Angela Pippos

Author, Sports Journalist and TV/Radio Presenter

Angela left her native South Australia in 1997 to pursue a sports journalism career with the ABC in Melbourne. She’s best known for anchoring the sports segment on the ABC TV News for almost a decade. She’s appeared on a number of sports programs including Network Ten’s Before the Game and The Back Page on Fox Sports.Angela has just released her second book, Breaking The Mould – Taking A Hammer To Sexism In Sport and the television documentary she wrote, produced and presented about the rise of women in Australian Rules football, League of Her Own, aired on the Seven Network in February 2017.

Professor Spencer Beasley

Vice President, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Professor Spencer Beasley is a member of the Male Champions of Change STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) group which is focused on improving gender equity and facilitating increased representation of women in leadership roles. Until recently, he was Vice-President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and responsible for the implementation of the Expert Advisory Group recommendations around Discrimination, Bullying and Sexual Harassment (DBSH). He is a former President of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Paediatric Surgeons, and former Chair of the RACS Board of Surgical Education and Training. Spencer has a vested interest in gender equality – he has 6 daughters!

Anthea Muir

CEO Laser Clinics Australia  

After working in private practice in NZ, Anthea started her career with the OPSM Group (now Luxottica Group) in 1997 as an Optometrist in New Zealand and then moved to Sydney to continue her career for Luxottica. With a solid understanding of the business, and a career progression involving seven roles in 15 years, Anthea was given the opportunity to move to China to lead the Luxottica Greater China Business. In 2015, Anthea returned to Australia to take up her current role of President – Optical Retail Australia & New Zealand. In addition, Anthea is a Director on a global Not for Profit Board, OneSight, who aims to provide access to vision for the 1.1 Billion people in the world who need it.

Marina Go

Chair, Wests Tigers NRL Club, Non Executive Director and Author 

Marina Go is Chair of the Wests Tigers NRL Club, Chair of Office Brands, a non-executive director of Energy Australia and Autosports Group, Chair of the Advisory  Board of the Centre For Media Transition at the University of Technology Sydney, and author of the business book for women, Break Through: 20 Success Strategies for Female Leaders. Marina has over 25 years of leadership experience in the media industry, having started her career as a journalist. She was appointed Editor of Dolly magazine at the age of 23, before spending the next decade editing a number of leading women's magazines. She has held senior leadership roles at Fairfax, Pacific, Emap, Bauer and Private Media, where she was CEO of news and business websites including Crikey and Smart Company, and founder of the career website Women’s Agenda.

Leveraging growth opportunities for female talent

This panel will consider the extent to which organisational culture and personal elements need to align in order for women to flourish. How do we overcome the risk factors with regards to women's fit, functioning and growth in the workplace? What are the enablers for women leaders to flourish? And how are organisations enabling growth opportunities for female talent?

11:10 - 12:50

Panel Session

10:05 - 10:35

Keynote Address

Amna Karra-Hassan

Founder and President, Auburn Giants AFL Club and works in the Community Liaison team at the AFP 

Amna Karra-Hassan is an activist and advocate for diversity, inclusion and gender parity. She works for the Australian Federal Police in the Reform, Culture and Standards portfolio which is responsible for engaging the workforce in cultural change. Amna is also the Founder and President of the Auburn Giants AFL Club and has pioneered programs for women of minority communities in Western Sydney. She uses her influence to change the conversation on gender, culture, faith and representation.

16:30 - 17:30 Networking drinks

16:20 - 16:30 Review and closing comments

Stop Fixing Women in Workplaces

Women are regularly told they are to blame for their own marginalisation in the workplace and need to be more confident, negotiate better, speak up, support each other, strike a balance between work and home. As a result much of the time and money spent on diversity programs has focused on fixing women instead of addressing the structural barriers - the bias and discrimination woven through daily practices and attitudes. How do we work on changing the rules and norms to give women a fair go? What does a successful intervention look like? What are the challenges and how do you get around backlash to action? Catherine Fox will facilitate this enthralling panel session where we will ask men and women leaders what we can all be doing right now to start fixing the system and making fairer workplaces for everyone.

