Where Australia’s visionary leaders shape the future
19 November 2024
Tap into this ‘who’s who’ of Australian business for unparalleled insights and inspiration on the biggest challenges facing leaders today.
Forbes is where the most powerful ideas come to life.
At the Forbes Business Summit, you’re stepping into a community of visionaries, innovators, and leaders who are reshaping industries and rewriting the rules.
Join Australia’s top investors, founders, and business leaders as they come together to share insights and spark ideas. It’s your chance to gain strategies for thriving in today’s evolving business landscape.
We’ve designed the Summit to maximise opportunities for real connections. With 20 speakers and ample networking time, you’ll walk away with actionable ideas on leadership, tech, entrepreneurship, and growth.
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Key Takeaways
Thrive in Uncertainty
Gain actionable strategies to navigate high interest rates, economic challenges, and recessionary concerns with confidence
AI Powered Leadership
Discover how to lead effectively in a hybrid workforce, leveraging AI and emerging technologies to drive innovation and efficiency.
From Idea to Billion Dollar Business
Learn how successful founders turned visionary ideas into billion-dollar companies, and apply their insights to accelerate your own growth.
Future Proof Strategies
Explore cutting edge approaches from Australia’s top CEOs and investors on how to stay ahead in an ever-evolving business landscape.
Unmatched Networking Opportunities
Connect with Australia’s most influential business icons, investors, and entrepreneurs to build relationships that fuel your next big opportunity.
Featured Speakers
More speakers will be announced each week
Peter Freedman AM
Founder & Chair
Rode & The Freedman Group
Peter Freedman AM is the Founder and Chairman of RØDE and The Freedman Group.
An entrepreneur, philanthropist and passionate ambassador for Australian manufacturing excellence, he has won dozens of product and export awards, including Ernst & Young’s Australian Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014, as well as Australia’s highest national honour, the Order of Australia (denoted by AM) in 2016.
Established in 1991 as a brand under Freedman Electronics – the sound installation company started by his parents in 1967 – Peter has grown RØDE into the world’s leading creator technology brand. RØDE’s microphones and audio products are the number one in a range of categories, including content creation, podcasting, studio recording and broadcast.
Today, RØDE is a global company with offices across the world, including the US, UK, Germany, China and Japan. Its headquarters are in Sydney, Australia, where it designs and manufactures its products, exporting to 118 countries globally.
Peter established The Freedman Group as a parent company to RØDE, which has since acquired several legendary audio companies, including APHEX, SoundField, EVENT and, most recently, iconic American pro audio brand Mackie.
Richard White
CEO & Founder
Wisetech
Richard White founded software company WiseTech Global in 1994 to help logistics companies manage goods and information across supply chains.
2024 Speakers
Peter Freedman AM
Founder & Chair
Rode & The Freedman Group
Peter Freedman AM is the Founder and Chairman of RØDE and The Freedman Group.
An entrepreneur, philanthropist and passionate ambassador for Australian manufacturing excellence, he has won dozens of product and export awards, including Ernst & Young’s Australian Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014, as well as Australia’s highest national honour, the Order of Australia (denoted by AM) in 2016.
Established in 1991 as a brand under Freedman Electronics – the sound installation company started by his parents in 1967 – Peter has grown RØDE into the world’s leading creator technology brand. RØDE’s microphones and audio products are the number one in a range of categories, including content creation, podcasting, studio recording and broadcast.
Today, RØDE is a global company with offices across the world, including the US, UK, Germany, China and Japan. Its headquarters are in Sydney, Australia, where it designs and manufactures its products, exporting to 118 countries globally.
Peter established The Freedman Group as a parent company to RØDE, which has since acquired several legendary audio companies, including APHEX, SoundField, EVENT and, most recently, iconic American pro audio brand Mackie.
Richard White
CEO & Founder
Wisetech
Richard White founded software company WiseTech Global in 1994 to help logistics companies manage goods and information across supply chains.
