Conference Day Two - Thursday, 20 February

Go to day one  go to pre-conference masterclasses

08:30
Welcome coffee
08:50
Opening remarks from the Chair

Renece Brewster
Co-Founder & Co-Managing Director
Her Tech Circle

THE ART OF LEADERSHIP IN TECH
09:00
Human-centric leadership: what you need to get most out of your tech projects and team
  • Enhancing communication by fostering empathy and effective dialogue with your team
  • Empowering your team through delegation and encouraging autonomy
  • Aligning goals for project objectives with team members' personal growth

Miranda Ratajski
Chief Information Officer, Group Business Units
Westpac

09:30
PANEL DISCUSSION: What does it take to advance into a leadership role and how do you succeed when you get there?

Moderator:

Rebecca Ostergaard
Chief Digital Officer
CSIRO

Panellists:

Jo Rought
Senior Director, Digital Media ANZ
Adobe

Louise Stigwood
Director - Enterprise ANZ
Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Natalie Fair
Regional Vice President of APJ and Board Member
PagerDuty

Jacqui Visch
Executive Director, Digital & Data Leader
Macquarie Group

Tracey Evans
Chief Technology Officer
Virtus Health

10:10
EY Presentation

Katherine Boiciuc
Chief Technology and Innovation Officer - Oceania
EY

10:30
Morning tea
NAVIGATING THE NEW FRONTIER OF TECH
11:00
Mastering change management in tech: conquering the top challenges to innovation
  • Analysing patterns of success and failure in organisational change
  • Exploring practical mental models and real-world examples for effective change management
  • How to effectively execute the change management your organisation needs

Louise Stigwood
Director - Enterprise ANZ
Amazon Web Services (AWS)

11:45
From 2025 to 2035: the top tech disruptions on the horizon
  • Explore how the rapid advancement of AI is revolutionising organisational, business & consumer experiences
  • Examine how automation is reshaping the workplace by streamlining processes and empowering teams to achieve higher productivity and performance
  • Analyse how new technology is creating integrated, seamless interactions & business opportunities

Fiona Boyd
Chief Executive Officer
ipSCAPE

12:15
Elevating your digital presence: building an online personal brand in tech
  • Developing a personal brand as a woman to differentiate yourself & stand out in tech 
  • How to start over – because it's never too late
  • Leveraging social media for personal and professional growth
  • Why 2025 is the year to thrive

Lucy Wang
Cloud Educator & Founder
Tech With Lucy

12:45
Networking Lunch
THRIVING AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE NEW AI FRONTIER
13:45
PANEL DISCUSSION: Where is AI taking the tech sector, workforce, and your career?

Moderator:

Julie Canepa
Director Digital Transformation, Cisco
Board Member, Diversity Council of Australia

Panellists:

Melissa Kaplan
Senior Design Architect - Innovation Hub
Microsoft

Susan Gibson
Head of Data Analytics and AI
University of Technology Sydney

Jacqui Davy
Head of Privacy and Product Counsel, Global
Canva

14:25
Ethics in the digital age: safeguarding human rights as technology evolves
  • Examining the ethical implications of AI: protecting privacy, fairness, and transparency
  • Advocating for the inclusion of diverse perspectives in AI development to prevent biases and uphold human rights
  • Promoting responsible AI practices that prioritise societal well-being, accountability, and equitable technology deployment

Aruna Pattam
Head of AI Platforms
Zurich Insurance

14:55
Chaos and capability in cybersecurity: achieving secure AI and protecting the new frontier
  • Examining the critical issues and challenges in securing AI operations
  • The emerging opportunities created by advancements in AI
  • Why we cannot dismiss the importance of traditional cybersecurity techniques

Kate Carruthers
Chief Data & Insights Officer
UNSW Sydney

15:25
Afternoon tea
CHALLENGING YOURSELF TO RISE TO NEW HEIGHTS
15:55
Thriving by venturing outside your comfort zone
  • Tackling transformations and climbing the metaphorical Everest 
  • Adapting a resilient mindset and attitude 
  • Learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable

Asifa Sherazi
Chief Information Officer - Health Insurance and Business Services
Bupa

16:25
Feeling the fear, and doing it anyway

Manal al-Sharif, a renowned women's rights activist and human rights defender, hails from Saudi Arabia but now proudly calls Sydney her home. Her remarkable journey has earned her international recognition and numerous accolades, making her a leading advocate for women's rights and gender equality. Recognised by TIME as one of the 100 most influential people in the world and listed among the top 10 tech-revolutionaries by Newsweek, Manal's influence reaches far and wide.

  • Why bold aspirations are essential in the world of tech and beyond  
  • Breaking bias – and the law
  • Promoting gender equality and social change for the betterment of all

Manal al-Sharif
Chief Information Security Officer
Ramsay Health Care

16:55
Closing remarks from the Chair & end of Women in Tech Fest 2025