Architecture + AI Day | Sydney

Overview

The intelligence economy is here, and data and AI are no longer innovation side projects, they are becoming the engines of enterprise value, resilience, and competitive advantage. As expectations rise, leaders are under pressure to prove ROI, manage growing regulatory scrutiny, modernise legacy systems, and scale AI beyond experimentation into something commercially meaningful.

This event brings together the executives shaping what comes next. You’ll hear how Australia’s leading CDAOs are building the infrastructure, governance, and operating models required to compete in this new economy. They’ll share how they are moving from pilot to production, embedding intelligence into core business operations, navigating risk and compliance, unlocking value from enterprise data, and positioning their organisations to scale AI with confidence in an increasingly complex and fast-moving landscape.

What we will cover

• Data Governance Establishing frameworks to ensure data integrity, quality, and compliance
• Data Strategy Aligning data initiatives with business goals to drive organisational success.
• Analytics Transformation Leveraging advanced analytics to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency.
• Data Architecture Designing scalable data infrastructure to support future growth and innovation.
• Data Literacy Empowering employees with the skills to effectively use and interpret data.
• Data Privacy Implementing practices to protect sensitive information and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Data Monetisation Identifying opportunities to leverage data as a revenue-generating asset.
• Master Data Management Creating a single, reliable source of truth for key business data.
• Data Quality Ensuring accuracy, completeness, and consistency in data across the organisation.
• Data Collaboration Fostering cross-departmental partnerships to enhance data sharing and insights.
• Emerging Technologies Exploring Al and machine learning to transform data utilisation and analysis.
• Data Integration Streamlining data sources for improved accessibility and real-time insights.

Agenda

• 8:00 am Networking Breakfast(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) An informal start to the day where delegates can meet peers, share expectations and prepare for the sessions ahead. Exchange experiences and discuss current challenges with fellow CDAOs. Outline objectives for the day’s programme. Build connections that could lead to future collaboration.
• 9:00 am Opening Remarks: Setting the Stage for Data-Driven Growth(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) A concise overview of the day’s objectives and why data leadership matters now.
• 9:10 am 2026. A New Wave of Leadership(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) As organisations navigate 2026, Chief Data & Analytics Officers and Chief AI Officers are redefining their roles as strategic leaders of enterprise transformation. No longer focused solely on data management, analytics or AI deployment, these leaders are responsible for turning data and intelligent technologies into measurable business value. As organisations move from AI experimentation to scaled adoption, the focus is shifting towards building trusted data foundations, embedding AI into decision-making and operations, and establishing the governance needed to scale responsibly. This session will explore how forward-thinking data and AI leaders are moving beyond experimentation to create sustainable enterprise-wide impact. Discussion Points: Turning data, analytics and AI into measurable business outcomes, from better decision-making and customer intelligence to productivity, efficiency and growth. Moving from AI experimentation to enterprise-scale adoption by embedding AI into core processes, products and operating models. Building the data foundations, governance and organisational capabilities required to scale AI responsibly while maintaining trust, security and accountability. Aligning data and AI strategies with broader business priorities, ensuring investment is focused on the areas where these capabilities can create the greatest enterprise value.
• 9:30 am Boardroom-Ready AI: From Principles to Embedded Governance(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) As Responsible AI moves from experimentation to enterprise deployment, stakeholders are no longer satisfied with ethics principles or policy documents. They want to understand how governance is embedded, controls are operationalised, and AI is being deployed safely at scale. Akanksha Wangnoo, Chief Privacy, Data Ethics and Data Governance Officer at NAB, shares how NAB is evolving responsible AI from manual governance and fragmented oversight into automated controls, embedded ethics frameworks, and operational guardrails. This session explores how CDAO leaders can shift the conversation from theoretical AI governance to measurable operational accountability, while enabling faster innovation across the organisation. Discussion Points: From Principles to Embedded Controls: Moving beyond Responsible AI frameworks to ethics by design embedded within engineering and delivery workflows. Automating Governance at Scale: How NAB is shifting from manual governance and paper-based oversight to automated policy enforcement and streamlined controls. Governance Without Slowing Innovation: How governance can evolve from a blocker into an accelerator for enterprise AI deployment. Third-Party AI and Vendor Collaboration in the Age of Rapid Innovation: How organisations are working with technology partners to accelerate AI adoption while maintaining regulatory, privacy, and ethical controls.
