Chief Executive Officer, FTSE Russell
Fiona Bassett is a dynamic senior executive with a proven track record of building and transforming businesses in financial markets. With strategic and operational expertise spanning multiple geographies, asset classes and functions, Fiona is known for her energetic and valuesdriven leadership style consistently driving innovation and excellence.
Throughout her career, Fiona has demonstrated a passion for cultivating talent and building diverse, high-performance teams that deliver exceptional results. Her leadership impact has
been acknowledged with prestigious industry awards, including the American Banker, Mutual Fund Industry, and Institute of International Finance accolades.
Prior to joining LSEG as CEO for FTSE Russell, Fiona was a long-standing Deutsche Bank veteran, most recently serving as the Global Head of Systematic Investment Solutions and Implementation (trading) at DWS where she also was CEO of DWS UK.
Director of Consulting, Frontier Advisors
Kim Bowater is Director of Consulting at Frontier Advisors, having joined the firm in 2002. She has 30 years industry experience. Kim leads Frontier’s delivery of advice and research through our consulting team. She is a member of Frontier’s Investment Committee and Chair of Frontier’s Client Portfolio Review Committee. She is also the lead consultant for several large superannuation funds. Over time, Kim has held a number of roles at Frontier including managing Frontier’s research program, leading research teams including alternatives, currency and infrastructure, providing investment advice to clients, and founding Frontier’s retirement solutions group. Kim was previously employed at Deloitte and Towers Perrin. Kim is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree with First Class Honours in Mathematical Statistics from Monash University. Kim is a member of the CFA Institute
Chief Executive Officer, UniSuper
Peter Chun joined UniSuper as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in September 2021, bringing more than 30 years’ experience in financial services. UniSuper is one of Australia’s largest super funds with more than 680,000 members and approximately $166 billion in funds under management (as at 31 December 2025).
As CEO, Peter is responsible for developing, leading, and implementing corporate strategy and culture. He is also accountable for the overall services and operational management of UniSuper Management nationally.
Prior to joining UniSuper, Peter held senior executive roles at Aware Super, Colonial First State and Credit Suisse.
Peter is a qualified Actuary with a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University. He holds Graduate Diplomas in Applied Finance and Investments and Financial Planning from the Securities Institute of Australia; and has undertaken the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School (Boston, USA). Peter is a Director of UniSuper Management Pty Ltd, ASFA and Diversity Council Australia.
Chair, FundsSA
Guy Debelle is Chair of FundsSA and is on the board of Tivan, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, e61, Amy’s Foundation and SAFA. He is an adviser to the Investment Committee at Australian Retirement Trust (ART) and chairs the advisory board of Famille Capital. He holds a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) from the University of Adelaide where he is an Honorary Professor and a PhD in Economics from MIT.
Dr Debelle was the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia from 2016 until 2022 and prior to this was Assistant Governor (Financial Markets) from 2007-2016. Following his time at the RBA, he was CFO of Fortescue Future Industries.
Chief Executive Officer, ASFA
Mary Delahunty is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia Limited (ASFA).
ASFA is the peak policy, research and advocacy body for Australia’s superannuation industry. It is a not-for-profit, sector-neutral, and non-party political, national organisation. ASFA’s mission is to continuously improve the superannuation system, so all Australians can enjoy a dignified retirement.
Mary joined ASFA in 2024 after founding Seven Advisory, a specialist ESG and impact advisory service to institutional investors developing their social license to deliver long-term value. Prior to that Mary was Head of Impact at HESTA where she played a key role in shaping strategic policies and responsible investment practices to advance member outcomes in the superannuation system. She was also previously an executive with Link Market Services.
Mary is a member of the Pensions & Investment World Pension Summit International Advisory Board and holds several board positions including in the RegTech and education sectors and was a 2015 Churchill Fellow awarded for international research on gender equity in retirement outcomes.
Mary studied Arts at the University of Melbourne, and later completed a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning and then a Masters of Applied Finance.
Head of Digital & Customer Experience, UniSuper
Brendan Donoghue is a Digital and Customer Experience executive based in Melbourne. With a career spanning over 20 years Brendan has been a pioneer in the design and digital revolution of corporate Australia, driving innovations which have positively impacted on millions of Australians.
Brendan currently leads the enterprise digital capability for UniSuper, one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, with over $170 Billion in funds under management. In the past 8 years he has transformed its digital offering to provide a market leading, member first experience.
Co-founder and Director, SuperEd/Retirement Essentials
Jeremy Duffield is co-founder/director of SuperEd, a leading Australian digital financial advice provider serving super funds, their members and consumers directly. SuperEd incorporates Retirement Essentials which provides Age Pension services and retirement advice. His mission is to make affordable
quality advice and help available to Australians for better retirements.
Jeremy was the founding Managing Director and Chairman of Vanguard Investments Australia (1996-2010). He served as a senior executive of The Vanguard Group for over three decades in the US, Asia and Australia. He was also founding chairman of Plum Financial Services.
He was previously Chair of MLC’s asset management subsidiary and a director of Vanguard Super Pty Ltd. Formerly, he was a director of MLC’s responsible entities (2011-2020).
He has been: Chair of the Australian Centre for Financial Studies, a member of the Financial Services Advisory Council, Vice Chair of the Investment and Financial Services Association, a member of the Johnson Task Force on Australia as a Financial Centre, and a member of the Financial Literacy Foundation.
Chief Retirement Officer, Team Super
Ms Forman is a senior executive with over 30 years’ experience in financial services across the superannuation and wealth management sectors, having led strategy, product, sales, financial advice, member experience and operational teams over her career. Sarah has extensive experience in the management and delivery of financial advice services, having successfully led the financial advice functions at some of Australia’s largest superannuation and wealth management providers.
