Emma Mani

Head of People APAC
Klarna

With a wealth of experience in the field of organizational development and people strategy. Emma’s expertise lies in driving positive change and fostering inclusive, high-performing cultures within organisations.

With a diverse background that spans various industries and geographies, Emma brings a unique perspective. She has held leadership roles in prominent organizations, including Klarna, where she currently leads the people space across the APAC region. As a people and diversity champion, Emma is deeply committed to making work experiences the best they can be, ensuring employee satisfaction, and building engaged and thriving teams.

Renowned for her dedication and results-driven approach, Emma is widely recognized as a trusted advisor to executive teams. She strives to be a leader who inspires and enables others to reach their full potential. Her areas of expertise encompass a wide range of critical people processes, including performance management, compensation, growth and development, talent mapping, and global mobility.

Emma’s passion for innovation and continuous learning sets her apart. She constantly seeks new ways of doing things, embracing fresh ideas and strategies to navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving business landscape. Her track record of successfully implementing large-scale change programs across different employee lifecycle events is a testament to her expertise and adaptability.

Emmett Williams, GAICD

CEO & Managing Director
Myzone

Emmett Williams, GAICD is an award-winning entrepreneur who as co-founder of Myzone, delivered the first wearable fitness tracking technology to the commercial fitness industry, a wearable platform that is currently used by legislators in the US congress and UK parliament. Emmett sits on multiple health & fitness-based boards around the world, influencing intergovernmental groups such as the World Health Organization when it comes to matters of physical inactivity. Recently, Emmett was inducted onto the Roll of Honour with AUSactive for his efforts around the world making more people, more active, more often.

Esha Oberoi

Founder and CEO
Leora.ai

Esha Oberoi is a mental health advocate and tech pioneer with a mission to redefine how mental healthcare is delivered. Her newly founded tech venture has used machine learning and AI technology to bring to life a world-class AI mental health self-care coach named Leora. Esha has previously founded and scaled the award-winning healthcare business Afea Care Services, where she served as CEO from 2008 to 2022. Under her leadership, Afea has been named one of the fastest growing companies in Australia and one of AFR’s Best Places to Work in 2021 & 2022.

Heather Ikin

Principal & Organisational Psychologist
Worklife Psychology

Heather Ikin is a registered Organisational Psychologist and Owner and Principal at Brisbane-based counselling and consulting firm WorkLife Psychology. Heather is passionate about supporting businesses and employees to lead productive and meaningful working lives, through fostering mentally healthy workplaces. Heather provides a range of organisational and individual services, primarily in the areas of mental health at work, psychosocial risk management, and the treatment of work-related psychological injuries. She has extensive expertise in understanding the dynamics of stress and job burnout, coaching and guiding leaders on a range of workplace issues and challenges.

For the past 15 years, Heather’s diverse background has seen her deliver interventions and strategies across workplace health and safety, employee mental health and wellbeing, change management, organisational development, learning and development, culture and engagement, recruitment and selection, career development and coaching, and management and leadership development. She has worked with organisations across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in consulting, advisory, and management roles. Heather has also made significant contributions to the field of organisational psychology in Australia, having spent over 10 years volunteering for the Australian Psychological Society (APS) alongside her full-time career. Most notably, she was appointed as Chair of the APS College of Organisational Psychologists from June 2018 to August 2021. During this time, she led the strategic affairs of the College whilst engaging in a range of advocacy activities, with an emphasis on mental health at work.

Jim Kelly

Director Health and Safe Design
SafeWork NSW

Jim Kelly is the Director of Health and Safe Design at SafeWork NSW. He is responsible for leading a range of specialist areas including workplace health, engineering, ergonomics, mental health and return to work. 

Jim has extensive experience across many industries leading regulatory services and human resource teams in workplace health and safety (WHS) prevention, injury management and rehabilitation. 

Jim’s current responsibilities include leading the specialist psychosocial services inspectorate and implementing the NSW Mentally Healthy Workplaces Strategy 2022. 