• 9:50 am The New Power Dynamic – How the C-Suite Must Co-Pilot The Next 18 Months of AI Investment(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) In 2026, the era of isolated innovation is over. As organisations shift from experimental AI pilots to enterprise-scale deployment, no single leader can drive transformation in isolation. The C-suite must now operate as an interconnected system, where data, strategy, technology, and legal accountability are considered from the outset. This session explores the new Strategic Core emerging across leading organisations, where technology, data, strategy, legal, risk and operational leaders are increasingly required to shape investment decisions together, ensuring AI initiatives deliver measurable business outcomes rather than isolated technical capability. Discussion Points: From AI Projects to Business Outcomes: How can the C-suite move beyond traditional ROI to measure the true value of AI across the value chain, particularly as AI shifts from supporting decisions to influencing or making them? Balancing Velocity with Guardrails: In scaling agentic AI, where does the real tension sit between speed and governance? Beyond security, how should leaders manage legal accountability, regulatory uncertainty, and the impact on human capability? The 18-Month Investment Roadmap: As organisations move from experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment, where should leaders place their biggest bets: infrastructure, AI-native customer experiences, workforce capability, or orchestration at scale? And how do they avoid fragmentation between innovation and governance?
• 10:20 am Scaling Agentic Workflows and AI Value in Complex, Multi-Entity Enterprises(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) As AI moves past the experimentation phase, the core mandate for enterprise data leaders is to deliver measurable operational value and productivity gains. Doing so within complex, multi-entity organisations requires navigating diverse data maturity levels, stringent privacy requirements, and massive infrastructure changes. In this discussion, Artak Amirbekyan, Chief Data Officer at EBOS Group, explores practical strategies for identifying high-impact use cases, building robust data platforms, and successfully deploying real-world AI capabilities to drive sustainable competitive advantage. Discussion Points: Moving to Agentic Operations: Rethinking productivity metrics and human-in-the-loop accountability as organisations deploy autonomous AI agents and workflows. Managing Multi-Entity Complexity: Standardising high-value use cases across dozens of diverse subsidiary companies with fragmented maturity while maintaining local agility. The Governance Anchor: Scaling privacy compliance and robust data platforms as automated systems penetrate deeper into core supply chain and consumer-facing touch points.
• 10:40 am Networking Break & Morning Tea
• 11:25 am Peer-Driven Debates(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) A: Unlocking Enterprise Knowledge with AI vs Avoiding Shadow Intelligence How do we ensure AI delivers trusted knowledge rather than conflicting or misleading insights? When does AI-enabled knowledge accelerate decision-making and when does it introduce errors or blind spots? How do leaders balance speed, accessibility, and governance while deploying AI at enterprise scale? B: Generative AI Experimentation vs Enterprise Control Are we scaling meaningful enterprise capability or funding disconnected experiments? At what point does rapid adoption accelerate competitive advantage, and when does it erode governance and trust? How do we ensure experimentation translates into real, repeatable business value? C: Real-Time Data Activation vs Decision Stability Are organisations ready to operationalise real-time decision-making or are we accelerating beyond organisational readiness? Does pursuing immediacy improve decision quality or undermine strategic thinking? How do leaders balance faster insights with organisational capability and trust? D: AI-Augmented Decision-Making vs Human Judgement Are we reducing human bias or embedding new, less visible forms of risk? How do leaders ensure accountability and trust when decisions are increasingly AI-driven? When does reliance on AI enhance performance and when does it erode critical human judgement? E: Data Governance as an Enabler vs a Constraint Are governance frameworks empowering the business or protecting data teams from risk? What is the real cost of over-governance versus under-governance? How do we embed governance practices that scale with AI and enterprise growth? F: Building Enterprise Data Products vs Delivering Immediate Business Outcomes Are we building long-term strategic assets or over-engineering for uncertain future value? How do CDAOs balance sustainable capability with pressure to deliver immediate impact? Does focusing on short-term outcomes compromise enterprise-wide learning and collaboration?