As Chief Retirement officer, Sarah is keen to evolve retirement solutions and pathways that allow all members access to the education, guidance and advice they need to navigate to suitable retirement solutions, feeling confident and empowered about their financial futures.
Ms Forman holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Government) from Sydney University, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has a range of professional KAPLAN accreditations related to financial services as well as a Professional Certificate in Management from the Graduate School of Management, University of Adelaide.
Olympic gold medallist, World Champion & Keynote speaker
Cathy Freeman is a proud Kuku Yalanji and Birri Gubba woman and one of Australia’s most revered Indigenous Olympic champions. Rising from Mackay in Queensland, she made history as the first Australian Aboriginal woman to win gold at an international athletics event and went on to represent Australia at four Olympic Games.
Her career-defining moment came at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, where she won gold in the 400 metres, carrying both the Australian and Aboriginal flags in one of the most iconic moments in Australian sporting history. A World Champion, Australian of the Year and Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), Cathy is celebrated not only for her sporting achievements but for the barriers she broke.
Since retiring, Cathy has dedicated herself to empowering young Australians through education and community initiatives and a highly respected speaker and advocate, sharing insights on resilience, leadership, identity and purpose.
Social Demographer, Data Influencer & Keynote Speaker
Simon Kuestenmacher is a Director and Co-founder of The Demographics Group, which provides specialist advice on demographic, consumer and social trends for business.
He presents on demographic and global trends that are shaping Australia today and into the future and his presentations and quirky observations are enjoyed by corporate, government and industry audiences alike.
Simon is a columnist at The New Daily newspaper and a regular contributor to The Australian newspaper; and he is also a media commentator on demographic and data matters.
Simon has amassed 600,000 global followers on social media, reaches over 35 million people every month and ranks as one of the world’s Top 10 influencers in data visualisation. If you can’t get enough of data that explains how the world works, make sure to follow him on Twitter or any of his other social channels.
Simon holds degrees in geography from leading universities in Berlin and Melbourne and worked for several years as a business consultant with KPMG Australia.
Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence analyst, CI-ISAC
Eliza is a Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst at CI ISAC Australia, with experience spanning financial services, consulting, and critical infrastructure. Her background covers both offensive and defensive security, including threat intelligence, OSINT, security operations, and adversary emulation at organisations such as NAB and Deloitte. She has spent years translating complex threat data into actionable defence strategies, drawing on a strong interest in the psychology behind adversary behaviour and decision-making, as well as a broader interest in cybercrime and the wider issues shaping the threat landscape.
Deputy Chair, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission
Catriona Lowe was appointed by the Governor General to the position of ACCC Deputy Chair for a 5-year term on 27 January 2023. On 19 June 2023 Catriona commenced as an Associate Member of the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
Catriona chairs the Compliance and Product Safety Committee, is the Deputy Chair of Commission, the Digital ID and Consumer Data Right Committee, Scams and Digital Markets Committee and Enforcement Committee, and is a member of the Energy Markets Board.
For over 20 years Catriona has had a strong commitment to consumer issues and protection of consumer rights in her varied roles as a regulator, litigator and consumer advocate.
Before joining the ACCC, Catriona was a Board Member of the Australian Energy Regulator from February 2020. She has also held a non-Executive director role on a range of boards, including the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. Catriona was also principal of a consumer-focused consulting practice.
From 2006 to 2013, Catriona was Co-CEO of the Consumer Action Law Centre. She has also held senior roles with the Consumers’ Federation of Australia and the ACCC.
Over the years Catriona has worked extensively on matters involving consumer focused regulation, behavioural economics and effective enforcement and compliance. She has advocated for consumers across a range of markets including financial services, telecommunications and energy.
Catriona has a Bachelor of Laws from Northern Territory University (now Charles Darwin University).
Partner, MinterEllison
Philip is a Partner who leads MinterEllison’s national superannuation practice. He advises superannuation trustees, investment managers and institutional investors on complex transactional, regulatory and governance matters. With over a decade of experience, he has supported many of Australia’s largest superannuation funds on high-value transactions across infrastructure, property, private equity, venture capital and debt.
Clients value his commercial and pragmatic approach. Through his experience at leading Australian law firms, he has advised trustees of profit-to-member, retail and corporate superannuation funds, as well as a range of statutory benefit schemes; sovereign wealth funds; high-net-worth individuals; family offices; employers; and the trustees of self managed superannuation funds.
Philip’s relevant experience includes advising:
– A number of superannuation funds, insurers and investment managers: on the implementation of major regulatory change projects, including APRA’s Prudential Standard CPS 230 (Operational Risk Management), PayDay Super and the Financial Accountability Regime.
– A number of superannuation funds: in respect of their obligations under the Portfolio Holdings Disclosure regime.
– The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA): on whether trustees of Australian superannuation funds need to comply with the best financial interests covenant when purchasing carbon credits to offset carbon emissions in the trustee’s business operations.
– Cbus: on the negotiation of new arrangements with RIMES in relation to its investment data management technology platform.
– Rest: on its commitment to invest up to US$250 million in the US Cities Real Estate Fund, managed by Nuveen Real Estate – one of the world’s largest real estate investment managers.
– Mercer Super: on the preparation of sustainability and climate-related disclosures for the purpose of identifying and managing any ‘greenwashing’ risk.
– ING: on a major restructure of ‘ING Living Super’, including a successor fund transfer and the renegotiation of major outsourcing agreements in relation to sponsorship and data management.
– Hostplus: on two transformative fund mergers (with Statewide Super and Intrust Super) by way of successor fund transfer.
– Cbus: on the transfer of assets from Media Super to Cbus following the merger of the two funds by way of successor fund transfer.
– Maritime Super: on its investment in the Hostplus Pooled Superannuation Trust.
– Hostplus, HESTA, Cbus, Rest, AustralianSuper, CareSuper and Maritime Super: on a range of investments, mandates and co-investments across various asset classes and structures, including in infrastructure, real estate, debt, private credit, private equity, venture capital, currency and equities.
