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Day 1 | 28 November 2023

7:50

Registration and Morning Refreshments

8:30

Welcome to Country

8:50

Chairperson’s Opening Address

Simone Clarke, Chief Executive Officer, UN Women Australia

THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP

9:00

Opening Keynote: Leading with purpose, impact, and integrity in the Digital Age

  • Prioritising ethics, responsible business practices, and guiding change to build resilience and create a positive impact 

  • Exploring emerging technology trends and the crucial role women play in driving innovation and shaping the future  

  • Championing Diversity and building Inclusive perspectives 

  • Embracing authenticity and unique leadership styles for women in lead in confidence  

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Sandra Martínez, Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé Oceania

9:20

Fireside Chat: Unlocking the Power of Emerging First Nations Leaders 

  • Charting pathways for diverse emerging leaders, dismantling traditional barriers to success, and harnessing your leadership strengths to elevate your vision 

  • Forging connections between ourselves and government to better represent and lead the communities we serve 

  • Empowering your role as an ally to First Nations leaders and enacting authentic allyship 

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Moderator: Lil Gordon, First Assistant Secretary - First Nations Outcomes, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts

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Tahlia-Rose Vanissum, Woppaburra women, Australian Public Servant, Board Director and Chairperson

10:00

Partner Session: How connections can inspire a ripple effect

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Mimi Lee, Founder & CEO, Meiava

10:05

Speed Networking: Meet and engage with multiple peers in 15 minutes to foster meaningful connections  

10:20

Morning Tea

AMPLIFYING VOICES: ADVOCACY AND INFLUENCE

10:50

Introduction to Mini Workshops

11:00

Mini Workshops

Mini Workshop for New and Emerging Leaders: Discover strategies and tips for new and
aspiring leaders to excel in their first managerial roles. Recognising that every leader begins somewhere, what helpful advice and strategies can new leaders learn to gain a head start and transition successfully into their new roles?

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Breakout A: Cathy Thorpe, Leadership Development Executive and Career Coach, BBB
Advisory

Breakout B: Jennie Rogerson
, Global Head of People, Canva

Breakout C: Mandy Young
, Chief Operating Officer, NSW Department of Customer Service

Mini Workshop for Middle Management: Gain practical insights and actionable strategies to master the art of balancing strategic priorities with day-to-day operations, effective managing up, down and across the organisation, and fostering team performance and growth.

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Breakout A: Angela Coble OAM, Managing Director | Chief Technology Officer - Products Group, Accenture

Breakout B: Rowenna Walker
, Managing Director, NSW & ACT, Aurecon

Breakout C: Annette Gray
, Director, Annette Gray Consulting

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Mini Workshop for Top-Level Management & C-Suite: Equip yourself with the strategies needed to navigate change and innovation to steer your organisation to success. Gain insights into the path towards C-Suite and board positions, and how you can actively create equal opportunities in your organisation to drive inclusivity.

Breakout A: Melinda Petrunoff, Country Manager, Australia & New Zealand, Pinterest

11:50

Slido Poll

Streamed from Sydney, Australia

12:00

In Conversation: Redefining Success

Dive into an insightful and engaging conversation with two of Australia’s most renowned
journalists, Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb as they share their perspectives on leadership,
storytelling, and navigating the complexities of today. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage
with their expertise and wit in a thought-provoking conversation that promises to inspire and
enlighten.

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Leigh Sales AM, Author and Journalist

Annabel Crabb, Author and Journalist

12:50

Networking Lunch

CREATING A LASTING LEADERSHIP LEGACY

1:50

Redraw presence into conference room

Leona Watson, Keynote Speaker - Executive & Business Coach

Streamed from Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand

2:00

In Conversation: Thinking beyond your tenure

Leadership isn't just about the here and now; it's a legacy you leave behind. How do you make impactful decisions that outlive your tenure? Join us for a riveting session with the Rt Hon Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, who will share her wisdom on long-lasting, impactful leadership. 

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 Agnes Naera, Chief Executive Officer, Global Women

Hon. Helen Clark,
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand 

3:00

Keynote: Embracing diverse perspectives and inclusivity to inspire collaborative success

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  • Ensuring those with lived experience are part of the conversation

  • Creating safe spaces that bring different viewpoints and perspectives to the table

  • Unlocking the power of strong networks and collaboration to inspire success

Majella Knobel, , Head of Access and Inclusion, Westpac

3:30

Afternoon Tea

EMPOWERING THE NEXT GEN: DEVELOPING EMERGING LEADERS

4:00

Trivia

Streamed from Sydney, Australia

4:10

UN Women In Conversation: Paving the way for future generations

  • How can established leaders serve as role models to share knowledge and experiences, and offer feedback

  • As you move up the ladder, how can you encourage other female leaders in your organisation to move up too?

  • How to best acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and contributions of emerging leaders

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Simone Clarke, Chief Executive Officer, UN Women Australia

Dr Catherine Ball
, PhD, Associate Professor, Author, Entrepreneur, Scientific Futurist, and Visioneer

5:00

Chairperson’s Closing Address

5:10

Cocktail Party and End of Summit Day One

Day 2 | 29 November 2023

BRING ALONG AN ALLY FOR THE MORNING PLENARY SESSIONS

Bring along a male or non-binary ally for the morning plenary sessions (up until morning tea).

