CHRISTINA GERAKITEYS
Opening keynote speaker
Christina Gerakiteys is a catalyst for change. She is on a mission to enable the enablers and to empower and inspire leaders and emerging leaders to converge minds, technology and fields, to have maximum impact. In a world where there is so much noise, Christina enables change-makers to create their own playbook.
Christina is CEO of UtopiaX, author of Celebrating Success One Failure at a Time, and Founder of IdeaSparx, an innovation platform. She is a sought-after international keynote speaker, facilitator, and program designer, creating interactive educational experiences driven by design thinking, purpose, engagement, and play. The programs disrupt current mindsets to Moonshot thinking, exploring what is possible, rather than what is acceptable or limited. Christina has created highly customised programs for clients including Deloitte, IAG, Employment Hero, Fragomen, Austrade, Bupa, Investa and Dulux. Christina also coaches and mentors entrepreneurs.
Christina has presented keynotes and workshops for the Singularity University (Silicon Valley, California), Entrepreneurs Organisation (international), Front End of Innovation Conference (Boston), Vivid Ideas (Sydney), Creative Innovation (Melbourne) and Inspiring Women Leaders in the Digital Era Congress (Spain), SXSW (Sydney) and SXSW (Austin, Texas).
Christina writes for several publications, hosts the podcast Inspired for Impact, and speaks on other broadcast channels about creativity and innovation. She is a contributor to the award-winning Front-End Innovation blog. Christina is an ambassador for Stone and Chalk Tech Central, Sydney, on the International Advisory Board for W Startup Community, and sits on the Hunter Medical Research Foundation. She is an ambassador for Oceanlovers Global, on the Advisory Board for One Million Women and an Action Council Member for Atlantic Council.
Christina is an advocate for innovation committees, produced the annual Hunter Innovation Festival for 15 years, and lectures in Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She is a lifelong learner, undertaking doctorate studies in Creativity and Innovation.
DESPINA KATSIKAKIS
Executive Partner & Global Head, Total Workplace Consulting, Cushman & Wakefield
Despina is a leading voice in the office sector. For over 40 years, she has driven innovation in workplace environments for global corporates and visionary real estate developments. She pioneered workplace consultancy in the 1980s and transformed the focus of the workplace on people and experience.
At Cushman & Wakefield, she advises on the evolving nature of work and its impact on engagement, wellbeing, and business performance.
Her insights help occupiers and investors align real estate with ESG & business goals. Former President of the British Council of Offices, she lectures regularly, serves on various advisory boards and hosts the Purpose of Place podcast.
ROBYN WILSON
Founder & CEO, Superora Strategy Studio
Robyn Wilson is a strategist, researcher and founder of Superora® Strategy Studio.
She is the mind behind Coolnomics® - a human-first economic theory that explores how emotional and cultural dynamics shape economic value.
Robyn has worked with and advised major partners including SXSW Sydney, Disney, and Machine Hall. She lectures on Coolnomics® at the University of Technology Sydney, where she also attained an MBA.
Robyn helps organisations build strategies and spaces that resonate - socially and commercially. Her work spans the property, health, tech, entertainment and public sectors.
ROBBIE ROBERTSON
Digital Experience Design & Strategy Leader, Australia, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Gensler
Connecting People, technology and Place has been a passion for Robbie for over 28 years of his career, in the UK, US and for the past 20 years in Australia & Asia Pacific.
Specialising in strategic storytelling, Robbie has helped organisations develop experience strategies that emotionally connect with customers & employees.
Robbie is also passionate about inclusion in all its forms and is the APAC leader for Global Inclusion for Gensler.
DR SEAN GALLAGHER
Founder, Humanova
Dr. Sean Gallagher is the founder of Humanova and one of Australia's leading experts on the future of work. He specialises in how technology transforms work and enhances human capabilities to drive organisational value.
Sean focuses on generative AI's impact on work, engaging with leaders across Australia on strategic implications, practical applications and the implications for future of workplace. His research on AI-powered workplaces has been published by Mirvac and WORKTECH Academy. , with recent work including "Breaking the scale barrier: Australian mid-sized SMEs lead GenAI transformation."
BRYAN FROUD
Consulting Director, Work Dynamics, JLL
Bryan Froud is a Consulting Director at JLL with over 20 years' experience transforming corporate real estate portfolios. He partners with senior leaders to create productive, engaging workplace experiences that drive business performance. Bryan's expertise spans workplace design, portfolio strategy, and human-centered design.
A long-term CoreNet Global Australia committee members and Young Leader of the Year recipient (2019).
SU LIM
Director, SU LIM STUDIO
Su Lim is a strategist and designer of change, helping organisations create future-ready environments and systems that deliver commercial, environmental, social and cultural value.
With over 30 years of global experience across diverse sectors, Su’s practice focuses on the evolving relationship between experience, behaviour, and place. She advocates for inclusive, participatory design and brings together novel perspectives to inspire breakthrough thinking.
With qualifications in business, design, and change management, Su has led international teams at FreeState, JLL, and DEGW.
She serves as a faculty member for CoreNet’s MCR program and as an Adjunct Senior Industry Fellow at RMIT University.
EMILE RADEMEYER
Founder, RADEMEYER®
Emile Rademeyer is one of Australia’s most dynamic creative leaders and a pioneer in ‘phygital’ experience design, bridging the gap between physical presence and digital engagement.
As Creative Founder of RADEMEYER®, the studio is dedicated to Creative Innovation in Brand and Place Activation, Media Production, Events and Experiences. Emile redefines engagement by merging our physical and digital worlds in an era shaped by AI and innovation, using art and cultural resonance.