• 11:55 am From Raw Data to Trusted Answers: AI Across the Data Lifecycle(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) As organisations move from AI pilots to enterprise deployment, many are discovering that the constraint is rarely the model, it is the data lifecycle behind it. Data still has to be found, brought together, governed, described in business language, and kept fresh before any agent can answer a question reliably. In this session, Jonathan Cook, Chief Product Owner, Westpac Intelligence, explores how AI now works at every stage of the data lifecycle, from sourcing and refining to documenting, understanding, and answering, and what organisations must get right to turn weeks-long analyst workflows into trusted, conversational AI and insights, without sacrificing governance. Discussion Points: Why "Agent-Ready" Data Is the Real Prize: Why the durable win is not the prompt window but a governed, conformed, business-ready data foundation and how AI accelerates the unglamorous middle of profiling, classification, de-duplication and modelling to compress the lifecycle from weeks to minutes. Applying AI Across the Lifecycle, Not in Isolation: Why value compounds when AI is embedded at every step, sourcing, medallion refinement, document deconstruction, the semantic layer, and text-to-SQL, rather than bolted on as isolated point solutions. Governance and Meaning as the Foundation of Trust: What organisations must standardise before AI can scale reliably, from keeping data in place and governed to a semantic layer that maps business language to the exact metrics behind it, the difference between a demo and something you can put in front of a regulator.
• 0:15 pm AI at Work: How Enterprise Adoption Becomes Everyday Execution(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) As AI moves beyond isolated pilots and into the hands of employees across the enterprise, the real transformation is no longer happening only in models or platforms, but in the way people work. From analysts and engineers to frontline decision-makers, AI is reshaping how work gets done, how insights are generated, and how organisations build capability at scale. In this fireside conversation, Commonwealth Bank leaders Jen French and Ishaan Sharma explore what it takes to move AI from experimentation into everyday workflows. Together, they share how Commonwealth Bank is enabling practical AI adoption across the organisation, empowering teams to work differently with data, and balancing rapid experimentation with the confidence, guardrails, and infrastructure needed to scale responsibly. Discussion Points: From Access to Adoption: Building an AI-Ready Workforce: How organisations build the confidence, capability, and practical literacy needed for employees to use AI effectively in day-to-day work, and what it takes to move from experimentation to meaningful adoption at scale. Reimagining the Analytics Value Chain: How AI Is Changing Decision-Making: How AI is changing how insights are created, consumed, and acted on, from improving analyst productivity to enabling real-time self-service and bringing data closer to decision-making across the business. Scaling with Confidence: Balancing Experimentation, Infrastructure and Change: How organisations balance evolving infrastructure, governance, and change management while teams continue testing use cases, modernising workflows, and scaling AI in parallel.
• 0:35 pm Using Synthetic Audiences to Test Business Strategy(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) What if organisations could pressure-test decisions before taking them to market? Advances in AI are making it possible to create synthetic representations of customers that can simulate reactions to products, pricing, experiences, and strategic initiatives. James Greaney examines how leading organisations are using synthetic audiences to reduce uncertainty, accelerate experimentation, and make more informed decisions, while navigating the risks of bias, accuracy, and overreliance on AI-generated insights. Discussion Points: Why synthetic audiences are emerging as a new tool for business experimentation and decision-making. How organisations can combine real customer data with AI simulations to improve confidence in strategic decisions. The ethical, governance, and trust considerations leaders must address as AI increasingly influences customer and business outcomes.
• 0:55 pm Lunch Break & Peer Connect
• 1:55 pm CDAO Speed Exchange(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) In this high-energy session, Data and AI leaders connect one-on-one with peers to share real-world wins and hard lessons from data and AI initiatives. Rotate through multiple discussions to uncover recurring challenges, reveal what accelerates transformation, and pinpoint the pitfalls that can derail even the most ambitious programs.
• 2:25 pm Delivering AI in Legacy Environments: Creating Progress Before the Foundation Is Complete(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) As organisations accelerate their push into AI, many enterprise data leaders are facing a difficult reality: the demand for AI value is arriving faster than the underlying data environment can be fully modernised. Rather than waiting for ideal-state architecture or complete standardisation, leaders are being forced to deliver meaningful outcomes within fragmented, legacy-heavy environments. In this session, Adrian Sheather explores how organisations can make practical progress with AI today, even when foundational maturity is still evolving. The focus is on how to sequence delivery, manage trade-offs, and build momentum without locking in long-term fragmentation or technical debt. Discussion Points: Delivering Value When Systems are Fragmented: How organisations can move beyond the mindset of completing foundations first, and instead identify safe, high-impact areas to deliver AI value in parallel with ongoing data transformation. Sequencing Under Constraint: When everything feels like a priority (governance, platforms, use cases, operating model), how do leaders decide what actually comes first to unlock momentum rather than stall progress? Bridging Legacy Reality with AI Ambition: Practical approaches to operating AI in fragmented environments, including how to manage risk, maintain control, and avoid compounding technical debt while still meeting executive expectations for delivery.
