Meet Our 2026 Speakers
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Abby Hall
CBRE
Alice Chen
Schneider Electric
Amanda Reid
Colonial First
Amanda Rose
Entrepreneurial & Small Business Women Australia (ESBWA)
Founder
Women Owned Business Australia (WOBA)
Ancila Desai
Procurement Australia
Coretta Bessi
ACT Government
Cynthia Chung
Vicinity Centres
Felicity Gerry KC
Crockett Chambers
Fern Lees
IP Australia
Gillian Fox
Gillian Fox Group
Julianne Tran
APA Group
Juliet Payne
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
Justin Kabbani
AI Mastery program
Kara Watson
Westpac
Karen Stein
Lexia Laracy
APA Group
Lynn Feldon
Endeavour Group
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Michelle Robinson
ANSTO
Rebecca Hayward
Fortescue
Sabrena King
Department of Finance
Scott Alden
Mills Oakley
Seri Renkin OAM Suri
The Dea Network
Sharon Morris
World Commerce & Contracting
Sheila Vijeyarasa
The Brave Woman™ Program
Terri-Anne Daniel
Cooee Group
Vanessa Riley
Richard Crookes Constructions
Scott Alden
Partner, Government & CommercialMills Oakley
With over 25 years’ experience, Scott specialises as a legal advisor on significant projects and procurements for government clients.
Scott’s role of lead advisor to significant projects often incorporates legal and procurement expertise on the same transaction, as well as strategic probity advice.
In recognition of his position as a leading government lawyer, Scott was one of the first Law Society Accredited Specialists in Government and Administrative Law, both Commonwealth and State (with a focus on government commercial and procurement transactions), and has been appointed by the Law Society of NSW as the Head Assessor for that Specialist Accreditation this year. Scott also writes and lectures two procurement courses for the Masters Programs at both College of Law and the University of Melbourne.
Scott also has a special interest in contract law, particularly for major projects, and is a member of the Australian Advisory Board for World Commerce and Contracting Association (previously the International Association of Contract and Commercial Management).
He is experienced in drafting and implementing key project documents including market sounding/engagement documents, industry briefings, RFTs, tender evaluation plans, tender evaluation reports, commercial contracts and agreements and legal advices and resolutions to support decisions.
Speaking at
09.00
Masterclass A: Contracting for risk and commercial value
Justin Kabbani
FounderAI Mastery program
Speaking at
09.00
Masterclass B: Win back your week with AI: build AI procurement workflows that save you 5 to 10 hours a week
Sharon Morris
Group Regional Head APACWorld Commerce & Contracting
Sharon is a passionate advocate for driving shared values and positive change in the world. She recognises the advancement of the capabilities of our commercial, procurement, contracting, supply chain, and legal professionals as integral to building a better future for people, prosperity, and the planet. As the Group Regional Head of APAC at WorldCC, Sharon spearheads the association's activities throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Her commitment extends to supporting the WorldCC Foundation, where she actively champions sustainable and inclusive contracting practices. With over two decades of executive experience in Australia and internationally, particularly in the non-profit membership space, Sharon has played a pivotal role in advancing global procurement and supply chain expertise, while ensuring diversity and inclusion are top of mind. Whether as the Director of Global Programs at Procurious or as General Manager for the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, Sharon has consistently aimed to elevate the capabilities and profile of the procurement and supply chain profession across the region. Sharon is dedicated to driving positive change in the world—one contract at a time!
Speaking at
08:50
Opening remarks from the Chair
12:00
Panel discussion: What to do when stakeholders bypass procurement: balancing governance, stakeholder relationships and public value
13:40
Panel Discussion: Revitalising procurement performance through AI
08:50
Opening remarks from the Chair
Ancila Desai
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Information OfficerProcurement Australia
Ancila Desai is a senior executive with more than 20 years of experience leading financial strategy, enterprise technology, governance and transformation across ASX-listed, multinational and high-growth organisations.
