17 October 2023, SWISSOTEL SYDNEY
Host
Key Media
Host
Key Media
Kylie Speer is a television host, media professional and author with international experience spanning more than 15 years. Since graduating from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kylie’s career has seen her assume posts in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Dubai, Los Angeles and New York across numerous print, online and broadcast television media outlets including The Sunday Telegraph, nineMSN, the Nine Network Australia and Sky TV in the UK.
Managing Director
DLPA
Managing Director
DLPA
Karlie has worked extensively with businesses large and small to formulate and implement strategy, and equip leaders with the ability to lead effectively for 20 years. Karlie has assisted businesses in re-designing processes and procedures, implementing best practice and re-designing entire business models. These efforts are supported through effective training and development activity to ensure the workforce is equipped to deliver the strategy, whilst ensuring an optimal employee experience.
Karlie has predominantly worked in the construction sector, as well as a suite of other industries from finance to car rental. Through her efforts as a consultant, Karlie has supported businesses as they have gone from $10 million turnover to $50 million. Karlie’s academic qualifications have groundings in commerce, law with a focus on employment law, and business administration and finance.
Developing and retaining leaders is more important than ever to guide organisations through disruption across multiple industries. Companies need leaders who can adapt to unforeseen challenges and maintain growth. This session will examine how to foster leadership talent and promote coaching and mentorship to ensure continuity.
Director
MCI
Director
MCI
Denise Meyerson is a renowned expert in adult education, innovation, and people and culture strategy with over 33 years of experience. She is the founder of MCI, an award-winning education and training company dedicated to making a real difference in the lives of students and job seekers. MCI provides high-impact learning solutions for corporates and individuals seeking to grow in their careers.
With a PhD in English, Denise has built and grown highly successful education businesses and has served on several corporate, advisory, and government boards. Herstrong global perspective in Edtech has led her to spearhead efforts
to transform education in Australia, Africa, and Asia. Denise has authored three books, showcasing her expertise and thought leadership in the field of education. She has been recognized as a Telstra BusinessWoman of the Year Finalist, highlighting her outstanding achievements and contributions to the business world.
Additionally, she has been honoured as an EY Winning Woman, recognizing her
entrepreneurial spirit and success. Denise’s trailblazing contributions to education and her passionate support for driving change through the power of learning have earned her numerous accolades. She continues to lead MCI, which is part of APM, Australia’s largest human services provider with a global presence across Europe, Asia, the UK, and Canada.
With the continued rise of the hybrid workplace, L&D practitioners need to ensure that both remote and in-person teams have engaging learning experiences to meet the needs of a global workforce. This session will identify new methodologies and tools that L&D leaders can use to train and upskill teams in a hybrid environment.
Host
Key Media
Host
Key Media
Kylie Speer is a television host, media professional and author with international experience spanning more than 15 years. Since graduating from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kylie’s career has seen her assume posts in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Dubai, Los Angeles and New York across numerous print, online and broadcast television media outlets including The Sunday Telegraph, nineMSN, the Nine Network Australia and Sky TV in the UK.
Head of Learning
Lendlease
Head of Learning
Lendlease
Kara is the Head of Learning for Lendlease, responsible for all global learning initiatives for over 7000 employees worldwide. Kara leads global transformation projects within Lendlease, including a series of Leadership Flagship programs, cultural flagship program and critical capability-based learning interventions.
Kara has a background in instructional design, adult education, developing learning strategies and frameworks and leading learning teams. She is passionate about connecting the dots between learning, organisational design and business strategy. She has worked across industries, building her experiences in financial services, construction, and real estate sectors.
Associate Director, Learning & Capability Real Estate Management Services
Colliers
Associate Director, Learning & Capability Real Estate Management Services
Colliers
Gerry’s career in learning and development has spanned many years across different industry sectors including banking and finance, real estate, education and telecommunications. He’s worked for large and small organisations developing and implementing learning solutions that empower and enable people to adapt and stay relevant.
He is passionate about working with: project teams, leaders, managers and frontline staff to create empowered, engaged and adaptive teams.
Learning Transformation Leader
Learning Transformation Leader
Shawna Murray, a learning aficionado with a 20-year career that has taken her across Europe and happily brought her back to Sydney. While she has worked in various industries, including financial services, tourism, higher education, and insurance, Shawna firmly believes that the art of performance and capability consulting can be adapted to any organisation, fostering the development of leaders and their teams. Whether at Macquarie Bank or Contiki, she holds pragmatic views on how flexible working and high-performing teams can coexist, with digital fluency and leadership capability being key focuses to make this happen.