• 2:45 pm Closing the Customer Intelligence Gap(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) Organisations have invested heavily in building robust data foundations, but the critical next frontier is translating that infrastructure into tangible customer value. In this discussion, Irina Chinenova, General Manager of Data and Insights at Rest, explores how data leaders can bridge the chasm between raw technical readiness and everyday business impact. The session examines how to align closely with business stakeholders, identify high-value use cases, and harness AI to elevate decision-making and redesign customer experiences without getting lost in the noise. Discussion Points: Turning Customer Signals into Better Decisions: How organisations can get customer signals into the hands of the business and embed data into everyday decision making rather than simply producing more insights. From Data Foundations to Customer Value: How data leaders can identify the highest value use cases, align closely with the business and ensure data strategy is ultimately measured by outcomes rather than outputs. Redesigning the Customer Experience With AI: How AI is moving beyond analytics into personalised engagement, automated workflows and redesigned customer journeys, and where organisations can create meaningful value without simply adding more technology.
• 3:05 pm Data Architecture to Business Impact at Scale: The Next Chapter for Data Leaders(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) As organisations mature their data capabilities, the focus is shifting from building platforms to delivering real, scaled business impact. This panel brings together senior data leaders to explore what it takes to move from experimentation to scaled adoption, building trusted data foundations, enabling responsible AI use, and creating the organisational capability required to succeed in an increasingly automated future. Discussion Points: From platforms to production, what actually drives scale: Most organisations can now build data products and AI solutions. Very few can industrialise them across the enterprise. What are the practical enablers that separate isolated wins from repeatable, scaled impact? The Human Edge in an Automated Future: As AI agents begin to handle the heavy lifting of data curation and initial analysis, what does human leadership look like? What actually needs to change now to scale data into the enterprise: What shifts in operating model, skills, and investment priorities are required for organisations to genuinely embed data into core decision-making and execution?
• 3:35 pm Analyst Wrap: Five Board-Ready Messages(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary) Key actions and messages data leaders can take back to executive teams, focusing on value creation, compliance and future readiness.
• 3:40 pm End of Day | Networking Drinks(Architecture + AI Day - Plenary)

Speakers

• Josh Heid · CEO, Panelist Josh brings with himself years of leadership experience as the driving force behind Factor and Panelist , where he has shaped the future of business strategy through his expertise in Product Design , Customer Experience , and Engineering . An innovator at heart, Josh excels in Product Design , where he combines aesthetic sensibility with functional purpose to create solutions that resonate with users and deliver measurable results. His approach bridges customer needs and cutting-edge technology, ensuring that every product is not only visually compelling but also highly effective in meeting market demands. In the realm of Customer Experience , Josh has consistently championed the importance of understanding user journeys and fostering engagement through intuitive design and seamless interactions. He has implemented frameworks that elevate user satisfaction, ensuring that Factor’s offerings remain at the forefront of customer-centric innovation. Josh's engineering mindset adds a unique layer to his leadership. His ability to translate complex concepts into actionable development processes has resulted in robust, scalable applications and systems. By integrating engineering principles with strategic thinking, Josh has driven operational excellence while maintaining a sharp focus on delivering top-tier solutions to clients. With a deep understanding of Leadership Strategy , Marketing , and Sales , Josh has built Factor and Panelist into trusted names in their industries, continuously setting new benchmarks for innovation and success.
• Burak Cankurtaran · Chief Technology Officer, Panelist Heading up the tech team at Panelist.
• Monique Dignan-smith · VP Analyst, Factor Monique Dignan-Smith is Editor – Research & Content at Factor and a versatile host and presenter with more than a decade of experience across corporate, sports, lifestyle, travel, health and automotive sectors. With a strong background in journalism, content creation and social media marketing, Monique brings a sharp editorial lens and audience-first mindset to every conversation she leads. She has delivered across live events, advertorial, interviews, UGC and digital platforms including TikTok Live, combining professionalism with an energetic, engaging on-stage presence.