Melinda Petrunoff
Country Manager, Australia & New Zealand
Pinterest
Melinda Petrunoff is the Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand at Pinterest. Based in Sydney, Melinda’s responsibilities include building and managing the team to increase advertising growth in Australia and New Zealand, supporting relationships with brands, and ensuring Pinterest is the best possible localized experience for people using the platform across these countries.
Melinda has more than 20 years of leadership, sales, marketing and operations experience building successful digital businesses across Asia and the Pacific. Prior to Pinterest, Melinda spent more than eight years helping to grow Facebook’s APAC business in a variety of leadership roles, including Director of Scaled for Australia and New Zealand, supporting the growth of small to medium businesses.
Before joining Facebook in 2013, Melinda worked for Fairfax Digital (now Nine) in several executive roles where she was responsible for building audiences and commercialising their digital businesses including Domain.
Melinda is passionate about building successful teams and developing talent. Since 2015, she has volunteered as a board member of OzHarvest where she is currently responsible for leading the strategy committee.
Chris Andrews
CEO
La Trobe
Chris Andrews is Chief Executive Officer of La Trobe Financial and has over 20 years’ experience in Corporate Australia.
He holds a bachelor’s degrees in law (with honours) and Commerce. He spent the first part of his career in law and joined La Trobe Financial from one of Australia’s leading commercial law firms as senior legal counsel in 2006.
In 2009, Chris moved into the position first of Head of Funds Management and later Chief Investment Officer. From 2009 until his appointment as CEO in 2022, Chris was at the helm of the Asset Management business for La Trobe Financial, the fastest and largest growing fund of its type in Australian corporate history.
As CEO, Chris brings sharp focus to customer service, business performance, capital management, technology uplift, risk management and people and culture.
Chris is one of the youngest CEOs in the Banking & Financial Services Industry in Australia.
Livia Wang
Founder
Access Corporate & Wellness Adventures
Livia Wang, often called the wellness industry’s treasure hunter, is a plant-based visionary and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience building wellness and beauty brands. As the founder of Access Corporate Group and Wellness Adventures, Livia has successfully launched Australian and New Zealand brands into global markets, reaching over 10 million consumers. Her focus is on incubating pioneering brands that blend cutting-edge science with wellness, setting new standards and promoting healthier lifestyle choices.
Livia’s mission is to accelerate wellness outcomes globally by bridging the gap between science and society. With more than 50 brand success stories, she is dedicated to improving the well-being of people everywhere, empowering them to take control of their health and transform their lives through sustainable wellness practices.
A disruptive force in the wellness industry, Livia is reimagining health and beauty, not just by introducing new products but by reshaping outdated norms. She is passionate about delivering innovative, accessible wellness solutions for all.
Mervyn Tan
Head of Design & Co-creation, Kyndryl Australia & New Zealand
Mervyn Tan is an award-winning digital practice leader and experience design consultant with over twenty years of experience. He has worked with some of the world’s largest consumer brands, consultancies, and creative agencies, leading groundbreaking projects that have set new standards in the industry.
Past Event Speakers
Carol Schwartz
Founder
Women’s Leadership Institute Au
Christine Holgate
Group CEO
Team Global Express
Appointed the new Group CEO at Team Global Express, Christine is also the Co-Chair for the (Federal) Ministerial Advisory for Trade & is the Director of Collingwood Football Club.
Dr. Sam Prince
Executive Chairman and Founder
Prince Group
Dr. Prince is the Executive Chairman and Founder of the Prince Group, a portfolio of businesses spanning a diverse range of sectors, including, health (Non- for-profit – One Disease), technology (Next Practice, Zapid Hire), hospitality (Zambrero, Sam Prince Hospitality Group) and FMCG (Shine).
Tim Gurner
Founder
Gurner Group
Luke Anear
Founder & CEO
SafetyCulture
Luke founded workplace safety software company SafetyCulture from his garage. Today, it’s used by more than 65,000 organisations worldwide.
Jessica Sepel
Founder & Director
JSHealth Vitamins
3 times best-selling author, Jess built JSHealth to provide high quality supplements to her community.
