Dan Ariely

Professor Dan Ariely is a professor at Duke University and best-selling author known for his groundbreaking work in behavioral economics. He is the author of several books including Predictably Irrational and his most recent, Misbelief.

Alan Kohler AM

Alan Kohler AM is one of Australia’s most respected financial journalists and business commentators, with over five decades covering markets, the economy and business. A former editor of the Australian Financial Review and The Age, and columnist for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, he has spent nearly 30 years with the ABC as business editor of 7.30, host of Inside Business, and now finance presenter on ABC News. Founder of Eureka Report and Business Spectator, Alan speaks on finance, the economy and stockmarkets, giving audiences clarity, context and insight to navigate uncertainty and make informed business decisions.

Diana Mousina

Diana Mousina is the Deputy Chief Economist at AMP. Before joining AMP, she worked as an economist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Diana holds a Bachelor of Commerce/Economics and a Master of Finance from the University of New South Wales. She is passionate about financial literacy and uses innovative approaches, including social media, to help more people understand and navigate the economy.

Melinda Cilento

Melinda Cilento is Chief Executive of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, a company director, economist and experienced senior executive. She is also the Deputy Chair of Australian Unity, Chair of the Expert Council on University Governance, and a member of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration. She is a Member of Amplify Australia Research Committee, a member of the ACCC Performance Consultative Committee and a Melbourne Institute Advisory Board Member. Melinda was previously a Non-Executive Director with Woodside Petroleum, Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia, a Commissioner with the Productivity Commission, Deputy CEO and Chief Economist with the Business Council of Australia and held senior roles with Invesco, the Federal Department of Treasury, and the International Monetary Fund.

Dom Pym

Dom Pym is a renowned Australian entrepreneur and technologist who has co-founded multiple successful businesses including Up (Australia’s leading and most trusted digital bank), Pin Payments, Ferocia, Clear Interactive and most recently, Triple Bubble (Oceania’s first fit-for-purpose fintech fund). Dom serves on the board of Fintech Australia and is deeply involved in his family office, Euphemia. Euphemia’s mission is Go Big and Grow Home - focused on investing in tomorrow’s startup scene, nurturing a diverse, progressive, intelligent, ambitious community. We don’t just want to make awesome. We want to make the awesome that makes the awesome.

Effie Zahos

Effie Zahos is one of Australia’s most trusted personal finance commentators and the 9News Money Editor. With over two decades of experience, she appears regularly across the Nine Network, providing clear, practical information and commentary on personal finance, the economy, and how to make smarter money choices. Beyond media, she helps advance accessible investing as a director of InvestSMART and financial wellbeing for all Australians as a director of the not-for-profit Ecstra Foundation that helps build the financial capability and wellbeing of all Australians through grant funding and educational programs. She is also the author of a Real Girls Guide to Money.

Lynda Edwards

Lynda Edwards is a proud Wangkumarra and Barkindji woman and the Director of First Nations Policy at Financial Counselling Australia. A dedicated voice for her community, Lynda is a passionate advocate for the financial rights and inclusion of First Nations people. With more than 20 years’ experience in the financial sector — beginning as a Financial Capability Worker, then as a Financial Counsellor and now in policy and advocacy — Lynda has worked to improve financial literacy and achieve fairer, healthier outcomes for First Nations people, who are too often targeted by unfair or unethical practices. Her leadership has been pivotal in campaigns calling out unethical sales tactics, strengthening financial health across the region, and guiding financial services to engage inclusively and in culturally appropriate ways with First Nations communities. Lynda also plays a key role in building the capacity of First Nations Financial Counsellors and Financial Capability Workers.

Matt Leibowitz

Matt Leibowitz is the co-founder and CEO of Stake, the digital brokerage transforming access to global markets for everyday investors. He launched Stake in 2017 to make U.S. and ASX investing simpler and more affordable. Under his leadership, the platform has grown rapidly, managing billions in assets and reshaping the retail investing landscape in Australia and beyond.

Ross Buckley

Ross Buckley is a Scientia Professor at UNSW and a global authority on FinTech, RegTech, and digital currencies. His research is ranked among the world’s most downloaded in the world. A trusted adviser to governments and regulators, he joined the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Payments System Board in 2023.

Katrina Samios

Kartina Samios is the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Basics Foundation, leading the organisation’s mission to improve financial literacy and capability across Australia. With extensive experience in finance and leadership, she is committed to building the Foundation’s reach and impact. Kartina is passionate about equipping young people with the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions and create brighter financial futures.