Jim is also a member of the Board of advisors for the Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds Foundation and a Citizens advocate for the recently formed Safety Governance Foundation. 

Jim loves to spend time with his young family, getting active in the outdoors and enjoying the sun and surf.  

Julie Gratton

Safety, Health, Environment & Wellbeing Director, Australia & New Zealand / Aotearoa
AECOM

Julie Gratton – Safety, Health, Environment & Wellbeing Director across Australia & New Zealand at AECOM, has managed Health, Safety & Wellbeing in the engineering sector for over 15 years. Julie’s original involvement with workplace mental health and wellbeing started in 2010 when asked to assist with cases of burnout and depression occurring within the engineering consulting industry and take part in a RMIT thinktank led by Helen Lingard.  Following on from supporting individuals rehabilitation and return to work, Julie was responsible for trialling Mental Health First Aid training at a time when these issues were not as well known or discussed as they are now. This was soon after adopted and rolled out across her organisation. Later in her career, in her role at Rio Tinto, Julie assisted in the development, trial and roll out of site Peer Support programs in FIFO environments in Western Australia. Julie has since managed the development of organisational psychosocial risk assessments, gap analysis of processes in support of mental health and wellbeing, and worked closely with Consult Australia as a founding member of their Mental Health Roundtable.  

While initially studying Commerce as an undergraduate, Julie went on to completed Post Graduate studies in Occupational Hazard Management and is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Design & Construction Management to combine her passion for safety & health with sustainable design in planning. Julie has a love for teamwork, creating humancentric solutions to enhance safe & healthy environments through innovation, safe design and driving sustained culture change.

“I am proud of my ongoing collaborative relationships working with people to understand the nature of their work, their drivers and together, developing innovative solutions to improve healthier and safer outcomes. I get energy from working with great people to create environments that drive Wellbeing & Care, together with compliance & best practice.”

Julie currently leads a wonderful team of Health & Safety professionals across Australia & New Zealand at AECOM, as they transition to realise certification under ISO 45003 – (The International Psychological Health & Safety at work Standard) and continued recognition as an Employer of Choice by their people.

Justine Knight

Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing
The GPT Group

Justine is GPT’s Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing. Justine’s career has seen her work for a range of blue chip employers in both the UK and Australia across a range of People related disciplines including Graduate Recruitment, HR business Partnering and Talent and Organisational Development before moving into the D&I and Wellbeing realms more than 10 years ago. She has worked in this capacity within legal, telco and now the property sector. Her passion is for driving equality and wellbeing in the workplace and she is passionate about developing and driving inclusive and healthy organisational cultures, through which individual employee engagement, team success and improved business outcomes can all be realised.

Louise Hope

Chief People Experience Officer
GrowthOps

Louise Hope is an HR industry leader on a mission to help leaders and businesses transform their approach to employee engagement through compelling EVPs that deliver strong engagement, productivity and talent outcomes. With an extensive OD background, she has a broad range of experience in commercial, not for profit and government sectors, both state and federal.

Louise is the Chief People Experience Officer for global growth company, GrowthOps. Prior to this she was the Executive Director, People & Culture at The Australian Film, Television and Radio School and the Head of Organisation Development & Learning at Sydney Opera House.

Louise is passionate about the role of creativity and storytelling amidst technological disruption and developing leaders at all levels who can nurture a positive and inclusive performance culture that drives engagement, productivity, and career growth.

Mary Hogg

Regional Human Resources Director
Hilton

Mary Hogg is Regional Human Resources Director for Australasia at Hilton. Based in Sydney, she supports a diverse portfolio of 28 hotels with 12 hotels in the pipeline across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.  

As part of Hilton’s Asia Pacific HR Leadership Team, Mary drives people and culture plans to realise Hilton’s ambitious growth plans to double the region’s footprint within the next five years, with a focus on launching new brands and entering new markets.  