– Rest: on its acquisition of a one-third stake in Sydney’s Quay Quarter Tower redevelopment for approximately $900 million.
– HESTA, Australian Retirement Trust, Maritime Super and others: in relation to the negotiation of custody and administrative services agreements with global custody banks.
Assistant Secretary, Australian Council of Trade Unions
Joseph was re-elected as Assistant Secretary at the ACTU Congress in June 2024.
Joseph joined the ACTU in 2016, where he has been Political Director and a Policy Officer, as well as working with the Innovation and Growth Taskforces.
Most recently he led the ACTU Centre for Workers’ Capital.
Joseph grew up in Canberra and like many young Australians was a waiter through high school and university at local cafes and restaurants.
As ACTU Assistant Secretary, Joseph is passionate about winning a better future for working people and growing the union movement.
Joseph has a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Arts from Australian National University and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance from the University of NSW.
Outside of work, Joseph is a proud father and a supporter of the Canberra Raiders.
Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services
Born in Brindisi, Italy, Daniel was a young child when he moved with his family to Australia. He grew up in Canberra and completed his first degrees – arts and law – at the ANU. He then completed a Master of Economics (University of Sydney) and a PhD in economics from Yale.
He lectured at Monash University, was an economic adviser in the Gillard government and was a Victorian MP from 2014 to 2018. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer of Victoria, Daniel helped deliver major infrastructure projects and developed innovative financing structures for community projects.
In 2018 he was preselected for the new federal seat of Fraser and became its first MP at the 2019 election, re-elected in 2022 and 2025. From 2022 to 2025, Daniel was chair of the House of Representatives’ Standing Economics Committee in which he chaired inquiries; economic dynamism, competition and business formation and insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims.
In 2025, he became the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services.
In August 2022, Daniel published ‘Safety Net: The Future of Welfare in Australia’, which aims to explore the ways in which an insurance approach can improve the effectiveness of government service delivery.
General Manager, Data & Artificial Intelligence, Coles Group
Caroline O’Brien is a globally recognised data and AI executive with deep expertise in advanced analytics, machine learning, product innovation, and ethical AI. She currently serves as General Manager of Data & Intelligence at Coles Group, where she leads Data, AI Engineering, Platform, Tech Strategy and Enterprise Architecture focused on driving business transformation through data-driven decision making.
Prior to joining Coles, Caroline spent more than seven years at AI technology company Afiniti, where she held several senior leadership roles including Chief Data Officer and Head of Product. In these roles, she led global data strategy, AI product development, governance, and advanced analytics teams, helping deliver large-scale AI solutions for enterprise clients worldwide.
Caroline’s career spans both industry and academia. She was a Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and remains connected with the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, where her research focused on applying engineering, mathematics, and machine learning to cardiovascular disease treatment. She has authored more than 18 academic papers and co-authored two books.
She holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of New South Wales and a Bachelor of Engineering and Arts in Mechanical and Space Engineering and Mathematics from The University of Queensland.
A passionate advocate for responsible AI and diversity in technology, Caroline is known for championing ethical AI frameworks and supporting women in STEM and data science leadership
General Manager - Digital, HESTA
Georgie Obst is General Manager, Digital at HESTA, where she leads a team that blends data insights, member feedback and technology to deliver personalised digital experiences that build engagement and trust. A strategic and curious leader, she is focused on creating value in the moments that matter, helping members achieve the retirement they deserve after a career spent caring for others. Across her career she has held senior roles spanning digital, customer loyalty and customer growth, and holds a Master of Organisational Leadership from Melbourne Business School. Georgie is a passionate advocate for women in the sector and for using digital innovation to improve members’ financial futures.
Head of Aladdin, Australia & NZ, BlackRock
Louisa Roberts is Head of Aladdin for Australia and New Zealand at BlackRock. She leads the regional Aladdin business, working with superannuation funds, asset managers, insurers, and wealth firms to modernise investment and operating models through technology, data, and analytics.
A significant focus of Louisa’s work is partnering with Australian superannuation funds as they navigate industry consolidation, growing private market allocations, increasing operational complexity, and the need for more integrated investment technology and data capabilities.
With more than 25 years of industry experience, Louisa has held senior leadership roles across BlackRock, SimCorp, FIS (formerly SunGard), and Princeton Financial Systems. Her expertise spans investment technology, business transformation, data strategy, and investment management. Louisa holds degrees in Mathematics and Finance and Economics from the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Sydney.
Minister of Finance of Luxembourg, Finance Ministry
Gilles Roth was born on 1 March 1967 in Luxembourg. He studied law at the “Centre Universitaire de Luxembourg” and the “Université Catholique de Louvain” (UCL) in Belgium, where he obtained a degree in law and another degree in business administration and management.
Following the legislative elections of 8 October 2023, Gilles Roth was appointed Minister of Finance on 17 November 2023 in the coalition government formed by the Christian Social Party (CSV) and the Democratic Party (DP).
Gilles Roth was elected municipal councilor in 1993 and became mayor of the city of Mamer in 2000. He joined the Parliament in April 2007 and was reconducted until 2023. In 2013, he became Chairman of the CSV political group.
From 1991 to 1994, Gilles Roth practiced as a lawyer. In 1995, he started working at the Ministry of Finance, before being seconded to the Luxembourg Court of Auditors and the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the European Union in Brussels. In 1998, he returned to the Ministry of Finance and became government advisor, later senior government advisor.
CEO, COTA Australia
Patricia leads the peak body for older Australians, taking a constructive approach to building an inclusive and bright future for older people. Her goal is to eliminate ageism, which should be as socially unacceptable as sexism and racism. Studying ageism as part of her BA in Social Sciences, she was inspired to volunteer in home care, and do meals runs. She cried when an older woman held on to her hand and asked her to stay because she had not seen anyone that day, and anyone young in a long time.