Erin Deering
Co-Founder
Triangl
Erin grew Triangl into a USD$200m company through a hunger for success and savvy social media use. One year alone saw a $50m revenue jump.
Tim Fung
Co-Founder & CEO
Airtasker
From an idea to capital raising and global brand – Airtasker is a success story that empowers people and impacts the future of work on a global scale.
Kim Jackson
Founder
Skip Capital
Former investment banker and rock musician, Kim founded and runs Skip Capital. Skip invests in high-growth tech companies (incl. Canva, CultureAmp and SafetyCulture) as well as future-aware infrastructure projects.
Chris Eigeland
Co-Founder & CEO
Go1
Go1 is the largest online professional education provider in the world and recognised as one of the fastest growing companies in Australia.
Rick Baker
Co-Founder
Blackbird Ventures
A VC firm focused on the best global tech startups in Australia and NZ. Rick has led the firm’s investments into companies such as Canva, Baraja SafetyCulture, and Gilmour Space.
Emma Weston
Co-Founder & CEO
AgriDigital
A multi-awarded platform, AgriDigital is leading the way in digitizing, connecting and securing global agricultural supply chains – from farmer to consumer.
The Business Summit will take place less than two weeks after the U.S. election, the summit will explore strategies for thriving amidst high interest rates, recessionary concerns, and the shifting dynamics of a hybrid, AI-powered workforce.
Sarah O’Carroll
Editor in Chief, Forbes Australia
Tickets | Event agenda | Speakers | FAQ
Tammy Hembrow
Founder & CEO
Saski & TammyFit
With a social following of 15.4 million+ on Instagram and over 2m subscribers on YouTube & TikTok, Tammy’s success is driven by her honest and open approach to all her social channels.
Sue Fennessy
Founder & CEO
WeAre8
Sue has spent the last 30 years creating disruptive businesses in the digital economy across Asia, Europe and North America. Now, she’s taking on the tech giants with a new, sustainable social media platform, WeAre8.
Shaun Wilson
Co-Founder, CEO & MD
Bondi Sands
Bondi Sands was founded in 2012. With co-founder Shaun Wilson at the helm of the company’s global brand strategy, today it’s the number one self-tanning brand in the world.
Pippa Hallas
CEO
Ella Bache
Ella Bache has grown to be one of Australia’s most iconic skincare companies. Hallas is its third-generation owner and chief and knows all about perseverance and taking risks.
Naby Mariyam
Founder & CEO
Coverhero
Key-note speaker and host of Hustlechat podcast, Naby Mariyam founded Coverhero in 2017 to focus on insurance services for Millenials and GenZ.
Elicia McDonald
Partner
AirTree
AirTree Ventures is one of the largest VC funds in Australia and has been an early investor in many breakout tech companies like Canva. McDonald is Partner at the firm, and has supported ambitious founders in the early stages of their journey.
Fred Schebesta
Founder
Finder
Schebesta is an entrepreneur, adviser and the founder of global fintech, Finder (now worth over half a billion dollars). He’s also known as The Crypto King of Australia and has recently launched a blockchain investment fund.
Dr Sarah Hunter
Senior Economist & Partner
KPMG
Joining KPMG in 2022, Dr Hunter is a senior economist and partner in the firm’s economics tax centre. She leads the firm’s economic advisory practice, and is currently helping businesses navigate the high inflation environment.
Choose Your Experience
19 November 2024, 9am – 5pm AEDT, Hyatt Regency, Sydney
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Agenda
8:00 AM
Registrations Open
9:00 AM
Welcome Note and Opening Remarks
Fireside Chat: How to Build a Billion-Dollar Company
Uncover the secrets behind transforming visionary ideas into billion-dollar success stories. Join an exclusive fireside chat with Australia’s leading founders who will share their journey with innovation, resilience, and business acumen.
