Peter Chatteris is a keynote speaker, educator, and multiple-time impromptu public speaking champion who brings confidence, warmth, and precision to the role of Master of Ceremonies. With decades of experience speaking on stage and working with audiences, he understands how to guide an event so it flows naturally while remaining perfectly on schedule.
Leigh Ryswyk is a former AFL and SANFL footballer and a leading advocate for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in sport. With over 220 SANFL games and an AFL debut with the Brisbane Lions, he brings deep lived experience from elite and community sport. He chose to lead cultural change from within when he publicly came out as gay in March 2026, becoming the first past or present male AFL player to do so. Leigh is known for his authentic storytelling and practical insights into leadership and inclusion, helping audiences understand how meaningful change happens when people feel safe to be themselves.
Ishan Galapathy is an internationally recognised thought leader on Operational Excellence, employee engagement and frontline leadership. With nearly three decades of experience across nine countries, he has helped manufacturing organisations unlock productivity, profitability and engagement by involving the teams. A former regional and global Operational Excellence leader with Kellogg's and Arnott's, Ishan is the author of three business books and a highly engaging keynote speaker who delivers practical strategies that turn untapped potential into sustainable business growth.
Widely recognised as an expert on how to achieve real success. Her coaching client list includes CEOs and award winning business owners, BRW Fast 100 entrepreneurs and Telstra "Businesswoman of the Year" finalists; people who want to achieve ambitious personal and professional goals without burning out or losing sight of who they are and why they wanted it all in the first place! Domonique is a compelling speaker who gets audiences thinking about what it is they really want from life, and why they haven't been living that way up until now.
Mark Robertson is the founder of One Vision Productions and creator of MPOWER - Australia's evidence-based youth mental wellbeing platform. A Churchill Fellow and Westpac Social Changemaker of Australia, Mark draws on lived experience and 15+ years on the frontline to deliver one of Australia's most resonant keynotes on resilience, youth mental health, and creative empowerment.
Cristy Burne is a speaker, science communicator and storyteller who helps audiences think more creatively, communicate more powerfully and thrive through change. Blending science, humour, storytelling and high-energy audience engagement, Cristy equips leaders and teams with the curiosity, creativity and courage they need to navigate rapid change and a future increasingly shaped by AI.
MacArthur "Genius Grant" recipient Saul Griffith is an engineer, inventor and entrepreneur at the forefront of the global energy transition. Founder of Otherlab and Rewiring America, he helps governments and businesses navigate electrification, climate solutions and innovation, delivering practical insights into the technologies shaping a cleaner future.
Change is the one constant — but resistance is the real challenge on the day. The right change management keynote speaker turns that resistance into buy-in and momentum. Meet the speakers who help your people adapt and thrive.
Yasin Kasirga has spent 20+ years building real energy projects across Europe, the Middle East and Africa - more than 11 GW of capacity and 25+ wind farms, spanning gas, renewables, carbon capture and hydrogen. Today he builds carbon solutions business across the region, and as a former Senior Advisor to the COP28 Presidency he helped shape the global pledge to triple renewables by 2030. On stage he makes the technology, trade-offs and leadership behind net zero clear to everyone in the room - not just the engineers.
Chris Barton is the Founder of the Step Into Action Foundation, a youth mental health advocate, and an elite endurance athlete who delivers raw, authentic keynotes on mindset, consistency, resilience, and workplace wellness. At 51, Chris truly lives his message, maintaining a 2-plus year daily walking streak of at least 20km alongside extreme endurance challenges, he has raised significant funds for youth wellbeing and shares real-world insights, by passing generic corporate theory, teaching audiences how to to embrace the power of authenticity and how to build life changing resilience
Paul Allen is a Margin Recovery Specialist, speaker and author who helps organisations recover EBITDA already being given away through everyday commercial behaviour. Over the past decade he has worked with more than 70 organisations across Australia and New Zealand, uncovering over $30 million in operating profit opportunities. His practical, evidence-based keynotes challenge leaders to rethink customer value, commercial discipline and the hidden behaviours that drive sustainable profit growth.