Mary joined Hilton in November 2021 as the next step in her 20-year career in Human Resources. Initially based in the UK, Mary grew her career through a variety of sectors including the Police, Hospitality, Local Government and Education. In 2011, Mary relocated to Australia and after exploring the country, settled in Sydney and soon became the Australia/New Zealand HR Leader for the world’s second largest tourist attraction operator, Merlin Entertainments. In 2018, Mary became the Regional HR Director for Asia Pacific with responsibility for people leadership across nine countries, including China, Japan and Australia.  

Born in the UK, Mary holds a BA Hons in Human Resource Management from the University of Lincoln and is a Chartered Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute. She is married with two children, is an active runner and explorer of new cultures and will usually have multiple books on the go at any time.  

Mason Gismondi

Psychological Health and Wellbeing Lead
Bupa Asia Pacific

Mason Gismondi is the Psychological Health and Wellbeing Lead for Bupa Asia Pacific, and currently supports Bupa’s Aged Care businesses in Australia and New Zealand, as well as Bupa’s Business Services.

Mason has a background in psychology, injury management, operations management, leadership coaching and is currently driving effective psychosocial risk management within Bupa.

Mason is particularly passionate in establishing the role of a Leader in creating a psychologically healthy and safe workplace climate, through Leader capability uplift, and implementation of sustainable, preventative action.

Nada George

Vice President, People Business Partner-Australasia
Mastercard

Nada has over 20 years’ experience in HR and has been at Mastercard for 2 years as the Vice President, People Business Partner of the Australasia division. Nada works to align company strategy and values to HR priorities and outcomes, delivering positive business impact, building high performing cultures, and lifting employee engagement.

Dr. Peter Simpson

Global Head, Safety, Security & ESG
Standard Chartered

Dr Peter Simpson has worked in the safety and security profession for over 25 years. He is currently the Global Head of Safety, Security & ESG for Standard Chartered bank., with a footprint in the highest risk regions of the world. Peter is a pilot by trade, and has BSc, MSc, MA, MBA and DBA. He is passionate about and leading organisations through customer-focussed change and simplification, and working with the next generation of young leaders. He is a Board member in a not-for-profit looking after the most vulnerable members of society.

Robert Stone

Chief People Officer, Australia/NZ
Wunderman Thompson

Rob is the Chief People Officer at Wunderman Thompson, which is part of WPP, one of the world’s largest creative transformation companies. Prior to Wunderman Thompson, he was the Chief Talent Officer at McCANN Australia and McCANN London. He played a critical role in McCANN Worldgroup’s recent success having helped to transform and diversify the agencies approach to its People. With a unique and forward-thinking to talent, he also played a significant role in converting global new business wins. Rob sat on the Global Diversity & Inclusion Coalition and was recognised by being asked to present evidence at The House of Lords regarding the benefits of an internationally diverse workforce in the wake of Brexit. Prior to McCANN, Rob was the Global Partner for Adidas, based out of HQ in Germany, Rob oversaw the major sporting brand’s largest Talent initiative in the history of the business. Rob was responsible for building and enhancing Adidas’s digital offering across Germany, Amsterdam, London, Brazil, Moscow, New York, Paris, Tokyo & Shanghai. 

Sarah Scott Paul

Global Head of Learning & Development and Head of People & Culture Australia
Enero Group

Sarah is the Global Head of Learning & Development and Head of People & Culture – Australia, for the ‘Enero Group’, as ASX-listed international network of marketing and communication businesses located in 13 countries around the world. Country born and bred, Sarah commenced her career more than 15 years ago in HR roles for multinational food and beverage organisations ‘Stuart Alexander’ and ‘Lion’. Since 2013, Sarah has been an integral member of the Enero Group, developing, training, and coaching their 600+ team members across the world. Sarah’s personal journey of overcoming adversity has led to the shaping of her professional outlook: to lead with passion and empower the people around her to flourish and be the best they can be both personally and professionally. Sarah is an accredited Mental Health First Aider. She knows instinctively that life can be hard – however demonstrates to people the power of showing up to emotions, being authentic, vulnerable, and intentional in leadership.  