Including non-binary and male voices is crucial to accelerating change when it comes to eliminating gender bias in workplaces. Bring along the allies in your company who are true advocates for developing diverse leaders, to spark authentic conversations around supporting underrepresented employees. Send across the details of your ally to info@womenleadersinstitute.com at least 6 weeks before the event.

8:30

Registration and Morning Refreshments

8:50

Chairperson’s Opening Address

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Alison Woolsey, Professional Services Executive & NFP Director 

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: DEMONSTRATING COMMITMENT TO GENDER EQUITY

9:00

C-Suite Panel Discussion: Driving talent, trust, and innovation: Valuing diverse perspectives for a resilient workforce

  • Embracing equal opportunities to drive both organisational success and societal progress in today’s interconnected world

  • How leaders can embrace vulnerability and establish trust within their teams and organisations

  • What is the biggest learning from the tough times that you have led through?

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Moderator: Rebecca Nash, Chief People Officer, AMP

Paul Zahra
, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association

Marc England
, Chief Executive Officer, Ausgrid

Lisa Annese
, Chief Executive Officer, Diversity Council Australia

Melanie Cochrane
, CEO/Group Managing Director, A/NZ Equifax

9:50

Sharing session: How can allies amplify voices, provide advice, and create opportunities for advancement of female leaders?

10:10

Morning Tea

LEADING WITH AUTHENTICITY: UNLOCKING THE POWER OF LEADERSHIP STYLES

10:40

Trivia

10:50

Keynote: Stand out and make a lasting impact

  • Finding allies and advocates: Cultivating relationships with those who can support you
    in the workplace and amplify your voice

  • Building resilience in the face of challenges, setbacks, and biases

  • Finding your purpose and having the confidence to overcome your limitations

  • Embracing your unique leadership strengths and inspiring others to take action

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Hon. Kristina Keneally, Chief Executive Officer, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation

11:20

Keynote: Fostering Inspiration and Preparing for the Future 

  • Uncovering valuable insights for informed decision-making:  

  • Key lessons in overcoming limitations as a female leader  

  • As leaders, how can we plan and prepare to cater for the next generation of customers and employees?

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Ashi Bhat, Founder; TEDx and Keynote Speaker, Leadership and Consumer Marketing, INSIDER 

11:50

Slido Poll

Streamed from Sydney, Australia 

12:00

In Conversation: Australia’s leadership in gender equality – Initiating change and inspiring diversity of thought 

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Hon. Mary Wooldridge, Chief Executive Officer, Workplace Gender Equality Agency 

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Dr Anna Cody, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

12:50

Networking Lunch

DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP PRESENCE AND INFLUENCE

1:50

Prize Draw

2:00

Introduction to Interactive Scenario-Based Breakout Sessions

2:10

Interactive Scenario-Based Breakout Sessions
Our interactive scenario-based breakouts will help you nurture core professional and personal skills. Each session will run for thirty minutes. Delegates will have the opportunity to participate in two discussions.

LEADERSHIP

Breakout A: Developing leadership resilience: How to build resilience to effectively manage setbacks, navigate challenges and bounce back from adversity in leadership roles?

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Sue Tsigaros, Leadership Coach, Consultant and Facilitator for Business Performance and Career Satisfaction, Iris Group

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Breakout B: Building your personal leadership brand: How are you taking control of your personal brand and leading authentically?

Friska Wirya, All Things Change, Fresh by Friska

CAREER ADVANCEMENT

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Breakout C: “Letting Go” to Grow as a Leader: Often what got you to where you are, is now getting in the way of how you’re perceived & rewarded as a Leader. Uplevel instantly as you identify & blitz those roadblocks!

Leona Watson, Keynote Speaker - Executive & Business Coach 

Breakout D: Mentorship and Sponsorship: How to implement strategies for finding mentors, building meaningful relationships, and seeking sponsorship to advance your career?

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Ida Huang, Executive Leadership Coach and Facilitator, Amplify Coaching

PERSONAL GROWTH

Breakout E: Overcoming Imposer Syndrome: How to build self-confidence and assertiveness skills to effectively navigate leadership roles and overcome self-doubt?

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Sheila Vijeyarasa, Transformation Coach & Author, Empowering Intuition

Breakout F: Restoring your Authentic self: How to develop your emotional intelligence and empathy to build strong relationships, navigate challenging conversations and create inclusive and supportive team environments?

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Mirjana Boznovska, Founder & CEO, ONE Beyond Success; Conscious Leadership, Human Behaviour, Speaker, Future of Work, Author, CPA 

3:20

Afternoon Tea

TURN INSPIRATION TO ACTION

3:50

Q&A Panel: Personal growth as leaders

Hear from exceptional leaders and c-suite executives as they delve into the art of personal
growth as a leader. Discover effective strategies, tools, and techniques to sharpen your leadership skills, and inspire continuous development within your team.

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Moderator: Angelique Wan, Chief Executive Officer, Consent Labs

Tara Osborne
, General Manager, Strategy and Innovation, BINGO Industries, AFR BOSS
Young Executive 2021

Sarah Derry
, Chief Executive Officer – Pacific, Accor

Maryam Bechtel
, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), AGL

4:40

Delegate Spotlight

4:50

Chairperson Closing Address

5:00

End of Summit

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