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Australia 2026
Aon Insights Series
Better Decisions to Build Resilience and Drive Growth 20 - 21 October
Event Details
This year, we celebrate the 22nd Anniversary of the Aon Insights Series Australia 2026, which will take place on 20-21 October at The Ritz-Carlton in Melbourne. The Aon Insights Series Australia 2026 will map out the core Risk and Human Capital issues impacting organisations and the critical decisions that leaders and their teams grapple with day-to-day.
Bringing together senior executives, industry leaders and subject matter experts to examine the issues shaping the risk and leadership agenda now and what they mean for organisations in the year ahead.
It will be two days of discussion focused on the forces redefining business decision-making and the growing need for resilience across operations, capital and strategy.
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Featured Speaker
Nicki Hutley, Independent Economist
Nicki Hutley is an independent economist and Climate Councillor with more than three decades’ experience across financial markets, investment management and economic consulting, advising business, government and not for profits. In her economic keynote at Aon Insights Series Melbourne, she will explore how global forces, domestic policy choices and the transition to a net zero, more resilient economy are reshaping Australia’s outlook and the risks and opportunities facing organisations.
Featured Speaker
Craig Scroggie, CEO and Managing Director, NEXTDC
Craig Scroggie, CEO and Managing Director of NEXTDC, Australia’s leading data-centre-as-a-service provider and an ASX 100 technology company, will share how one of the country’s foremost digital infrastructure providers is responding to geopolitical tension, fragile supply chains, the energy and climate trilemma, and surging AI demand to strengthen sovereign and critical infrastructure resilience.
Featured Speaker
Paul Symon AO, Former Director-General, Australian Secret Intelligence Service
Paul Symon, AO was the Director-General Australian Secret Intelligence Service 2017- 2022. Paul’s background in both leadership roles and in Australia’s Secret Intelligence Service makes him uniquely qualified to pass commentary on Australia’s social, economic, and political standing. He is perfectly qualified to identify current and potential threats to our way of life. Most importantly Paul knows what we must do to protect ourselves politically and economically when there are so many threats from outsiders through numerous avenues of assault.
Featured Speaker
Dr. Bruce McCabe, Global Futurist
Dr Bruce McCabe is a global futurist, author and international keynote speaker who has spent three decades exploring how breakthrough technologies reshape industries and society. Founder of the future research firm S2 Intelligence and host of the “FutureBites” podcast, he advises multinationals and governments worldwide on AI and exponential innovation. In his closing keynote at Aon Insights Series Melbourne, he will look beyond the immediate horizon to explore the next wave of game changing technologies and what they mean for leaders, risk and resilience.
Agenda
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Day 1 – Tuesday, 20 October
8.40am – 9.05am
Welcome and Opening Address
Kevan Johnston, Chief Executive Officer, Australia, Aon
Jason Disborough, Chief Commercial Officer, Pacific, Aon
9.05am – 9.50am
Australia's Economic Future: Navigating Fragmentation, Interdependence and Strategic Resilience
Nicki Hutley, Independent Economist
9.50am – 10.40am
C-Suite Panel: From Resilience to Growth: Leadership in an Era of Complexity
Catherine McCormack, Chief Financial Officer, CitiPower, Powercor, and United Energy
Andrew Davis, Chief Executive Officer, VMIA
Ben North, Chief Financial Officer, Asahi Beverages
10.40am – 11.10am
Break
11.10am – 11.55pm
Session Keynote: The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Building the Infrastructure of the Intelligence Era
Craig Scroggie, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, NEXTDC
11.55pm – 12.40pm
International Case Study: Powering Growth – Risk Leadership at GE Vernova
Katie Crowe, Senior Insurance Manager, General Electric (GE) Vernova
12.40pm – 1:40pm
Lunch
1.40pm – 2:25pm
Reading the Signals: Geopolitical Risk, Strategic Uncertainty and the Decisions That Matter Next
Major General Paul Symon AO (Ret’d), Former Director-General Australian Secret Intelligence Service
2.25pm – 3.10pm
CRO Plenary Session: The Future Risk Agenda: How CROs are Driving the Strategic Enterprise Risk Agenda
Craig Smith, Chief Risk Officer, BMD Group
Simon Reading, Chief Risk Officer, GrainCorp
Ryan Zanin, Chief Risk Officer, Westpac
3.10pm – 3.35pm
Break
3.35pm – 4.20pm
Market Dynamics in a Complex and Changing Risk Ecosystem
Helene Madell, Chief Executive Officer, Global Broking Centre, Aon
John Brosnan, Head of Financial & Professional Services Group, Global Broking Centre, Aon
4.20pm – 5.05pm
Closing Keynote: Seeing Around Corners: The Opportunities Shaping the Next Decade
Dr. Bruce McCabe, Global Futurist
5.05pm – 5.15pm
Closing Address
Kevan Johnston, Chief Executive Officer, Australia, Aon
5.15pm – 6.15pm
Networking Drinks – Level 1 - Boulevard Bar
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Day 2 – Wednesday, 21 October
9.00am – 9.10am
Opening: Set up for the day
9.10am– 12.05pm
Masterclass 1: AI, Attackers and the New Rules of Cyber Resilience
Reece Corbett-Wilkins, Partner - Head of First Response Australia, Atmos
Andrew Prendergast, Head of Global Corporate Tech & Cyber, CFC Underwriting
Moderator: Alistair Clarke, Head of Specialties Australia, Aon
Masterclass 2: Lessons from a Decade of Disruption
Paul Koutouridis, Head of Consulting, Australia, Aon
Dr Gerold Knight, Principal Advisory, Global Resilience Group
Masterclass 3: From Volatility to Visibility: Using Analytics to Future-Proof Property Risk
Kirstin McMullan, Head of Risk Consulting Analytics, Aon
Lucas Butta, Risk Consultant, Aon
Better Decisions Lab and Insurer Marketplace: Discover analytics, diagnostics and technology-enabled solutions and meet insurer representatives.
12:05pm – 1:00pm
Networking Lunch
Relive some of the best moments from last year’s Aon Insights Series.