11:10 - 12:40

Panel Session

Facilitated by Catherine Fox

Journalist, Author and Presenter 

Catherine is one of Australia’s leading commentators on women and the workforce. A journalist, author and presenter, she is regularly invited to address audiences around Australia ranging from the Defence Force to corporates and local government, and often appears in the media. During a long career with the Australian Financial Review she edited several sections of the publication, and wrote the Corporate Woman column and for Boss magazine before leaving to set up her own consulting business in 2012. Catherine helped establish the annual Westpac/Financial Review 100 Women of Influence Awards and is on several advisory boards, including the Australian Defence Force Gender Equality Advisory Board.

Dr Terrance Fitzsimmons

Lecturer and Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Queensland Business School   

Dr Fitzsimmons is a Senior Lecturer in Leadership with the University of Queensland Business School. He is the director of the AIBE Centre for Gender Equality in the Workplace and Managing Director of the Australian Gender Equality Council (AGEC). His PhD in Leadership examined successful attributes of CEOs and differing pathways to CEO roles for men and women. Dr Fitzsimmons has published many papers in leading journals exploring the issue of gender equality in leadership roles. He has worked with many of Australia’s largest firms on their diversity programs and speaks regularly in Australia and overseas in the area of gender equality and inclusion.

Jane Counsel

Principal Diversity Consultant, Executive Central

Jane leads Executive Central’s Diversity & Inclusion Consulting business and, with her extensive corporate experience, is uniquely positioned to identify and deliver diversity and inclusion solutions that will help organisations future proof their business success. In her previous role, Jane was the Head of Diversity & Flexibility for Westpac Group where she was directly responsible for the development and implementation of the organisation’s D&I strategy for 36,000 employees across multiple brands. Under Jane’s leadership, Westpac celebrated a number of key D&I successes including the achievement of women holding 40 per cent of leadership roles two-years ahead of schedule, implementation of a mainstreaming flexibility program, Top Three Employer in Australia for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) employees and recognition as an Employer of Choice for women, employees with disabilities and older workers.

15:40 - 16:20

Keynote Address

Robyn Davidson

Author Tracks and Traveller 

At the age of 27, Robyn Davidson walked three thousand kilometres alone across the Australian desert, with a dog and four camels. She became instantly famous, and to set the record straight, she wrote Tracks – an international best seller, published in 20 languages, never out of print, and made into an international feature film. That success launched an extraordinary career as a writer, explorer, filmmaker and cultural commentator. She has lived with and written about nomads worldwide, gaining unique insights into ways of thinking that have relevance to our Western life. A heroine and role model to her millions of readers, Robyn continues to inspire people to move outside their comfort zone.

10:20 - 10:50

Keynote Address

Janelle Hopkins 

Chief Financial Officer, Australia Post

Janelle Hopkins is Group Chief Financial Officer at one of the country’s oldest and most trusted organisatons, Australia Post.  She’s helped lead the reinvention of the iconic business as it responds to digital disruption and becomes faster and more inventive in the way it delivers services and solutions for all Australians. A highly respected finance executive Janelle started her career at Deloitte as an 18 year old cadet and went on to hold senior finance roles across NAB and MLC in Melbourne and Sydney. She has a genuine passion for developing talent and supporting women to reach their full leadership potential. She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Alumni Leader of the University of NSW, member of the Chief Executive Women (CEW), National Executive of G100 and director of the Finance Executives Institute (FEI) and Aramex Global Solutions (joint venture of Australia Post) along with various Australia Post subsidiaries.

13:30 - 14:10

Keynote Address

Rt Hon Dame Jenny Shipley DNZM PC

Former New Zealand Prime Minister

Dame Jenny Shipley was New Zealand’s first woman PM having lead reform in a number of Senior Ministerial responsibilities in the New Zealand Government in the 1990s. In 2002 she retired from NZ politics and returned to the business and community sector. Dame Jenny Shipley is now an Independent Director and Chairman of China Construction Bank NZ Ltd, the NZX and ASX listed Genesis Energy and a number of other companies and organizations in NZ and off shore. She is deeply committed to the dividends that a great diversity strategy can deliver and is a determined promoter of women in leadership roles nationally and globally. Her passion is working with leaders who have the courage and competence to help “shape the future” of their communities, their companies and their country.

Johanna Pitman

Director, CityConnect, BlueChilli

Johanna directs BlueChilli’s accelerator program, CityConnect, focused on finding solutions at the intersection of the future of work and smart cities. Prior to BlueChilli, Johanna was the Deputy CEO for the Committee for Sydney, an independent think-tank advocating for global best practice in placemaking, and which pioneered the concept of ‘the female city’. Johanna brings a deep understanding of the drivers of economic development, through senior roles in federal and state agencies, and the UK Government's overseas trade network. Johanna holds a Masters in Regional Studies from Harvard University. Johanna is passionate about initiatives to make communities more prosperous, inclusive and liveable for all. 