Venture Capital Panel: The Next Billion-Dollar Idea
Explore the future of investment with a panel of top venture capitalists. They’ll provide an in-depth look at where the smart money is flowing, the industries to watch, and how to attract funding for the next big idea
- Discover which sectors are set to produce the next generation of billion-dollar companies
- Learn what VCs are looking for and how to position your startup to secure investment
- Gain a clear view of upcoming trends and opportunities in the funding landscape for 2025
10:30 AM
Morning Break
11:00 AM
Spotlight on Resilience
Hear from notable figures who have turned adversity into success. This session will provide powerful stories and practical advice on building resilience and overcoming challenges in your personal and professional life.
Panel: Leadership in 2025
Navigate the evolving business landscape with insights from top CEOs on how to lead through economic uncertainty, hybrid workforces, and technological disruptions. This panel will reveal strategies to thrive in a complex and dynamic environment
- Learn how to steer your organization through high interest rates and economic fluctuations
- Understand how to adapt leadership strategies to a workforce increasingly powered by AI and remote work
- Explore how global political shifts will influence business strategies and decision-making
Keynote: 5 Trends in 5 Minutes
12:00PM
Lunch
1:30 PM
Spotlight on Winning Mindsets
Gain insights into the mental strategies that drive top athletes and leaders. This session will explore how to cultivate a winning mindset and balance performance with mental health to achieve sustained success.
Fireside Chat with Richard White: How to Build a Billion-Dollar Company
Uncover the secrets behind transforming visionary ideas into billion-dollar success stories. Join an exclusive fireside chat with Australia’s leading founders who will share their journey with innovation, resilience, and business acumen.
Panel: The Attention Economy
Meet Australia’s brightest young talent and hear first-hand how they’re making waves across industries. This panel will delve into their rapid rise, key challenges, and how they are building their brands in the new attention economy. This is the future of business from a fresh, dynamic perspective.
- Discover how these young leaders are redefining success and making a mark in their fields
- Understand how they navigate brand partnerships and scale their businesses at a young age
- Get insights into the trends and strategies driving the next generation of business leaders
3:00 PM
Afternoon Break
4:00 PM
Fireside Chat with Peter Freedman: How to Build a Billion-Dollar Company
Uncover the secrets behind transforming visionary ideas into billion-dollar success stories. Join an exclusive fireside chat with Australia’s leading founders who will share their journey with innovation, resilience, and business acumen.
4:30 PM
Networking Drinks
$7.7b+*
Total speaker brand valuation
17.1m+
Total speaker social media followers
15+
Australia’s most influential founders
8hr+
To connect with likeminded leaders
Tickets | Event agenda | Speakers | FAQ
Location
Presenting partner
Platinum partner
Tickets | Event agenda | Speakers | FAQ
FAQ
| How & when will I receive my live event ticket? You will receive your live event ticket via email upon confirming registration details of attendee/s. You should receive your tax invoice via email upon completing your purchase. |
| Is this event live or virtual? The Forbes Australia Business Summit is a live, in-person event hosted at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney. Please note the Business Summit will not be streamed virtually. |
| What do I need to bring to gain entry to the event? Please bring along your pre-purchased ticket along with photo identification. |
| Can I purchase a ticket on the day/at the venue? Yes, tickets will be able to be purchased on the day of the event, if ticket allocations have not already been exhausted. You can purchase tickets online or speak to a Forbes member at the venue. |
| Is there a group booking discount available? Yes, a group discount of 10% is available upon purchasing 6 tickets in one transaction. For additional information please email events@forbes.com.au. |
| Am I able to alter the attendees name? Only the purchaser of the ticket(s) can alter an attendees name up until 11.59pm (AEDT) on the 17th of November 2024. This can be done by the purchaser by clicking on the modify registration button on you confirmation email. |
| Venue Any questions regarding the venue – public transport, parking, health & safety, prohibited items and disabled access please visit the venue website – Hyatt Regency |
| Is there a dress code? The dress code is smart casual. Any inappropriately dressed attendee may be refused access to the Forbes Australia Business Summit. |
| Event terms and conditions Click here for the terms and conditions for the Forbes Australia Business Summit. |
* Source: Total speaker brand valuation estimated based on latest publicly available data.