• Shelley Rigg · VP Analyst, Factor Shelley Rigg is Executive Producer, Research & Content at Factor, where she draws on over two decades of experience producing commercially driven campaigns, broadcast content, and executive events for some of the world’s leading brands. An award-winning producer and BAFTA recipient, Shelley has overseen more than 30 primetime shows in the UK and US, led strategic campaigns for Netflix, BBC, Amazon Prime, Rio Tinto, and Optus, and executive produced major live events, including Optus’s award-winning coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. At Factor, she brings her expertise as a talk show host, moderator, and content strategist, supporting broadcast, editorial, and e-learning initiatives while shaping engaging conversations with senior leaders across industries.
• Akanksha Wangnoo · Chief Privacy, Data Ethics and Data Governance Officer, NAB Akanksha Wangnoo is the Chief Privacy, Data Ethics and Data Governance Officer at National Australia Bank (NAB), where she leads the enterprise strategy for responsible data management across one of Australia’s largest financial institutions. With over a decade of experience spanning data governance, risk, and regulatory compliance, she is recognised for building frameworks that balance innovation with trust, safety, and customer protection. A champion of ethical and transparent data use, Akanksha works closely with executive leaders, regulators, and technology teams to shape NAB’s approach to privacy, AI governance, and data stewardship. She is a frequent contributor to industry forums on the future of data responsibility, and is known for her practical, business-aligned perspective on embedding ethics and governance into large-scale digital transformation.
• Jonathan Cook · Chief Product Owner – WIB Intelligence & Data Platforms, Westpac Jonathan Cook, Chief Product Owner – WIB Intelligence & Data Platforms for the Westpac Institutional Bank, is passionate about enabling data driven decision-making and has spent his career helping organisations navigate complex data & technology transformation agendas. A change advocate, promoting simplification of data ecosystems, uplifting people & capabilities, and championing modern data practices to nurture enduring data culture.
• Jackie Montado · Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Wesfarmers Jackie is an experienced and strategic Chief Digital & Technology Officer of large complex organisations across FMCG, Pharmaceuticals, Distribution B2B, Energy industries and consulting. She has a track record of successfully leading transformations through business model changes, value-adding digital programs and complex M&A integration, innovation, start-ups and divestment programs. She is a courageous leader displaying strong executive presence and is skilled at building strategic business partnerships at Board and C-suite level through her highly collaborative and effective influencing style.
• Nandor Locher · Chief Digital & Technology Officer, News Corp Australia Nandor Locher is Chief Digital & Technology Officer at News Corp Australia, responsible for the organisation’s technology, data and digital strategy. With more than 20 years of experience across some of Australia’s leading consumer and enterprise businesses, Nandor brings extensive expertise in digital transformation, technology strategy, customer experience, data and AI. Prior to joining News Corp Australia, Nandor held senior digital and transformation roles at IAG, Woolworths, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia. At IAG, he was Executive General Manager, Digital Business, leading digital customer experience, data, AI, personalisation and customer technology initiatives. Across his career, Nandor has focused on translating technology and digital capabilities into tangible customer and commercial outcomes, and on helping large organisations navigate complex transformation at scale.
• Artak Amirbekyan · Chief Data Officer, EBOS Group Artak Amirbekyan is Chief Data Officer at EBOS Group, responsible for driving the organisation’s data and AI strategy and enabling the business to turn data and emerging technologies into practical commercial outcomes. With a career spanning data science, artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, Artak brings deep experience in building data capabilities and applying AI within complex, highly regulated organisations. Prior to joining EBOS Group, Artak was Head of Data, AI & Machine Learning at Transurban, where he led data and advanced analytics strategy, and Executive Manager of AI Labs at Commonwealth Bank, where he led a large data science team focused on AI capability and strategic initiatives. He holds a PhD in Data Mining from Griffith University and a Master’s in Industrial Mathematics from the University of Kaiserslautern, and has built his career around helping organisations move beyond AI experimentation to create scalable, responsible and measurable business value.
• Ishaan Sharma · GM Advanced Analytics and Data, Commonwealth Bank Ishaan Sharma is a seasoned data analytics leader with extensive experience driving business performance through advanced data strategy, decisioning, and insights. At CBA, he leads high-performing teams across data engineering, governance, visualisation, business intelligence, and analytics to deliver data-driven solutions that align with strategic business goals. Known for his consultative approach and strong relationship-building skills, Ishaan excels at integrating complex data ecosystems to unlock value and support competitive advantage in fast-paced environments.
