Reimagining Workforce event speakers

Dylan Alcott AO

2022 Australian of the Year

Keynote Speaker

Dylan Alcott AO is one of Australia's most successful and recognised Paralympians, media personalities and disability advocates. He is the only male in tennis history to achieve the 'Golden Slam', winning the Australian, French, Wimbledon, US Open and Paralympic singles events in the same calendar year, and has won gold medals in 2 different sports at the Paralympic Games.

Dylan is passionate about changing perceptions and promoting equity for people with disabilities. He founded the Dylan Alcott Foundation, offering grants, scholarships, and mentoring to eliminate barriers to sports, education, employment, and business ownership for young Australians with disabilities.

He also co-founded Get Skilled Access, a consultancy firm promoting disability inclusion, and more recently, The Field Jobs, a platform connecting job seekers with disabilities and employers.

In 2022, Dylan was named Australian of the Year and appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to Paralympic sport and his advocacy work for people with disabilities.

Madonna King

Master of Ceremonies

Madonna King is an award-winning journalist and author of several best-selling books. She has worked at senior levels across newspapers, online, radio and television and her views are sought regularly as a result of her weekly columns for InQueensland and The New Daily and regular appearances on ABC's The Drum.

One of the nation's most experienced moderators, Madonna travels the country leading hypotheticals and panels on topics as varied as education, health, business, and politics. One week might include an in-conversation with Bob Geldof, an interview with the federal treasurer, facilitating a mental health workshop, moderating panels on trust in banking and workplace safety and producing a podcast for a university.

She volunteers her MC skills for a host of women's and children's charities, and talks to school parent communities about the challenges facing teenagers—the subject of her five most recent books.

A graduate of the AICD, she also serves as deputy chair of an all-boys university residential college in Queensland.

Belinda Watton

Executive General Manager, Yurika
BCom MAppLaw GradCertAppFin GAICD

Panellist

Belinda has been a member of the Executive committee since 2016 and was appointed as the Executive General Manager of Yurika in January 2023, making her responsible for leading a competitive commercial business that boasts a rapidly growing, national footprint.

Offering solutions including the engineering, design, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance of significant Energy and Infrastructure projects, the Yurika business also offers an integrated suite of energy solutions including Telecoms, Internet of Things, Metering and Energy Material Supplies.

Belinda has a track record of transforming cultures and delivering organisational objectives in public, private and not for profit organisations across a range of different industries.

Having previously served as a Non-Executive Director with the Electrical Safety Office and Executive Director for Ergon Retail and Energex and Ergon Distribution Boards, Belinda is currently a Non-Executive Director at Energy Skills Queensland and HELP Enterprises.

She has a Bachelor of Commerce, Masters of Applied Law, qualifications in finance, is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.

David Pich

Director, Better Workplaces Consulting and Advisory

Panellist

David has more than 30 years' experience in leadership roles at Cadbury Schweppes, Hewlett-Packard, PwC, CanTeen and the Institute of Managers and Leaders Australia and New Zealand (IML ANZ).

He has been the Chief Executive of 4 organisations from a start-up medical research foundation to one of the world's oldest and most reputable leadership institutes.

Whilst he was the Chief Executive and Head of People and Culture at the Institute of Managers and Leaders Australia and New Zealand for 6 years, David advocated for sound leadership and for the development of the 'intentional leader'—a phrase that he coined.

At IML ANZ, David successfully implemented the much talked about '4-Day Week' across the business. Called 'Gift of Time', this defining project proved to have a profound, positive impact on IML's business performance, culture and employee wellbeing. He maintains that flexible working practices must be the platform on which corporate strategy and the modern workplace is built.

David currently holds the position of Adjunct Associate Professor at Griffith University Business School, where he specializes in leadership and corporate culture. David is the author of 2 bestselling books on leadership – Leadership Matters. 7 kills of very successful leaders and Leading Well. 7 attributes of very successful leaders.

Geoffrey Smith

Chief Executive Officer, Australian Spatial Analytics

Panellist

Geoffrey is a social entrepreneur committed to reducing unemployment and increasing vocational skills for young adults from diverse backgrounds. A data analyst by trade, Geoff puts into action the idea that technology can create work and wealth for overlooked communities.

As CEO of Australian Spatial Analytics, Geoff leads a team of 125 employees, the majority of whom live with a neurodiverse disability (namely autism spectrum disorder) and are under the age 30. Since the organisation formed in 2020, Geoff has demonstrated that professional data services can be conducted locally by people traditionally marginalised in the employment market.

Prior to Australian Spatial Analytics, Geoff worked in data management roles at energy and logistics multinationals, and non-profit organisations in the disability employment sector. Geoff is a 2022 Westpac Social Change Fellow, Snow Foundation Social Entrepreneur Fellow and AMP Tomorrow Maker.