Deng is a self-made man, a living example of Australian values such as multiculturalism and a ‘fair go’. After starting his adult life working in factories, pulling the night shift in a petrol station and catching live chickens for slaughter, Deng now holds a Master’s Degree in Law and practices as a criminal lawyer.

Soon after featuring in the Western Sydney University’s award-winning ‘Unlimited’ marketing campaign, viewed millions of times around the world, Deng was invited to give the 2016 Australia Day address. The public further got to know Deng through his highly-acclaimed biography, Songs of a War Boy, co-written with Ben Mckelvey.

Scott Greenberg focuses on customer service, management, and employee engagement. He has spoken globally to groups in: corporate, retail, healthcare, associations, franchises, and education.

A former British Royal Navy Aircrew Officer, Paul is an Exercise Physiologist, Nutritionist, Neuroscientist and former Affiliate Faculty at The University of San Francisco. He is the Director of The Body-Brain Performance Institute, where he delivers Executive Performance, Resilience and Leadership workshops to large companies such as Medibank, NAB, Johnson & Johnson, Oracle, SAP and Woolworths.

Melissa Clark-Reynolds is a street-smart futurist and tech entrepreneur who helps leaders navigate change and build future-ready strategies. Trained by the Institute for the Future and honoured with an ONZM for her services to technology, she's worked with organisations from NASA to Australian Pork. Known for her sharp insights and practical tools, Melissa challenges assumptions and inspires bold action, leaving audiences energised and rethinking what's next.

Clem Newton-Brown is a former barrister, Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne and Member of the Victorian Parliament. He is also the entrepreneur who played a role in getting Uber Air to choose Melbourne as the first international test city for their urban aerial ride sharing service.

A fascinating keynote speaker, Clem draws on his vast experience in politics, business and with Uber Air to talk to audiences about the transport revolution that's just around the corner. Think driverless cars, delivery drones, micro mobility on electric scooters and Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft... Clem has already thought it through. He's analysed the pros and cons, and the path forward... and he's ready to share his depth of knowledge with your audience.

Clem's presentation is not about predicting the future - it is about what he is actually doing to create the urban environment that will facilitate the biggest change the world has seen since the invention of the motor vehicle.

Janice Petersen has spent more than 15 years working as a cross-platform journalist and news presenter.

Illusionist Josh Norbido was recently seen on prime-time TV wowing audiences around Australia with a jaw-dropping magical performance - and we are thrilled to have him as part of this years Ovations Speaker Showcase. Get ready to be amazed as Josh connects the dots between magic and business - and be sure to watch his video message.

A charismatic entrepreneur and coach with energy and heart, Suzy Jacobs connects with the world as a keynote speaker, emcee and an inspiring member of our global community. While relentlessly pursuing impact in life, Suzy has built and sold businesses, produced her own podcast (The Change Room) and is currently immersed in start-up mode, building a new network; Activator Academy.

She's taken to the stage for Comm Bank, Baker & McKenzie , introduced over a hundred speakers in 3 days for Australias' largest retail conference and emcees one of the leading tech conferences for Asia Pacific.

Suzy has a super-power on stage. Seriously. You only need to read the numerous testimonials to know she brings something special to the stage.

She will entertain your guests, honour your speakers and pull stories together to deliver on your outcomes.

She will deliver with style, presence, poise and charm.

Her super-power? Her desire and ability to make every human being feel like they were meant to be there. Valued, respected, heard, your guests will leave feeling lighter.

...."Suzy is an excellent MC. We selected Suzy to MC our Ovations showcase recently. People commented on her confidence and ability to be very natural and not look too scripted."

Founder of Change Ready and a recognised expert in change leadership. Simon has partnered with many organisations across the corporate, government and not-for-profit sector to improve business outcomes and help equip people with the skills and tools to become mentally strong and resilient.

A social researcher, strategic advisor and Lead Solution Designer at the internationally recognised McCrindle. Geoff excels in understanding and communicating how organisations can effectively engage diverse and intergenerational teams.

As an experienced researcher, Sophie understands how evidence-based insights can inform strategy and help organisations to thrive amidst change.