• Jen French · General Manager AI Acceleration and AI Adoption, Commonwealth Bank Jen French is General Manager, AI Acceleration and AI Adoption at Commonwealth Bank, where she is focused on accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence across one of Australia’s largest organisations. Her remit spans the practical application and scaling of AI, helping teams identify meaningful opportunities, build capability and embed AI into the way work is delivered across the enterprise. Jen brings a strong focus on moving AI beyond experimentation and into measurable business and customer outcomes. Her work explores the organisational and human factors that underpin successful AI adoption, including workforce capability, responsible use, process redesign and building trust in new technologies. At CBA, she has been closely involved in the bank’s approach to generative and agentic AI and the challenge of making AI accessible and useful at scale.
• James Greaney · Chief Data Officer, CLEMENGER James Greaney is the Chief Data Officer at Clemenger BBDO, a full-service advertising agency whose clients include Samsung, Telstra, IAG and Mazda. James heads up a team of data scientists and insights analysts delivering along the full spectrum of ‘analysis’ - from delivering reports with data led insights to machine learning algorithms.
• Carrie Chiu · Executive General Manager Enterprise Architecture & Technology Strategy, nbn Australia Carrie Chiu is Executive General Manager, Enterprise Architecture & Technology Strategy at nbn, where she leads the strategic direction of the organisation’s technology architecture and capabilities. With more than 20 years of experience across technology, digital services, data, AI and enterprise transformation, Carrie brings extensive expertise in shaping technology strategies that enable large, complex organisations to evolve while maintaining resilience, security and operational performance. Since joining nbn in 2017, Carrie has held a number of senior technology leadership positions spanning enterprise architecture, digital services, data and analytics, DevSecOps, partner experience, infrastructure and security. Her career also includes technology and engineering roles with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Optus and Nokia. Carrie brings a practical, enterprise-wide perspective on modernising technology foundations, navigating architectural complexity and preparing organisations for emerging technologies such as AI, while ensuring technology strategy remains closely aligned to business priorities.
• Shiva Storer · Chief Strategy Officer, Allianz Shiva Storer is Chief Strategy Officer at Allianz Australia, where he leads enterprise strategy and strategic transformation, helping shape the organisation’s long-term direction and respond to the changing dynamics of the financial services and insurance sectors. He brings extensive experience across strategy, transformation, M&A, data and emerging technologies, with a career spanning insurance, banking and wealth management. Prior to joining Allianz Australia, Shiva held senior strategy and M&A leadership roles at TAL, where he was responsible for shaping strategic priorities and driving major business initiatives. His experience spans corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, data and technology, risk, corporate venture capital and large-scale transformation. Shiva brings a commercially focused perspective to the opportunities and challenges facing large organisations, particularly how leaders can translate emerging technologies such a
• Ben Ruming · Chief Data Officer, Teachers Mutual Bank Limited Ben Ruming is Chief Data Officer at Teachers Mutual Bank Limited, where he leads the organisation’s data strategy and capabilities, with a focus on strengthening how data is governed, managed and used to support better business and customer outcomes. He is an experienced data and analytics executive with a career spanning data strategy, platforms, architecture, analytics and transformation across Australia’s financial services sector. Prior to joining Teachers Mutual Bank, Ben held senior data leadership roles at AMP, including Head of Data Platforms, where he worked across the development and management of enterprise data capabilities. Throughout his career, Ben has focused on connecting strong data foundations with practical business outcomes, navigating the challenges of data governance, privacy, analytics and emerging technologies while helping organisations make better use of their data at scale.
• Tilly Tan · GM Data & Systems Long Term Planning, Evolution Mining Tilly Tan is GM, Data & Systems – Long Term Planning at Evolution Mining, where she works at the intersection of data, technology and long-term operational strategy. She brings experience in using data, analytics and emerging technologies to support complex decision-making, with a particular focus on turning data into practical insights that can improve planning and business outcomes. Prior to joining Evolution Mining, Tilly spent two years with Rio Tinto at Oyu Tolgoi in Mongolia, where she established and led a data-focused function supporting the operation’s evolving technology and analytics needs. Her experience spans data, systems, analytics and practical AI applications within large-scale mining environments. Tilly brings a pragmatic perspective on how organisations can move beyond data and AI experimentation to build capabilities that deliver meaningful value in real-world operational settings.