As Chief Financial and Information Officer at Procurement Australia, Ancila leads the finance and technology functions, with responsibility for financial stewardship, enterprise systems, strategic transformation and organisational performance. She brings a unique perspective on how procurement, technology and strong governance frameworks can drive sustainable value, improve transparency, strengthen oversight and support better commercial outcomes.
Ancila has held executive leadership roles with MedAdvisor Solutions Limited, IDT Australia Limited, Metcash Limited, Hollister Incorporated and Toll Holdings Limited across the technology, healthcare, pharmaceutical, retail and logistics sectors. Her experience spans enterprise transformation, digital enablement, capital management, risk and compliance, and building scalable operating models that support growth and organisational resilience.
A trusted adviser to Boards and executive teams, Ancila currently serves as a Non-Executive Director of Badminton Victoria and is recognised for her collaborative leadership style and ability to build high-performing teams while delivering meaningful organisational change.
Speaking at
09:00
The other side of the table: What a CFOs really want from procurement and how leaders can drive enterprise performance
13:40
Panel Discussion: Revitalising procurement performance through AI
Coretta Bessi
Chair - Government Procurement BoardACT Government
Coretta Bessi is a passionate executive in the procurement profession, holding a diverse portfolio of roles, including Chairperson, Board Director, Advisory Member, and Executive Coach. With extensive experience across both public and private sectors, Coretta is deeply committed to the positive impact that public sector procurement can have on communities.
As the former Chief Procurement Officer for some of Australia's most iconic organizations—Westpac, nbn, BlueScope, and Ausgrid, Coretta is widely recognized for her expertise and sought after as a trusted consultant, trainer and coach for both public and private entities.
Her board and committee appointments reflect her depth of experience, including Chair of the ACT Government Procurement Board, Director on the Board of Local Government Procurement in NSW, and Independent Member of the Victoria Infrastructure Delivery Authority Procurement Oversight Committee, where she provides oversight of significant procurement expenditure across three jurisdictions.
With a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA, Coretta also has over a decade of experience lecturing in procurement and negotiations at University for Masters programs. Coretta also co-founded Bravo - a female empowerment program now in its fifth year operating globally with several hundred attendees per annum further showcasing her commitment to diversity and advancing the profession.
Speaking at
09:30
The first 100 days as a CPO: leading transformation when everything is changing
Rebecca Hayward
Director Global Procurement and ContractsFortescue
Rebecca Hayward is Director, Global Procurement and Contracts at Fortescue. She is a strategic commercial leader with executive and senior management experience spanning legal, procurement, and project delivery. Rebecca has led complex project and technology negotiations, driven transformation across end-to-end procurement models, and built diverse, high-performing teams. She has a strong track record establishing supplier relationships and enabling efficient, resilient supply chains. Passionate about sustainability and innovation, Rebecca is motivated by collaborating with customers to deliver value, optimise process, and achieve stretch targets - bringing a rare blend of legal rigour and commercial pragmatism to procurement leadership.
Speaking at
10:30
Executive influence: communicating value, risk and opportunity that drives action
Michelle Robinson
Senior Sourcing and Contract ManagerANSTO
Michelle Robinson is an award-winning procurement and commercial leader recognised through the CIPS Excellence Awards, Supply Nation Government Member of the Year, The Faculty Indigenous Project of the Year and the World Commerce & Contracting Excellence and Innovation Awards.
She has led major procurement transformation programs, commercial initiatives and social procurement strategies across all levels of Government, delivering hundreds of millions of dollars in procurement benefits and influencing outcomes across multi-billion-dollar portfolios.
A recognised thought leader and speaker, Michelle is known for her practical and insightful approach to procurement leadership, negotiation, stakeholder influence and organisational transformation.
Speaking at
11:00
The modern negotiator: how women are reshaping negotiation
Abby Hall
Divisional Commercial DirectorCBRE
Abby Hall is Divisional Commercial Director at CBRE Asia Pacific. She is an experienced commercial leader with a demonstrated history of working across the commercial real estate industry, bringing deep expertise in contract management and contract negotiation. Abby's skill set spans bid management, budgeting, cost management, facility management (FM), and cost control — a well-rounded commercial toolkit that reflects her end-to-end approach to delivering value. Her career reflects a strong track record of driving commercial outcomes within one of the world's leading commercial real estate services organisations, combining rigorous financial discipline with practical, on-the-ground facility and contract expertise.