Co-founder and former CEO of rottentomatoes.com, a leading entertainment website focused on movie reviews and news and one of the top 700 most trafficked sites in the world.

Fun, laughter, cartoons, magic & some fabulous presentations from our Keynote Speakers emanated from Cliftons Spring Street on the morning of the 2019 Speaker Showcase. It was an action packed morning that had it all!

Nick Abrahams is leader in the technology & innovation community as an entrepreneur, director, investor and advisor. He is the Global Head of Technology & Innovation for Norton Rose Fulbright, a professional services firm with over 8,000 people. In that role he created the world's first AI-enabled legal chatbot and the world's first Employment Agreement as a Cartoon Strip.

Mark was a career special forces officer in charge of 30 elite soldiers, his role was to lead combat missions deep behind enemy lines. Mark has completed 10 tours of duty to Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor, Lebanon and the Solomon Islands.

Mark's successful transition from the Army led him to a high-profile business career. He graduated with an MBA from the Wharton School of Business – and joined McKinsey & Company. Mark was listed in Wharton’s prestigious 40 under 40 awards for business excellence. He is the founder and CEO of a tough-luxury brand, Kill Kapture.

Mark’s best-selling memoir: Survivor: Life in the SAS, is known as one of the leading contemporary war memoirs.

Mark’s is married to Samantha Gash and they have a four-year-old boy called Harry.

Gus Worland, a renowned Australian media personality, founded Gotcha4Life in 2017 after losing a close friend to suicide.The foundation promotes mental fitness through community programs, aiming to prevent suicide by fostering emotional resilience and social connections.Worland's mission is to ensure no one faces life's challenges alone.

Samantha Brett is the Founder & CEO of Australian brand, Naked Sundays, one of Australia’s leading Millennial sunscreen brands with world-first multitasking skincare-makeup benefits for the face and body.

Samantha, a former national TV news reporter and anchor, spent her days on assignment as a Breaking News journalist for Channel Seven, Sunrise, outside all day in the blazing sun with a full face of makeup. Despite the prevalence of skin cancer in Australia, Samantha quickly found very few sunscreens on the market, if any, catered specifically to be able to top up her sunscreen doing the day.

After witnessing two colleagues have to get skin cancer removals and alarmed by the statistics (70% of 16-30 year olds are at high risk for melanoma, yet only 70% wear SPF everyday), Samantha knew something needed to be done. Born out of necessity, she created the first-ever SPF designed to be applied over makeup.

Samantha Brett is a familiar face on global television screens, having been a national TV news reporter and anchor for over a decade, appearing on Australian networks including, Sky News, CBS, CNN and Australia’s #1 breakfast television show Sunrise.

Samantha is also a bestselling author of 10 books.

Social researcher, business strategist, demographer and trends analyst

The Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors, Steve Okun is a leader on corporate public affairs, communications, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement in Asia Pacific.

Timothy has spent time in equal measure in product, policy and business departments which allows him to give a well rounded overview of the AV & Connected vehicle space, rather than just focusing on one area.

Dr. Chadden Hunter is an Australian wildlife biologist and acclaimed filmmaker whose credits include Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, Wild Arabia, Planet Earth II and Seven Worlds, One Planet. From studying Ethiopian baboons to filming Arctic wolves, he brings extraordinary stories of adventure, scientific discovery and wildlife filmmaking, sharing insights into the world's most spectacular animals and places with audiences worldwide.

A speaker who understands your conference needs-Get results through learning and laughter to gain a competitive edge.

Long before standing ovations, Catherine was an IBM executive in Australia, Tokyo and Hong Kong with roles in sales, marketing, HR, communication. At one stage, in your shoes, responsible for incentive events and leadership programs, she vowed to not only deliver an entertaining, educational and motivational message from the stage but to be easy to work with off stage.

The best-selling author of 9 books, translated into over a dozen languages is an inspirational communicator with proven hands-on international experience in the private and public sectors as both a corporate businesswoman and small business owner. Named in 2016 by the Financial Review as one of the Top 100 Women of Influence in Australia?