Committed to building a more inclusive Australia that appreciates and welcomes the contribution of older people, Patricia’s career spans community, disability, and aged care, health, and advocacy roles. She has experience from the perspective of not-for-profit, public service, advocacy, Ministerial office, and most importantly, as a support to her own ageing family members.
Patricia centres her work on the value of older people. Everyone deserves the benefit of older people we love in our lives. She has worked consistently to improve the choice and control older people have in their own lives, working to reform aged care to fund the individual’s care, rather than the provider, and following through to make sure the system works.
General Manager, Investment Strategy, JANA Investment Advisers
Kirsten Temple is General Manager, Investment Strategy at JANA and is responsible for the firm’s investment strategy advice, including asset allocation, portfolio design, capital markets analysis and portfolio risk management.
She leads JANA’s asset allocation advice and decision-making for advisory and implemented consulting clients and has more than 20 years’ industry experience advising institutional investors in Australia and the UK.
Kirsten holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and degrees in Commerce (Economics) and Arts (Asian Studies) from the University of New England.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, AMP Limited
Blair was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AMP Limited in March 2026. He is responsible for leading the AMP business and driving the company’s strategy with a focus on strengthening customer outcomes and delivering sustainable
growth. He is also a member of the AMP Limited Board and AMP Bank Board.
Experience
Blair has over 30 years’ experience across the financial services sector in Australia and New Zealand. Blair has held various executive positions at AMP including his most recent role as AMP’s Chief Financial Officer and before that Group Executive Transformation and New Zealand. In the CFO and Transformation roles Blair tightened financial management, led a significant capital return program and successfully executed both the AMP Capital separation and the AMP Advice sale
and partnership.
Blair served as Acting CEO for the AMP Wealth Management and AMP Bank businesses (formerly known as AMP Australia) in 2020-21 following a successful period leading the AMP New Zealand business.
Blair has also held senior roles in AMP’s Retail Financial Services; Advice & Sales and Marketing and Distribution functions.
Chair, Productivity Commission
Danielle Wood commenced a 5-year term as Chair of the Productivity Commission on 13 November 2023.
Prior to joining the Commission, she was CEO of the Grattan Institute and Head of its Budgets and Government Program. During her time at Grattan, Danielle also held roles as member of the Australian Government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, the Parliamentary Budget Office Expert Advisory Committee, the Jobs and Skills Australia Consultative Forum and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government Research Committee.
Danielle previously worked in senior roles at the ACCC and at NERA Economic Consulting. She started her career as a graduate at the Productivity Commission.
Danielle holds an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide and two Masters degrees, one in Economics and one in Competition Law, from the University of Melbourne.
Danielle is an Honorary Fellow and former President of the Economic Society of Australia and a former Research Fellow of the Women’s Leadership Institute. She was the co-founder and first Chair of the Women in Economics Network.
She is currently an ex-officio member of the Australian Government’s Competition Review Expert Advisory Panel.
As well as her work as Chair, Danielle is also working on the Housing supply regulation inquiry.
Chief Operating Officer, IQ Group
Katherine Forrest is a strategic leader with over 25 years of experience in the superannuation and financial services industry. As Chief Operating Officer of IQ Group, she has played a key role in driving innovation, blending modern operational strategies with business and technology leadership. Her expertise spans project delivery, strategy, and IT management across both public and private sectors, shaping IQ Group’s consulting capabilities and redefining how clients achieve success.
A sought-after speaker on industry transformation, Katherine draws on her extensive experience to help organisations navigate change, whether through regulatory adaptation, digital transformation, or shifting consumer expectations. She has deep insights into how highly regulated industries can leverage technology and operational efficiencies to enhance customer experience, improve compliance, and drive long-term sustainability.
Katherine’s work in superannuation has also provided valuable lessons for adjacent industries, including aged care, health and retirement. As the sector faces increasing regulatory pressures, service delivery challenges, and evolving consumer demands, she shares insights from superannuation’s transformation—exploring how industry consolidation, digital innovation, and governance best practices can serve as a blueprint for aged care leaders. With a passion for driving meaningful change, Katherine translates complex industry challenges into actionable strategies, helping organisations stay ahead in an era of disruption.
Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer, ASFA
James joins the ASFA team as Head of Policy and Advocacy, bringing over a decade of public policy and political experience working with state, territory, and federal governments in various key policy and strategic roles.
Most recently, James has worked as a government engagement specialist in the Vice-Chancellor’s office at the University of Sydney and was instrumental in managing the University’s engagement with federal and NSW government, as well as advocating on reforms such as the Australian Universities Accord and the National Reconstruction Fund.
Prior to that, James worked in various roles across government and politics, including for treasurers, government leaders, and senior cabinet ministers. In advising government, James has taken leading roles in the legislative agenda of governments, and worked on reform for ministers in the transport, tertiary education, cyber security, procurement, and insurance portfolio areas.
James holds a Bachelor of International Relations from the Australian National University and holds qualifications in public policy from the London School of Economics and in Executive Leadership from the University of Oxford. He is currently undertaking a Master of Public Policy at the University of Sydney.
Risk Director – Super and Employer Obligations - ATO APRA Fund Member Reporting and Single Touch Payroll
Alastair is a Risk Director specialising in APRA Fund reported data and Single Touch Payroll. With deep expertise in regulatory reporting, data integrity and compliance frameworks. Alastair ensures that reporting entities meet their reporting obligations while maintain accuracy, transparency, and strong governance. Alastair has a strong understanding of how reported data is used within the ATO to administer programs, enabling an ability to bridge policy requirements with practical reporting solutions that support both compliance and effective program delivery.