Speaking at
11:30
Contract maturity and the real test of supplier relationships
Juliet Payne
Senior ManagerAustralian Securities and Investments Commission
Juliet Payne is a dynamic and enthusiastic commercial professional with extensive experience across probity, governance, procurement, contract management, and negotiations. She excels at navigating complex, process-driven environments to deliver innovative, agile, and effective solutions, with particular expertise managing high-risk, high-value procurement processes across diverse industries. Juliet has a proven track record of energising project teams through knowledge sharing and mindset transformation. She is passionate about developing strategies that help clients achieve optimal results, ensuring evidence-based, defensible project outcomes that truly represent value for money - bringing both rigour and energy to every engagement.
Speaking at
12:00
Panel discussion: What to do when stakeholders bypass procurement: balancing governance, stakeholder relationships and public value
Fern Lees
Director – Procurement & ContractingIP Australia
Fern helps people by working within a trusted partnership to deliver quality procurement outcomes for her clients. She enjoys decoding and teaching others procurement best practice.
Speaking at
12:00
Panel discussion: What to do when stakeholders bypass procurement: balancing governance, stakeholder relationships and public value
Lynn Feldon
Head ProcurementEndeavour Group
Lynn Feldon (MCIPS) is a senior procurement executive and Head of Procurement at Endeavour Group, with over 25 years' experience across consulting and corporate environments, specialising in procurement transformation and building resilient, responsible supply chains. Over her career, Lynn has developed and delivered procurement and supply chain transformations for numerous listed and public sector enterprises spanning retail, infrastructure, financial services, energy, utilities, FMCG, telecommunications, heavy manufacturing, health, and government. Her programs have helped organisations rapidly increase EBIT by developing fit-for-purpose operating models that apply best-practice methods to optimise costs while building supply chains that are both responsible and resilient.
Speaking at
12:00
Panel discussion: What to do when stakeholders bypass procurement: balancing governance, stakeholder relationships and public value
Alice Chen
Head of Indirect Procurement PacificSchneider Electric
Alice Chen is Head of Indirect Procurement – Pacific at Schneider Electric, a Fortune 500 company with an estimated €36B in turnover specialising in energy management and digital automation. Her career spans over 16 years of procurement, consulting, and stakeholder relationship management experience with organisations including The Woolworths Group, Wesfarmers, and GFG Alliance. A professional member of CPA and MCIPS, Alice is actively involved in external initiatives including indigenous social procurement and leading a post-pandemic workplace collaboration advisory group. She also sits on the board of Dale Carnegie Australia, the Australian branch of the world's largest privately-owned leadership training and L&D organisation.
Speaking at
13:40
Panel Discussion: Revitalising procurement performance through AI
14:00
Returning stronger: navigating maternity leave and the return to work
Julianne Tran
Procurement Business PartnerAPA Group
Julianne Tran is a procurement transformation specialist who believes most process problems are actually people problems in disguise — she finds the human story underneath and designs solutions people actually adopt. With over a decade across Canva, AGL, Telstra, and APA Group, Julianne has built governance frameworks from scratch and led procurement transformation across some of Australia's most complex organisations. She brings deep expertise in data analytics, automation, and AI, but believes the future of procurement is human-centred, not just digital. Julianne focuses on understanding why teams resist change and closing the gap between high-level policy and on-the-ground reality.
Speaking at
13:40
Panel Discussion: Revitalising procurement performance through AI
Sabrena King
Assistant Secretary, Procurement Capability BranchDepartment of Finance
Speaking at
14:10
The future of procurement in the APS: balancing capability, productivity and public value
Terri-Anne Daniel
Chief Executive Officer and Founding DirectorCooee Group
Cooee Cookies was founded by Terri-Ann (Tezzi) Daniel, a proud Wiradjuri woman raised on Country and inspired by generations of strong Wiradjuri women. Her work is deeply grounded in Indigenous culture, inclusiveness and community connection. Drawing on her lifelong passion for food and native Australian ingredients, Tezzi created Cooee Cookies as a celebration of culture, diversity and ethical food innovation. The business showcases Indigenous ingredients while also responding to evolving social and consumer needs around sustainability, accessibility and inclusion. At ESG Procurement 2026, Tezzi brings a unique perspective on Indigenous business leadership, supplier diversity and creating social value through procurement. Her experience highlights how organisations can engage more meaningfully with First Nations businesses while supporting innovation, ethical sourcing and long-term community impact.
