mullen, Executive Manager - Consulting Services, IQ Group

  • Member Engagement & Servicing

2:25pm

Future Leaders lightning talk

  • 2:25pm – 2:35pm

Speakers:
Sinem Kalenderoglu, Marketing Manager - Brand & Content, Rest

Speaker to be announced.

  • Future Leaders

2:35pm

Keynote 11: Using demographics to unpack housing affordability

  • 2:35pm – 3:15pm

Back by popular demand, Simon Kuestenmacher will apply his detailed knowledge of demographic trends to unpack housing affordability and its impact on superannuation fund members and their retirement outcomes.

Speaker:
Simon Kuestenmacher, Social Demographer, Data Influencer & Keynote Speaker

  • Future Leaders

2:40pm

Life Member Preso - TBC

  • 2:40pm – 3:25pm

More infomration to come

Speakers:
Ray Attrill, Head of FX Strategy, NAB

Greg Barr, Principal Consultant Superannuation, Frontier Advisors

Angela Feeney, AustralianSuper (via live link)

Chair: Jamie Bonic, Head of FX and Derivative Sales, NAB

  • Investment

3:20pm

Wellness break

  • 3:20pm – 3:25pm

Partnered by

3:25pm

Keynote 12: ASIC Fireside Chat

  • 3:25pm – 3:45pm

An update from the regulators on priorities for 2027.

Speakers:

Sarah Court, ASIC

Chair: Jamie Bonic, Head of FX and Derivative Sales, NAB

  • Policy

3:45pm

Keynote 13: Regulator Address

  • 3:45pm – 4:05pm

More information coming soon!

Speakers:
TBC, APRA

  • Policy

4:05pm

Keynote 14: Address from the Assistant Treasurer and Minsister for Financial Services

  • 4:05pm – 4:25pm

Hon Dr Daniel Mulino MP, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for FInancial Services will address the ASFA Conference.​

Speakers:
Hon Dr Daniel Mulino MP, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services

  • Policy

4:25pm

Closing remarks

  • 4:25pm – 4:35pm

Mary Delahunty, ASFA's CEO, will officially close the 2026 ASFA Annual Conference.

Mary Delahunty, Chief Executive Officer, ASFA

Register now

Ben Styles

Director and Chief Commercial Officer at SuperAPI

Ben Styles is Director and Chief Commercial Officer at SuperAPI, with deep expertise across financial services, regulatory technology and innovation.

Over a 25-year career building and scaling new ventures, Ben has held executive leadership roles at Atomic and Xero, as well as senior roles at NAB, spanning corporate, venture studio and private market environments.

Mark Bland

Partner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Mark Bland is a Partner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth with deep regulatory expertise across the highly regulated financial services sector.

He advises superannuation trustees, fund managers and financial advisory firms on regulatory matters and disputes, including interactions with ASIC, APRA and AUSTRAC.

Mark also serves on the Law Council’s Financial Services Committee and is a member of the Responsible Investment Association of Australia’s Nature Working Group.

Kate Westacott

Executive Manager – Technology and AI Service IQ Group

Kate Westacott is an executive technology leader with more than two decades of experience delivering strategy, technology and business transformation across financial services. Most recently CIO for APAC at SS&C Technologies, she has led large-scale technology and data-driven change for some of Australia’s leading superannuation funds and UK wealth organisations.

 

As Executive Manager, Technology and AI at IQ Group, Kate works with clients to turn AI from vision into practical value. She brings a combination of executive leadership experience, technology expertise and a pragmatic approach to execution.

 

Kate is passionate about helping organisations build confidence, adapt quickly and create sustainable value for members. At IQ Group, Kate leads with energy, building high-performing teams and reshaping ways of working to prepare the firm for what’s next.

Katherine Forrest

Chief Operating Officer - IQ Group

Katherine Forrest is a strategic leader with over 25 years of experience in the superannuation and financial services industry. As Chief Operating Officer of IQ Group, she has played a key role in driving innovation, blending modern operational strategies with business and technology leadership. Her expertise spans project delivery, strategy, and IT management across both public and private sectors, shaping IQ Group’s
consulting capabilities and redefining how clients achieve success.

 

A sought-after speaker on industry transformation, Katherine draws on her extensive experience to help organisations navigate change, whether through regulatory adaptation, digital transformation, or shifting consumer expectations. She has deep insights into how highly regulated industries can leverage technology and operational efficiencies to enhance customer experience, improve compliance, and drive long-term
sustainability.

 
Katherine’s work in superannuation has also provided valuable lessons for adjacent industries, including aged care, health and retirement. As the sector faces increasing regulatory pressures, service delivery challenges, and evolving consumer demands, she shares insights from superannuation’s transformation —
exploring how industry consolidation, digital innovation, and governance best practices can serve as a blueprint for aged care leaders. With a passion for driving meaningful change, Katherine translates complex industry challenges into actionable strategies, helping organisations stay ahead in an era of disruption

Shane Moore,

Project Director, Superannuation and Employer Obligations, Australian Taxation Office

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Shane leads the ATO’s core Payday Super initiatives, including enhancements to SuperStream, improvements to Single Touch Payroll (STP), and the retirement of the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH). With a strong track record in delivering complex reforms across the superannuation system, Shane brings deep technical expertise and a practical, collaborative approach. He is known for building trusted relationships across industry and government, and for bringing a personal touch to driving meaningful change. 

Alastair Ramsay

Risk Director – Super and Employer Obligations - ATO APRA Fund Member Reporting and Single Touch Payroll

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Alastair is a Risk Director specialising in APRA Fund reported data and Single Touch Payroll. With deep expertise in regulatory reporting, data integrity and compliance frameworks. Alastair ensures that reporting entities meet their reporting obligations while maintain accuracy, transparency, and strong governance. Alastair has a strong understanding of how reported data is used within the ATO to administer programs, enabling an ability to bridge policy requirements with practical reporting solutions that support both compliance and effective program delivery.

Laura Catterick

Director, Resilience & Cyber, UK Finance

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Laura Catterick is the Director of Resilience & Cyber at UK Finance, which is the collective voice for the UK banking and finance industry, representing over 300 firms and supporting members in their efforts to build more resilient firms and a more resilient financial sector.

Within UK Finance, Laura works closely with industry leaders, government, and regulators, influencing policy on operational resilience and cybersecurity at a national level. UK Finance also co-chairs CMORG (Cross Market Operational Resilience Group) to deliver collaborative resilience initiatives that address systemic risks.

Laura is a Chartered Professional Accountant from Canada with extensive experience in risk, regulatory compliance, cyber security, operational resilience, and large-scale transformation. She has held senior executive roles within highly regulated sectors, including roles across all three lines of defence within Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Lloyds Banking Group, and Mastercard.

Katherine Forrest

Chief Operating Officer, IQ Group

Sessions

Parallel 5C: Retirement Product Strategies: Navigating Diverse Paths to Member Outcomes

Thu 13 Nov
  • 12:15pm – 12:55pm

Katherine Forrest is a strategic leader with over 25 years of experience in the superannuation and financial services industry. As Chief Operating Officer of IQ Group, she has played a key role in driving innovation, blending modern operational strategies with business and technology leadership. Her expertise spans project delivery, strategy, and IT management across both public and private sectors, shaping IQ Group’s consulting capabilities and redefining how clients achieve success.


A sought-after speaker on industry transformation, Katherine draws on her extensive experience to help organisations navigate change, whether through regulatory adaptation, digital transformation, or shifting consumer expectations. She has deep insights into how highly regulated industries can leverage technology and operational efficiencies to enhance customer experience, improve compliance, and drive long-term sustainability.


Katherine’s work in superannuation has also provided valuable lessons for adjacent industries, including aged care, health and retirement. As the sector faces increasing regulatory pressures, service delivery challenges, and evolving consumer demands, she shares insights from superannuation’s transformation—exploring how industry consolidation, digital innovation, and governance best practices can serve as a blueprint for aged care leaders. With a passion for driving meaningful change, Katherine translates complex industry challenges into actionable strategies, helping organisations stay ahead in an era of disruption.

Mary Delahunty

Chief Executive Officer, ASFA

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Mary Delahunty is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia Limited (ASFA). 

ASFA is the peak policy, research and advocacy body for Australia’s superannuation industry. It is a not-for-profit, sector-neutral, and non-party political, national organisation. ASFA’s mission is to continuously improve the superannuation system, so all Australians can enjoy a dignified retirement. 

Mary joined ASFA in 2024 after founding Seven Advisory, a specialist ESG and impact advisory service to institutional investors developing their social license to deliver long-term value. Prior to that Mary was Head of Impact at HESTA where she played a key role in shaping strategic policies and responsible investment practices to advance member outcomes in the superannuation system. She was also previously an executive with Link Market Services. 

Mary is a member of the Pensions & Investment World Pension Summit International Advisory Board and holds several board positions including in the RegTech and education sectors and was a 2015 Churchill Fellow awarded for international research on gender equity in retirement outcomes. 

Mary studied Arts at the University of Melbourne, and later completed a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning and then a Masters of Applied Finance.  

Alastair Campbell

Writer, Podcaster, Communicator, Strategist

For a decade, Alastair Campbell served as Tony Blair’s closest communications strategist and chief spokesman, playing a central role in shaping the political narrative during a transformative period in British politics. From the years leading up to Labour’s landslide victory in 1997 through the party’s time in government, he led communications strategy and frequently found himself at the centre of historic political moments.

Alastair is widely credited as one of the key figures behind the creation of the New Labour project. In the run-up to the 1997 election and throughout Labour’s years in power, he helped drive the party’s modernisation and media strategy, often engaging in high-profile battles over how the party was portrayed in the press. While his approach made him a controversial figure in some parts of the media, he also earned respect for his commitment, creativity, loyalty and formidable work ethic.