Project Director, Superannuation and Employer Obligations, Australian Taxation Office
Shane leads the ATO’s core Payday Super initiatives, including enhancements to SuperStream, improvements to Single Touch Payroll (STP), and the retirement of the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH). With a strong track record in delivering complex reforms across the superannuation system, Shane brings deep technical expertise and a practical, collaborative approach. He is known for building trusted relationships across industry and government, and for bringing a personal touch to driving meaningful change.
Director, PWC
Niamh specialises in retirement benefits consulting with over 10 years experience.
Niamh has supported funds with the implementation of strategic superannuation regulatory and legislative reforms. This has included both assisting funds with implementation and performing post-implementation reviews in the areas of member outcomes, design and distribution obligations, members best financial interests, and the retirement income covenant.
Niamh has provided strategic advice on the superannuation administration market and retirement product offerings (including financial modelling of retirement outcomes).
Niamh is a qualified Actuary (FIAA) and her other work includes actuarial defined benefit liability valuation work, fund merger financial modelling for business cases, merger due diligence, SPS 250 insurance reviews and more general superannuation consulting work.
Niamh’s key defined benefit clients are state governments, with a focus on data analysis and insights, regulation review, provision of financial modelling and liability valuations.
Partner, PWC
Nathan is a retirement incomes expert having assisted Treasury with the Government’s Retirement Income Review along with numerous public policy submissions and papers on the subject of retirementincomes.
Nathan has assisted many funds with implementation of the retirement income covenant, member outcomes, DDO, members best financial interests duty and Trustee indemnity capital requirements in recent years.
Nathan is actively involved in assisting superannuation industry clients with strategic advice, mergers, administration and outsourcing arrangements, financial advice and policy work.
Nathan is a qualified Actuary (FIAA, CERA) and holds an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management.
Nathan is actively involved in public policy work and sits on the Actuaries Institute Public Policy Council Committee. Nathan also undertook asix-month secondment to Department of Treasury, Canberra in 2018 and was seconded again to assist with the Retirement Income Review.
He is the author of several papers on issues in retirement incomes including ‘What is the right level of Superannuation Guarantee?’ presented to the Actuaries Summit in 2019.
Chief Executive Officer, ASFA
Mary Delahunty is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia Limited (ASFA).
ASFA is the peak policy, research and advocacy body for Australia’s superannuation industry. It is a not-for-profit, sector-neutral, and non-party political, national organisation. ASFA’s mission is to continuously improve the superannuation system, so all Australians can enjoy a dignified retirement.
Mary joined ASFA in 2024 after founding Seven Advisory, a specialist ESG and impact advisory service to institutional investors developing their social license to deliver long-term value. Prior to that Mary was Head of Impact at HESTA where she played a key role in shaping strategic policies and responsible investment practices to advance member outcomes in the superannuation system. She was also previously an executive with Link Market Services.
Mary is a member of the Pensions & Investment World Pension Summit International Advisory Board and holds several board positions including in the RegTech and education sectors and was a 2015 Churchill Fellow awarded for international research on gender equity in retirement outcomes.
Mary studied Arts at the University of Melbourne, and later completed a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning and then a Masters of Applied Finance.
Marketing Manager - Brand & Content, Rest
As a Brand and Content Manager, Sinem has built her career working across brand campaigns, social media strategy and cross-channel storytelling.
Working at the intersection of technology and creative innovation, she’s crafted her skill of turning complex brand concepts into engaging social narratives that connect and resonate with member experiences.
Specialising in superannuation, she’s passionate about exploring how brand storytelling through social media can converge to drive meaningful audience connection.
Chief Risk Officer, Rest
Gemma was appointed as Chief Risk Officer in November 2018 and leads the Enterprise Risk function which includes investment risk, operational risk, business resilience, financial crime, compliance and regulatory engagement.
Gemma has over 25 years’ experience in risk management and governance across multiple industries including government, engineering and financial services. She is known for her ability to drive organisational change and achieve business objectives in complex and dynamic environments. Prior to joining Rest, Gemma held senior positions at MLC Life Insurance, MLC Wealth, Parsons Brinkerhoff and Federal Treasury. She is a Director on the Board of the Fund Executives Association Limited. Gemma holds a Master of Arts from the Australian National University, a Bachelor of Economics, Social Science (First Class Honours) from the University of Sydney and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Director, Partnership Program, QLD and NT, Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)
Adrian C works in the Australian Signals Directorate and is the Director of ASD’s Cyber Security Partnership Program.
He has worked in various roles in the National Intelligence Community for the last 16 years including geospatial intelligence, intelligence support to Australian Defence Force Military Operations and writing core components of the Comprehensive Review – legal framework of the National Intelligence Community.
Adrian transferred to Australian Signals Directorate in 2021 and was responsible for the section that develops and publishes ASD’s technical publications and guidelines.
He moved from Canberra to Brisbane in January 2023 to commence his current role within Australian Signals Directorate.
Chief Executive Officer, Brighter Super
Kate Farrar is the Chief Executive Officer of Brighter Super, where she has led the fund’s transformation from a $10 billion Queensland public-sector fund into a $35 billion success story with more than 280,000 members.
Since her appointment as CEO in April 2018, Kate has overseen the merger of LGIAsuper and Energy Super and the acquisition of Suncorp Super—the first industry fund acquisition of a retail fund. This integration, completed 18 months ahead of schedule, delivered a 40% reduction in administration fees for members while expanding services across Queensland.
Under Kate’s leadership, Brighter Super has become one of the fastest-growing industry funds in Australia, recognised for both its operational sustainability and member-first approach. In acknowledgment of these achievements, she was awarded the Fund Executive of the Year Award by the Fund Executives Association Ltd (FEAL) in 2024.
Kate brings 35 years of leadership experience across finance and energy, including senior roles at Barclays de Zoete Wedd, Suncorp Investment Management, NSW Treasury Corporation, McKinsey & Company, and Ergon Energy.