Tanya Howard

Head of Health, Safety & Wellbeing
Foxtel Group

Tanya Howard is the Head of Health Safety and Wellbeing at the Foxtel Group. With over 15 years of experience in Health, Safety and Wellbeing and an Allied Health background, she leads the business’ multifaceted approach to health, safety and wellbeing and managing people risks. Foxtel Group has transformed to become one of Australia’s most successful media companies. It is a proven disrupter and has cemented its place in more than half of Australian homes. Driven by her partnership, collaborative and open-minded approach Tanya is supporting the continued evolution of Foxtel Group’s culture to put people at the centre of everything it does, through building leadership capability and embedding the company values. She is a champion of  wellbeing, being adaptive and creating psychologically safe cultures. She loves what she does, and she loves making a difference

Tracey Taylor

Chief People Officer
Transport for NSW

Tracey Taylor is a values and purpose driven Chief People Officer and Deputy Secretary of Corporate Services at Transport for NSW.

With more than 20 years multisector executive experience in HR, Tracey connects the links between people and performance to execute effective strategies that embed sustainable cultural change and employee experience at an enterprise level. Tracey recognises the importance of an engaged workforce and is driven to solve complex organisational issues from a position of empathy, while also implementing and driving people solutions that achieve organisational objectives and strategic cost reduction.

Tracey’s passion for supporting the development of people is demonstrated by her focus on cultivating a workplace culture of diversity, flexibility, inclusion and innovation. She always strives to ensure the recognition and reward of talent and to deliver a high performing culture and organisational strategy that adapts to new technologies and disruptive externalities.

Vanessa Hicks

Group Executive People Experience
TPG Telecom

Vanessa Hicks is TPG Telecom’s Group Executive People Experience following the merger of TPG and Vodafone Hutchison Australia in July 2020. She joined Vodafone Australia in 2006 and was appointed VHA’s Director of Human Resources in 2017. She has served in several senior roles within the company, including General Manager of Business Customer Operations and General Manager Human Resources. Ms Hicks is responsible for all human resources functions including organisational culture, leadership, internal comms, OHS and facilities. Ms Hicks has been an active board member of the Vodafone Foundation since 2010, serving as Chair of the Board from 2010 to 2014 and recommencing as Chair from February 2022. Ms Hicks has served as an Advisory Board Member of the Telco Together Foundation since 2017. Ms Hicks is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Veronica Siow

Partner
Allens

Veronica Siow is a Partner at Allens who specialises in employment and safety law. Veronica provides her clients with strategic advice on workforce change management (involving transfers of employment, restructures and redundancies), employment practices and payroll compliance, executive matters, corporate culture and matters of operational or reputational significance.  She acts in disputes that could impact her clients’ employer brand. Veronica also advises on and conducts investigations into whistleblower complaints and bullying and harassment grievances. She provides training to boards and executive teams on officers’ due diligence obligations and employment practices risks. 

Veronica’s clients include Westpac, TPG Telecom, Mirvac, THE ICONIC, Sony Music, Bank of China, DuPont, The Walt Disney Company, The Star Entertainment Group, and Transgrid.

Greg Stark

Director
Better Being

Greg is the go-to coach for stressed out corporate executives who are high flying and time poor. He consults and presents regularly on workplace wellbeing for the likes of PwC, Herbert Smith Freehills and Commonwealth Bank. He is author of Sweat Equity and a leading health expert across CEO Magazine, Sporteluxe, Mens Health, The Australian, and many more. 

Jason Dunn

Director of Partnerships
Life Sherpa

Jason’s career in financial advice spans 35 years and incorporates CEO and Senior GM roles across privately owned and publicly listed top 10 ASX companies. Jason also completes as an ultra-endurance elite athlete in Ironman triathlons and extreme running races around the world.

