International Speakers

PAUL CONN
President, Computershare Global Capital Markets
Computershare
(UNITED STATES)

Paul Conn started his international financial markets career at the London Stock Exchange in 1979. He joined the Australian Stock Exchange in 1989, holding a number of senior roles including the Head of New Business Development. Paul joined Computershare in 1998, relocated to New York in 2001 and was appointed President of Computershare's Global Capital Markets Group in 2006. 

SIMON HAYES
Director
Andrews Partnership
(SINGAPORE)

Simon Hayes leads Andrew's Partnership’s Singapore office, supporting major regional and global companies in placing senior leaders in communications and government affairs roles throughout Southeast Asia. Simon also leads the firm's Asia Pacific investor relations practice, identifying and securing the talent that allows public companies, private equity firms and investment funds to access capital markets.

Working with some of the world's best-known brands, Simon is committed to building talent and capability, allowing these businesses to interact effectively with stakeholders, including staff, investors, customers and governments.
Prior to joining Andrews Partnership, Simon was Director of Advisory for Gartner's Asia Finance practice, spending 12 years working with Chief Financial Officers to develop growth and margin strategies for Asia Pacific markets. He also led the International CFO Forum, the leading membership group for the CFOs of multinationals, bringing Finance leaders together to share ideas and experience across the region.

Simon began his career as a newspaper reporter, covering business and technology stories for The Australian, Australia's national daily. He believes each organisation's strategy must be supported by a good story, and that talented communicators play a critical role in financial success.

ROBERT MEYERS
Principal, Market Intelligence and Strategy, Global Investor Relations Advisory
BNY Mellon
(UNITED STATES)

Bob is a senior member of Depositary Receipts’ Global Investor Relations Advisory team where he specializes in investor outreach and engagement, as well as capital markets best practices. Joining BNY Mellon in 2019, Bob brought more than 20 years of sell-side and investor relations consulting experience. In his prior roles, Bob led Corporate Access teams in the US for Banc of America Securities, RBC Capital Markets, and Berenberg Capital Markets. Previous to that, he was with Thomson Financial (formerly Carson Group), specializing in financial modeling, valuation, investor targeting and scenario analysis for corporate clients. He began his career in corporate finance with IBM. He has served as an adjunct professor at New York University, teaching courses on Investor Relations. He holds a Master of Science degree in Management & Systems from New York University, a Masters in Financial Management from Pace University, and received his Bachelors in Business from Franklin & Marshall College.

VIOLET PAGAN
Vice President, International Corporate Services
OTC
(UNITED STATES)

Violet Pagan is the Vice President of Sales for Australia and New Zealand at OTC Markets Group, she has over 24 years of experience in the capital markets.   Previously, Violet worked as a relationship manager at BNY Mellon’s American Depositary Receipts Division covering Australia and New Zealand issuers.  Violet has a Master’s of Arts in Media Studies from The New School and a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the College of St. Elizabeth

TIM QUAST
President
ModernNetworks IR LLC
(UNITED STATES)

Tim Quast is founder and President of Modern IR (modernIR.com), the largest provider of quantitative equity-market analytics to US-listed public companies. Tim started Modern IR, headquartered in Denver, in 2005.  In 2020, Tim launched Market Structure EDGE, the first decision-support web platform for active stock traders to offer simple, quantitative, market-structure rules for entries and exits.  
Tim is a frequent speaker and commentator on modern equity trading.  His quotes on trading have appeared in leading media including the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Financial Times of London, Reuters, Dow Jones, the Denver Post and the New York Times.  His editorials on market structure run in trading publications including Traders Magazine, Dow Jones MarketWatch, CNBC Online and TABB Forum. Tim has also appeared periodically on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street and guests every Monday on the Benzinga Premarket Prep Show, a popular online stock market program. 

