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SUMMIT AGENDA

Day 1 | Wednesday, 16 October 2024

7:50

Registration and Morning Refreshments

8:30

Welcome to Country

8:40

Welcome Address from the Women Leaders Institute

8:50

Chairperson’s Opening Address

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Kate Jones, Executive Director, Tech Council of Australia; Advisor - Strategy and Engagement, Soda 

THE FUTURE OF TECH

9:00

International Keynote: Charting Tomorrow's Tech: Harnessing Opportunities for Leadership Growth and Innovation

  • Understanding the emerging trends and predictions across the tech and IT sector 

  • Future-Focused Leadership: Capitalising on the opportunities for leadership development 

  • Strategies for driving innovation and resilience during industry-wide disruptions? 

9:30

Keynote Panel: Building Stronger Tech Teams and Organisations

  • Navigating uncertainty to support teams through challenges and foster a culture of adaptability  

  • How to make strategic, agile decisions while practicing empathetic leadership?   

  • Preparing businesses for cyber, data and AI: How to best equip and upskill your teams to use these as tools? 

  • Understanding the impact of global tech trends on Australian workplaces and how to adapt effectively. 

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Claire Southey, Senior Vice President of Engineering, Rokt 
 
Suzanne Hall, Chief Information Officer, Baptcare; CIO50 2023 Award Winner  
 

John Paitaridis, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, CyberCX 
 
Dr Eva Balan-Vnuk, Chief Information Officer, Department of Treasury and Finance, South Australia; Founder & Company Secretary, HerTech Path

10:20

Networking Activity: Get to know your fellow attendees

10:40

Morning Tea

MENTORSHIP & SPONSORSHIP

11:10

Golden Ticket: Stand a chance to win one of our mystery prizes

11:20

Empowered Leadership Panel: Chartering Career Paths & Facilitating Leadership Opportunities

  • Recognising and supporting the diverse needs of your employees, including neurodiversity  

  • Developing career and leadership pathways for women at all life stages, including career breaks, for working mothers and parents returning to work 

  • Maximising Potential: Unleashing the power of mentorship and sponsorship for diverse talent in tech 

  • Balancing Growth and Performance: Strategies for continuous learning and upskilling without compromising productivity 

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Moderator: Alice Young, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lead, TA, Atlassian

Shreya Sethi
, Global President, Salesforce Women's Network | Regional VP Sales of Tableau Financial Services, Salesforce 

April Lea, Founder, The Neurodiversity Network; Head of Product, REA Group 

Katische Vinning, Chief Information Officer, Defence Housing Australia 

Miranda Ratajski, Chief Information Officer, Group Business Units, Westpac 

12:00

Keynote: Empower, Elevate, Excel: Supporting Women in IT

Hear Microsoft ANZ’s story to attract, develop and support all women in the workplace including leadership principles, policies and benefits, employee resource group programs, mentoring and leadership development programs, and community/industry engagement. 

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 Gael McLennan, Chief Financial Officer, Australia and New Zealand, Microsoft 

12:30

Networking Lunch

NAVIGATING UNCERTAINTY & CHANGE

1:30

Trivia

1:40

Mini Workshops

Delegates will be able to participate in two mini-workshops. Each workshop will run for 40 minutes

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A:From Tech Expert to Strategic Business Leader: Building Business Acumen and Leadership Presence for C-Suite Success 

Address the next steps to enhance your business acumen and develop an executive presence. Position yourself for success in senior leadership roles by understanding business architecture and building your strategic thinking and leadership agility. 

Lisa Hilton, Group CTO & APAC CIO, Cover-More Group 

B: Strategic Decision-Making for Tech Leaders  

Explore ways to enhance your strategic decision-making as a tech leader, including leveraging technology for organisational success, assessing risks, and prioritising tech investments effectively. Evaluate emerging technologies including AI and machine learning for business impact. 

Ursula Phillips, CEO and Founder, Batea 

 

C: Building High Performing Hybrid Teams 

Discover ways to effectively monitor the performance of hybrid or remote teams. Learn how to develop tools and implement best practices to manage poor performers and effectively motivate your teams.