Annette Rose

Annette has over 20 years of experience leading financial services innovation in the UK and Australia, including founding roles at Prudential Banking (UK), Egg Plc (UK), and UBank (Australia). Driven by her own challenging financial upbringing, she founded 'The Women's Money Coach' in 2019 to empower women to become financially independent. In 2023, Annette launched Kids Get Money, a social impact start-up providing financial literacy education for young people. Annette's mission is to break the cycle of poverty by equipping all Australian children with the financial knowledge and skills for a positive future.

Uwe Dulleck

Uwe Dulleck is Professor of Economics and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business, Government & Law at the University of Canberra. An internationally recognised scholar in behavioural, experimental and information economics, he has held academic appointments in Australia and Europe and published widely on topics such as credence goods and incentive structures. Uwe is a frequent adviser to government and industry, translating economic research into practical insights for policy and business.

Nicholas Gruen

Nicholas Gruen is a policy economist, entrepreneur and commentator on our economy, society and innovation, who is published in newspapers from the Australian Financial Review to the London Financial Times. Since his chairmanship of the Government 2.0 Taskforce he has been involved in numerous reviews which look at the value of IT and data. He is currently working with the Global Government Forum on a 5 part podcast on the Government 2.0 Taskforce fifteen years on. He is Patron of the Australian Digital Alliance, comprising Australia’s libraries, universities, and digital infrastructure providers such as Google and Yahoo.

Molly Benjamin

Molly Benjamin is the founder of Ladies Finance Club, a leading financial education platform empowering women across Australia and beyond. Through workshops, events and corporate programs, she has helped tens of thousands of women build financial confidence and take control of their money. She is the author of Girls Just Wanna Have Funds and host of the Get Rich Podcast, where she shares practical, relatable advice on money and wealth-building.

Pascale Helyar-Moray OAM

Pascale Helyar-Moray OAM is a purpose-driven entrepreneur and the founder of Grow My Money, an innovative platform that grows women's wealth - superannuation, mortgage, savings - through everyday spending. A recognised leader in financial equality and inclusion, Pascale has dedicated her career to closing the gender wealth gap and empowering women to achieve financial security in retirement. Her career spans marketing, digital innovation and social enterprise, with leadership roles across global brands before founding Grow My Money to tackle one of Australia’s most pressing financial challenges: the superannuation shortfall faced by women. Pascale was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her outstanding service to women’s economic empowerment and is a sought-after speaker and commentator on financial wellbeing, gender equity, and fintech innovation.

Rayn Ong

Rayn Ong is a Partner at Archangel Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in ambitious founders shaping the future of fintech and technology. With over a decade of experience spanning software development and venture investing, Rayn has backed more than 100 early-stage startups, combining deep technical insight with sharp investment acumen to help founders innovate, scale, and build enduring companies. A multiple-time Most Valuable Mentor with the Startmate accelerator, Rayn is widely recognised for his hands-on mentorship and his commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the startup ecosystem. Passionate about empowering Australia’s next generation of fintech leaders, he continues to champion innovation and community-driven growth across the venture landscape.

Suzanne Hopman

In 2015, frustrated by the lack of dignity shown to people experiencing homelessness, Suzanne Hopman developed a housing solution with a difference. Armed with the knowledge and experience working in the social services sector and a belief that the only way to end homelessness was by focusing on one person at a time, Suzanne opened the first Dignity house for women and children experiencing homelessness. Today, Dignity operates multiple homelessness prevention and response programs to support and empower people and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Australia. A national Food Relief program supports people at risk of homelessness and Dignity’s supported temporary guest homes and longer-term housing programs support up to 400 people each night to find their path forward out of homelessness.

Michael Saadat

Michael Saadat is Head of International Public Policy at Block, Inc., where he oversees public policy for the company’s fintech brands Square, Cash App, and Afterpay. An expert in fintech regulation, financial inclusion, and financial policy, he champions initiatives that broaden access to financial services while upholding regulatory integrity. He previously served as an Executive Director at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), where he led consumer financial services oversight. Saadat’s experience and leadership continue to shape global financial policy, making him a key voice for fintech innovation and inclusion in regulatory circles.

Jacky Koh

Jacky Koh is Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Relevance AI, a platform that empowers organisations to build and deploy AI-agent “workforces” to automate repetitive tasks and harness the power of large-language models. Previously an award-winning data scientist, Jacky built mobile apps that reached over 7.5 million users before entering enterprise AI. Based in Sydney, he leads Relevance AI’s global drive to democratise AI by putting intelligent automation into the hands of subject-matter experts—not just engineers.