And at the request of the US Congress in June 2017, Tim submitted testimony to the House Financial Services Committee on improving equity market structure for issuers and investors.  
Tim has been a NIRI member since 1995 and currently serves on the national board of NIRI, the world’s largest investor-relations professional association. He earned a BA from Ambassador University in 1991.  

MICHAEL YOUNIS
Assistant Vice President
State Street Global Advisors
(UNITED STATES)

Michael Younis is a VP and the Lead Environmental and Social Analyst on State Street Global Advisors’ (SSGA) Asset Stewardship Team.

Michael and his colleagues on the Asset Stewardship Team are responsible for developing and implementing SSGA's global proxy voting policies and guidelines across all investment strategies, and managing SSGA's proxy voting activities and issuer engagement on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. 

Prior to joining State Street Global Advisors, Michael worked in various capacities in the environmental NGO domain. Michael has experience working for international organizations, product stewardship advocates, as well as social lenders. Michael earned his Master of Environmental Management (MEM '15) from Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment and his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree (BSBA '09) from the Boston University School of Management. Michael also holds a Certificate of Inclusion and Diversity from Duke University.

Local Speakers

CATHIE ARMOUR
Commissioner
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)

Cathie Armour is one of the Commissioners of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission ("ASIC"). 
The Commission is responsible for ASIC's performance as Australia's integrated corporate, financial markets, financial services and consumer credit regulator.
Cathie is the chair of ASIC's Regulatory Issues and Policy Committees.  She works closely with the ASIC teams responsible for regulating markets, corporations, financial reporting and insolvency and the enforcement of laws relating to market integrity and corporate governance. Cathie also focuses on the work of ASIC’s Innovation Hub which supports fintech and regtech activities.
Cathie's experience before ASIC was in legal counsel leadership roles in international financial institutions.   She was General Counsel for Macquarie Capital and an Executive Director of Macquarie Group. She began her career in private legal practice and has worked for law firms in Sydney and New York.
Cathie is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  She is also a member of Chief Executive Women.

PRU BENNETT
Sustainability reporting and Disclosures
Brunswick Group

Pru is a Partner at Brunswick Group, Chair of the National Foundation for Australia China Relations and a Senior Advisor to Morrow Soldai in Sydney.  In addition Pru is a director of the UN Global Contact Australia, a council member of the Asian corporate Governance Association and the Advisory Board for Hong Kong based asset manager, Oasis Capital.

Until January, 2019, Pru Bennett was a Managing Director at the world's largest asset manager, BlackRock, and Head of BlackRock's Investment Stewardship team for the APAC Region based in Hong Kong. AT BlackRock Pru was responsible for leading a team of 12 engaging with BlackRock’s investee companies on ESG issues. Pru also oversaw the proxy voting process.

Pru is an active participant in the public debate on corporate governance and stewardship. In 2018 Pru received the Asia Industry Leadership Award from 100 Women in Finance. In 2013, Pru was named as one of Australia’s top 10 Women of Influence in Corporate Governance.

Pru is a member of Monetary Authority of Singapore's Corporate Governance Advisory Committee.  Pru was a member of the Public Shareholder Group of Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) until March 2021 when her six-year term finished.

Before taking on her role at BlackRock in August 2010 Pru was head of Corporate Governance at institutional adviser Regnan Governance and Research until 2010. From 1998 to 2009 Pru was a director of Australian proxy adviser Corporate Governance International, which was acquired by US proxy advisory firm, Glass Lewis & Co in 2006 and is now known as CGI Glass Lewis. Prior to working in corporate governance Pru was Investor Relations Manager for Qantas Airways Limited.

ANGUS BOOTH
Managing Director
Morrow Sodali (APAC)

Angus has more than 15 years’ experience operating in senior roles in corporate affairs, marketing and sales, government and investor relations. He has held senior positions with ASX100 companies, currently with Morrow Sodali as Managing Director (APAC) and previously with Charter Hall Group as Group Head of Communications and External Affairs. Angus has a strong track record in managing corporate reputational issues across media, government, investor relations, M&A and IPO markets. 