Beyond her role at Brighter Super, Kate serves as a Non-Executive Director of ASX100-listed Seven Group Holdings and is the President of the Queensland Futures Institute.
She holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) and a Master’s Degree in Econometrics and Finance. Through a scholarship from Chief Executive Women, she is also a graduate of INSEAD’s Advanced Management Programme. In 2025, following her FEAL award education grant, Kate completed the Stanford Graduate School of Business program, People, Culture, and Performance: Strategies from Silicon Valley.
Assistant Secretary, ACTU
As ACTU Assistant Secretary, Joseph is passionate about winning a better future for working people and growing the union movement.
Joseph has a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Arts from Australian National University and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance from the University of NSW.
Joseph Mitchell is a trustee director of TelstraSuper.
Group Chief Executive Officer, Team Super
The Team Superannuation Fund (Team Super) is a profit-to-members, public offer pension fund dedicated to serving the retirement needs of all Australians. Team Super manages over $22 billion in funds for approximately 150,000 members.
Vasyl Nair is the Chief Executive Officer of Team Super (prior to this, Vasyl held the roles of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Chief Strategy Officer).
Vasyl is a keen advocate for the ongoing development of the superannuation sector, with active participation in a number of different parts of the industry. He has served as a director of an Australian fintech organisation, specialising in superannuation and investment administration.
Vasyl was appointed to the Board of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) as Director in January 2025, the peak pension fund association in Australia.
Vasyl has a strong background in law, corporate finance and strategy, having held senior roles across at some of Australia’s largest financial services institutions. Vasyl holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hon), Bachelor of Commerce, Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice and an Executive Master of Business Administration. He is admitted to the Supreme Court of NSW as a solicitor, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has achieved a Certificate of Business Excellence from the Haas School of Business, U.C.
Berkeley.
Chief Executive Officer, Cbus Super
Kristian Fok is the CEO of Cbus Super, Australia’s leading specialist superannuation fund for the building and construction sector. Cbus was founded 40 years ago and provides superannuation and income streams to more than 925,000 members and manages over $105 billion of members’ money (as of 30 June 2025). He is responsible for all aspects of Cbus and reports directly to the Board.
Prior to his appointment in June 2023, Kristian Fok served as the Fund’s Chief Investment Officer (CIO) for 10 years. Cbus is a significant, long-term investor in the Australian economy and the Fund invests back into our members’ industries both directly and indirectly and via unique vehicles such as our wholly owned entity, Cbus Property.
As CIO, Kristian was responsible for leading the Cbus investment strategy, this included evaluating opportunities that provide returns to members over the long term, managing investment governance and risk and monitoring the portfolio. Kristian led the development and implementation of Cbus’ hybrid internalisation strategy, which has proven successful in driving strong returns and delivering total cumulative fee and costs savings for members of over $730 million.
Kristian is Chair of the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI) and serves on the Board of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI). Kristian’s qualifications include Bachelor of Commerce, Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries Australia and Fellow of FINSIA.
General Manager, Market Strategy & Propositions, Novigi
Kevin has long played a central role in shaping and driving strategic initiatives across the superannuation and wealth management sectors. With deep expertise in data strategy and a passion for AI, Kevin leads the development of forward-thinking solutions – ranging from strategic partnerships to managed services – that address evolving client needs.
A recognised thought leader, Kevin is known for leveraging data-driven insights to deliver sustainable value. His leadership is central to Novigi’s market positioning, helping to define the company’s growth strategy in an increasingly complex and dynamic financial landscape.
Chief Executive Officer, Rest
Vicki joined Rest as Chief Executive Officer in May 2018, bringing more than 20 years of
senior executive leadership experience in superannuation, life insurance, wealth management and banking.
Vicki’s experience includes executive leadership roles at some of Australia’s largest financial services organisations. She has an extensive background in distribution, strategic marketing, digital, fund operations and contact centres, customer strategy and design and product management.
Vicki is passionate about simplifying and demystifying superannuation to help all Australians achieve their best retirement outcomes.
Vicki holds an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Vicki has been a Non-executive Director of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors since 2018 and a Director of The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia since 2022.
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI)
Louise Davidson has spent her career with a focus on building long-term value for the millions of beneficiaries of Australian superannuation funds. Most recently this has included elevating the importance of environmental, social and governance factors in managing material financial risk in super fund investment portfolios.
As CEO of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) since 2015, Louise oversees ACSI’s program of company engagement, research and policy advocacy, backed by 30 years of senior experience in the financial services and ESG sectors. Her tenure as ACSI CEO has seen significant improvements in the way listed companies manage important issues including boardroom diversity, climate risk and human rights.
Prior to being appointed ACSI CEO, she was Investment Manager, ESG at Cbus superannuation fund.
Louise is the co-founder of the Mother’s Day Classic, which has raised over $50 million for breast and ovarian cancer research since 1998. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2019 for her significant service to the superannuation sector and to breast cancer research.
She is a director of Chief Executive Women, a deputy chair of the Client Advisory Board of EOS at Federated Hermes, and a former director of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the International Integrated Reporting Initiative and former chair and director of the Mother’s Day Classic Foundation.
Chief Executive Officer, UniSuper
Peter Chun joined UniSuper as the Chief Executive Officer in September 2021, bringing more than 30 years’ experience in financial services.
UniSuper is one of Australia’s largest super funds with more than 700,000 members and over $158 billion in funds under management (as at 30 June 2025).
As CEO, Peter is responsible for developing, leading, and implementing corporate strategy and culture. He is also accountable for the overall services and operational management of UniSuper Management nationally.
Prior to joining UniSuper, Peter held senior executive roles at Aware Super, Colonial First State and Credit Suisse.
Peter is a qualified Actuary with a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University. He holds Graduate Diplomas in Applied Finance and Investments and Financial Planning from the Securities Institute of Australia; and has undertaken the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School (Boston, USA). Peter is a Director of UniSuper Management Pty Ltd and Diversity Council Australia.