Kristina Dalgleish

Director
Health at Work

Kristina is passionate about improving health and wellbeing of Australian workplaces. With more than twenty years’ experience in the corporate wellness industry, she has a reputation for understanding the issues impacting workplaces and developing the wellness initiatives and customised programs that make a difference to culture and productivity. She is a trusted wellness advisor to many well-known Australian and global organisations. In recent years she has focused her personal and professional development on mental health. Specifically, how Health at Works’ services can give leaders and employees the skills to identify, manage and improve their own mental health and to support the mental health of their colleagues and teams. With 1 in 5 Australian’s aged 16 to 85 experiencing mental health issues she is passionate about educating organisations on the things they can do to positively impact their employee’s lives and workplace culture. 

Lauren Anderson

Talent Strategy Advisor
Indeed Australia

As Indeed Australia’s Talent Strategy Advisor, Lauren works with businesses to innovate traditional recruitment processes, get creative with employer branding and prioritise diversity and equity in the workplace. Motivated by achieving results, you’ll find Lauren at industry-leading events, round tables, webinars and client strategy sessions presenting the latest thought-leadership topics.

Phone number: 0439 020 595 

Social media handle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mslaurenanderson 

Mark Butler

Mental Health Expert

Mark is a mental health expert with over 25 years of experience as a workplace strategist, psychotherapist, and clinical director. He helps organisations and individuals worldwide achieve peak performance by promoting psychological safety and wellbeing through a compassionate, personable approach.  

As a renowned speaker, published researcher, and best-selling author, he is a sought-after guest in webinars, podcasts, and conferences. 

Melo Calarco

Mindfulness and High Performance Coach
Mindfulmooves

As a certified mindfulness and performance coach, Melo has the unique ability to bring the best out of the people, and the companies, he works with. With well over 25 year’s experience, his results-based work is grounded in neuroscience, mindfulness, human behaviour, leadership training and other unique tools to help his clients find self-awareness, clarity, focus and ultimately success.

Melo learned to manage highly challenging and stressful situations, build mental endurance and rise above adversity from his life lessons on the road where he cycled, trekked and travelled over 30,000km’s around the planet on his mountain bike. He traversed Africa, Asia, India, Nepal, Europe and North America, along the way he had to overcome many obstacles and demanding encounters, including near-death experiences.

He now shares that deep experience working with many global Fortune 500 companies, CEO’s, managers and directors, and corporate executives, as well as sporting professionals, surgeons, actors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and other individuals that want to be the absolute best at their craft. Recently, Melo has had the unique opportunity to coach an Olympic athlete to reach their life-long goals.

During the pandemic Melo has supported over 75,000 people globally in his seminars and coaching programs. He is also a published (Wiley) producing a book titled Beating Burnout-Finding Balance which has been released globally.

His work has been described as ‘truly transformational’!

www.melocalarco.com

Sonia Moura

Director & Co-Founder
The Change Makers Group

With over 20 years’ experience, Sonia spent most of her career in retail leading all people and culture portfolios. Her experience is unique having worked through many change projects including divestments, acquisitions, and system transformation.  

Having worked at executive level for a decade with boards, in strategic planning and hands on implementation, Sonia co-founded The Change Makers Group (CMG). CMG has a vision to humanise workplaces. CMG partners with boards, executives and people teams, in culture, leadership, performance and change projects. Sonia works across different industries from start-up business to high profile companies to deliver solutions to their people goals. 

Will Burkitt

Executive Leader, Care & Living
MERCER

Will Burkitt is the leader of Care & Living with Mercer (CaLM) and a Partner within Mercer’s Australian business. Care & Living with Mercer is an innovative service supporting Australians and their family carers with independent guidance and advice for any of their ageing care needs. CaLM is unique in Australia and supports thousands of families each year. CaLM is the perfect service for organisations to support their most important asset – their people – to thrive when it comes to them supporting parents and loved ones, partners or themselves, for their ageing journey.

Prior to joining Mercer in January 2018, Will gained 19 years of experience in wealth management, including working in Sydney, Hong Kong and London, advising clients on investment portfolios, the full range of wealth products and strategies to achieve their goals in retirement. In addition, during his career Will has gained experience as a company director.

He is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds a Bachelor of Economics (Accounting) from Macquarie University, and is a Justice of the Peace (NSW).