ANDREW BOWDEN
Head of Investor Relations
Westpac Banking Corporation Limited

As Head of Investor Relations, Andrew is responsible for Westpac’s relationship with its external investors including institutional and retail shareholders and broking analysts. Andrew is also responsible for Westpac’s relationship with the rating agencies.
Andrew commenced his career in banking at National Australia Bank over 30 years ago starting as a graduate in branch banking before moving into corporate roles in economics, planning, strategy, capital management and investor relations. Andrew joined Westpac in 2001 and has led its IR activities since then. Through his career, Andrew has participated in over 10 M&A transactions, 5 divestments and numerous capital management initiatives.

JILL CAMPBELL
Group General Manager Investor Relations
ANZ Banking Group Limited

Jill is responsible for ANZ's global investor relations program and for the management of ANZ's relationships with institutional shareholders and investors, research analysts, brokers, governance advisors and retail shareholders.
Jill has 22 years’ experience in senior Investor Relations and Communications/Corporate Affairs roles across a range of major Australian corporates from $1b to circa $90b in market cap including 12 and a half years in her current role at ANZ (others incl. AMP, Lend Lease, David Jones and PBL). 

LINDA CARROLL
Head of Investor Relations
Appen Limited

Linda is responsible for Investor Relations and Sustainability at Appen. Prior to joining Appen, Linda spent five years in Investor Relations with Commonwealth Bank. She started her career in Investment Banking with Credit Suisse and JP Morgan, and was an Equity Analyst covering the media sector with Macquarie Bank. Linda was also a producer at Four Corners, ABC TV and has held senior Corporate and Public Affairs roles at Fleishman Hillard in Hong Kong and APEC in Singapore. . 

ANDREW CARTLEDGE
Chief Financial Officer
WiseTech Global

Andrew joined WiseTech Global as CFO in September 2015. He has over 30 years’ global finance experience, having held senior finance and CFO positions across various General Electric (GE) businesses globally for over 25 years. In 2011, Andrew was appointed CFO for GE Australia, New Zealand & PNG. Since joining WiseTech in 2015, Andrew successfully listed the company in April 2016, continuing to grow and expand the business globally, completing almost 40 acquisitions since IPO while increasing revenue from $70m to $429m (FY15-FY20). Andrew holds a Bachelor of Arts (HONS) from Manchester University. 

IRIS DAVILA
Head of Investment Stewardship (Australia)
Blackrock

Iris Davila, Managing Director, is Head of BlackRock Investment Stewardship team in Australia and a member of BlackRock Australia's Board and SteerCo Committees. In the Stewardship role, Iris is responsible for engagement and proxy voting activities in relation to Australian and New Zealand companies in which BlackRock invests on behalf of clients.

Ms. Davila's service with the firm dates back to 1998 where she started as an analyst in the Account Management Group (AMG) in New York. In 2002, she relocated to the Edinburgh office and was responsible for client service and business development within Europe. In 2004, she moved to Australia as the first BlackRock representative in the region. In this role, she was responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with Australian and New Zealand clients and consultants, product development and business strategy. Following the merger with MLIM, she continued in her role in the Account Management Group as well as worked as a Fixed Income Product Specialist. From 2010-2012, she worked in the Portfolio Management Group (PMG) as a Fixed Income

Product Specialist focusing on business strategy. Prior to her current role, she held various roles within the Client Business team, including Client Business director and leading the multi-manager team.

MARYANNE DREWE
Head of Proprietary Research, Equities
Perpetual Limited

Maryanne is the Head of Proprietary Research and an Analyst, covering mainly large and small cap companies in the industrials, consumer staples, and consumer discretionary sectors.
Maryanne joined Perpetual Investments in February 2003 as an Analyst, bringing a wealth of experience from almost 20 years in a variety of corporate roles. This background has provided Maryanne with unique insight when analysing companies in her current role.