Since leaving frontline politics, Alastair has built a prolific career as an author, commentator and strategist. He has written more than twenty books, including ten volumes of political diaries, four novels, a number one bestselling analysis of leadership and success in politics, business and sport, and two personal memoirs exploring depression and the pursuit of happiness. His recent book, But What Can I Do? Why Politics Has Gone So Wrong, and How You Can Help Fix It, became a Sunday Times bestseller and reflects his continuing engagement with the state of modern politics.

Alastair is also the co-host of the widely popular podcast The Rest Is Politics, alongside former cabinet minister Rory Stewart. Launched in 2022, the podcast has become one of the UK’s leading political programmes, bringing together two figures from historically opposing political traditions to discuss current affairs, global events and the inner workings of government and Parliament.

Alongside his media work, Alastair advises organisations on political and communications strategy and works extensively with charities. He is a prominent campaigner on mental health, speaking openly about his own experiences with depression, alcoholism and stress. Through interviews, documentaries, podcasts and books – including Living Better: How I Learned to Survive Depression and The Happy Depressive – he has advocated for greater openness about mental health and for workplaces to provide Mental Health First Aid training.

With humour, candour and insider perspective, Alastair draws on decades of experience at the highest levels of politics to explore leadership, reputation, the role of the media and the pressures of public life. His book Winners: And How They Succeed reflects this approach, examining what drives success across politics, sport and business. In his talks and presentations, he shares lessons from his career on leadership, strategy and resilience, encouraging audiences to challenge assumptions, understand their opponents, develop clear plans and pursue them with determination.

Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP

Treasurer

Jim Chalmers is the Treasurer of Australia.

He has been the Member for Rankin in the House of Representatives since 2013, proudly representing the people and suburbs of southern Brisbane and Logan City where he was born, grew up and made a home with Laura, Leo, Annabel, and Jack.

He served as Shadow Treasurer from 2019 to 2022, and Shadow Minister for Finance from 2016 to 2019.

Prior to Jim’s election to Parliament, he was the Executive Director of the Chifley Research Centre and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer.

He has a PhD in political science and international relations from the Australian National University and a first class honours degree in public policy from Griffith University, and is a qualified company director.

Jim’s most recent book, Changing Jobs: the Fair Go in the New Machine Age, was co-authored with Mike Quigley and published in 2017. His earlier book about the Global Financial Crisis, Glory Daze, was released in 2013.

Cathy Freeman AC

Olympic Gold Medallist & Keynote Speaker

Cathy Freeman is a proud Kuku Yalanji and Birri Gubba woman and one of Australia’s most revered Indigenous Olympic champions. Rising from Mackay in Queensland, she made history as the first Australian Aboriginal woman to win gold at an international athletics event and went on to represent Australia at four Olympic Games.

Her career-defining moment came at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, where she won gold in the 400 metres, carrying both the Australian and Aboriginal flags in one of the most iconic moments in Australian sporting history. A World Champion, Australian of the Year and Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), Cathy is celebrated not only for her sporting achievements but for the barriers she broke.

Since retiring, Cathy has dedicated herself to empowering young Australians through education and community initiatives and a highly respected speaker and advocate, sharing insights on resilience, leadership, identity and purpose.

Robbie Campo

Chief Executive Officer
HESTA

Robbie Campo is the CEO of HESTA, Australia’s $105 billion superannuation fund for health and community services workers, with more than 1.05 million members across Australia.

She has worked as an executive in the superannuation industry for over two decades and was previously CEO of Emergency Services and State Super, a profit-to-member fund serving Victorian emergency services and state employees.

Robbie is passionate about the fundamental purpose of superannuation; to maximise the retirement outcomes of Australians and ensure that hard-earned contributions made throughout their working lives create financial security in their post-working years. A key priority for her is to see systemic improvements for women’s economic and retirement outcomes and women’s equal participation in the superannuation system.

She is also Chair of Women in Super.

Gilles Roth

Minister of Finance, Luxembourg

Gilles Roth was born on 1 March 1967 in Luxembourg. He studied law at the “Centre Universitaire de Luxembourg” and the “Université Catholique de Louvain” (UCL) in Belgium, where he obtained a degree in law and another degree in business administration and management.

Following the legislative elections of 8 October 2023, Gilles Roth was appointed Minister of Finance on 17 November 2023 in the coalition government formed by the Christian Social Party (CSV) and the Democratic Party (DP).

Gilles Roth was elected municipal councilor in 1993 and became mayor of the city of Mamer in 2000. He joined the Parliament in April 2007 and was reconducted until 2023. In 2013, he became Chairman of the CSV political group.

From 1991 to 1994, Gilles Roth practiced as a lawyer. In 1995, he started working at the Ministry of Finance, before being seconded to the Luxembourg Court of Auditors and the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the European Union in Brussels. In 1998, he returned to the Ministry of Finance and became government advisor, later senior government advisor.

Keely O'Brien

General Manager Corporate Affairs and Strategy, Council of Australian Life Insurers

Sessions

Keynote 13: Australia’s Superannuation System in 2050: Global Investor, National Anchor

Thu 13 Nov
  • 15:25pm – 16:15pm

Keely is the General Manager for Corporate Affairs and Strategy at the Council of Australian Life Insurers. She is responsible for strengthening the reputation of the life insurance industry and rebuilding trust with customers, policy makers, politicians and the wider community.

Keely leads the industry’s research and data collection projects to build a strong evidence base for CALI’s policy and advocacy positions. She is leading the industry’s work on a sustainable disability action plan.

She is a former senior adviser to the Australian Prime Minister and several ASX200 CEOs and her career has spanned the financial services, technology, government and media sectors. 

Raelene Seales

Chief Executive Officer, Prime Super

Sessions

Keynote 13: Australia’s Superannuation System in 2050: Global Investor, National Anchor

Thu 13 Nov
  • 15:25pm – 16:15pm

As the Chief Executive of Prime Super, Raelene brings a wealth of experience and an impressive track record as a leader in the finance sector. Growing up in regional Australia, her farming background and rural upbringing have shaped her values, work ethic and deep sense of community.  

With 36 years in financial services, Raelene brings deep expertise across sales, operations, strategy, and business transformation within banking, wealth management, and insurance. She has held senior executive roles both in Australia and internationally, including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Transformation Officer at Zurich Australia and Zurich Indonesia, based in Jakarta. Her energetic and dependable leadership style has been shaped by a career at major institutions such as National Australia Bank, ANZ Banking Group, and Zurich General and Life Insurance. 

Raelene is passionate about improving awareness of the value of superannuation and supporting members to achieve their retirement goals. 

Andrew Alcock

Managing Director & CEO, HUB24 Limited

Andrew joined HUB24 in 2013 as Chief Executive Officer and with HUB24’s leadership team, he has led the company’s evolution from the new entrant HUB24 platform business to today’s market-leading integrated provider of platform, data and technology solutions to the wealth industry. HUB24 has grown over the last decade to administer over $150 billion in client assets and has expanded to now include the HUBconnect, Class and myprosperity businesses. Andrew has almost three decades of experience across wealth management, encompassing advice, platforms, superannuation, insurance and information technology. After a successful career as a senior executive in information technology, Andrew held various executive roles within the Wealth Management sector including with Genesys Wealth Advisers Limited, Tyndall and Asteron. In these roles Andrew worked closely with financial advisers, including holding board director roles for over 20 advice practices and was responsible for the design and delivery of financial products for the wealth market. Andrew was previously Chief Executive Officer of Australian Administration Services (a subsidiary of Link Group) providing superannuation administration and technology services to some of Australia’s largest superannuation funds.

Barnali Das

Senior Manager, AustralianSuper

Barnali Das is a Senior Manager, Group Risk at AustralianSuper. She brings extensive experience across quantitative finance, model governance, valuation, data risk and financial risk management. Barnali has worked with complex models and data across market risk, credit risk, stress testing, treasury, and valuation frameworks, and has experience engaging with governance committees, auditors, and senior stakeholders. Her current focus is on strengthening oversight and supporting robust governance as organisations respond to increasing complexity, regulatory expectations, and the expanding use of data and AI.

Barnali brings a practical superannuation risk perspective on how ownership of data and models is reshaping investment governance, risk appetite, transparency, and oversight.

Will Liang

Chief Executive Officer, Amplify AI Group

Will Liang is the CEO of Amplify AI Group, a consulting firm which specialises in helping superannuation funds on their AI journey. Amplify AI Group have trained executives and investment professionals who collectively manage over $1.2 trillion in assets under management. Our value proposition is our industry practitioners’ knowledge of asset owners and managers with true AI expertise, as recognised by our global speaking engagements.

With over 18 years’ experience leading AI, data and technology, Will was CTO for MA Asset Management , served as enterprise architect and CIO for Macquarie Capital Asia Pacific as part of a decade at Macquarie Group, and led KPMG’s national regulatory technology practice.

His interest in data analytics and artificial intelligence has been long standing and includes travelling to Harvard for professional development in data and AI in 2019.

Will is recognised internationally for his technology leadership, including as a Top Voice on Linkedin for Data Science and AI and was named as a Global Top 100 Data and Analytics leader by Corinium. He was also named the Top 100 CIO in Asia by CIO.com. In Australia, he was awarded an honorary fellowship at UTS for his work on AI education in 2024. 

Will is a sought after speaker and his most high profile keynote was at the TEDxSydney event on AI and humanity. 

Louisa Roberts

Head of Aladdin, Australia & NZ, BlackRock

Louisa Roberts is Head of Aladdin for Australia and New Zealand at BlackRock. She leads the regional Aladdin business, working with superannuation funds, asset managers, insurers, and wealth firms to modernise investment and operating models through technology, data, and analytics.