Justin Lurie is a Houston-based keynote speaker, author, investment banker and Chairman of API Houston. He speaks on enterprise value, capital allocation, M&A discipline, energy security, economic growth and decision-making under uncertainty. His presentations give executives, boards, investors and industry audiences practical frameworks for building value, avoiding strategic mistakes and navigating risk.
Jessica Spendlove is a keynote speaker, advisor, author and performance dietitian who helps leaders and high-performing teams achieve sustainable performance without burnout. Drawing on more than 15 years across elite sport, Special Operations and corporate environments, Jess translates the science of energy, recovery and resilience into practical strategies that help people perform at their best for the long run.
Carlii Lyon is one of Australia's leading experts in personal branding. As a former international personal publicist, she represented Miranda Kerr, New York Times bestselling authors and pioneers in personal development. Today, as a speaker and executive brand coach, she helps executives and teams raise their profile, build influence and find the courage to be visible. She is the author of Courage to Be, a Forbes Australia contributor, and has spoken to teams at Top 50 ASX companies and global brands including Microsoft, L'Oréal, Spotify and McDonald's.
Gus turned curiosity and bold thinking into a global career spanning entrepreneurship, technology and innovation. Formerly Executive Director and CTO of Lonely Planet, he now builds AI solutions, invests in emerging technologies and helps organisations embrace change through practical, engaging keynotes that inspire action and future-ready thinking.
From the moment he walks on stage, Col Cameron creates the kind of connection that transforms an event. With more than 30 years of live event expertise, he is renowned for his humour, spontaneity, intelligence and effortless conversational style. Col quickly earns the trust of audiences, speakers and event managers alike, keeping events on schedule while elevating presenters and creating an atmosphere that is warm, polished and genuinely entertaining. The result is exceptional feedback, repeat bookings and memorable events.
A brand-new book is proof a speaker is at the front of their field, and this year eight of our most in-demand keynote speakers are newly published. From AI and creativity to intuition, truth and wellbeing, discover the author speakers event planners are booking for 2026 conferences, and why a freshly published expert makes an unforgettable stage booking.
Milly Rose Bannister is a Gen Z specialist, branding consultant, and award-winning founder of the youth mental health charity ALLKND, currently thriving in the digital and social impact space. Dubbed the internet’s ‘Gen Z boss’ by Fortune Magazine, she is future-proofing social impact with creativity and compassion.
Burnout, relentless pressure and back to back disruption are quietly draining the energy, focus and wellbeing that teams need to keep performing. Building the resilience to lead through hard moments, protect mental health and still deliver when it counts was the thread running through our 2026 Ignite Innovation Speaker Showcases across New Zealand, where event planners came to find the corporate keynote speakers who could help their audiences stay steady under pressure at their next conference, leadership offsite or strategy day.
Artificial intelligence, shifting markets and constant reinvention are reshaping how organisations work faster than most teams can absorb, leaving leaders unsure what to prepare for next. Helping people read what is coming, adapt with confidence and still perform through the noise was the thread running through our 2026 Ignite Innovation Speaker Showcases in Sydney and Melbourne, where event planners came to find the corporate keynote speakers who could ready their audiences for the future at their next conference, leadership offsite or strategy day.
Tim Blackwell is one of Australia's most trusted media personalities, with 25+ years across radio, television, podcasting and live events. A Nova Entertainment fixture since 2001, he co-hosted Nova's national Drive show for 13 years and spent 15 years on Nine's Getaway. He hosted the ARIA Awards in 2024 and 2025 and now co-hosts Nova 96.9's Breakfast with Ricki-Lee Coulter.
Gilbert Enoka NZOM is a mental performance coach and keynote speaker best known for his 23 years with the All Blacks, first as mental skills coach and then as Manager – Leadership. He shows leaders and teams how to build the mindset that holds under real pressure — on the field and in business.
Madonna King is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author of 16 books, whose keynotes bring the lives of teenagers, the art of leadership and the story behind the headlines vividly to life.
