Speakers
Keynote Speaker | Honourable Di Farmer MP
The Honourable Di Farmer MP is the Queensland Government Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development, and Member for Bulimba.
The issues Di addresses in her portfolio are close to her heart and she is committed to speaking to people in every corner of Queensland about how to help them.
Whether the topic is related to small businesses, social enterprise, workforce shortages, vocational education training (VET), supporting new industries with skilled staff, and so much more, Di is keen to hear how the Government can best tailor its support to the needs of all Queenslanders.
In March 2022 Di convened the Queensland Workforce Summit to work on solutions to the global workforce shortages that were also affecting our states’ businesses. The Queensland Good people, Good Jobs Workforce Strategy 2022-32 released in August 2022 was driven by the summit findings. It focuses on our under utilised workforce by supporting employers to take on staff they may not have traditionally employed and will help more Queenslanders into jobs they had only ever dreamed of.
Di is committed to helping to build a strong economy so all Queenslanders can enjoy good jobs, better services and an unbeatable lifestyle.
Panellist | Adam Fitzhenry
Head of People Integration and Innovation at Australian Retirement Trust
Adam is a passionate disruptor for modern workplaces. He’s on a mission to help people feel they belong and to redesign the traditional employee experience by striking the right balance between culture, technology and the workplace. He’s led large cultural and workplace transformation programs, including working with Boards and Executives, and is an advocate for human-centred and sustainable design in the workplace.
Panellist | Nick Lindsay
Chief Operating Officer, Aerospace Specialist
Nick is a former Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy with experience in Naval Aviation, UAV design and operations, and the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Program Executive Office (PEO). His civilian experience includes ten years at SpaceX, the world’s leading rocket company. In 2009, Nick joined SpaceX as a Propulsion Test Engineer responsible for development, qualification, and acceptance testing of the Draco and SuperDraco engines used on the Cargo and Crew Dragon Spacecraft.
Panellist | Peter O'Sullivan
Chief People Officer, BDO
Peter O’Sullivan is Chief People Officer with BDO in Australia and leads the firm’s Advisers of the Future strategic workstream which is focused on the future of work at BDO. He is also a member of the firm’s Global People Committee which provides him with international perspectives on people strategy and the future of work. Peter has nearly 25 years’ experience in HR across diverse sectors and industries. He has a particular interest in professional services firms having started his career as a commercial lawyer with Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst).
MC & Moderator | Heidi Cooper
Chief Executive Officer, Business Chamber Queensland
Heidi is passionate about driving Queensland’s strategic growth and throughout her career, Heidi has worked extensively for the advancement of business in Queensland. With over 20 years in law, corporate affairs and policy making, Heidi has successfully driven strategies for major companies with strong growth agendas and significant customer and community relationships. She has specialised in leading sustainable business initiatives with a key focus on economic growth, job creation, education, sustainability and community engagement.