A significant focus of Louisa’s work is partnering with Australian superannuation funds as they navigate industry consolidation, growing private market allocations, increasing operational complexity, and the need for more integrated investment technology and data capabilities.

With more than 25 years of industry experience, Louisa has held senior leadership roles across BlackRock, SimCorp, FIS (formerly SunGard), and Princeton Financial Systems. Her expertise spans investment technology, business transformation, data strategy, and investment management. Louisa holds degrees in Mathematics and Finance and Economics from the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Sydney.

Sarah Cornelius

Principal Consultant, Head of Investment Governance, Frontier Advisors

Sarah Cornelius is a Principal Consultant and Head of Investment Governance. Since joining the firm in 2010, she has developed extensive expertise in delivering investment governance advice to investment committees and boards across a range of client segments. Her responsibilities include evaluating internal investment capabilities, conducting assessments of investment beliefs, and reviewing and drafting investment policies for various institutional investors.

In addition to her investment governance responsibilities, she is an active member of Frontier’s investment consulting team. She supports clients through consulting engagements and participates in both investment and manager research activities. She is also part of Frontier’s Responsible Investment Group, contributing to the advancement of responsible investment practices within the organisation.

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Commercial Law) from Swinburne University, as well as a Masters of Applied Finance from Kaplan Professional.

Caroline O'Brien

General Manager, Data & Artificial Intelligence, Coles Group

Caroline O’Brien is a globally recognised data and AI executive with deep expertise in advanced analytics, machine learning, product innovation, and ethical AI. She currently serves as General Manager of Data & Intelligence at Coles Group, where she leads Data, AI Engineering, Platform, Tech Strategy and Enterprise Architecture focused on driving business transformation through data-driven decision making.

Prior to joining Coles, Caroline spent more than seven years at AI technology company Afiniti, where she held several senior leadership roles including Chief Data Officer and Head of Product. In these roles, she led global data strategy, AI product development, governance, and advanced analytics teams, helping deliver large-scale AI solutions for enterprise clients worldwide.

Caroline’s career spans both industry and academia. She was a Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and remains connected with the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, where her research focused on applying engineering, mathematics, and machine learning to cardiovascular disease treatment. She has authored more than 18 academic papers and co-authored two books.

She holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of New South Wales and a Bachelor of Engineering and Arts in Mechanical and Space Engineering and Mathematics from The University of Queensland.

A passionate advocate for responsible AI and diversity in technology, Caroline is known for championing ethical AI frameworks and supporting women in STEM and data science leadership

Mahya Knox

Chief AI Officer, NAB

Dr Mahya Knox is the Chief AI Officer at NAB.
A serial AI entrepreneur and aerospace engineer by background, she previously led AI for the retail bank at CBA and was an Associate Partner in AI at McKinsey & Company, where she focused on defence, aviation, and banking.

Joseph Mitchell

Assistant Secretary, Australian Council of Trade Unions

Joseph was re-elected as Assistant Secretary at the ACTU Congress in June 2024.

Joseph joined the ACTU in 2016, where he has been Political Director and a Policy Officer, as well as working with the Innovation and Growth Taskforces.

Most recently he led the ACTU Centre for Workers’ Capital.

Joseph grew up in Canberra and like many young Australians was a waiter through high school and university at local cafes and restaurants.

As ACTU Assistant Secretary, Joseph is passionate about winning a better future for working people and growing the union movement.

Joseph has a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Arts from Australian National University and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance from the University of NSW.

Outside of work, Joseph is a proud father and a supporter of the Canberra Raiders.

Guy Debelle

Chair, FundsSA

Guy Debelle is Chair of FundsSA and is on the board of Tivan, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, e61, Amy’s Foundation and SAFA. He is an adviser to the Investment Committee at Australian Retirement Trust (ART) and chairs the advisory board of Famille Capital. He holds a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) from the University of Adelaide where he is an Honorary Professor and a PhD in Economics from MIT.

Dr Debelle was the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia from 2016 until 2022 and prior to this was Assistant Governor (Financial Markets) from 2007-2016. Following his time at the RBA, he was CFO of Fortescue Future Industries.

Mary Delahunty

Chief Executive Officer, ASFA

Mary Delahunty is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia Limited (ASFA).

ASFA is the peak policy, research and advocacy body for Australia’s superannuation industry. It is a not-for-profit, sector-neutral, and non-party political, national organisation. ASFA’s mission is to continuously improve the superannuation system, so all Australians can enjoy a dignified retirement.

Mary joined ASFA in 2024 after founding Seven Advisory, a specialist ESG and impact advisory service to institutional investors developing their social license to deliver long-term value. Prior to that Mary was Head of Impact at HESTA where she played a key role in shaping strategic policies and responsible investment practices to advance member outcomes in the superannuation system. She was also previously an executive with Link Market Services.

Mary is a member of the Pensions & Investment World Pension Summit International Advisory Board and holds several board positions including in the RegTech and education sectors and was a 2015 Churchill Fellow awarded for international research on gender equity in retirement outcomes.

Mary studied Arts at the University of Melbourne, and later completed a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning and then a Masters of Applied Finance.

Dan Taylor

General Manager, Group Partnerships, TAL

Sessions

Keynote 13: Australia’s Superannuation System in 2050: Global Investor, National Anchor

Thu 13 Nov
  • 15:25pm – 16:15pm

Dan leads TAL’s partnerships with many of Australia’s leading super funds to provide insurance cover for around 4 million members. He is passionate about building long-term partnerships with funds to drive growth, service excellence and great member outcomes, as well as advocating for a valuable and sustainable future for insurance in super. 

In his decade with TAL, Dan has worked across member engagement, underwriting operations, innovation and digital transformation initiatives. Previously, he spent over 15 years leading innovation and new ventures across multiple sectors, including establishing an innovation consultancy in New York and driving digital innovation at British Gas and Tesco in London. Dan is the author of The Secrets of Big Business Innovation. 

Sarah Forman

Chief Retirement Officer, Team Super

Ms Forman is a senior executive with over 30 years’ experience in financial services across the superannuation and wealth management sectors, having led strategy, product, sales, financial advice, member experience and operational teams over her career. Sarah has extensive experience in the management and delivery of financial advice services, having successfully led the financial advice functions at some of Australia’s largest superannuation and wealth management providers. 

As Chief Retirement officer, Sarah is keen to evolve retirement solutions and pathways that allow all members access to the education, guidance and advice they need to navigate to suitable retirement solutions, feeling confident and empowered about their financial futures.

Ms Forman holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Government) from Sydney University, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has a range of professional KAPLAN accreditations related to financial services as well as a Professional Certificate in Management from the Graduate School of Management, University of Adelaide.

Jeremy Duffield

Co-founder and Director, SuperEd/Retirement Essentials

Jeremy Duffield is co-founder/director of SuperEd, a leading Australian digital financial advice provider serving super funds, their members and consumers directly. SuperEd incorporates Retirement Essentials which provides Age Pension services and retirement advice. His mission is to make affordable
quality advice and help available to Australians for better retirements.

Jeremy was the founding Managing Director and Chairman of Vanguard Investments Australia (1996-2010). He served as a senior executive of The Vanguard Group for over three decades in the US, Asia and Australia. He was also founding chairman of Plum Financial Services.

He was previously Chair of MLC’s asset management subsidiary and a director of Vanguard Super Pty Ltd. Formerly, he was a director of MLC’s responsible entities (2011-2020).
He has been: Chair of the Australian Centre for Financial Studies, a member of the Financial Services Advisory Council, Vice Chair of the Investment and Financial Services Association, a member of the Johnson Task Force on Australia as a Financial Centre, and a member of the Financial Literacy Foundation.

Natalie Previtera

Chief Executive Officer, NGS Super

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Natalie is the Chief Executive Officer of NGS Super.  

With a career grounded in governance, legal, and strategic leadership, Natalie brings a forward-thinking and purpose driven approach to superannuation. She is responsible for steering the fund through a dynamic regulatory landscape, ensuring operational excellence, and delivering long-term value to members.

Natalie also served as Chief Risk and Governance officer having deep institutional knowledge and a strong track record in executive oversight and regulatory engagement.

She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to drive transformation while maintaining a strong member-first ethos.

Prior to joining NGS in 2019 Natalie held senior governance roles at AMP, Suncorp and Perpetual.  

Enrico Burgio

General Manager, Public Policy & Advocacy, Rest Super

Enrico is an experienced public policy and corporate affairs leader and lawyer with extensive experience in policy development, thought leadership and stakeholder and government relations. His experience encompasses superannuation and financial services, government roles and legal practice in the private sector.

Enrico is currently General Manager of Public Policy & Advocacy at Rest Super, leading Rest’s public policy, regulatory affairs and advocacy activities and strategic engagement with government, regulators and other key stakeholders. The Public Policy & Advocacy team works to positively influence policy, legislation and regulation in support of the best financial interests of Rest’s over 2 million members. This covers the full breadth of policy including areas such as retirement, financial advice, equity in super, regulatory reform and climate and sustainability.

Prior to working in financial services, Enrico worked in senior roles in the Victorian Government including for the Victorian Premier and as Chief of Staff to a Victorian Minister. Enrico was previously a senior lawyer, specialising in employment law and industrial relations.

Sarah Carney

Head of AI, AustalianSuper

From the parade ground to the boardroom, Sarah’s career journey has been anything but ordinary. She began her career in the Australian Army before globe-trotting through Europe and the Middle East, dabbling in everything from think tanks to ballet.

Before taking on the Head of AI role at AustralianSuper, Sarah spent a decade at Microsoft where she was the National Chief Technology Officer, leading the technical strategy, vision, and execution for their largest and most strategic customers. She also served as the regional Responsible AI lead and a member of Microsoft’s AI red team, where her focus was on building trust and safeguarding AI for generations to come.