DeVrye?Develops ideas-Delights audiences-Delivers results uniquely tailored to your brief. Combining Gen Y energy with Baby-boomer experience and wisdom, her 'street cred? adds value to any event.

Whilst International Womens Day has already passed for another year, at Ovations we believe It's never too late to celebrate the bold women that continue to break boundaries, lead our organisations, and continue to inspire us every day of the year.

If you would like a speaker that will make your live or virtual event unforgettable have a chat with us about the women who continue to create awe-inspiring presentations, even in these challenging times.

The power of the human spirit, inspiration, true grit

The ultimate story of triumph over adversity, Turia Pitt has rebuilt her life, defying every expectation placed on her, and is living proof that, with the right mindset, we truly can achieve anything.

Trapped in a grass fire while competing in a 100km ultramarathon, the 24 year old, received full thickness burns to 65% of her body, lost seven fingers, endured six grueling months in hospital, underwent over 200 operations and spent two years in recovery.

Renowned for her pure grit and indomitable spirit, Turia has since gone on to compete in her first Iron Man competition.

Since becoming an ambassador for Interplast Australia & New Zealand, she has helped raise almost $1 million dollars in donations and $3 million dollars in awareness. No wonder Turia Pitt is one of Australia's most admired and widely recognised people.

 

Heidi Dening is an award-winning businesswoman, author of the bestseller Her Middle Name Is Courage, and an engaging storyteller who has dedicated her career to inspiring thousands of people all over the world - from small children on remote Pacific islands to professional teams across 19 different industries.

Her goal is to elevate the professional resilience of audiences so they can make better decisions, be more innovative, have more energy, optimism and empathy, and successfully deal with change, stress, and uncertainty.

In these challenging times, it's refreshing to be able to look at the current situation with some much needed levity. 

It's tough times for the entire events industry right now - but there are little glimmers of hope that do happen. Here is a wonderful human story of the good that can come out of meeting cancellations that is sure to lift the spirit.

COVID-19 is understandably causing concern regarding the delivery of events. The escalation of the outbreak may mean your first reaction is to reschedule or cancel to demonstrate responsibility to participants and clients.

However, it’s not always necessary or practical to cancel an event, you can make simple adjustments instead.

Scott Dutton (CSP) is the Conflict Whisperer and Fun Maker! Scott is the most engaging, insightful and fun keynote speaker / master trainer (virtual + F2F) in the global conflict resolution + communication arena.

A legend in the music world and currently the drummer for pop sensation P!NK, Mark Schulman is an incredible musician, dynamic performer and a strategic business mind who has parleyed his success on stage into true business success.

Unlocking strategies to help audiences Hack the Rockstar Attitude and Boost their R.Q. (Rockstar Quotient), your team will be treated to one of those rare events - an incredible show that will empower and inspire, while also providing practical, innovative business strategies. His engaging keynotes are an audio & visual feast, interspersed with LIVE! drum performances that will rock your world. Using music and real-world experience as a teaching tool, Mark Schulman will leave you and your team drumming up new levels of peak performance!

Suzy has a super-power on stage. Seriously. You only need to read the reams of testimonials to know she brings something special to every event.

She will entertain your guests, honour your speakers and pull stories together to deliver on your outcomes - all delivered with style, presence, poise and charm.

Suzy has taken to the stage for Comm Bank, Baker & McKenzie, introduced over a hundred speakers in 3 days for Australias largest retail conference and emcees one of the leading tech conferences for Asia Pacific.

There are few situations in the business world that Troy Hazard has not experienced and survived. The entrepreneurial genius, who has founded and nurtured twelve businesses over two decades, has turned around businesses that were making enormous losses and has consulted to countless successful companies including Goodyear, Baskin Robbins, Subway, Fisher & Paykel and many more.

Hazard’s business talents earned him international respect, so much so that he was elected by the world’s foremost business leaders for the role of Global President of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, a role he says was one of his greatest challenges.