Great leadership is forged in the moments that matter: on the ice, on the field, in a crisis, and in the boardroom. This month we are spotlighting eight speakers who have led at the highest level and know how to turn hard-won experience into practical lessons your people can use.
From Antarctic expedition leaders and world-champion athletes to master coaches and neuroscience-driven CEOs, each brings a distinct take on leading teams through pressure and change. Take a look, then talk to us about the right fit for your next event.
Behind every unforgettable awards night is a brilliant MC. Between September and November, ballrooms across Australia and New Zealand fill with finalists and sponsors, and the host on the microphone is what holds it all together. Here are eight of the most trusted corporate MCs and event hosts on our roster, each a natural fit for your next awards night or gala.
He is a seasoned technology executive with significant experience and has over 25 years' experience in CIO and CISO roles across different industries and countries. At Macquarie Group David served as Global Head Technology, Cyber and Data Risk. Previously was CISO for HSBC Asia Pacific. David has authored three Amazon Bestselling books on Technology and Cybersecurity Management. He is a regular speaker on the these topics and AI risk
Business Communication Expert | Professional communication is just communication. And all communication is human communication. So why are so many of your emails, posts, ideas and campaigns misunderstood, forgotten or ignored? Tiffany Markman works with leaders, managers and teams and experts who need to land the next 'Yes', whether buy-in, influence, authority or sales. Drawing on 21 multi-award-winning years in business communication, this world-famous marketer and keynote speaker will help you to fix messaging that's weak, generic or just plain boring.
A cybercrime is reported in Australia every seven minutes, and the fastest growing attacks never touch the firewall. They talk their way past someone in accounts on a Friday afternoon. These eight Australian experts have run the incident, written the policy, sat in the CISO chair and, in one case, been the hacker. Here is who to put on stage.
Customer Service Week runs 5 to 9 October 2026, with CX Day on Tuesday 6 October. It is the busiest week in the customer experience calendar, and the week your service team deserves a speaker worth remembering. Here are eight, from global CX authorities to Australia's leading service culture experts.
Dan Cass is a leading clean energy and sustainability expert who makes complex ideas about electrification, technology and the energy transition clear, relevant and engaging. A former CEO and co-founder of Rewiring Australia, Dan brings deep expertise, fresh thinking and a light touch of humour to conversations about the economic opportunities shaping Australia’s energy future.
Tony Wood is one of Australia’s leading experts on energy and climate policy. A Senior Fellow at the Grattan Institute and former senior executive at Origin Energy, Tony brings decades of experience across energy markets, climate policy and the transition to net zero. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2018 for his significant service to conservation and the environment.
Dr Niraj (Nij) Lal is an award-winning physicist, renewable energy expert and science communicator who makes complex ideas engaging and accessible. With a career spanning academia, government, industry and broadcasting, Nij brings deep expertise in energy, technology and science together with an exceptional ability to connect with audiences. He was named one of the ABC’s Top 5 Scientists Under 40 and received the Australian Museum’s Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science.
Damon Gameau is an award-winning filmmaker, author and leading voice for sustainability and positive environmental change. Through acclaimed projects including 2040, Damon brings climate solutions to life, showing audiences what a more regenerative and sustainable future could look like using solutions that already exist. Combining powerful storytelling, optimism and practical thinking, he inspires businesses, leaders and communities to move beyond the problems and focus on the opportunities for meaningful change.
Sustainability has moved off the values slide and onto the balance sheet. Energy costs, climate risk and investor scrutiny now sit in the middle of business planning, and audiences want speakers who can talk about all of it without the lecture. Meet eight Ovations speakers who make the energy transition feel practical for the people who fund it and explain it.
Melissa Leong is an acclaimed television presenter, food and travel writer, broadcaster, author and MC known for her curiosity, warmth and unmistakable perspective. From MasterChef Australia and Dessert Masters to documentary, radio and writing, Melissa draws on a remarkable career across food, media and culture to explore creativity, resilience, identity and the power of embracing life with curiosity.
