Melbourne Agenda
Thursday 12th November 2026
Venue to be announced shortly
08:00 – 09:00
Registration, Networking, Meeting and Connections
09:00 – 09:30
Welcome and Setting the Scene
Chris Cummings
Founder, Sonas Group, (Wellbeing at Work)
09:30 – 10:15
Leadership Panel – Driving Performance in a Changing World: From Wellbeing to Workforce Advantage
What leadership behaviours and cultural signals sustain wellbeing and performance in hybrid, AI-enabled workplaces? How can wellbeing be embedded as a seamless, data-informed experience across the entire employee lifecycle? How do organisations shift from wellbeing provision to building workforce capability, adaptability, and growth? How can wellbeing be leveraged as a strategic driver of resilience, retention, and innovation in times of rapid change?
Brett Reid
Chief People Officer, YMCA Victoria
Lisa Taylor-Mesiti
Chief People Officer, IS Group
Penny Lovett
Chief People Officer, Arcare Aged Care
Nicole Hughes
Director, People & Culture, Victorian Gambling and Casino Control
Amanda Armstrong
Chief People & Communications Officer, Royal Melbourne Hospital
Robyn Levinge
GM Leadership, Culture & Wellbeing, Bank of New Zealand
10:15 – 10:40
AI as the Driver of the Future of HR, Wellness and Performance
How will AI impact holistic well-being strategies to drive productivity, lower healthcare costs, and increased profitability? How will AI & personalization elevate engagement through data-driven wellness solutions? What impact will AI-powered coaching and health analytics have on customized well-being plans that improve employee retention and performance? How can organizations prioritize emotional intelligence, trust, and mental health support experience in order to achieve stronger engagement, lower turnover, and higher innovation?
Speaker to be announced shortly
10:40 - 11:05
Morning Networking Break
11:05 - 11:50
Moving Beyond Wellbeing to Better Work
The evolving role of wellbeing practitioners in the workplace; from subject matter experts to partnering on business and people success, Employee wellbeing is an enabler for productivity, retention and satisfaction…but have wellbeing practitioners (and HR leaders) been too narrow in their focus?
Daniel Thek
Health and Wellbeing Manager, Mars ANZ
11:50 – 12:00
Audience Energiser
12:00 – 13:00
Leadership Workshop Discussions
Attendees will take their pick from our expert led sessions which will be announced shortly
13:00 – 14:00
Networking Lunch
14:00 - 14:15
Audience Energiser
14:15 - 15:00
Panel: Designing Wellbeing with Inclusion in Mind
How do you deliver wellbeing that truly works across hybrid, multi-generational and neurodiverse workforces? What does inclusivity mean for women’s wellbeing in the workplace? What means are available to better accommodate those with disabilities at organizations today? What can employers do to ensure true inclusion combines belongingness and the valuing of individual uniqueness? What should be done about culture from the perspective of inter-generational workers? How can organizations create non-discriminatory work processes and policies? How do communities in organizations help create a culture of inclusion and thriving together?
Jane McIntosh
Director of People Experience, Fire Rescue Victoria
Shanyn Payne
Chief People Officer, Netwealth
Kathryn Foster
Head of People & Culture, Portable
Erika Jeffs
General Manager, Talent & People Partnering, Judo Bank
15:00 - 15:30
Networking Break
15:30 - 16:15
The Role of Learning in Boosting Wellbeing in an Ever-Changing Environment
How do organizations provide employees with the skills needed to meet the ever-changing needs of their companies? Developing a culture of learning and development to enable employees to manage rapidly changing working conditions. Ensuring learning and development provides resilience to employees. What can organizations do now to ensure remote workers have the same access to learning opportunities?
Peter Elkhuizen
Partner Capability & Growth Manager, Starbucks
16:15 – 16:30
CEO Fireside Chat
Speaker to be announced shortly
16:30 – 16:40
Closing Remarks
Chris Cummings
Founder, Sonas Group, Wellbeing at Work
16:40 – 18:00
