12 July 2022, Crown Promenade Melbourne
Opening remarks from the chairperson

Jessica Kaaden
Vice President, AHRI Victorian Council
PANEL: The great resignation – How to retain top employees in the new world of work
Organisations are facing increased resignations in this competitive job market with skill shortages and changing employee expectations. In this session, hear how Australia’s leading companies are engaging and retaining their high-performing employees.
- Realigning company values with workplace culture
- Strategies to create an engaging employee experience in a hybrid environment
- Building a strong employee value proposition (EVP)
- Successful career development and progression opportunities
Moderator:

Ryan McGrory
Employee Engagement Journalist, Reward Gateway
Panellists:

Jane Betts
Chief People Officer, Findex

Paul Birch
Chief People & Culture and Corporate Communications Officer, Transdev

Meahan Callaghan
Chief People and Culture Officer, Redbubble

Vanessa Hicks
Group Executive People Experience, TPG Telecom
Leading with resilience: The changing role of the HR leader
The changing conditions of hybrid work arrangements to attracting and retaining talent have been challenging, but many HR leaders have remained resilient, going above and beyond to support the business. In this session, Peitta will share what it means to be a HR leader today and how the past few years have shaped HR’s role as a strategic business partner.
- Key lessons on leadership in times of uncertainty
- Skill development including soft skills and workforce planning to adapt and thrive in today’s environment
- Practicing self-care and avoiding burnout

Peitta Dyball
Chief People Officer, Yarra Trams
CASE STUDY: Driving measurable change across diversity, equality, and inclusion
Now more than ever before, diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) are important pillars to drive innovation and growth in a business, but how exactly do we achieve this transformation in the workplace, especially in a hybrid setting? Hear how Xero has embraced DEI across the organisation and developed strategies that go beyond the checklists.
- Developing company workplaces, products, and services to be more accessible and inclusive
- Embedding flexible work options across the business
- Examples of successful hybrid activities to drive engagement in the company
- Creating a team of DEI champions to support the transformation

Kasey Zun
Global Head of Inclusion, Diversity & Belonging, Xero
Under the Microscope: Rethinking Performance Management in 2022
Since the pandemic, the way organisations manage their people has changed. The rise of hybrid working has forced leaders to adopt new approaches to track and enhance performance – not forgetting how COVID-19 has impacted employee needs, engagement and productivity. The employee experience (EX) has changed, but have HR’s internal processes kept pace? This presentation will reveal:
- How COVID-19 has impacted performance management
- Why measuring contribution is more important than performance
- The importance of offering personal goals, as well as professional goals
- The advantages of moving to project-based performance review
- How implementing total rewards can humanise review processes
INTERVIEW: Creating meaning at work
While technology has made us more digitally connected than ever before, employees are feeling increasingly disconnected from their roles, teams, companies. In this session, Helen will share how HR leaders can lead with purpose and create meaningful connections between employees and the company

Helen Hovenga
Global Chief People Officer, Telix Pharmaceuticals
Interviewed by:

Jessica Kaaden
Vice President, AHRI Victorian Council
LEGAL UPDATE: Workplace sexual harassment and the law
The findings from the Respect@Work report has increased the need for clarity and urgency to address and prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. This session will examine the latest legal updates in workplace sexual harassment including case law and upcoming changes.
- Understanding the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (SDA) – definition of sexual harassment, prohibited areas of public life such as employment, vicarious liability and remedies
- Key statistics of workplace sexual harassment in Australia
- Jurisdiction options for harassment claim – state or Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and practice and procedure
- Recent case developments - Ranemeet Kaur [2022] FWC 487; Oliver v Bassari (Human Rights) [2022] VCAT 329
- Proposed changes to Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) arising from Respect@Work Report

Tamsin Lawrence
Senior Associate, Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors
CASE STUDY: Prioritising mental health in the workplace
Mental and physical wellbeing continues to be a top priority after prolonged periods of remote work and constant uncertainty but what does wellbeing look like in a high-pressure work environment? In this session, hear how the Department of Transport has have supported their employees to prioritise their wellbeing at work and to achieve work-life balance.
- Navigating employee anxiety, stress, and burnout
- How to drive the conversation on mental health across all levels of the organisation
- Examples of successful wellbeing initiatives on a budget
- Developing empathy and communication skills in middle managers
- Understanding what truly matters for employees to bring their best selves to work

Antoinette Battista
Executive Director People & Culture, Department of Transport
PANEL: Enhancing your talent attraction strategy
Employee expectations are changing with many seeking flexibility, inclusivity and work-life balance in addition to a competitive remuneration package. With talent shortage on the rise, how are organisations changing their talent attraction strategy to remain competitive? In this session, hear how Australia’s top companies have leveraged their employee experience to attract talent.
- Creating flexible and inclusive working models
- Developing comprehensive benefits for a diverse workforce
- Communicating a clear company purpose and its values
- Overcoming challenges in attracting international talent
Moderator:

Jessica Kaaden
Vice President, AHRI Victorian Council
Panellists:

Craig Goldblatt
VP Partners & Alliances, Globalization Partners

Robert Stone
Chief People Officer (Australia/New Zealand), Wunderman Thompson

Sally Young
Chief People Experience Officer, Reece Group
Opening remarks from the chairperson

Jessica Kaaden
Vice President, AHRI Victorian Council
PANEL: Evolving your hybrid work practices into efficient long-term solutions
Remote work structures have been essential over the past two years. To remain competitive in today’s market, HR leaders must evolve their existing hybrid work practices into effective long-term solutions that enable optimal productivity, performance and corporate culture. This session will identify successful hybrid work practices and how to maintain a thriving corporate culture.
- How can leaders monitor and track productivity without infringing on employee privacy?
- Creating a strategy for managing projects, sustaining engagement and communicating consistently with dispersed teams
- How to rebuild an authentic culture in a hybrid setting
- How do organisations ensure remote workers maintain a sustainable work-life balance?
Moderator:

Jessica Kaaden
Vice President, AHRI Victorian Council
Panellists:

Katie Hodgson
Chief People Officer, Treasury Wine Estates

Kim Lion
Chief Culture and Communications Office, Mediabrands

Gavin Morse
Senior People Scientist, Culture Amp

Chris Regan
Chief People Officer, Whispir
Refining your HR technology portfolio
With many organisations adopting hybrid work arrangements for their workforce, it’s important to leverage people-driven technology to support collaboration, innovation and productivity. With all the HR technology options currently available, how do you determine the value of adopting new tech in a fast-changing world?
- Rethinking your HR technology strategy to align with the company’s goals
- Focusing on value creation and workforce experiences as ultimate outcomes
- Selecting programs for a multigenerational workforce
- Evaluating existing technology and determining its value

Joy Marrocco
People and Workplace Services, Telstra
PANEL: Performance management for a hybrid workforce
Performance management has become even more complex, as we embrace new ways of working. How are we changing the way we monitor and manage performance to reflect the current work environment and capitalise workforce capability? This session will discuss progressive performance management practices.
- Understanding how emerging trends affect performance such as burnout and fatigue
- Leveraging data to monitor and analyse performance
- Building a culture of performance and accountability
- Aligning personal objectives with the overall organisational strategy
Panellists:

Ronán Carolan
VP Human Resources, Thales

Alex Hattingh
Chief People Officer, Employment Hero

Mandy Mirghashini
Director, APAC HR Capability Centre, Bristol Myers Squibb

Kirsty Seaborne
Head of People Australia, Deliveroo
CASE STUDY: Redesigning career development plans
With employees experiencing burnout and seeking change in their roles, organisations need to revamp their career progression plans to align with changing employee expectations. How can we enhance the way we support employees in their growth? Hear how SPC has redesigned their career development programs to fully support their employees’ drive to grow, develop and learn.
- Providing clarity and growth opportunities in career paths
- How to create meaningful mentorships in remote settings
- Supporting career frameworks with a robust learning and development strategy

Alice Macfarlane
Organisational Development Manager, SPC

Robert Tanti
Chief People Officer, SPC
Change management strategies to adapt and thrive in uncertainty
From changing workplace arrangements to rapid digital transformation, the HR landscape is evolving and HR leaders play a pivotal role in delivering effective change management. In this session, Georgegina will discuss change management strategies to overcome disruption.
- Re-evaluating outdated change management processes
- Managing change as an ongoing process through adaptation and flexibility
- Identifying the latest set of skills and behaviours to be an effective change agent
- Creating a strong communication strategy
- Tips to encourage employee buy-in

Georgegina Poulos
Global Director People, T2 Tea
PANEL: Building the workforce of the future
With HR steering the transformation of a future-ready workforce, how are organisations equipping employees with the skills they need to adapt in a changing world? In this session, panellists will share the steps they are taking to prepare their workforce with future skills.
- Identifying the required capabilities for the future
- Mapping out a digital workforce transformation
- Examples of job redesigns to adapt to changing roles
- Successful learning and development initiatives with measurable outcomes
Panellists:

Austin Cowan
Regional Account Director - ANZ, Coursera

Michelle Fenwick
Executive Director, People and Culture, Northern Health

Tonya Scibilia
General Manager, Learning, Organisational Development and Wellbeing, David Jones & Country Road Group

Sarah Traynor
Product Owner, Culture & Engagement, ANZ
Prize Draws
Expo Passport Grand Prize
Collect all exhibitors’ stamps on the Expo Passport for the chance to win a $1,000 cash prize!
Workshops All Star Grand Prize
Attend all workshops for the chance to win a $1,000 cash prize!
Sponsor Prize Draws
Plus, don't miss several exciting prize giveaways from our exhibitors! Visit their stand to discover how to enter the draws!