Peter is a Director of Diversity Council Australia, a Member of the ASFA CEO Advisory Committee and the Australian Chamber Orchestra Finance Audit & Risk Committee.
Head of Financial Crimes, MUFG Retirement Solutions
Eoin Burke is the Head of Financial Crimes, MUFG Retirement Solutions, a division of MUFG Pension & Market Services (MPMS), with over 20 years of experience in financial crime prevention, compliance, and data analytics.
He has held senior leadership roles across APAC and EMEA, and plays a critical role in protecting the organisation from financial threats, responsible for safeguarding the data and monetary assets of over 20 million accounts. His remit includes fraud and scam prevention, AML/CTF compliance and reporting, regulator and law enforcement engagement, training and awareness, and driving innovation in protective technologies. He also developed ‘ALERT’, MPMS’s internal fraud analytics capability, which now protects over 10.5 million member accounts daily and has prevented more than $150 million in financial crime.
A recognised industry leader, Eoin regularly speaks at major forums including the Financial Crimes and Cyber Security Forum and the AUSTRAC Symposium, sharing insights on emerging risks and best practices in financial crime prevention. His strategic direction continues to strengthen MPMS’s defences and reinforce its commitment to integrity and security.
Chief Executive Officer, State Super
Mr Livanas leads a team of experienced senior executives in managing the provision of member services and the investment of approximately $38 billion of assets (as at 30 June 2025).
Mr Livanas has over 30 years’ industry experience, having worked in organisations including Deloitte South Africa, the South African Government Employees Pension Fund – the precursor to the country’s sovereign fund – and several Australian superannuation funds.
Prior to his appointment in October 2011, Mr Livanas was the Chief Executive Officer of AMIST Super (2008–11) and the General Manager of FuturePlus Financial Services (2002–08). He was a Director of ISPT and ISPT Grosvenor International Property Trust from 2010–12 and in August 2013 was appointed to the Board of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors.
Mr Livanas holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and an MBA from the University of Witwatersrand and a Graduate Diploma of Finance and Investments from the Financial Services Institute of Australia. He is an ASFA-accredited Investment Fiduciary and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Chief Executive Officer, HESTA
Debby Blakey, GAICD, is the CEO of HESTA, Australia’s $96 billion superannuation fund for health and community services workers. With over 30 years’ experience in the superannuation and financial services sectors, she holds qualifications in Mathematics, Computer Science, Financial Advice, Governance, Pension Fund Design and Sustainability.
Debby’s leadership is characterised by a ‘people-first’ approach, focusing on enhancing member experiences and financial outcomes while also ensuring operational rigour and excellence. She is a strong advocate for innovation and transformation within the superannuation industry.
Debby is the President of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI), a Director of the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) and is the founding Chair of the 40:40 Vision initiative – promoting gender equality at executive and Board level in ASX300 companies.
Under Debby’s leadership, HESTA has been called the ‘corporate conscience of Australia’ for its commitment to strong governance, environmental management and gender equality.
Chair, IFM Investors
Cath is the Chair of IFM Investors; Industry Super Holdings (ISH); and the Federal Government’s Jobs & Skills Ministerial Advisory Board.
She is a Director of Industry Fund Services (IFS) and of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation.
Cath has worked for many years in senior roles in both the superannuation industry and union movement. She was the Chief Executive of IFS and Chief Executive of the Australian Government Employees Superannuation Trust (AGEST) from 2010 until its merger with AustralianSuper in 2013.
Prior to this, Cath was a Senior Industrial Officer at the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). She has held a number of directorships and committee positions throughout her career, including Director of AustralianSuper, Director of AGEST Super and Director of Ausgrid.
Chief Executive Officer, NGS Super
Natalie is the Chief Executive Officer of NGS Super.
With a career grounded in governance, legal, and strategic leadership, Natalie brings a forward-thinking and purpose driven approach to superannuation. She is responsible for steering the fund through a dynamic regulatory landscape, ensuring operational excellence, and delivering long-term value to members.
Natalie also served as Chief Risk and Governance officer having deep institutional knowledge and a strong track record in executive oversight and regulatory engagement.
She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to drive transformation while maintaining a strong member-first ethos.
Prior to joining NGS in 2019 Natalie held senior governance roles at AMP, Suncorp and Perpetual.
Director, Resilience & Cyber, UK Finance
Laura Catterick is the Director of Resilience & Cyber at UK Finance, which is the collective voice for the UK banking and finance industry, representing over 300 firms and supporting members in their efforts to build more resilient firms and a more resilient financial sector.
Within UK Finance, Laura works closely with industry leaders, government, and regulators, influencing policy on operational resilience and cybersecurity at a national level. UK Finance also co-chairs CMORG (Cross Market Operational Resilience Group) to deliver collaborative resilience initiatives that address systemic risks.
Laura is a Chartered Professional Accountant from Canada with extensive experience in risk, regulatory compliance, cyber security, operational resilience, and large-scale transformation. She has held senior executive roles within highly regulated sectors, including roles across all three lines of defence within Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Lloyds Banking Group, and Mastercard.
Chief Operating Officer, SS&C Technologies
Josh Cross brings over 30 years of experience in Technology, Operations, Delivery and Transformation within the Australian Financial Services industry. His expertise spans Trade Finance, Institutional and Corporate Lending, Consumer Lending, Share Trading, Insurance and Superannuation.
Josh joined SS&C in July 2025 through a lift-out from Insignia Financial – one of Australia’s largest Superannuation and Investment providers, known for its growth through large-scale acquisitions and technology separations from major Australian banks.
In his current role, Josh leads the SS&C Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) function, which delivers technology, operations, and service delivery for more than one million Australian across multiple technology eco-systems, supported by a team of approximately 1300 staff. Over the next three years, Josh will also lead the major transformation of the underlying superannuation platforms and processes, migrating to SS&C’s Bluedoor ecosystem.