Highly motivated with excellent communication skills, Emile’s recognised talent earns international respect and he’s regarded as one of Australia’s most prolific creative, new media trailblazers.
MICHAEL EDWARDS
Global Head - Workplace Experience, Macquarie Group
An experienced and success-driven leader in Corporate Real Estate and Hospitality, I bring over two decades of expertise in guiding and mentoring diverse teams across Australian and international markets. Currently serving as Global Head of Workplace Experience at Macquarie Group, I am privileged to lead the evolution of our workplace hospitality, our services, and amenities, ensuring thoughtful and engaging experiences for our people, clients and community.
KYLE de BRUIN
Managing Director, Leesman Index
Kyle specialises in providing data-driven solutions to complex business challenges for Leesman’s global clients. Kyle joined Leesman in 2019 and has since supported multiple leading organisations on the alignment of their workplace strategies and in implementing successful workplace programs, delivering insights and analysis to the CRE, FM, HR and Technology partners at some of the world’s largest and most forward-thinking companies.
Leesman is the global independent assessor for workplace experience, equipping organisations with critical insights into their employee workplace experience. Through a series of assessment tools, Leesman captures employee sentiments on how effective their work environments are at supporting them.
ELLA HORNER
Head of Key Accounts, Bureau
Ella is a commercial leader with a long standing curiosity around what makes workplaces actually work. With a background spanning B2B growth, design-led industries, and a former life as a professional circus performer, she brings a unique lens to workplace experience and the business of space. She currently leads Key Accounts at Bureau, partnering with CRE leaders, architects, and designers to shape spaces where people come to do their best work.
ADRIAN O'DEA
Experience Services Lead - Australia/New Zealand
Adrian leads Workplace Experience Services for JLL across Australia and New Zealand, shaping how major organisations operationalise great experiences and create workplaces where people feel inspired to do the best work of their lives. With a background spanning experience design, operations, sales and placemaking, Adrian enjoys working at the intersection of psychology, data, and design, embedding experience into daily routines, service roles, and vendor partnerships. Adrian is a vocal advocate for rethinking efficiency-driven mindsets, arguing that the most valuable workplace moments often arise from deliberate investment in people, time, and space.
DR KARL KRUSZELNICKI
Closing keynote speaker
When NASA classified Karl as non-astronaut material in 1981 he walked straight into ABC Radio station Double J and offered to talk about the Space shuttle launch. They said 'Okay' and his radio career took off from there. 'Great Moments In Science' ran on Double J while Karl moonlighted as a medical student.
Since then, his media career has exploded from radio, to TV, books, newspapers, magazines, scripting, professional speaking, and of course, the Net.
Karl made his TV debut in 1985 as the presenter of the first series of Quantum. Since 1986 he has reported science on the Midday Show, Good Morning Australia (including a full-time stint in 1991-2 as the TV Weatherman and science reporter), the Today Show and Sunrise. Along side his fellow geek Adam Spencer, he has written and co-produced two series of Sleek Geeks for ABC TV.
Karl popularises science on ABC radio stations across Australia and, on the BBC, for several hours each week. Many of you will be familiar with the original talk back programme each Thursday on JJJ from 11am to midday.
Karl has written (so far) 40 books, beginning with 'Great Moments In Science' in 1984, and includes such titles as 'It Ain't Necessarily So...'Bro' (2006), which was launched, quite literally, via rocket at Sydney's Bondi Beach (a world first).
November 2009 saw the simultaneous release of Karl's 28th book, 'Never Mind The BULLocks... Here's the Science', board game ('Fact OR Fishy'), and first ever music single, 'Get Fact'. In August 2010 Karl's 29th book, 'Dinosaurs Aren't Dead', was released. In November 2010, Karl's 30th book, 'Curious & Curiouser', was released into the adult non-fiction market. His latest book, 'Short Back and Science' was
released in October 2015.
In 1996 Karl was invited by the United States Information Agency to be a Distinguished Foreign Guest in their International Visitor Program. Previous Alumni of this program include Julius Nyere, Anwar Sadat, Indira Ghandi and Margaret Thatcher. As part of this program he visited NORAD, Dryden Air Force Base and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory - and got to sit in the front seat of an SR-71 Blackbird.
In August 2000 Karl was one of the first eight Australian Apple Masters to be announced (there are fewer than 100 in the entire world). The Apple Masters Program celebrates the achievements of people who are changing the world through their passion and vision, while inspiring new approaches to creative thinking.
In 2002, Dr Karl was honoured with the prestigious Ig Nobel prize awarded by Harvard University in the USA for his ground-breaking research into Belly Button Lint and why it is almost always blue.
In September 2003, Dr Karl was bestowed with the great honour of being named 'Australian Father of the Year'.
Dr Karl Kruszelnicki received the Member of the Order of Australia Award in the 2006 Australia Day Honours list. In 2007 the Australia Skeptics Society awarded Dr Karl the Australia Skeptic Of The Year Prize.
In 2012 Karl was delighted to have Asteroid 18412 named after him. Asteroid Dr Karl/18412 was discovered by Robert H. McNaught at the Siding Spring Observatory in Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia, on June 13, 1993.
Karl has degrees in Physics and Maths, Biomedical Engineering, Medicine and Surgery and has worked as a physicist, tutor, film-maker, car mechanic, labourer, and as a medical doctor at the Kids' Hospital in Sydney.
Dr Karl is currently the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at Sydney University, where his 'mission' is to spread the good word about science and its benefits.
His enthusiasm for science is totally infectious and no one is better able to convey the excitement and wonder of it all than Dr Karl Kruszelnicki.