Since 2019, she has led projects that earned Platinum LearnX awards for Future Learning Models, User Generated Content, Future of Work, Leadership, and Onboarding using Virtual Reality.
When she’s not at work, you can find her guiding visually impaired runners with Achilles or winter swimming at Bondi Icebergs. Regardless of what she’s doing, Shawna believes in kindness and making the complex simple.
Head of Learning and Capability
QBE
Head of Learning and Capability
QBE
Maria is an experienced leader in the learning and capability space with 16+ years’ experience in financial services .With a strong background in the insurance industry, Maria has honed her ability to develop capability frameworks, design engaging induction and learning programs from ideation to implementation to enhance capability. Maria is known for having a passion in building and sustaining culture of continuous learning and is dedicated to helping to unlock the full potential of their people and drive business success. Maria is passionate about equipping the workforce with skills in a non-traditional manner to enhance their knowledge to ensure they build meaningful careers.
Many of us are now working in remote and hybrid teams. How can learning and development activity be altered to be most impactful in these scenarios? This informative session shall discuss the key techniques, backed by neuroscience, which you can use to unleash the full power of your brain!
Managing Director
DLPA
Managing Director
DLPA
Karlie has worked extensively with businesses large and small to formulate and implement strategy, and equip leaders with the ability to lead effectively for 20 years. Karlie has assisted businesses in re-designing processes and procedures, implementing best practice and re-designing entire business models. These efforts are supported through effective training and development activity to ensure the workforce is equipped to deliver the strategy, whilst ensuring an optimal employee experience.
Karlie has predominantly worked in the construction sector, as well as a suite of other industries from finance to car rental. Through her efforts as a consultant, Karlie has supported businesses as they have gone from $10 million turnover to $50 million. Karlie’s academic qualifications have groundings in commerce, law with a focus on employment law, and business administration and finance.
Capturing the ROI on learning is critical for organisations to develop talent and improve performance. How can organisations align learning strategies to business goals? This session will discuss strategies to improve ROI in learning and development.
former Talent Development Lead, APAC & Global Functions, Cochlear
former Talent Development Lead, APAC & Global Functions, Cochlear
Jason is a Fellow of AHRI with more than 20 years experience in business, consulting and HR roles in ANZ, North Asia, South East Asia, South Asia and Europe. He brings a wealth of experience in the areas of learning, leadership development DE&I, succession planning and assessments. During his time at Sime Darby, they were awarded the Global Top 20 Companies for Developing Leaders. Jason was recently the Talent Development Lead for APAC and Global Functions at Cochlear Ltd.
With increasing workloads and demands inside and outside of the workplace, training and development can sometimes feel like an added burden for employees; companies need to find ways to balance the need for skills development with the wellbeing of the workforce. This session will examine how L&D can be designed to be compatible with work-life balance and can be adapted to fit within the flow of employees’ work.
Host
Key Media
Host
Key Media
Kylie Speer is a television host, media professional and author with international experience spanning more than 15 years. Since graduating from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kylie’s career has seen her assume posts in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Dubai, Los Angeles and New York across numerous print, online and broadcast television media outlets including The Sunday Telegraph, nineMSN, the Nine Network Australia and Sky TV in the UK.
Learning and Development Manager
NEXTDC
Learning and Development Manager
NEXTDC
Belinda has more than 15 years’ global experience in leading the learning and development strategy in the financial, professional services and technology industries. With passion, curiosity, and the ability to look at talent development through a strategic lens, Belinda is always looking for ways NEXTDC can innovate and leverage development opportunities to support our broader people and culture key initiatives and her vision and leadership inspire and empowers our people to adopt a growth mindset and own their career development.
Belinda is a trusted advisor and subject matter expert in employee engagement, talent management, leadership development and performance management. Most importantly, Belinda is a lifelong learner who leads by example.
Country Director
GoodHabitz Australia
Country Director
GoodHabitz Australia
Cam is GoodHabitz Australia’s Country Director. He is responsible for launching and growing the GoodHabitz brand in Australia. GoodHabitz aims to make learning accessible to everyone and intrinsically motivating through outstanding content and customer support.