Speaking at
14:40
Land, legacy and impact: what First Nations businesses can teach procurement about the future of ESG and supplier partnerships
Amanda Rose
Founder and CEOEntrepreneurial & Small Business Women Australia (ESBWA)
Founder
Women Owned Business Australia (WOBA)
Speaking at
15:30
Supplier diversity in practice
Lexia Laracy
Head of Procurement and Project Excellence OfficeAPA Group
Lexia Laracy serves as Head of Procurement and Project Excellence at APA, Australia's largest energy infrastructure partner, where she leads strategic procurement and project transformation through culture, capability, technology integration and AI-driven solutions.
A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply and member of World Commerce and Contracting, Lexia is responsible for designing and maintaining APA's Procurement and Project Governance Frameworks, encompassing policy development, standards implementation, and capability enhancement across the organisation, driving social, economic and environmental outcomes, whilst balancing governance requirements, integrating responsible practices throughout the value chain.
Her expertise spans multiple industries, across traditional strategic procurement, governance, enterprise system implementations, transformation programs, supply chain resilience, supplier relationship management, and capability development in sustainable procurement, carbon-conscious practices, and AI-enabled supply chain management.
Passionate about integrating sustainability throughout the procurement, supplier, project and contract management lifecycle, Lexia ensures APA's teams are equipped with cutting-edge skills, and intelligent procurement and project systems that strengthen organisational resilience against market volatility and operational disruptions, to deliver responsible business outcomes.
Speaking at
16:00
Before the crisis: reading your supply base for hidden vulnerabilities
Felicity Gerry KC
Global King’s CounselCrockett Chambers
Dr Felicity Gerry KC is an internationally recognised senior counsel and professor whose practice and research sit at the intersection of criminal law, commercial integrity and human rights.
She is renowned for her expertise in court / advisory / consulting including on modern slavery and supply chain liability, environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance, terrorism, international and transnational criminal law.
As King’s Counsel, Felicity has appeared in complex and high-profile cases in the UK, Australia, Hong Kong and the Cook Islands, often involving issues which push at the boundaries of law reform.
Her work spans serious international and transnational criminal allegations, corporate criminal responsibility, human trafficking, and other business / crime/strategic litigation.
Beyond the courtroom, Felicity advises governments and international organisations on SDG reporting, legal frameworks for preventing modern slavery and embedding ESG principles into commercial practice. She also contributes to policy reform and academic discourse on terrorism , women’s rights, child rights, cybercrime, and international criminal justice, promoting systems that balance security, justice, and sustainability.
A dynamic speaker and mentor, Felicity regularly addresses global forums on ethical leadership and gender equality. Her work bridges advocacy, academia, and global policy, shaping modern responses to crime , commerce and human rights challenges in the 21st century.
Felicity holds a PhD on human trafficking, a Master of Laws in International Governance (LLM Int Gov), a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), & a Graduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (GCUTL).
She is on the advisory board of the Commercial Law Department at DLSU in Manila, a Professorial Fellow at RJ4All and an Hon Prof in the School of Health and Society at Salford University and an Hon Prof at Deakin University. Felicity has a long history of teaching at tertiary level particularly on Contemporary International Legal Challenges - including art law.
Felicity is also a senior consultant and trainer for lawyers without borders and has consulted for the UNODC on human trafficking and cybercrime. She has a long history of training professionals. Her policy submissions have led to changes in the law on Modern Slavery, FGM & Reproductive Rights and supported approaches to Afghanistan post-withdrawal.