Al Jeffery is an internationally renowned community-architect, integrative performance facilitator, and mindfulness coach. As a ‘millennial’ himself, he connects wisdom from across generations to help clients create vibrant inter-generational and human-centered places. He’s worked with the likes of Apple, Google Australia, AusPost, Telstra, Deliveroo and many more in designing and facilitating leadership development programs as well as offsite retreats, creating workplaces with wellbeing and an atmosphere for creativity at their core. 

His latest virtual workshop TogetherApart: Facilitating Engaging Online Experiences will assist organisations with facilitating engaging meetings and online experiences.

You will learn:

• an understanding of the architecture of psychological safety and emotional intimacy in groups
• templates for designing your meeting, pre-meeting communication and in-meeting tools
• clarity on your personal opportunity for growth in facilitating highly-effective gatherings
• practical tools for making the most of Zoom and online meeting softwares

​Tony Wilson has a passion for Human Performance. He has spent his entire working life helping the countries biggest brand and athletes reach a higher performance zone. Now, because of his ground breaking tools to achieving ‘HYPERformance’ Tony can be seen regularly featuring on The Project and ABC.

Originally a performance coach for elite athletes and sporting teams throughout Australia and the USA, Tony combines cutting edge performance science with contemporary management theory to put a unique slant on high performance in and out of the office. With a focus on high performance, Tony works with leaders around the world to help create the environment for their people to thrive, and works with individuals on managing their own performance and productivity.

Over the past 25 years, Australia’s population has increased by 7.5 million people, with most of the new arrivals coming as migrants from China and India. This is changing the face of Australia’s working population, creating new opportunities and challenges for Corporate Australia as we embrace Asian diversity at the senior levels of our organisations and institutions (political, media and business) to give us the best chance of future success in the region.

David Thomas has lived and worked in the Asia Pacific region for the past 30 years and has experienced the impact of these changes from ground level upwards. In this engaging and interactive presentation, he will cover:

• The impact of immigration policy on Australia’s economy and business landscape
• The benefits of diversity within high achieving organisations (includes case studies and success stories)
• The opportunity for Australian organisations to embrace diversity as a recipe for success in the Asian Century
• Cultural Intelligence ("CQ") - the essential new skill for business leaders of the future
• The “Push” and “Pull” factors that will drive leadership and organisational effectiveness in Australia

Dr Louise Mahler is the foremost expert in the psychology of face-to face engagement. With a PhD in business and degrees and post-graduate studies in service management and music, together with a Master Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Louise combines her years of professional performance on the European opera stage to put her in a league of her own. These skills blend to bring powerful observation that elicits discernible, positive change in those with whom she works.

Award-winning Advertising Creative Director, and a regular panellist on Gruen, The Drum, Weekend Sunrise, The Today Show and The Latest, with over 20 years’ experience in the advertising industry. Dee Madigan is a Creative Director who has developed integrated campaigns for some of the world’s largest brands, including HSBC, Coca-Cola, J&J, Unilever and Nestle.

She has been a winner or finalist at almost all major advertising awards, including Cannes.

Dee understands the need for creativity as a tool to persuade an audience; she understands that effective messages are always based on brand truths and she knows how to develop and roll out a truly integrated campaign, from TV ads and traditional media, through to digital and social media.

She is an accomplished speaker/MC and great at facilitating activities to get people thinking creatively in business

Gary Eck is one of Australia's most popular & versatile stand-up comedians whose sharp wit has been entertaining Australian and international audiences for nearly two decades. He is also an accomplished writer, actor and director.

A graduate of Canberra University with a BA in Marketing and Advertising, Gary's career has taken him all round the world from Edinburgh to Paris to New York and London.

Gary has performed his stand-up accompanied by a Live Orchestra, emceed the Myer Spring Summer Launch with Jennifer Hawkins and appeared on numerous television shows including Rove, The Footy Show, Spicks and Specks and was weekly guest on Mick Molloy's The Nation on Channel Nine.

Understandably, Gary is much sought after in the corporate arena as a master of ceremonies, comedian and keynote speaker. His ability to tailor material to suite client's needs and ad lib with the audience make him extremely flexible for a variety of events.

Dr Gav Schneider is an acknowledged leader in the field of human based risk management and the psychology of risk. He is the creator of the concept of Presilience. He is a highly experienced, security, safety, emergency and risk specialist with decades of experience.