Albert Bielinko

Albert Bielinko is a General Partner at Titanium Ventures (formerly Telstra Ventures), where he backs Australia’s most ambitious technology founders. With a career spanning investment banking, law and entrepreneurship, Albert brings a rare mix of insight and experience to the venture capital world. His investments span fintech, SaaS and climate tech — sectors driving meaningful change across the economy. Passionate about helping founders build globally competitive businesses, he’s a strong advocate for innovation that delivers both commercial success and positive social and environmental impact.

Cheryl Mack

Cheryl Mack is the CEO of Aussie Angels, a platform empowering investors to back Australia’s most promising startups through syndicates. A passionate advocate for early-stage innovation, Cheryl is on a mission to make startup investing more accessible, transparent, and community-driven. With over a decade in the startup ecosystem, Cheryl brings a rare blend of founder experience, investor insight, and ecosystem leadership. She’s a vocal champion for diversity in tech and investment, frequently sharing her expertise on startup growth, angel investing, and the evolving landscape of venture capital in Australia. As an active angel investor and mentor, Cheryl continues to drive conversations around inclusion, innovation, and the power of collective capital to fuel the next wave of Australian entrepreneurship.

Carmen Platt OAM

Carmen Platt OAM is Head of Partnerships at Good Return, where she builds purpose-driven collaborations that advance financial inclusion and social impact across the Asia-Pacific. A social entrepreneur and founder of a material-aid charity that helped thousands transition from homelessness to stability, Carmen brings deep experience in both grassroots action and strategic partnerships. Recognised with an Order of Australia Medal for her service to the community, she’s passionate about creating opportunities for meaningful, lasting change through innovation, empathy and shared purpose.

Anja Pannek

Anja Pannek is CEO of the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA), the leading professional association for the mortgage and finance broking industry, with more than 16,000 members. Anja is an experienced leader in the financial services sector and has a proven track record of leading successful businesses within the third party channel, including aggregator businesses and mortgage distribution for major financial services firms. Pannek thrives in complex and uncertain environments, and through her vast experience in financial services she has an exceptionally strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the Australian mortgage and finance broking industry.

Gordon Campbell

Gordon brings 30 + years of enterprise software, data analytics, and financial‑services expertise to RDC.AI, a global leader in explainable AI for commercial lending. He guides banks in using AI for faster, fairer, and more transparent lending decisions, shaping data‑driven solutions that improve risk management, customer outcomes, and credit access. A champion of purpose‑driven innovation, Gordon advocates for responsible, ethical AI that empowers people and businesses.

Brandon Van Der Kolk

Brandon founded New Money, one of Australia’s top personal‑finance education platforms, and has amassed over a million YouTube subscribers as a trusted voice in financial literacy. A former financial adviser turned entrepreneur, he turns complex investing concepts into clear, actionable insights through authentic storytelling. Passionate about raising financial‑education standards, Brandon uses digital media to democratise wealth‑building knowledge and help Australians achieve lasting financial freedom.

Edwin Onggo

Edwin Onggo is a seasoned technology entrepreneur and business leader, best known as the founder and CEO of GiggedIn, APAC’s first live-music subscription platform often dubbed the “Netflix of live music”. Under Edwin’s leadership, GiggedIn grew rapidly, securing over $1.3 million in funding and building partnerships with major entertainment brands to reinvent how Australians experience live events. His career began in finance and digital media, where he managed multi-million-dollar campaigns for global brands. This blend of financial acumen and marketing expertise has fuelled the success of his ventures and his reputation as an innovator in the tech space.

Rukmal De Silva

Ruki leads Up Bank’s distinctive, community‑focused digital brand. With a background in advertising, design, and brand strategy, he’s known for bold, emotionally resonant campaigns that challenge industry norms. Prior to Up, he co‑founded multiple creative ventures and drove award‑winning work across fintech, consumer, and lifestyle sectors. A storyteller at heart, Ruki blends strategy and design thinking to build brands that inspire, championing a human, transparent, and joyfully different banking experience for Australians.

Tristan Cameron

Tristan Cameron is the former Head of Global Sales GTM, where he gained deep expertise in AI and machine learning at scale. A Bond MBA graduate with experience at AirTree Ventures and MediaMint, Tristan recently returned to Australia to support AI-driven startups. He brings a pragmatic, optimistic perspective on AI adoption, advocating for experimentation over fear and identifying emerging trends like "BYOAI" (Bring Your Own AI). Tristan specialises in translating Silicon Valley innovation practices to the Australian ecosystem, focusing on AI strategy, operations, and practical implementation that liberates workers to create and flourish.