Speaking at
16:30
When things go wrong: what procurement leaders need to know about people risk and supply chain liability
Amanda Reid
Executive Director, Procurement & Supplier GovernanceColonial First
Amanda Reid is Executive Director of Procurement & Supplier Governance at Colonial First State, with a proven record leading transformation across financial services, education, utilities, and aviation. Renowned for building high-performing teams and delivering award-winning digital and regulatory initiatives, Amanda specialises in supplier relationships, operational excellence, and technology-driven change. She is a trusted advisor on procurement strategy and a champion of continuous improvement. Amanda brings a purpose-led, people-centric approach to leadership in the evolving landscape of AI and business. Amanda has been a Board Advisor to SpendConsole since 2024.
Speaking at
09:00
Bridging the gap up to a leadership
Gillian Fox
Managing DirectorGillian Fox Group
Speaking at
09:30
No one cares that much about your career
Kara Watson
Head of ProcurementWestpac
Kara Watson is the Head of Procurement – Customer & Group Services at Westpac and has spent more than 20 years’ leading procurement teams across banking, retail, aviation and government.
Passionate about helping others realise their potential, Kara works as a performance coach, supporting professionals to gain clarity, build confidence and create meaningful momentum in their careers and lives.
Drawing on both executive leadership experience and coaching principles, Kara brings a fresh perspective to topics such as influence, sponsorship, visibility and sustainable high performance. Rather than focusing on theory, she shares practical strategies that help professionals build strong relationships, increase their impact and intentionally shape the careers they want.
Kara’s authentic and relatable style resonates with audiences, leaving them with practical strategies they can apply immediately to build influence, create momentum and navigate their careers with greater confidence.
Speaking at
10:00
Who's speaking for you when you're not in the room? The hidden career accelerator: sponsorship, influence, visibility and career momentum
Seri Renkin OAM Suri
Co-Founder and Executive DirectorThe Dea Network
Seri Renkin OAM is Co-founder and Executive Director of The Dea Network, a values-aligned stewardship ecosystem supporting women to move capital as equal agents within the financial system. An entrepreneur and changemaker, Seri specialises in empowering women leaders, family offices, and organisations to activate their wisdom, wealth, and influence through strategic planning, governance, and philanthropy. With over 20 years in CEO and senior leadership roles leveraging capital for social impact, her governance experience includes chairing The Stella Prize and board roles with IWDA and AIIW. In 2020, Seri was awarded an OAM for services to non-profit leadership.
Speaking at
11:00
The investment mindset: how investment principles can help procurement professionals make better decisions, build influence and create long-term organisational value
Vanessa Riley
Chief People OfficerRichard Crookes Constructions
Speaking at
11:30
What kind of leader do you want to be? Culture as a leadership responsibility and the role women are playing in shaping the future of work
Cynthia Chung
Head of ProcurementVicinity Centres
Speaking at
12:00
Case Study: Transforming procurement at scale: the Vicinity Centres journey change management
Sheila Vijeyarasa
FounderThe Brave Woman™ Program
Speaking at
13:30
Sustaining career momentum and the invisible load through different seasons
Karen Stein
Executive Coach (PCC), Certified Menopause CoachKaren Stein is an international keynote speaker, executive coach, recognised Menopause Champion, Certified Menopause Coach and founder of M.A.D about Menopause™ (making a difference at work). She helps organisations retain talented women, reduce presenteeism, and build more inclusive, high-performing workplaces.
With more than 30 years in professional services, including 24 years as a Deloitte Partner, Karen combines commercial credibility with evidence-based coaching. She holds a Master of Science in Coaching Psychology, is an ICF Professional Certified Coach with more than 2,500 coaching hours, and serves as an Independent Panel Assessor for Menopause Friendly Australia, an appointment which arose after she assisted Deloitte with becoming the first Australian employer to become accredited as menopause friendly. Karen is also the award-winning author of Be Your Own Leadership Coach: Self-Coaching Strategies to Lead Your Way.
Speaking at
14:30
Navigating perimenopause and menopause during your peak career years
15:30
The most expensive thing in procurement is a good idea that never left the conference room