A passionate advocate for education and inclusion, Sarah serves on advisory boards for universities and TAFEs, sits on the advisory board of The Smith Family, and was recently named the fourth most powerful woman in Australian tech.

Sarah holds a BSc from UNSW, postgraduate qualifications in marketing from Cambridge Marketing College and an MBA from City of London University.

Jason McLean

Senior Partner & Industry Leader, Superannuation, Wealth and Asset Management, PwC

Jason McLean is a Senior Partner and the Industry Leader of the Superannuation, Wealth and Asset Management business at PwC in Australia.

He has over 20 years experience advising Boards and Executive teams across the Financial Services sector on business strategy, digital programs and organisational restructures to deliver growth targets and operational efficiencies. He has worked with leading superannuation, private wealth, asset management, retail banking, insurance clients and regulators across the Australia, UK, Europe, America and Asia.

He specialises in supporting clients develop and deliver their business strategies that leverage modern technologies to digitise their business operating model, services to customers and data models to compete more effectively and safely in a digital and AI era.

Danielle Wood

Chair, Productivity Commission

Danielle Wood commenced a 5-year term as Chair of the Productivity Commission on 13 November 2023.

Prior to joining the Commission, she was CEO of the Grattan Institute and Head of its Budgets and Government Program. During her time at Grattan, Danielle also held roles as member of the Australian Government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, the Parliamentary Budget Office Expert Advisory Committee, the Jobs and Skills Australia Consultative Forum and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government Research Committee.

Danielle previously worked in senior roles at the ACCC and at NERA Economic Consulting. She started her career as a graduate at the Productivity Commission.

Danielle holds an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide and two Masters degrees, one in Economics and one in Competition Law, from the University of Melbourne.

Danielle is an Honorary Fellow and former President of the Economic Society of Australia and a former Research Fellow of the Women’s Leadership Institute. She was the co-founder and first Chair of the Women in Economics Network.

She is currently an ex-officio member of the Australian Government’s Competition Review Expert Advisory Panel.

As well as her work as Chair, Danielle is also working on the Housing supply regulation inquiry.

Jackson Swain

Private Wealth Adviser at UniSuper

Jackson Swain is a Private Wealth Adviser at UniSuper, where he provides strategic financial advice to professionals, academics and retirees across a broad range of retirement planning, superannuation, investment and estate planning matters.

Based in Hobart, Jackson works closely with UniSuper members to help them navigate complex financial decisions and achieve better retirement outcomes. He is passionate about improving financial literacy and member engagement across the superannuation sector.

Jackson was recognised as a winner of the 2026 ASFA Future Leaders Competition for his innovative idea to help strengthen outcomes for superannuation fund members and support the future evolution of the industry.

Braidon Whatley

Founding Engineer, SuperAPI

Braidon Whatley is the Founding Engineer at SuperAPI, building the technology that connects super funds to employers through embedded payroll and superannuation compliance workflows.


With over a decade in technology and data, Braidon has designed complex systems, led teams and built products from the ground up. He combines technical expertise with a drive to solve longstanding industry challenges and make super simpler for members, employers and funds.


A winner of the 2026 ASFA Future Leaders Competition, Braidon was recognised for his proposal to accelerate death benefit payments, using infrastructure the industry already has, to ease the burden on families at a difficult time.

Peter Chun

Chief Executive Officer, UniSuper

Peter Chun joined UniSuper as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in September 2021, bringing more than 30 years’ experience in financial services. UniSuper is one of Australia’s largest super funds with more than 680,000 members and approximately $166 billion in funds under management (as at 31 December 2025).

As CEO, Peter is responsible for developing, leading, and implementing corporate strategy and culture. He is also accountable for the overall services and operational management of UniSuper Management nationally.

Prior to joining UniSuper, Peter held senior executive roles at Aware Super, Colonial First State and Credit Suisse.

Peter is a qualified Actuary with a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University. He holds Graduate Diplomas in Applied Finance and Investments and Financial Planning from the Securities Institute of Australia; and has undertaken the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School (Boston, USA). Peter is a Director of UniSuper Management Pty Ltd, ASFA and Diversity Council Australia.

Vicki Doyle

Chief Executive Officer, Rest

Vicki joined Rest as Chief Executive Officer in May 2018, bringing more than 20 years’ senior executive leadership experience in superannuation, life insurance, wealth management and banking.

Vicki is passionate about simplifying and demystifying superannuation to help all Australians achieve their best retirement outcomes.

Vicki holds an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Vicki has served as an Executive Director on Trustee Boards. She is a Director of The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia

Vicki’s experience includes executive leadership roles at some of Australia’s leading organisations, such as AMP, BT, Suncorp and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. She has an extensive background in distribution, strategic marketing, digital, fund operations and contact centres, customer strategy and design and product management.

Vicki is passionate about helping and seeing people under her leadership strive for excellence. In her spare time (if there is any) she has 3 teenage kids and you’ll likely find her on her jet ski in the calm waters of Lake Macquarie.

Blair Vernon

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, AMP Limited

Blair was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AMP Limited in March 2026. He is responsible for leading the AMP business and driving the company’s strategy with a focus on strengthening customer outcomes and delivering sustainable
growth. He is also a member of the AMP Limited Board and AMP Bank Board.

Blair has over 30 years’ experience across the financial services sector in Australia and New Zealand. Blair has held various executive positions at AMP including his most recent role as AMP’s Chief Financial Officer and before that Group Executive Transformation and New Zealand. In the CFO and Transformation roles Blair tightened financial management, led a significant capital return program and successfully executed both the AMP Capital separation and the AMP Advice sale
and partnership.

Blair served as Acting CEO for the AMP Wealth Management and AMP Bank businesses (formerly known as AMP Australia) in 2020-21 following a successful period leading the AMP New Zealand business.

Blair has also held senior roles in AMP’s Retail Financial Services; Advice & Sales and Marketing and Distribution functions.

Fiona Bassett

Chief Executive Officer, FTSE Russell

Fiona Bassett is a dynamic senior executive with a proven track record of building and transforming businesses in financial markets. With strategic and operational expertise spanning multiple geographies, asset classes and functions, Fiona is known for her energetic and valuesdriven leadership style consistently driving innovation and excellence.

Throughout her career, Fiona has demonstrated a passion for cultivating talent and building diverse, high-performance teams that deliver exceptional results. Her leadership impact has
been acknowledged with prestigious industry awards, including the American Banker, Mutual Fund Industry, and Institute of International Finance accolades.

Prior to joining LSEG as CEO for FTSE Russell, Fiona was a long-standing Deutsche Bank veteran, most recently serving as the Global Head of Systematic Investment Solutions and Implementation (trading) at DWS where she also was CEO of DWS UK.

Dan Mikulskis

Chief Investment Officer, People's Partnership

Dan leads the investment team at People’s Partnership, overseeing the management of over £43 billion on behalf of the seven million members of The People’s Pension, a leading UK defined contribution (DC) master trust.

Under Dan’s leadership, the team is building one of the UK’s largest asset owners at a transformative time for the pensions industry. Their collaborative model focuses on deep partnerships with a select group of high-quality asset managers to execute strategy and enhance performance.

People’s Partnership operates a purpose-driven model where profits benefit members, with a vision to become a world-class asset owner—distinct from most DC funds.

Dan has worked in the investment sector since 2003, with prior experience in investment consulting at Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP), where he was a partner, as well as at Redington and Mercer.

Damien Mu

Chief Executive Officer, AIA Australia

Damien Mu is the CEO and Managing Director of AIA Australia, and AIA Health Insurance.

Damien has more than 25 years’ experience in the Australian financial services industry, with management experience spanning life and health insurance, superannuation and investments. Damien’s career at AIA Australia began in 2007, and he was appointed to the role of CEO in 2014. From July 2016 to January 2022, Damien was also CEO of AIA New Zealand.

In 2021, Damien was awarded Insurance Leader of the year at the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) Insurance Industry Awards. Following this, and under his leadership, AIA Australia was also awarded Life Insurance Company of the Year in 2022, 2023 and 2024 by ANZIIF.

He is passionate about inspiring people to be their best and leading a purpose led organisation that makes a difference in people’s lives. Damien is a firm advocate for further government investment in prevention focused interventions that will improve mental health, and in 2024, was announced as an Ambassador for Australians for Mental Health.

Damien is the Co-Chair of the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI). He is a regular participant in industry forums and roundtables, using his voice to drive positive change that will help safeguard the financial futures of Australians.

Fiona Macgregor

Group CEO and Managing Director, TAL

Fiona Macgregor was appointed TAL Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director in October 2024.

Since joining TAL in 2014, Fiona has held various leadership roles across innovation, customer, brand and technology. She was Chief Executive – Individual Life from 2023-2024 and Chief Information & Innovation Officer from 2018-2023.

Fiona has over 20 years’ experience in financial services. She spent the first part of her career in consumer banking in the UK where she developed expertise in customer-led innovation, working both locally and internationally. Fiona has also worked as an independent consultant, focusing on innovation culture and growth strategy.

Fiona holds an MA (Hons) Business Organisation from Heriot-Watt University. She is a member of the Champions of Change Coalition and a Non-Executive Director of the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI).

Maree Pallisco

Partner, Ernst and Young

Maree is a Partner in EY’s Financial Services Office, based in Melbourne and leads EY’s National Superannuation Practice, bringing over 26 years of superannuation audit and consulting experience at EY and more than 30 years in the industry.