Maryanne’s corporate experience in mainly small to medium businesses included positions such as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, involving functions across auditing, accounting, strategy, management and general consulting. Among the companies that she worked at were Daniel Chen Group, Young Barnsdall & Joye which spanned retail fashion, manufacturing and accounting services industries.
Maryanne has a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney.”

DAMIAN GRAHAM
Chief Investment Officer
Aware Super

As Chief Investment Officer, Damian is responsible for the investment strategy of both Aware Super (previously First State Super) and StatePlus, the financial planning company purchased by Aware Super in 2016.
Damian brings over 27 years’ experience managing equity portfolios and investment teams. Between 2012-16 Damian was Chief Investment Officer at StatePlus. He previously headed up Private Portfolio Management for the Macquarie Group, where he was promoted to run that business following a successful tenure as Head of Investment within the same division.

Damian has also held senior positions within Norwich Investment Management and JP Morgan Investment Management.

TERENCE JEYARETNAM
Partner, Climate Change & Sustainability, EY & Reconciliation Leader
EY

Terence is a Partner with EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability team based in Melbourne and EY Australia’s Reconciliation Leader. Terence is an environmental and sustainability advisory and assurance specialist with over twenty-five years’ experience in advising governments and corporations on sustainability issues. Until its acquisition by EY in 2014, Terence was Founder/Executive Director of Net Balance, Australia's largest standalone sustainability and climate change practice at the time, one of Australia’s first B Corporations, twice-rated by Business Review Weekly as one of the 100 fastest-growing companies in Australia. Terence is a non-executive director of Fairtrade Australia New Zealand, Food Frontier and Global Compact Australia, and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern Queensland. He acts as a Senior Advisor for SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board) in Australia and a Technical Working Group member of CDSB (Carbon Disclosure Standards Board). 

BEN KAY
GM, Corporate Development & Investor Relations
SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited
(NEW ZEALAND)

Ben is currently GM, Corporate Development (Strategy) & Investor Relations at SKYCITY Entertainment Group Limited 

Ben is responsible for driving the development and execution of group strategy, overseeing M&A activity, supporting divisional and regional strategic initiatives, reviewing and executing major investment proposals, leading special projects, and managing the investor relations programme. 

Prior to SKYCITY, Ben gained general M&A/corporate advisory experience across a range of global blue-chip organisations including Deloitte and Goldman Sachs, including 5 years in the United Kingdom (2009-2013). 

Ben is a New Zealander, having completed a Bachelor of Law and Commerce double degree at Otago University and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2006. 

ADRIAN KING
Partner in Charge, Climate Change & Sustainability
KPMG Australia

Adrian is the Partner in Charge of KPMG’s Sustainability Services in Australia.  Adrian has also led KPMG’s global client facing capability in ESG and Sustainability since 2014.  Adrian has more than 30 years of experience working with global public and private companies in the UK and Australia providing financial and non-financial advisory, reporting and assurance services. 
Adrian has advised clients on sustainability strategies, ESG risk methodologies, environmental risk assessments, preparedness to report, materiality assessments, gap analyses, supplier screening, climate resilience planning, developed Social Return on Investment (SROI) solutions, impact measurement, valuations of social and environmental capital, and developed future corporate reporting and communications strategies and KPI measurement.
Adrian believes that building a more sustainable global economy is critical to everyone’s future. He is passionate about the role of business in creating that future and in addressing the big issues of climate change, human rights and our unsustainable and inefficient demand for new resources.  He believes that KPMG can play an important part in building a sustainable future by combining finance skills and a broad understanding of business with deep specialist expertise in environmental and social change. 