MARINA GO

Chair, Wests Tigers NRL Club

ANTHEA MUIR

CEO and Group President, OPSM / Luxottica

PROFESSOR SPENCER BEASLEY

Vice President, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

ITA BUTTROSE AO OBE

Legendary Media Trailblazer

JAMILA RIZVI

Author, Columnist, Host and Commentator

ANGELA PIPPOS

Author, Sports Journalist and TV/Radio Presenter

RT HON DAME JENNY SHIPLEY DNZM PC

Former New Zealand Prime Minister

ROBYN DAVIDSON

Author Tracks and Traveller

CATHERINE FOX

Journalist, Author and Presenter

DR TERRANCE FITZSIMMONS

UQ Business School

Alexandra Tullio

Executive, Local Connection, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank

AMNA KARRA-HASSAN

Founder & President, Auburn Giants AFL Club

JANE COUNSEL

Principal Diversity Consultant, Executive Central

Assistant  COMMISSIONER

Rosemary Hegner ASM FAIM

Ambulance Service NW

15:00 - 15:20

New South Wales Award for
Excellence in Women's Leadership

Award presentation and acceptance speech

PROFESSOR GILLIAN TRIGGS

Former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission

13:40 - 14:20

Keynote Address

Ita Buttrose AO OBE

A legendary media trailblazer, businesswoman, best-selling author, committed community and welfare contributor and 2013 Australian of the Year 

Ita Buttrose AO OBE is a truly exceptional Australian: a legendary media trailblazer, businesswoman, best-selling author, committed community and welfare contributor and the former 2013 Australian of the Year. Ita was the founding editor of Cleo, the youngest ever editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly, the first woman to ever edit a major metropolitan newspaper in Australia as Editor-in-Chief of the Daily & Sunday Telegraphs, and the first woman director of News Ltd Australia. A founding member and former president of Chief Executive Women, Ita has written 11 very successful books including her best-selling autobiography A Passionate Life.

14:20 - 15:00

Keynote Address

Jamila Rizvi

Author, Columnist, Host and Commentator 

Jamila Rizvi is a writer, presenter and commentator. She writes a weekly political column for News Limited and appears regularly as a commentator on Channel 10, Channel 9 and the ABC. Jamila was previously Editor in Chief of the Mamamia Women's Network and prior to entering the media worked for the Rudd and Gillard Governments. Jamila's first book, 'Not Just Lucky', a career manifesto for millennial women, was published by Penguin in 2017. She is an ambassador for CARE Australia and a board member of the McKell Institute Melbourne and the Melbourne Writers' Festival.

Professor Rae Cooper

Associate Dean (Programs), University of Sydney Business School

Professor Rae Cooper (PhD) is Associate Dean (Programs) at the University of Sydney Business School. Rae is Co-Director of the Women, Work and Leadership Research Group and Associate Editor of the Journal of Industrial Relations. Rae is a leading researcher on the world of work and has a particular interest in gender and work, women’s careers and flexible employment. She is working on three key projects examining the future of women’s work, women’s work in non-traditional occupations, and pathways to non-executive directorships. Rae is a key commentator on workplace matters in television, radio and print media. Rae has played leadership roles in organisations in the women’s policy area including previously being Chair of both the NSW Premiers Expert Advisory Council on Women and the NSW Working Women’s Centre.

09:20 - 09:50

KEYNOTE ADDRESS - Making Your Own Door

Assistant Commissioner 
Rosemary Hegner ASM FAIM

Director, NSW Health Emergency Management Unit, Ambulance Service NSW

Rosemary is currently the Director of the NSW Health Emergency Management Unit (Office of the State Health Services Functional Area Coordinator) and is responsible for coordinating the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery activities for the whole of NSW Health. Rosemary has worked with NSW Ambulance and NSW Health for the past 30 years as a Paramedic, Educator, Redesign engineer and Emergency Manager and holds an Executive Master degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor of Nursing and a Bachelor of Health Science (Pre-Hospital Care). Rosemary has first-hand experience in emergency management coordination of the health response through events including the 2011 Queensland floods, Cyclone Yasi, Christchurch earthquake, Quakers Hill nursing home fire and the 2014 Martin Place incident.