Catriona Lowe

Deputy Chair, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission

Catriona Lowe was appointed by the Governor General to the position of ACCC Deputy Chair for a 5-year term on 27 January 2023. On 19 June 2023 Catriona commenced as an Associate Member of the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Catriona chairs the Compliance and Product Safety Committee, is the Deputy Chair of Commission, the Digital ID and Consumer Data Right Committee, Scams and Digital Markets Committee and Enforcement Committee, and is a member of the Energy Markets Board.

For over 20 years Catriona has had a strong commitment to consumer issues and protection of consumer rights in her varied roles as a regulator, litigator and consumer advocate.

Before joining the ACCC, Catriona was a Board Member of the Australian Energy Regulator from February 2020. She has also held a non-Executive director role on a range of boards, including the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. Catriona was also principal of a consumer-focused consulting practice.

From 2006 to 2013, Catriona was Co-CEO of the Consumer Action Law Centre. She has also held senior roles with the Consumers’ Federation of Australia and the ACCC.

Over the years Catriona has worked extensively on matters involving consumer focused regulation, behavioural economics and effective enforcement and compliance. She has advocated for consumers across a range of markets including financial services, telecommunications and energy.

Catriona has a Bachelor of Laws from Northern Territory University (now Charles Darwin University).

Gavin Perera-Betts

Chief Customer Officer, Nest Pensions

Gavin is the Chief Customer Officer, and member of the Executive team, at Nest Pensions, the largest workplace pension scheme in the UK.

With over 30 years of experience in the UK pensions industry, Gavin was one of the architects of Nest, accountable for designing the digital first service that is now delivering for its 14 million members and hundreds of thousands of employers and intermediaries.

Today, his role encompasses Nest’s brand and marketing, proposition development and product design.

Georgie Obst

General Manager - Digital, HESTA

Georgie Obst is General Manager, Digital at HESTA, where she leads a team that blends data insights, member feedback and technology to deliver personalised digital experiences that build engagement and trust. A strategic and curious leader, she is focused on creating value in the moments that matter, helping members achieve the retirement they deserve after a career spent caring for others. Across her career she has held senior roles spanning digital, customer loyalty and customer growth, and holds a Master of Organisational Leadership from Melbourne Business School. Georgie is a passionate advocate for women in the sector and for using digital innovation to improve members’ financial futures. 

Christine Cupitt

Chief Executive Officer, Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI)

Christine Cupitt is a widely respected and credible leader with a passion for ensuring fair, high-quality outcomes for consumers across the financial services sector. She is the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Australian
Life Insurers and has 20 years’ experience working in legal, strategic and public policy roles.

Christine is the former Chief of Policy and Strategy at the Australian Banking Association (ABA) where she led the industry’s response and submissions to the banking Royal Commission. She was instrumental in subsequent changes to the Banking Code of Practice and provided considered industry guidance that helped shape the banking sector of today. 

She also led the banking industry’s policy response and regulatory program for COVID 19 as well as the development of the ABA’s climate change and net zero transition program.

She also worked at AMP from 2007 to 2013 across product and financial advice, including three years with Hillross Financial Services.

Christine is a co-founder of the debt relief charity, Way Forward Debt Solutions, and a Vincent Fairfax Fellow.

Cass Wild

General Manager, Insurance Solutions, EML

With more than two decades of experience across personal injury insurance and superannuation claims management, Cass Wild brings a rare combination of operational depth, strategic leadership and regulatory expertise to her role as General Manager, Partnerships & Strategy at EML.

Cass leads EML’s strategic engagement with superannuation trustees, insurers and regulators, working with clients to strengthen claims performance and deliver sustainable, member-centric outcomes.

Throughout her career, Cass has developed particular expertise in navigating changing regulatory expectations, strengthening claims operating models, and driving improvements that balance member outcomes, service quality, and sustainable performance.

Rodrigo Catril

Senior FX Strategist, NAB

Rodrigo Catril is Senior FX Strategist at NAB, he is responsible for the Bank’s currency forecasts, develops trade ideas, authors market research and advises clients on global macroeconomic and foreign exchange developments.

Since joining NAB in 2009, Rodrigo has held roles across investment strategy, rates strategy and foreign exchange. He brings extensive experience in risk management, quantitative analysis and global fixed income investing, including more than a decade in London’s fund management industry.

Rodrigo holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of the Witwatersrand, is a CFA Charterholder and holds an AFMA Diploma of Financial Markets. He is also a co-creator of NAB’s widely followed The Morning Call podcast.

Kirsten Temple

General Manager, Investment Strategy, JANA Investment Advisers

Kirsten Temple is General Manager, Investment Strategy at JANA and is responsible for the firm’s investment strategy advice, including asset allocation, portfolio design, capital markets analysis and portfolio risk management.

She leads JANA’s asset allocation advice and decision-making for advisory and implemented consulting clients and has more than 20 years’ industry experience advising institutional investors in Australia and the UK.

Kirsten holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and degrees in Commerce (Economics) and Arts (Asian Studies) from the University of New England.

Jamie Bonic

Head of FX and Derivatives Sales, NAB

Jamie is NAB’s Global Head of FX and Derivatives Sales. Jamie is responsible for several FX related sales businesses including NAB’s Institutional, Corporate and Government teams. Prior to joining NAB, Jamie spent 17 years in London as an Managing Director of a US Investment bank running sales and trading businesses for both the Interest Rate and FX product.

Jamie holds a Bachelor of Economics Degree from The University of Sydney and is based in Sydney.

Philip Marquet

Partner, MinterEllison

Philip is a Partner who leads MinterEllison’s national superannuation practice. He advises superannuation trustees, investment managers and institutional investors on complex transactional, regulatory and governance matters. With over a decade of experience, he has supported many of Australia’s largest superannuation funds on high-value transactions across infrastructure, property, private equity, venture capital and debt.

Clients value his commercial and pragmatic approach. Through his experience at leading Australian law firms, he has advised trustees of profit-to-member, retail and corporate superannuation funds, as well as a range of statutory benefit schemes; sovereign wealth funds; high-net-worth individuals; family offices; employers; and the trustees of self managed superannuation funds.

Philip’s relevant experience includes advising:
– A number of superannuation funds, insurers and investment managers: on the implementation of major regulatory change projects, including APRA’s Prudential Standard CPS 230 (Operational Risk Management), PayDay Super and the Financial Accountability Regime.

– A number of superannuation funds: in respect of their obligations under the Portfolio Holdings Disclosure regime.

– The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA): on whether trustees of Australian superannuation funds need to comply with the best financial interests covenant when purchasing carbon credits to offset carbon emissions in the trustee’s business operations.

– Cbus: on the negotiation of new arrangements with RIMES in relation to its investment data management technology platform.

– Rest: on its commitment to invest up to US$250 million in the US Cities Real Estate Fund, managed by Nuveen  Real Estate – one of the world’s largest real estate investment managers.

– Mercer Super: on the preparation of sustainability and climate-related disclosures for the purpose of identifying and managing any ‘greenwashing’ risk.

– ING: on a major restructure of ‘ING Living Super’, including a successor fund transfer and the renegotiation of major outsourcing agreements in relation to sponsorship and data management.

– Hostplus: on two transformative fund mergers (with Statewide Super and Intrust Super) by way of successor fund transfer.

– Cbus: on the transfer of assets from Media Super to Cbus following the merger of the two funds by way of successor fund transfer.

– Maritime Super: on its investment in the Hostplus Pooled Superannuation Trust.

– Hostplus, HESTA, Cbus, Rest, AustralianSuper, CareSuper and Maritime Super: on a range of investments, mandates and co-investments across various asset classes and structures, including in infrastructure, real estate, debt, private credit, private equity, venture capital, currency and equities.

– Rest: on its acquisition of a one-third stake in Sydney’s Quay Quarter Tower redevelopment for approximately $900 million.

– HESTA, Australian Retirement Trust, Maritime Super and others: in relation to the negotiation of custody and administrative services agreements with global custody banks.

Patricia Sparrow

Chief Executive Officer, COTA Australia

Patricia leads the peak body for older Australians, taking a constructive approach to building an inclusive and bright future for older people. Her goal is to eliminate ageism, which should be as socially unacceptable as sexism and racism. Studying ageism as part of her BA in Social Sciences, she was inspired to volunteer in home care, and do meals runs. She cried when an older woman held on to her hand and asked her to stay because she had not seen anyone that day, and anyone young in a long time. 

Committed to building a more inclusive Australia that appreciates and welcomes the contribution of older people, Patricia’s career spans community, disability, and aged care, health, and advocacy roles. She has experience from the perspective of not-for-profit, public service, advocacy, Ministerial office, and most importantly, as a support to her own ageing family members. 

Patricia centres her work on the value of older people. Everyone deserves the benefit of older people we love in our lives. She has worked consistently to improve the choice and control older people have in their own lives, working to reform aged care to fund the individual’s care, rather than the provider, and following through to make sure the system works.  

Natasha Etschmann

Personal Finance Educator, Tash Invests, Tash Lends

Natasha Etschmann, widely known as tashinvests, is a leading next-generation financial commentator and investor advocate redefining how wealth creation is communicated in the digital era. Through sophisticated, data-led content across social media, she has built one of Australia’s most engaged investing communities, championing long-term strategy and financial literacy for emerging investors.

Her insights have been featured by the Australian Financial Review and ASX, and she has collaborated with major financial institutions and global investment platforms to bridge the gap between traditional markets and modern audiences. Natasha offers executive leaders a rare combination of market credibility and digital fluency – delivering strategic perspective on engaging the next generation of investors and consumers.

Bonyit Mabor

Retirement Advice Consultant, Cbus Super

Bonyit is a Retirement Advice Consultant at Cbus Super, with 7 years of experience in the superannuation industry. He is also an advocate for financial literacy, particularly for young and multicultural Australians, sharing practical money lessons on social media that have built an engaged young and multicultural community. Drawing on his own understanding of how younger members engage with money and financial products, he creates content that helps everyday Australians take control of their finances and build better opportunities for their future.