TOBY LANGLEY
EGM - Investor Relations
Xero Limited (ASIC)

Toby joined Xero as Head of Investor Relations in 2018. Prior to joining Xero, Toby was head of the Financials equity research team at Bank of America in Sydney. He worked for more than a decade as an equity analyst covering the Insurance and Diversified Financials sectors in both Australia and the UK. Before moving into equity research, Toby gained experience in the accounting profession as an auditor and advisor to a range of listed, multinational aerospace and industrial companies.

Toby is a member of the Australian Accounting Standards Board’s User Advisory Committee and holds a BSc in Physics from The University of Manchester. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a CFA Charterholder. 

SHAUN MANUELL
Head of Australian Equities
AustralianSuper

Mr Manuell is responsible for managing the Australian equity team at AustralianSuper, a role he has held since 2013. AustralianSuper is Australia’s largest superannuation (pension) fund, managing over A$150b on behalf of its 2.1 million members.

In his previous role, Mr Manuell worked at Equity Trustees for ten years as the Head of Asset Management and Private Clients. Prior to this he worked in finance in the UK for 6 years, having commenced his career as a lawyer in Melbourne. Mr Manuell holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Law from Monash University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (Dean’s Honour List) from Melbourne Business School.

JOLANTA MASOJADA
Head of Investor Relations
Domain Holdings Limited

Jolanta has more than 30 years’ experience in the financial markets in the US and Australia. After a career in investment banking at Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and Macquarie Bank she started her own investor relations consultancy in 2012. She was responsible for Fairfax Media’s investor relations program from 2012 until its merger with Nine Entertainment in 2018, and has led Domain’s investor relations program since its separation from Fairfax Media in 2017. Jolanta is a Non-Executive Director of Bailador Investments (ASX:BTI), a fellow of FINSIA and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors

ROSS MOFFATT
Head of Investor Relationss
WiseTech Global

Ross is a highly experienced Investor Relations Executive with a proven track record in successfully setting up and developing a  best practice stakeholder engagement program. He was most recently the Head of Investor Relations at Telstra Corporation Limited. In the course of his career Ross has worked across a wide range of sectors including telecommunications, real estate, fast moving consumer goods, materials and engineering services. Ross worked in the treasury field prior to his time in investor relations. He has an undergraduate degree in Economics. 

ELYSSE MORGAN
Conference MC & Journalist

Elysse Morgan hosts The Business on ABC TV and ABC NEWS Channel from Mondays to Thursdays. An award-winning journalist with a specialist business and finance background, Elysse has been at the ABC for almost a decade. Prior to that Elysse worked at Sky News. After joining the ABC as a rural reporter focusing on trade and resources, her specialist knowledge saw her promoted to ABC News's national finance round. After two years of co-hosting, Elysse is now the host of ABC's The Business..

Ms Elysse Morgan’ appears by arrangement with Claxton Speakers International.

SEAN O’SULLIVAN
Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Affairs
Brambles Limited & AIRA Chairman

Sean O'Sullivan joined Brambles at the beginning of February 2017 as Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Affairs and has since assumed responsibility for Sustainability and External and Social media. Sean joined Brambles from James Hardie where he was the Vice President, Investor and Media Relations for eight years. Prior to joining James Hardie, he was Head of Investor Relations at St George Bank from 2000 - 2008, where he established the Investor Relations function. Sean's background includes thirteen years as a fund manager for GIO Asset Management with secondment with McKinsey and Co. completing a major study into the Australian financial services industry. Sean's final position at GIO was General Manager of Diversified Investments with responsibilities that included determining the asset allocation for >$10bn in funds under management. Following GIO,  Sean worked in funds management sales at Westpac. Sean holds a bachelor's degree majoring in Economics from the University of Sydney and a Master of Business Administration from Macquarie Graduate School of Management. 