Rosalind Wiseman is a New York Times bestselling author, keynote speaker, and leadership expert specializing in culture, conflict resolution, and youth empowerment. Best known for Queen Bees and Wannabes, which inspired the film Mean Girls, she has authored nine books and advised leaders and educators worldwide. Her work champions dignity as a foundation for courage, connection, leadership, and community.
Caroline Bellenger is an award-winning Leadership & Wellbeing Speaker who transforms workplaces through courageous leadership, culture, and kindness. Known for her bold storytelling and high-energy delivery, she has spoken on global stages, led corporate workshops, and headlined international events. With lived experience overcoming trauma, addiction, and toxic workplace environments, Caroline inspires action with authenticity and practical tools. With a BSocSc(Hons), 15+ awards and multiple global media features, she leaves audiences motivated and empowered to lead with impact.
Felix von Hofe is a sports presenter with Nine Network and ESPN, and a former professional basketball player (NCAA Division I captain, NBL with Melbourne United and the Melbourne Tigers). He appears regularly on Today, Weekend Today, Players and hosts the NBL coverage on the Nine Network, and is well suited to host/MC and in-conversation formats across corporate, club and sponsor events. Felix is based in Melbourne.
Dr Neryl East is a high-energy keynote speaker specialising in Credibility Under Pressure - helping leaders stay believable when the heat is on. Her flagship keynote, The Mercury Effect, tackles the key challenges organisations are grappling with right now, including low trust, difficult conversations, AI-fuelled misinformation and leaders struggling to cut through. Drawing on almost four decades at the frontline of communication and reputation, Neryl combines compelling stories, humour and practical tools to change how people show up when it matters most.
Jonny Shannon is a technology founder and keynote speaker who makes complex technology easy to understand. Co-founder of Pushpay and founder of Gamify and PostHarvest Technologies, he draws on real-world experience building technology companies to explore how technology is changing the way we live and work. Having delivered more than 3,300 presentations to over 250,000 people, Jonny brings an operator's perspective to technology, cyber safety and human behaviour.
Brett Wiskar doesn't just talk about the future, he's spent more than two decades building it. A practical keynote speaker on innovation, AI and adaptability, Brett has led digital transformation for brands including Coca-Cola, Adobe, Nestlé and the Reserve Bank of Australia. He cuts through the hype to show audiences what emerging technology and disruption really mean for their industry, and what to do next. High-energy, deeply researched and tailored to every room, his keynotes leave delegates with clarity, confidence and practical next steps.
John Cardamone is a keynote speaker, child safety consultant and former Assistant Principal whose work explores resilience, psychological safety, connection and the power of being believed. Drawing on his experience in education and child safety, alongside his own lived experience, John helps audiences understand how our responses, relationships and organisational cultures can create environments where people feel safe to speak up, ask for help and thrive.
Winner at The Speaker Awards, London, Alex Moffat is an interactive keynote speaker who combines extensive senior leadership experience, neuroleadership insights and award-winning illusion to transform how people think, lead and adapt. His immersive keynotes help organisations navigate change, strengthen human connection and build sustainable high performance. Client feedback consistently describes Alex's keynotes as engaging, relevant, memorable, practical, thought-provoking, interactive and impactful, with many saying the experience exceeded already high expectations.
Stephen Yarwood is a futurist, urbanist and former Lord Mayor of Adelaide who helps leaders and organisations understand what's coming and act on it. Working at the intersection of AI, technology, society and the future of how we live, Stephen brings a practical, human perspective to navigating change.
Mark Hughes is a former professional rugby league player and co-founder of the Mark Hughes Foundation whose powerful story brings resilience, leadership and purpose to life. Drawing on elite sport and his personal journey with brain cancer, Mark inspires audiences to overcome adversity, strengthen team culture and Make Today Count.
Looking for a speaker who can talk about mental health without the jargon? These voices combine lived experience with practical strategies your teams can use the same day.
Ovations welcomes Catherine Riley, former CEO of Speakers New Zealand Ltd, as our person on the ground in New Zealand. For event planners in Auckland, Wellington and beyond, booking the right keynote speaker just got more local.