His mission is to empower people through education and advocacy, breaking down complex financial topics such as superannuation, budgeting, investing, and career progression into simple, actionable steps. His current project, FinLab (Financial Laboratory), extends this work into schools and community groups through interactive, science-like money education.

James Wrigley

Principal Financial Adviser, First Financial

James Wrigley is a financial adviser, author and one of Australia’s leading voices in personal finance and retirement. With almost two decades of experience, James specialises in helping Australians make smarter decisions about their money, superannuation and retirement. He is the author of the bestselling Retire Life Ready and is passionate about making complex financial concepts simple and accessible through his work and the content he shares online to in excess of 500,000 followers.

Kevin Fernandez

Senior Partner, Novigi

Kevin Fernandez is a Senior Partner at Novigi, advising financial services organisations on data and technology strategy. He is a recognised industry thinker focused on technology, innovation, operational efficiency and sustainable growth.

Brendan Donoghue

Head of Digital & Customer Experience, UniSuper

Brendan Donoghue is a Digital and Customer Experience executive based in Melbourne. With a career spanning over 20 years Brendan has been a pioneer in the design and digital revolution of corporate Australia, driving innovations which have positively impacted on millions of Australians.

Brendan currently leads the enterprise digital capability for UniSuper, one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, with over $170 Billion in funds under management. In the past 8 years he has transformed its digital offering to provide a market leading, member first experience.

Eliza Goldsmith

Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence analyst, CI-ISAC

Eliza is a Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst at CI ISAC Australia, with experience spanning financial services, consulting, and critical infrastructure. Her background covers both offensive and defensive security, including threat intelligence, OSINT, security operations, and adversary emulation at organisations such as NAB and Deloitte. She has spent years translating complex threat data into actionable defence strategies, drawing on a strong interest in the psychology behind adversary behaviour and decision-making, as well as a broader interest in cybercrime and the wider issues shaping the threat landscape.

Michelle Bower

Chief Executive Officer, Gateway Network Governance Body (GNGB)

Michelle Bower is Chief Executive Officer of the Gateway Network Governance Body (GNGB), the industry-owned organisation responsible for governing the Superannuation Transaction Network — a critical piece of Australia’s superannuation data infrastructure. She brings deep experience in leadership, governance, operational and cyber resilience across complex, multi-stakeholder environments. Michelle is recognised for her collaborative leadership style and her focus on strengthening trust, security and system-wide resilience in essential financial services infrastructure. Michelle’s career demonstrates a strong blend of governance acumen, operational execution and industry advocacy. Before joining GNGB, she built a track record in executive and management roles spanning investment management and superannuation operations and technology. She holds the GAICD designation, reflecting her commitment to high standards of board-level governance and strategic leadership.

Jimmy Mullen

Executive Manager - Consulting Services, IQ Group

Jimmy Mullen is the Executive Manager for Consulting Services at IQ Group. With more than 25 years of experience across banking and superannuation, spanning both trustee and administration environments, he brings a deep understanding of the industry’s evolving challenges, opportunities, and regulatory landscape.

Jimmy specialises in operations, transformation, project delivery, and stakeholder engagement, with a strong track record of leading complex migrations, integrations, and large-scale business change initiatives. He is passionate about helping organisations navigate regulatory change, strengthen governance, and improve operational performance while delivering better outcomes for members and customers. A collaborative and people-focused leader, Jimmy is committed to empowering teams, developing capability, and creating environments where individuals and organisations can thrive and achieve sustainable success.

Sinem Kalenderoglu

Marketing Manager - Brand & Content, Rest

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

As a Brand and Content Manager, Sinem has built her career working across brand campaigns, social media strategy and cross-channel storytelling.

Working at the intersection of technology and creative innovation, she’s crafted her skill of turning complex brand concepts into engaging social narratives that connect and resonate with member experiences.

Specialising in superannuation, she’s passionate about exploring how brand storytelling through social media can converge to drive meaningful audience connection.

Simon Kuestenmacher

Social Demographer, Data Influencer & Keynote Speaker

Simon Kuestenmacher is a Director and Co-founder of The Demographics Group, which provides specialist advice on demographic, consumer and social trends for business.

He presents on demographic and global trends that are shaping Australia today and into the future and his presentations and quirky observations are enjoyed by corporate, government and industry audiences alike.

Simon is a columnist at The New Daily newspaper and a regular contributor to The Australian newspaper; and he is also a media commentator on demographic and data matters.

Simon has amassed 600,000 global followers on social media, reaches over 35 million people every month and ranks as one of the world’s Top 10 influencers in data visualisation. If you can’t get enough of data that explains how the world works, make sure to follow him on Twitter or any of his other social channels.

Simon holds degrees in geography from leading universities in Berlin and Melbourne and worked for several years as a business consultant with KPMG Australia.

Ray Attrill

Head of FX Research and Strategy, NAB

Sessions

Keynote 13: Australia’s Superannuation System in 2050: Global Investor, National Anchor

Thu 13 Nov
  • 15:25pm – 16:15pm

Ray Attrill is NAB’s Head of FX Research and Strategy within NAB’s Markets division, based in Sydney.

In this role, he advises the bank’s dealing rooms and institutional and corporate clients on developments in global macroeconomics and foreign exchange markets. 

Ray joined NAB in 2012 and has over 35 years’ experience as an economist and market strategist, obtained in roles working in London, Sydney and New York.

Ray is the creative force behind NAB’s hugely popular “The Morning Call’ Podcast on global macroeconomic and financial market developments.

Greg Barr

Principal Consultant, Superannuation, Frontier Advisors

Sessions

Keynote 13: Australia’s Superannuation System in 2050: Global Investor, National Anchor

Thu 13 Nov
  • 15:25pm – 16:15pm

Greg joined Frontier in 2016 and provides investment advice to a range of clients, as well as undertaking manager and investment research as it relates to client portfolios. Greg is a Principal Consultant, segment head of our superannuation client group, along with being a member of Frontier’s Investment Committee.

Prior to Frontier, Greg was employed by Mercer for eight years where he headed the Melbourne based investment consulting team. Greg also spent ten years at Standard & Poor’s as a Director and Head of the Manager Research business and had previously headed research in fixed income and alternatives. Greg had also worked for five years at National Mutual Funds Management.

Greg holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from Monash University, a Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning from Finsia and has completed RG146.

Jamie Bonic

Head of FX and Derivative Sales, NAB

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Jamie is NAB’s Global Head of FX and Derivative Sales. Jamie is responsible for several Markets related sales businesses including NAB’s Institutional, Corporate and Government teams.  Prior to joining NAB, Jamie spent 17 years in London working as a Managing Director for a US Investment Bank in their Global Markets division running sales and trading businesses for both the Interest Rate and FX product.

Jamie holds a Bachelor of Economics Degree from The University of Sydney and is based in Sydney.

Hon. Dr. Daniel Mulino MP

Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services

Born in Brindisi, Italy, Daniel was a young child when he moved with his family to Australia. He grew up in Canberra and completed his first degrees – arts and law – at the ANU. He then completed a Master of Economics (University of Sydney) and a PhD in economics from Yale.  

He lectured at Monash University, was an economic adviser in the Gillard government and was a Victorian MP from 2014 to 2018. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer of Victoria, Daniel helped deliver major infrastructure projects and developed innovative financing structures for community projects. 

In 2018 he was preselected for the new federal seat of Fraser and became its first MP at the 2019 election, re-elected in 2022 and 2025. From 2022 to 2025, Daniel was chair of the House of Representatives’ Standing Economics Committee in which he chaired inquiries; economic dynamism, competition and business formation and insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims. 

In 2025, he became the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services.  

In August 2022, Daniel published ‘Safety Net: The Future of Welfare in Australia’, which aims to explore the ways in which an insurance approach can improve the effectiveness of government service delivery. 

James Koval

Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer, ASFA

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

James joins the ASFA team as Head of Policy and Advocacy, bringing over a decade of public policy and political experience working with state, territory, and federal governments in various key policy and strategic roles. 

Most recently, James has worked as a government engagement specialist in the Vice-Chancellor’s office at the University of Sydney and was instrumental in managing the University’s engagement with federal and NSW government, as well as advocating on reforms such as the Australian Universities Accord and the National Reconstruction Fund.

Prior to that, James worked in various roles across government and politics, including for treasurers, government leaders, and senior cabinet ministers. In advising government, James has taken leading roles in the legislative agenda of governments, and worked on reform for ministers in the transport, tertiary education, cyber security, procurement, and insurance portfolio areas.

James holds a Bachelor of International Relations from the Australian National University and holds qualifications in public policy from the London School of Economics and in Executive Leadership from the University of Oxford. He is currently undertaking a Master of Public Policy at the University of Sydney. 

Niamh Carey

Director, PWC

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Niamh specialises in retirement benefits consulting with over 10 years experience.

Niamh has supported funds with the implementation of strategic superannuation regulatory and legislative reforms. This has included both assisting funds with implementation and performing post-implementation reviews in the areas of member outcomes, design and distribution obligations, members best financial interests, and the retirement income covenant.

Niamh has provided strategic advice on the superannuation administration market and retirement product offerings (including financial modelling of retirement outcomes).

Niamh is a qualified Actuary (FIAA) and her other work includes actuarial defined benefit liability valuation work, fund merger financial modelling for business cases, merger due diligence, SPS 250 insurance reviews and more general superannuation consulting work.

Niamh’s key defined benefit clients are state governments, with a focus on data analysis and insights, regulation review, provision of financial modelling and liability valuations.

Nathan Bonarius

Partner, PWC

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Nathan is a retirement incomes expert having assisted Treasury with the Government’s Retirement Income Review along with numerous public policy submissions and papers on the subject of retirementincomes.