PABLO OSTOLAZA
Partner & Head of Strategy
Designate

Pablo Ostolaza is a partner and head of strategy at Designate, the leading brand and communications agency in Australia. A passionate advocate of the role of brand as a true strategic asset, Pablo's career has taken him all over Europe, the U.S. and Australia, working both on the client and agency sides. From successful start-ups to corporate giants like Hyundai, Bank of America or Ampol, Pablo's work shortens the distance between people and brands, helping build preference, loyalty and advocacy along the way. 
Designate's clients include many ASX200 companies, and their work strengthens trust and engagement with investors, customers, employees and other stakeholders. From brand identity to investor communications, Designate combines strategic thinking and creative excellence to deliver a sustainable competitive advantage for their clients.  

TESS PALMER
Head of Investor Relations
Transurban

Tess is responsible for Transurban’s global investor relations program having been appointed to the role in 2019.
Tess is a senior investor relations executive with over fifteen years’ experience gained in the infrastructure, energy and financial sectors in both Australia and the UK, in roles spanning investor relations, stakeholder relations, internal and external communications, finance, planning and strategy. 

JOEL POSTERS
Head of Stewardship
FutureFund

Joel Posters is a director in the investment management team at the Future Fund, Australia's sovereign wealth fund. He is responsible for integrating ESG issues in the Fund’s investment framework across asset classes. Prior to this role, he was Head of Sustainability at Rabobank Leasing in the Netherlands and Regional Head of Sustainability at ABN AMRO Bank in Hong Kong. He has 20 years of experience in the areas of ESG and sustainability. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a Master in International and Public Affairs from Columbia University. He is also a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

DAVID RAPER
Executive General Manager, Trading Services
ASX

David Raper has been Executive General Manager, Trading Services, since July 2015. In this role, he is responsible for ASX’s equity and derivative trading, information services and technical services businesses, and for the Australian Liquidity Centre - Australia’s only purpose-built finance data centre – and Centre Point services and is a director of Yieldbroker, Australia’s leading electronic fixed income trading platform. David joined ASX in 2006 as General Manager, Business Operations, following the merger of the Australian Stock Exchange and SFE Corporation (SFE).

KEITH ROVERS
Partner and Head of Sustainable Finance 
Minter Ellison

A market-leading finance and projects lawyer, Keith has driven many of MinterEllison's headline acquisition and project finance deals. Keith heads up the Sustainable Finance unit in the firm's Responsible Business practice, advising on ESG issues and related financial products and is Head of Pro Bono & Community Investment, where his Social Impact team focuses on breaking cycles of disadvantage supporting social enterprises and indigenous business. 
His commercial experience and interest in sustainability helps inform his work with corporates, not-for-profit and emerging social enterprise clients. Keith strives to create shared value, collaborating across the corporate, government, not-for-profit sectors, working with others to develop innovative approaches to tackling social and environmental issues.

NATHAN SCHOLZ
Head of Investor & Government Relations
Domino's Pizza Enterprises Limited

Nathan started with Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd as the Communications Manager in 2016 on an 11-month maternity leave contract – and never left. 
He joined Domino’s with more than two decades working across a range of disciplines including investor relations, journalism and finance reporting, media relations, corporate training, social media, and crisis and issues management, in senior roles for brands including Rio Tinto, Virgin Australia and Queensland Rail.
Nathan established Domino’s inaugural investor relations function in 2018, and is passionate about how two-way communication with the market can contribute to delivering positive outcomes for all stakeholders.

CHRIS VAGG
Head of Investor Relations & Group Treasurer
Aurizon Limited

Chris has more than 20 years’ experience in the finance industry in both Australia and the United Kingdom. Chris joined the Aurizon Investor Relations team in 2011, building capability within the function since the Company listed on the ASX in November 2010. During this time Chris has played a critical role in engaging with the investment community and articulating Aurizon’s investment proposition. Since July 2017, Chris has assumed responsibility for Aurizon’s treasury and insurance functions. Prior to his appointment at Aurizon, Chris worked for seven years as a sell side analyst for Citi in London and Sydney after commencing his career as a chartered accountant.

MORE SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED

Click Here for the conference program

Speakers displayed in alphabetical order.