Cam has been involved in the learning and development industry for over eight years and has been dedicated to helping people and organisations create high performing teams through effective training. His career has seen him work with leaders to help them empower their teams to succeed, running team workshops designed to improve communication and collaboration, leading to better outcomes for individuals and their organisations. Having cut his teeth in sales in the early part of his career, Cam is also an outstanding leader and developer of talent.
Cam successfully founded and ran Elevate Corporate Training, a boutique firm that specialises in leadership training, team development, sales training and recruitment training. He sold the business in 2022 and still advises to Elevate.
Cam’s career saw him working for iconic brands such as Channel 7 and ACP magazines. He was sales director at Reed Business where he oversaw sales operations in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, managing over 50 sales reps and sales managers. In 2013 Cam left his corporate roles to pursue his passion for people development.
When he is not dedicating himself to helping people grow, Cam can be found spending time with his family in Coorabell, just outside of Byron Bay. He is a keen surfer, fisherman and tennis fanatic.
General Manager – Capability
Judo Bank
General Manager – Capability
Judo Bank
Laurie has been at Judo since late 2018, when he joined to run the “Go for Growth” project which was responsible for hiring the first 50 bankers and opening a number of new Judo offices. He has held a number of roles since that that time and is currently responsible for the development and orientation of Judo colleagues as GM of Capability.
Laurie has a passion for data and has led and implemented a number of broader Judo projects such as their unique engagement methodology (JEDI) and the codification of the Judo Way of Banking aka. “What makes a Judo Banker different?”
A self-proclaimed adrenaline addict, Laurie’s spare time is full of activities that fulfil this need from kayaking, kite surfing, karate and motorbiking.
Laurie holds a degree in Accountancy & Finance.
Head of Learning & Transformation
Novartis
Head of Learning & Transformation
Novartis
Maryna leads the learning vision and strategy that builds a skills-based organization. Driving change and transformation needs to secure our future both as individuals and as an organization. In a VUCA world (marked by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) learning agility is paramount as technology impacts the way we live and work and evolves what our customers expect of us in terms of value.
Maryna believes that the way we learn and what we learn is evolves in keeping with personal aspirations and also technological advances impacting our work. Learning is curiosity and mindset. Incorporating a skills-based learning approach that is democratized and personalized not only amplifies learning agility and impact, but also wins the hearts and minds of our people to consistently bring their best selves to their work.
Companies are preparing their workforce with the capabilities and skills to meet current and future demands of the business, however this can be challenging with budget constraints. How can companies effectively run L&D programs and achieve results for less? In this session, hear how TSA Management is delivering an effective learning and development program while operating in a lean environment and reduced budget.
Head of Organisational Effectiveness and Learning
TSA Management
Head of Organisational Effectiveness and Learning
TSA Management
Kimberley Kelly is the Head of Organisational Effectiveness & Learning for TSA and has been instrumental in designing and shaping TSA’s acclaimed GROW program – the company’s global learning and development offering. Her passion for fostering a culture of continuous and integrated learning sees her leading and driving transformational initiatives to ensure that people are inspired, empowered, and supported to grow and reach their potential.
Kimberley has extensive experience in the professional services industry, with qualifications in business and human resources. She currently is an active member of the Property Council of Australia People and Culture committee, channelling her expertise towards fostering leadership capability within the Australian property sector.
General Manager, People & Culture
TSA Management
General Manager, People & Culture
TSA Management
Dori Petrides, General Manager People & Culture, is part of TSA’s Group Board and drives the people agenda for TSA. Leading a global team, she is the guiding force behind TSA’s acclaimed workplace culture, where she expertly crafts innovative people and culture strategies that support broader business goals.
Dori is a highly experienced Human Resources Director with a demonstrated history of working in various sectors including real estate, pharmaceutical and professional services. With a Master of Commerce degree and Bachelor of Arts, (Psychology), her leadership has been instrumental in guiding the business through significant business growth, culture change and global transformation.
Tea break interactive discussions
Choose the topic that matters to you most and join an informal discussion with your peers. This interactive format enables in-depth peer-to-peer discussions around leveraging tech to support HR strategies, offering an opportunity to network and exchange best practices.
Topics to be discussed include:
L&D strategies for a hybrid workforce
Improving leadership development programs
HR’s poor cousin: achieving consistency and quality in resource-strapped L&D
Change management – how can we equip teams to adapt to change?