Nathan has assisted many funds with implementation of the retirement income covenant, member outcomes, DDO, members best financial interests duty and Trustee indemnity capital requirements in recent years.
Nathan is actively involved in assisting superannuation industry clients with strategic advice, mergers, administration and outsourcing arrangements, financial advice and policy work.


Nathan is a qualified Actuary (FIAA, CERA) and holds an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management.
Nathan is actively involved in public policy work and sits on the Actuaries Institute Public Policy Council Committee. Nathan also undertook asix-month secondment to Department of Treasury, Canberra in 2018 and was seconded again to assist with the Retirement Income Review.


He is the author of several papers on issues in retirement incomes including ‘What is the right level of Superannuation Guarantee?’ presented to the Actuaries Summit in 2019.

Gemma Kyle

Chief Risk Officer, Rest

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Gemma was appointed as Chief Risk Officer in November 2018 and leads the Enterprise Risk function which includes investment risk, operational risk, business resilience, financial crime, compliance and regulatory engagement.

Gemma has over 25 years’ experience in risk management and governance across multiple industries including government, engineering and financial services. She is known for her ability to drive organisational change and achieve business objectives in complex and dynamic environments. Prior to joining Rest, Gemma held senior positions at MLC Life Insurance, MLC Wealth, Parsons Brinkerhoff and Federal Treasury. She is a Director on the Board of the Fund Executives Association Limited. Gemma holds a Master of Arts from the Australian National University, a Bachelor of Economics, Social Science (First Class Honours) from the University of Sydney and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Adrian C

Director, Partnership Program, QLD and NT, Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Adrian C works in the Australian Signals Directorate and is the Director of ASD’s Cyber Security Partnership Program.

He has worked in various roles in the National Intelligence Community for the last 16 years including geospatial intelligence, intelligence support to Australian Defence Force Military Operations and writing core components of the Comprehensive Review – legal framework of the National Intelligence Community. 

Adrian transferred to Australian Signals Directorate in 2021 and was responsible for the section that develops and publishes ASD’s technical publications and guidelines.

He moved from Canberra to Brisbane in January 2023 to commence his current role within Australian Signals Directorate.

Kate Farrar

Chief Executive Officer, Brighter Super

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Kate Farrar is the Chief Executive Officer of Brighter Super, where she has led the fund’s transformation from a $10 billion Queensland public-sector fund into a $35 billion success story with more than 280,000 members.

Since her appointment as CEO in April 2018, Kate has overseen the merger of LGIAsuper and Energy Super and the acquisition of Suncorp Super—the first industry fund acquisition of a retail fund. This integration, completed 18 months ahead of schedule, delivered a 40% reduction in administration fees for members while expanding services across Queensland.

Under Kate’s leadership, Brighter Super has become one of the fastest-growing industry funds in Australia, recognised for both its operational sustainability and member-first approach. In acknowledgment of these achievements, she was awarded the Fund Executive of the Year Award by the Fund Executives Association Ltd (FEAL) in 2024.

Kate brings 35 years of leadership experience across finance and energy, including senior roles at Barclays de Zoete Wedd, Suncorp Investment Management, NSW Treasury Corporation, McKinsey & Company, and Ergon Energy.

Beyond her role at Brighter Super, Kate serves as a Non-Executive Director of ASX100-listed Seven Group Holdings and is the President of the Queensland Futures Institute.

She holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) and a Master’s Degree in Econometrics and Finance. Through a scholarship from Chief Executive Women, she is also a graduate of INSEAD’s Advanced Management Programme. In 2025, following her FEAL award education grant, Kate completed the Stanford Graduate School of Business program, People, Culture, and Performance: Strategies from Silicon Valley.

Joseph Mitchell

Assistant Secretary, ACTU

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

As ACTU Assistant Secretary, Joseph is passionate about winning a better future for working people and growing the union movement.  

Joseph has a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Arts from Australian National University and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance from the University of NSW.  

Joseph Mitchell is a trustee director of TelstraSuper.

Vasyl Nair

Group Chief Executive Officer, Team Super

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

The Team Superannuation Fund (Team Super) is a profit-to-members, public offer pension fund dedicated to serving the retirement needs of all Australians. Team Super manages over $22 billion in funds for approximately 150,000 members.

Vasyl Nair is the Chief Executive Officer of Team Super (prior to this, Vasyl held the roles of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Chief Strategy Officer).

Vasyl is a keen advocate for the ongoing development of the superannuation sector, with active participation in a number of different parts of the industry. He has served as a director of an Australian fintech organisation, specialising in superannuation and investment administration.

Vasyl was appointed to the Board of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) as Director in January 2025, the peak pension fund association in Australia.

Vasyl has a strong background in law, corporate finance and strategy, having held senior roles across at some of Australia’s largest financial services institutions. Vasyl holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hon), Bachelor of Commerce, Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice and an Executive Master of Business Administration. He is admitted to the Supreme Court of NSW as a solicitor, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has achieved a Certificate of Business Excellence from the Haas School of Business, U.C.
Berkeley.

Kristian Fok

Chief Executive Officer, Cbus Super

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Kristian Fok is the CEO of Cbus Super, Australia’s leading specialist superannuation fund for the building and construction sector. Cbus was founded 40 years ago and provides superannuation and income streams to more than 925,000 members and manages over $105 billion of members’ money (as of 30 June 2025). He is responsible for all aspects of Cbus and reports directly to the Board.

Prior to his appointment in June 2023, Kristian Fok served as the Fund’s Chief Investment Officer (CIO) for 10 years. Cbus is a significant, long-term investor in the Australian economy and the Fund invests back into our members’ industries both directly and indirectly and via unique vehicles such as our wholly owned entity, Cbus Property.  

As CIO, Kristian was responsible for leading the Cbus investment strategy, this included evaluating opportunities that provide returns to members over the long term, managing investment governance and risk and monitoring the portfolio. Kristian led the development and implementation of Cbus’ hybrid internalisation strategy, which has proven successful in driving strong returns and delivering total cumulative fee and costs savings for members of over $730 million. 

Kristian is Chair of the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI) and serves on the Board of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI). Kristian’s qualifications include Bachelor of Commerce, Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries Australia and Fellow of FINSIA.  

Kevin Fernandez

General Manager, Market Strategy & Propositions, Novigi

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Kevin has long played a central role in shaping and driving strategic initiatives across the superannuation and wealth management sectors. With deep expertise in data strategy and a passion for AI, Kevin leads the development of forward-thinking solutions – ranging from strategic partnerships to managed services – that address evolving client needs.  

A recognised thought leader, Kevin is known for leveraging data-driven insights to deliver sustainable value. His leadership is central to Novigi’s market positioning, helping to define the company’s growth strategy in an increasingly complex and dynamic financial landscape.  

Vicki Doyle

Chief Executive Officer, Rest

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Vicki joined Rest as Chief Executive Officer in May 2018, bringing more than 20 years of
senior executive leadership experience in superannuation, life insurance, wealth management and banking.

Vicki’s experience includes executive leadership roles at some of Australia’s largest financial services organisations. She has an extensive background in distribution, strategic marketing, digital, fund operations and contact centres, customer strategy and design and product management.

Vicki is passionate about simplifying and demystifying superannuation to help all Australians achieve their best retirement outcomes.

Vicki holds an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Vicki has been a Non-executive Director of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors since 2018 and a Director of The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia since 2022.

Louise Davidson AM

Chief Executive Officer, Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI)

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Louise Davidson has spent her career with a focus on building long-term value for the millions of beneficiaries of Australian superannuation funds. Most recently this has included elevating the importance of environmental, social and governance factors in managing material financial risk in super fund investment portfolios.

As CEO of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) since 2015, Louise oversees ACSI’s program of company engagement, research and policy advocacy, backed by 30 years of senior experience in the financial services and ESG sectors. Her tenure as ACSI CEO has seen significant improvements in the way listed companies manage important issues including boardroom diversity, climate risk and human rights.

Prior to being appointed ACSI CEO, she was Investment Manager, ESG at Cbus superannuation fund.

Louise is the co-founder of the Mother’s Day Classic, which has raised over $50 million for breast and ovarian cancer research since 1998. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2019 for her significant service to the superannuation sector and to breast cancer research.

She is a director of Chief Executive Women, a deputy chair of the Client Advisory Board of EOS at Federated Hermes, and a former director of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the International Integrated Reporting Initiative and former chair and director of the Mother’s Day Classic Foundation.

Peter Chun

Chief Executive Officer, UniSuper

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Peter Chun joined UniSuper as the Chief Executive Officer in September 2021, bringing more than 30 years’ experience in financial services.

UniSuper is one of Australia’s largest super funds with more than 700,000 members and over $158 billion in funds under management (as at 30 June 2025).

As CEO, Peter is responsible for developing, leading, and implementing corporate strategy and culture. He is also accountable for the overall services and operational management of UniSuper Management nationally.

Prior to joining UniSuper, Peter held senior executive roles at Aware Super, Colonial First State and Credit Suisse.

Peter is a qualified Actuary with a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University. He holds Graduate Diplomas in Applied Finance and Investments and Financial Planning from the Securities Institute of Australia; and has undertaken the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School (Boston, USA). Peter is a Director of UniSuper Management Pty Ltd and Diversity Council Australia.

Peter is a Director of Diversity Council Australia, a Member of the ASFA CEO Advisory Committee and the Australian Chamber Orchestra Finance Audit & Risk Committee.

Eoin Burke

Head of Financial Crimes, MUFG Retirement Solutions

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Eoin Burke is the Head of Financial Crimes, MUFG Retirement Solutions, a division of MUFG Pension & Market Services (MPMS), with over 20 years of experience in financial crime prevention, compliance, and data analytics. 