Angela Anthony, Executive General Manager IT & Digital, DuluxGroup 

3:10

Afternoon Tea

FROM CHAOS TO CATALYST: LEVERAGING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF 

3:40

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Keynote: Leveraging Your Authentic Self to Redefine Leadership

Ellie Cole AM, Most Decorated Australian Female Paralympian of all Time  

4:30

Chairperson’s Closing Address

4:40

Cocktail Party and End of Summit Day One

Day 2 | Thursday, 17 October 2024

8:30

Registration and Morning Refreshments

8:50

Welcome Address from the Women Leaders Institute

9:00

Chairperson’s Opening Address

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Tara Searle, President, WIC - Women in ICT 

*Bring along an ally for morning block of sessions (up until morning tea)* 

CULTIVATING AN INCLUSIVE & RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE CULTURE

9:00

CEO Panel: The Next Steps in Cultivating an Inclusive, Respectful Workplace Culture

  • Navigating the complexities of cross-cultural boundaries, nuances, and sensitivities  

  • Cultivating an inclusive, respectful culture where employees can bring their whole selves to work 

  • Equipping your leadership pipeline with the resources and space to build inclusive teams 

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Cynthia Scott, Group CEO & Managing Director, Zip Co 

Melinda Petrunoff, Managing Director, Australia & New Zealand, Pinterest 

Joseph Lyons, Chief Executive Officer, ELMO Software 

Paul Barlow, Managing Director, carsales 

Brian Maher, Chief Executive Officer, Aussie Broadband 

10:10

Interactive Session: Allyship in Action

  • The importance of sponsorship in advancing diverse talent and improving the visibility of women in tech leadership  

  • Developing active mindfulness in allies to build understanding of DEI challenges and experiences  

  • Addressing institutional and unconscious bias by asking questions and raising awareness when issues arise 

Reserved

10:40

Lightning Address

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Christine Khor, CEO and Founder, Peeplcoach 

10:50

Morning Tea

MENTAL HEALTH & RESILIENCE

11:20

Trivia

11:30

Keynote: Leading with Clarity: Setting Boundaries and Embracing Vulnerability

  • How to define, communicate and establish your professional and personal boundaries? 

  • Discover how use vulnerability as a strength to build trust and improve team dynamics 

  • Cultivating Self-Reliance in Decision-Making: Explore strategies for confidently making tough choices on your own

Reserved

12:00

Entrepreneur Panel: Innovative Leadership Strategies for Cost Optimisation

  • Doing more with less: Recognising and addressing the current pressures and constraints in tech 

  • ⁠Learn innovative leadership approaches to optimise costs, drive operational efficiency, and empowering teams through adversity  

  • What leadership lessons have you learned from your entrepreneurial journey? 

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(Moderator) Sian Priest, Director of Communications & Community, Cicada Innovations

 

Alison Harrington, CEO & Founder, Resparke  

Sarah-Jane Peterschlingmann, Managing Director, ATech; Vice Chair of QLD Branch Executive Committee, ACS (Australian Computer Society) 

12:40

Networking Lunch

CHARTERING YOUR GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT 

1:40

Prize Draw

1:50

Introduction to the How-to Leadership Toolkit

2:00

How-to Leadership Toolkit 

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in two sessions. Each session will run for 30 minutes

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A: How to develop the confidence to speak up and effectively communicate during meetings or difficult conversations? 

Bianca Wirth, Chief Information Security Officer | Director - Emerging Technology, NSW Department of Planning and Environment 

 

B: How to address imposterism to boost self-esteem and confidently take charge of your professional and personal life?  

Sanaz Bassiri, Head of Change & Transformation | Co-Chair of Nine's Women in Tech, Nine 

 

C: How to proactively pursue opportunities and lay the groundwork for achieving your goals effectively? 

 

Ruth Santangelo, Director - Data, Digital and Automation, Optus  

D: How to develop your emotional intelligence to build strong relationships and navigate challenging conversations with your team? 

Jennifer Firbank, Cyber Security Strategy & Influence Principal, Telstra 

 

E: How to address sensitive issues in the workplace to create a support and inclusive workplace culture? 

Representative, Avanade Australia

F: How to build your network and make meaningful connections to advance your career? 

Melanie Evans, Group Executive, Digital Services, Ventia 

3:10

Afternoon Tea

DEFINING YOUR PURPOSE & TAKING INTENTIONAL ACTION

3:40

Interactive Mini Workshop: Breaking Codes, Shattering Ceilings: Redefining Leadership through your Unique Purpose and Strengths 

  • Defining your unique purpose, values, and passions as a leader 

  • The importance of strengths-based leadership for continuous development:  leaning into your strengths and determining areas for growth 

  • Empowerment through Intention: Mapping out milestones to confidently achieve your goals 

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Leona Watson, Keynote Speaker, Executive & Business Coach 

4:20

Delegate Spotlight

4:30

Chairperson Closing Address

4:40

End of Summit

Level 12, 2 Bulletin Place, Sydney, NSW 2000 
Email: info@womenleadersinstitute.com
Tel: +61 2 8378 4334

 

The Women Leaders Institute acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

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