Expo Passport Prize Draw
Collect all exhibitors’ stamps on the Expo Passport for the chance to win a $200 Westfield voucher!
From increased scalability to immersive learning experiences, generative artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance the L&D function to boost learning delivery like never before. This session will discuss how generative AI models can enhance learning design and support learning and development strategies.
Managing Director
Learning Ventures
Managing Director
Learning Ventures
Evelyn is an entrepreneur with 40 years commercial and business experience. Her belief that leadership really matters to delivering business results has crafted her last 20 years in the Leadership and Learning and Development space.
As Managing Director of Learning Ventures, she is a 4 x time finalist and winner of both AHRI and AITD Awards in categories of Leadership Development, Talent Development and Innovation & Creativity in Learning. In 2021 Evelyn and Learning Ventures won the AHRI Award for Best Leadership Development Program. Her belief is that great cultures and leaders can deliver measurable returns.
Evelyn’s passion for leadership led to her role as Curator of the about to be published book “Leadership Lessons”. This book is a collection of short stories from Leaders in Australia including CEO’s Politicians and Social Entrepreneurs about their leadership lesson from the pandemic years. As a business owner, mum of 2 boys, volunteer fire fighter, mentor to women in leadership in the Pacific Islands, and kayaker, Evelyn brings a variety of perspectives to the table.
Companies are leveraging talent mobility to improve employee engagement and retention, whilst simultaneously filling skill gaps to combat resourcing challenges. In this session, hear how L&D and HR leaders from Australia’s top companies are working together to develop career and talent mobility programs to meet future workforce needs.
Director, LinkedIn Talent Solutions
LinkedIn
Director, LinkedIn Talent Solutions
LinkedIn
David Bellas is a Director for LinkedIn’s Talent Solutions business for Australia and New Zealand. David and his team are responsible for helping organisation the way they plan, hire, and develop talent. This is possible through the disruptive technology and unique data and insights from LinkedIn’s 875+ million members and 57 million companies.
He is passionate about investing in people, everything sales, turning business visions into reality and working with customers to meet their business objectives.
Over the past 10 years at LinkedIn, David has had the opportunity to lead the growth and distribution efforts across all sectors at LinkedIn. When LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com in 2015, an online learning company, David was appointed as Head of Learning for Australia and New Zealand and helped oversee the successful transition to LinkedIn Learning.
Over the past several years David has been recognised with awards such as Diversity and Inclusion Manager of the Year and LinkedIn Manager of the Year and has a reputation for inspiring, coaching and developing talent.
Director Human Resources, Australia & New Zealand
Edwards Lifesciences
Director Human Resources, Australia & New Zealand
Edwards Lifesciences
Director – People & Culture
AMP
Director – People & Culture
AMP
An ASX C-suite executive and Non-Executive Director spanning over a 25-year career.
Gillian holds a rare combination of experience in rapid growth businesses, turnarounds, transformation, crisis management, acquisition (acquiring and being acquired), and how to successfully lead teams through these events.
This experience was gained in domestic and international businesses in the Financial Services, Technology and FMCG / Retail sectors.
She is also an experienced Board member, Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Gillian is passionate about the role HR plays in helping people (and business) to see what is possible and the change required to achieve that.
GWF People and Performance Director
George Weston Foods
GWF People and Performance Director
George Weston Foods
Michelle joined GWF in 2013 and leads the People and Performance function across the company. With expertise in driving high performance people practices and organisational change, Michelle has held senior leadership roles in companies across industries including financial services, telecommunications, hospitality and retail. Prior to GWF, she was Head of HR for FlexiGroup achieving AON Hewitt Best Employer accreditation; and also held senior HR roles with Vodafone Australia, Dymocks and Mariott Hotels. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resources) from the University of Western Sydney.
Head of Learning and Development
Village Entertainment
Head of Learning and Development
Village Entertainment
Sarah Sprott is a proactive and results-driven L&D professional with a proven track record in transformative strategies and people-based performance improvement aligned with business goals. A dynamic leader with vast experience in developing diverse teams, from junior team members to senior executives.
Sarah has a strong focus on continuous improvement and constructive reflection, currently as the Head of Learning & Development at Village Roadshow, driving innovative learning interventions and targeted change management in the entertainment and hospitality industry.
Additionally, her expertise in teaching, customer support, tech, and sales management further showcases her versatility and impactful results in education, technology, travel, and beauty industries.