• Adrian Sheather · CDO - GM Customer Data and Customer Intelligence, The NRMA Adrian Sheather is CDO, General Manager, Customer Data & Customer Intelligence at The NRMA, where he leads the organisation’s customer data and intelligence capability. With extensive experience across data strategy, analytics, data governance and customer intelligence, Adrian focuses on building data capabilities that enable organisations to better understand their customers and make more informed, data-driven decisions. Prior to joining The NRMA, Adrian spent close to a decade at OFX, including as Global Head of Data & Insights, where he helped establish and mature the organisation’s data practice across governance, platforms, analytics and insights. His experience spans the practical challenges of building trusted data foundations while delivering tangible business value, and he brings a pragmatic perspective on how organisations can prepare for and adopt AI in complex, evolving data environments.
• Craig Napier · Chief Data Officer, UTS Craig Napier is the Chief Data officer at UTS and is developing and collaboratively advancing a whole of institutional approach to drive evidence-based decisions. Craig has in excess of 20 years’ experience in data intensive environments both domestically and internationally and 15 years as data and analytics executive in the higher-education sector and is well known for his collaborative approach. Craig was recognised in the Top 10 (Ranked 3rd) in the IAPA Analytics Leaders in 2020. Craig is currently President of Transforming Data With Intelligence (TDWI); and former Chair of the Australasian Association for International Research (AAIR)’s Business Intelligence, Data Warehousing and Analytics Special Interest Group. He holds a Master of Business Administration (UOW), Bachelor of Business (Accounting) (UWS) and is a Fellow Certified Practicing Accountant (FCPA).
• Mike Shimerda · General Manager Tech and Data Strategy, ASX Mike Shimerda brings over 20 years of global experience driving growth and strategic data initiatives across North America, Asia, and Europe within corporate and financial services sectors. Currently leading Technology and Data Strategy at ASX, Mike is recognised for his expertise in alternative data, commercialising first-party data assets, and developing innovative data-driven business models. His prior roles include leading global alternative data acquisition at Bloomberg and spearheading data strategy at 7Park Data. Mike is known for unlocking commercial value from complex data environments and delivering strong market expansion and revenue growth.

Partners

• Panelist · Silver Panelist is the vision for easy connections. We are a movement that exits to eliminate the complexity in professional interactions and give individuals a sense of clarity behind every conversation. And we do that by giving you the power to swift through to the right conversations and opportunities. Founded in 2021, we have had exponential growth, with members and senior executives from organisations across the globe including the Fortune 500. Panelist services include: Social networking Virtual events platform Audio chat rooms Company community centers We grow rapidly and we're always on the look out for talent across engineering, product management, design, research, analytics, technical program management, operations, and more.
• Alation · Bronze Alation is the leader in enterprise data intelligence solutions including data search & discovery, data governance, data stewardship, analytics, and digital transformation. Alation’s initial offering dominates the data catalog market. Thanks to its powerful Behavioral Analysis Engine, inbuilt collaboration capabilities, and open interfaces, Alation combines machine learning with human insight to successfully tackle even the most demanding challenges in data and metadata management. More than 330 enterprises drive data culture, improve decision making, and realize business outcomes with Alation including AbbVie, American Family Insurance, Cisco, Exelon, Fifth Third Bank, Finnair, Munich Re, NASDAQ, New Balance, Parexel, Pfizer, US Foods, and Vistaprint. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Alation was named to Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces list and is backed by leading venture capitalists including Blackstone, Costanoa, Data Collective, Dell Technologies, Icon, ISAI Cap, Riverwood, Salesforce, Sanabil, Sapphire, and Snowflake Ventures. For more information, visit alation.com.
• Glean · Gold Glean is the Work AI platform that connects and understands all your enterprise data, to generate trusted answers and automate work grounded in company knowledge. Using Glean’s powerful search and RAG technology to retrieve the most relevant, up-to-date information, Glean's AI assistant generates highly personalized answers based on your company’s unique enterprise knowledge graph. All answers are secure, private, permissions-aware, and fully referenceable back to source documentation in your enterprise. Glean also empowers users to quickly and securely build multi-step prompts and custom generative AI, agents, and assistants that automate everyday workflows. With over 100 connectors, LLM options, and no need for costly professional services, data training, or manual fine-tuning, Glean delivers turnkey implementation of a complex AI ecosystem on one centralized platform. Founded by Arvind Jain (Google Distinguished Engineer, Rubrik Co-founder), T.R. Vishwanath (Microsoft, Meta), Piyush Prahladka (Google, Uber), and Tony Gentilcore (Google), Glean has funding from Sequoia Capital, General Catalyst, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and The Slack Fund.

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