He has held senior leadership roles across APAC and EMEA, and plays a critical role in protecting the organisation from financial threats, responsible for safeguarding the data and monetary assets of over 20 million accounts. His remit includes fraud and scam prevention, AML/CTF compliance and reporting, regulator and law enforcement engagement, training and awareness, and driving innovation in protective technologies. He also developed ‘ALERT’, MPMS’s internal fraud analytics capability, which now protects over 10.5 million member accounts daily and has prevented more than $150 million in financial crime. 

A recognised industry leader, Eoin regularly speaks at major forums including the Financial Crimes and Cyber Security Forum and the AUSTRAC Symposium, sharing insights on emerging risks and best practices in financial crime prevention. His strategic direction continues to strengthen MPMS’s defences and reinforce its commitment to integrity and security. 

John Livanas

Chief Executive Officer, State Super

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Mr Livanas leads a team of experienced senior executives in managing the provision of member services and the investment of approximately $38 billion of assets (as at 30 June 2025).

Mr Livanas has over 30 years’ industry experience, having worked in organisations including Deloitte South Africa, the South African Government Employees Pension Fund – the precursor to the country’s sovereign fund – and several Australian superannuation funds.

Prior to his appointment in October 2011, Mr Livanas was the Chief Executive Officer of AMIST Super (2008–11) and the General Manager of FuturePlus Financial Services (2002–08). He was a Director of ISPT and ISPT Grosvenor International Property Trust from 2010–12 and in August 2013 was appointed to the Board of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors.

Mr Livanas holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and an MBA from the University of Witwatersrand and a Graduate Diploma of Finance and Investments from the Financial Services Institute of Australia. He is an ASFA-accredited Investment Fiduciary and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Debby Blakey

Chief Executive Officer, HESTA

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Debby Blakey, GAICD, is the CEO of HESTA, Australia’s $96 billion superannuation fund for health and community services workers. With over 30 years’ experience in the superannuation and financial services sectors, she holds qualifications in Mathematics, Computer Science, Financial Advice, Governance, Pension Fund Design and Sustainability.

Debby’s leadership is characterised by a ‘people-first’ approach, focusing on enhancing member experiences and financial outcomes while also ensuring operational rigour and excellence. She is a strong advocate for innovation and transformation within the superannuation industry.

Debby is the President of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI), a Director of the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) and is the founding Chair of the 40:40 Vision initiative – promoting gender equality at executive and Board level in ASX300 companies.

Under Debby’s leadership, HESTA has been called the ‘corporate conscience of Australia’ for its commitment to strong governance, environmental management and gender equality.

Cath Bowtell

Chair, IFM Investors

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Cath is the Chair of IFM Investors; Industry Super Holdings (ISH); and the Federal Government’s Jobs & Skills Ministerial Advisory Board.   

She is a Director of Industry Fund Services (IFS) and of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation. 

Cath has worked for many years in senior roles in both the superannuation industry and union movement. She was the Chief Executive of IFS and Chief Executive of the Australian Government Employees Superannuation Trust (AGEST) from 2010 until its merger with AustralianSuper in 2013.

Prior to this, Cath was a Senior Industrial Officer at the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). She has held a number of directorships and committee positions throughout her career, including Director of AustralianSuper, Director of AGEST Super and Director of Ausgrid.

Josh Cross

Chief Operating Officer, SS&C Technologies

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Josh Cross brings over 30 years of experience in Technology, Operations, Delivery and Transformation within the Australian Financial Services industry. His expertise spans Trade Finance, Institutional and Corporate Lending, Consumer Lending, Share Trading, Insurance and Superannuation.

Josh joined SS&C in July 2025 through a lift-out from Insignia Financial – one of Australia’s largest Superannuation and Investment providers, known for its growth through large-scale acquisitions and technology separations from major Australian banks.

In his current role, Josh leads the SS&C  Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) function, which delivers technology, operations, and service delivery for more than one million Australian across multiple technology eco-systems, supported by a team of approximately 1300 staff. Over the next three years, Josh will also lead the major transformation of the underlying superannuation platforms and processes, migrating to SS&C’s Bluedoor ecosystem.

Lt Gen Michelle McGuinness, CSC

National Cyber Security Coordinator, Department of Home Affairs

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness, CSC was appointed as Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator (the Coordinator) on 26 February 2024.

As the Coordinator, LTGEN McGuinness leads national cyber security policy, the coordination of responses to major cyber incidents, whole of government cyber incident preparedness efforts, and the strengthening of Commonwealth cyber security capability. 

LTGEN McGuinness has served in the Australian Defence Force for 30 years in a range of tactical, operational, and strategic roles in Australia and internationally.

Prior to this appointment, LTGEN McGuinness most recently served as Deputy Director Commonwealth Integration in the United States Defense Intelligence Agency. In this role, she led policy and cultural reform, and technological integration, including interoperability across information technology, systems and data.

Katie Miller

Deputy CEO, Regulation, AUSTRAC

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Katie Miller is the Deputy CEO, Regulation, AUSTRAC and has strategic responsibility for AUSTRAC’s regulatory, policy and legal functions. 
Katie has extensive experience exercising regulatory functions and advising regulators at state and federal levels. Katie is a published author on issues involving regulation, law and technology and supports connections between government, practitioners, communities of practice and academia. 

Derek Thompson

Best Selling Author, Podcast Host of 'Plain English'

Via live link

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Few speakers can match Derek Thompson‘s ability to synthesize mega-trends in society, labor, economics, technology, and politics. Put another way: Derek trawls the data sets and does the forecasting and deep reporting necessary to help us better understand how we live, how we vote, how we spend, and how we work.

In his paradigm-shifting #1 New York Times bestseller, Abundance (co-written with Ezra Klein), this award-winning journalist reveals how our policies and culture have pushed us into a world of scarcity (not enough housing, workers, or progress)—and offers a radical new path towards a world where housing is affordable, energy is plentiful, and innovation flourishes across industries.

He shares a compelling vision of a future where we have more than enough for everybody, and a practical, actionable roadmap for how to get there. It starts with taking more risks, building more expansively, and recognizing that we all have the power to create a world of abundance. “Everything’s utopian until it’s reality,” he says.

Carmen Beverley-Smith

Executive Director - Superannuation, Life & Private Health Insurance, APRA

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Carmen joined APRA in March 2023 and holds the role of Executive Director, Life and Private Health Insurance and Superannuation.  

She has had an esteemed career in financial services, spanning over 25 years. She has held diverse leadership roles at Westpac and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, including across risk, transformation and change, product and portfolio development, and sales and service. 

Prior to joining APRA, she held the role of General Manager, Risk Transformation Delivery Integration at Westpac. This involved leading the group-wide implementation of a suite of solutions to uplift risk management capability and develop data, analytics and reporting. 

Carmen leads with a values-driven approach and a particular interest in developing and mentoring talent. 

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Accounting, is a certified Chartered Accountant and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Amy C. Edmondson

Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society.

Edmondson has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011, and most recently was ranked #1 in 2021 and 2023; she also received that organization’s Breakthrough Idea Award in 2019, and Talent Award in 2017.  She studies teaming, psychological safety, and organisational learning, and her articles have been published in numerous academic and management outlets, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Harvard Business Review and California Management Review. Her 2019 book, The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth (Wiley), has been translated into 15 languages. Her prior books – Teaming: How organizations learn, innovate and compete in the knowledge economy (Jossey-Bass, 2012), Teaming to Innovate (Jossey-Bass, 2013) and Extreme Teaming (Emerald, 2017) – explore teamwork in dynamic organisational environments. In Building the future: Big teaming for audacious innovation (Berrett-Koehler, 2016), she examines the challenges and opportunities of teaming across industries to build smart cities. 

Edmondson’s latest book, Right Kind of Wrong (Atria), builds on her prior work on psychological safety and teaming to provide a framework for thinking about, discussing, and practicing the science of failing well. First published in the US and the UK in September, 2023, the book is due to be translated into 24 additional languages, and was selected for the Financial Times and Schroders Best Business Book of the Year award.

Before her academic career, she was Director of Research at Pecos River Learning Centers, where she worked on transformational change in large companies. In the early 1980s, she worked as Chief Engineer for architect/inventor Buckminster Fuller, and her book A Fuller Explanation: The Synergetic Geometry of R. Buckminster Fuller (Birkauser Boston, 1987) clarifies Fuller’s mathematical contributions for a non-technical audience. Edmondson received her PhD in organisational behavior, AM in psychology, and AB in engineering and design from Harvard University.

 

Hon Dr Daniel Mulino MP

Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services

Sessions

Keynote 8 – Navigating the energy transition: opportunities, investor strategies and policy needs

Wed 12 Nov
  • 4:05pm – 5:50pm
  • Pyrmont Theatre

Born in Brindisi, Italy, Daniel was a young child when he moved with his family to Australia. He grew up in Canberra and completed his first degrees – arts and law – at the ANU. He then completed a Master of Economics (University of Sydney) and a PhD in economics from Yale.

He lectured at Monash University, was an economic adviser in the Gillard government and was a Victorian MP from 2014 to 2018. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer of Victoria, Daniel helped deliver major infrastructure projects and developed innovative financing structures for community projects.

In 2018 he was preselected for the new federal seat of Fraser and became its first MP at the 2019 election, re-elected in 2022 and 2025. From 2022 to 2025, Daniel was chair of the House of Representatives’ Standing Economics Committee in which he chaired inquiries; economic dynamism, competition and business formation and insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims.

In 2025, he became the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services.

In August 2022, Daniel published ‘Safety Net: The Future of Welfare in Australia’, which aims to explore the ways in which an insurance approach can improve the effectiveness of government service delivery.