National Cyber Security Coordinator, Department of Home Affairs
Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness, CSC was appointed as Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator (the Coordinator) on 26 February 2024.
As the Coordinator, LTGEN McGuinness leads national cyber security policy, the coordination of responses to major cyber incidents, whole of government cyber incident preparedness efforts, and the strengthening of Commonwealth cyber security capability.
LTGEN McGuinness has served in the Australian Defence Force for 30 years in a range of tactical, operational, and strategic roles in Australia and internationally.
Prior to this appointment, LTGEN McGuinness most recently served as Deputy Director Commonwealth Integration in the United States Defense Intelligence Agency. In this role, she led policy and cultural reform, and technological integration, including interoperability across information technology, systems and data.
Head of FX and Derivative Sales, NAB
Jamie is NAB’s Global Head of FX and Derivative Sales. Jamie is responsible for several Markets related sales businesses including NAB’s Institutional, Corporate and Government teams. Prior to joining NAB, Jamie spent 17 years in London working as a Managing Director for a US Investment Bank in their Global Markets division running sales and trading businesses for both the Interest Rate and FX product.
Jamie holds a Bachelor of Economics Degree from The University of Sydney and is based in Sydney.
Deputy CEO, Regulation, AUSTRAC
Katie Miller is the Deputy CEO, Regulation, AUSTRAC and has strategic responsibility for AUSTRAC’s regulatory, policy and legal functions.
Katie has extensive experience exercising regulatory functions and advising regulators at state and federal levels. Katie is a published author on issues involving regulation, law and technology and supports connections between government, practitioners, communities of practice and academia.
Best Selling Author, Podcast Host of 'Plain English'
Via live link
Few speakers can match Derek Thompson‘s ability to synthesize mega-trends in society, labor, economics, technology, and politics. Put another way: Derek trawls the data sets and does the forecasting and deep reporting necessary to help us better understand how we live, how we vote, how we spend, and how we work.
In his paradigm-shifting #1 New York Times bestseller, Abundance (co-written with Ezra Klein), this award-winning journalist reveals how our policies and culture have pushed us into a world of scarcity (not enough housing, workers, or progress)—and offers a radical new path towards a world where housing is affordable, energy is plentiful, and innovation flourishes across industries.
He shares a compelling vision of a future where we have more than enough for everybody, and a practical, actionable roadmap for how to get there. It starts with taking more risks, building more expansively, and recognizing that we all have the power to create a world of abundance. “Everything’s utopian until it’s reality,” he says.
Executive Director - Superannuation, Life & Private Health Insurance, APRA
Carmen joined APRA in March 2023 and holds the role of Executive Director, Life and Private Health Insurance and Superannuation.
She has had an esteemed career in financial services, spanning over 25 years. She has held diverse leadership roles at Westpac and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, including across risk, transformation and change, product and portfolio development, and sales and service.
Prior to joining APRA, she held the role of General Manager, Risk Transformation Delivery Integration at Westpac. This involved leading the group-wide implementation of a suite of solutions to uplift risk management capability and develop data, analytics and reporting.
Carmen leads with a values-driven approach and a particular interest in developing and mentoring talent.
She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Accounting, is a certified Chartered Accountant and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School
Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society.
Edmondson has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011, and most recently was ranked #1 in 2021 and 2023; she also received that organization’s Breakthrough Idea Award in 2019, and Talent Award in 2017. She studies teaming, psychological safety, and organisational learning, and her articles have been published in numerous academic and management outlets, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Harvard Business Review and California Management Review. Her 2019 book, The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth (Wiley), has been translated into 15 languages. Her prior books – Teaming: How organizations learn, innovate and compete in the knowledge economy (Jossey-Bass, 2012), Teaming to Innovate (Jossey-Bass, 2013) and Extreme Teaming (Emerald, 2017) – explore teamwork in dynamic organisational environments. In Building the future: Big teaming for audacious innovation (Berrett-Koehler, 2016), she examines the challenges and opportunities of teaming across industries to build smart cities.
Edmondson’s latest book, Right Kind of Wrong (Atria), builds on her prior work on psychological safety and teaming to provide a framework for thinking about, discussing, and practicing the science of failing well. First published in the US and the UK in September, 2023, the book is due to be translated into 24 additional languages, and was selected for the Financial Times and Schroders Best Business Book of the Year award.
Before her academic career, she was Director of Research at Pecos River Learning Centers, where she worked on transformational change in large companies. In the early 1980s, she worked as Chief Engineer for architect/inventor Buckminster Fuller, and her book A Fuller Explanation: The Synergetic Geometry of R. Buckminster Fuller (Birkauser Boston, 1987) clarifies Fuller’s mathematical contributions for a non-technical audience. Edmondson received her PhD in organisational behavior, AM in psychology, and AB in engineering and design from Harvard University.
Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services
Born in Brindisi, Italy, Daniel was a young child when he moved with his family to Australia. He grew up in Canberra and completed his first degrees – arts and law – at the ANU. He then completed a Master of Economics (University of Sydney) and a PhD in economics from Yale.
He lectured at Monash University, was an economic adviser in the Gillard government and was a Victorian MP from 2014 to 2018. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer of Victoria, Daniel helped deliver major infrastructure projects and developed innovative financing structures for community projects.
In 2018 he was preselected for the new federal seat of Fraser and became its first MP at the 2019 election, re-elected in 2022 and 2025. From 2022 to 2025, Daniel was chair of the House of Representatives’ Standing Economics Committee in which he chaired inquiries; economic dynamism, competition and business formation and insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims.
In 2025, he became the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services.
In August 2022, Daniel published ‘Safety Net: The Future of Welfare in Australia’, which aims to explore the ways in which an insurance approach can improve the effectiveness of government service delivery.