He has conducted business in over 17 countries and provided a wide range of services for a very diverse client base, ranging from heads of state to school teachers. He is a leading academic in his field and heads up the Post Graduate Psychology of Risk program at the Australian Catholic University (ACU).

Dr Gav is a much sought after international speaker and author. He is the CEO of the Risk 2 Solution group of companies which are a group of 4 companies that focus on delivering innovative and cutting-edge solutions in the Risk, Intelligence, Safety, Security, Medical and Emergency response sectors.

Iven has a background in psychology and is a graduate in marketing. In sales he has been a qualifying member of the "Million Dollar Round Table" and as the youngest regional manager at Australia's fastest growing Life Insurance Company looked after over 50 branches and a team with production in excess of $15 million annually.

Iven is booked and re-booked by his clients because of his expertise and ability to produce results doing keynotes and training on sales, management and marketing, where the art of dealing with people is paramount. As a speaker in Australia or internationally he not only instructs - he motivates people to action, using humour and real life examples of success.

The results Iven achieves are based on thorough research of the client's needs and the current environment. He is able to then design a presentation that creates impact. Iven also adds value to his work by weaving in real life examples, humour and engaging the audience in the process. All this, to make sure the information is up to the minute and effective. Careful preparation is the key to tangible results. Iven's programs keep working long after the training session finishes.

Industries across the globe turn to Keith Abraham for inspiration, insights and ideas on how to not only set goals— but how to achieve them—to bring out the best in their people, their leaders and their business.

Keith Abraham is the global authority on goal achievement and the creator of the GoalDriverTM Formula. A formula designed to accurately determine what energises and engages each individual, driving them to achieve the unimaginable, unreachable and unattainable.

Keith Ferrazzi holds the secret to creating positive organizational change. By helping global organizations recognize and transform behaviors that unlock or block strategic goals, Keith Ferrazzi helps create new, more profitable habits throughout every level of the businesses he works with.

Keith’s keynotes go beyond the ordinary by tapping into the hearts and minds of attendees and challenging them to cut down silos and open up to each other and the change at hand. By deeply connecting everyone in the room, Keith Ferrazzi facilitates the risk-taking and candor that ignites action and paves the way for the innovation and agility needed for sustained organizational change in today’s radically interdependent world.

As one of Australasia’s leading experts on health and personal performance, former AFL footballer and best-selling author of 'Ancient Wisdom for Modern Health', Mark Bunn understands the difficulties facing workers and organisations today – high stress, poor sleep, negativity, poor work-life balance, low motivation and workplace morale.

Help your team perform at their best, while also achieving happiness, good relationships, work enjoyment and a sense of community or team.

There are very few speakers who are truly capable of creating meaningful & lasting CHANGE. Why not give your LIVE audience more than just fleeting inspiration? Kirsty’s work gets to the core of what inhibits true growth & she understands what it is that drives human behavior towards positive change.

With over 3 million views on KirstyTV in 120 countries Kirsty knows how to work through the camera to make sure your people are engaged, uplifted & inspired. Webinars can be an amazing way to connect your people together. in times of crisis.

With over a decade of speaking experience all over the planet, Kirsty brings a depth of knowledge when it comes to what engages an audience. Her powerful storytelling abilities allow her to connect deeply & as someone who has braved the path to change - not once, but many times before on her own journey, she has the powerful capacity to hold space for the human experience.

Crises are rarely convenient and they’re never fun. As the world confronts the single biggest disruption in living memory, how we and our organizations navigate the coming months will be critical. 

History shows us that times of crisis provide a powerful opportunity for visionary businesses and leaders to set themselves up to be stronger, leaner and healthier once the storm subsides. In the words of former Intel CEO Andy Grove, “Some companies are destroyed by crisis, other companies merely survive them, but great companies are always improved by them.”

Having spent 15 years studying the secrets to achieving enduring success and momentum in business, 8-time bestselling author Michael McQueen knows what it takes to thrive in turbulent times.

Peter Williams is a recognised thought leader and practitioner in Innovation with a particular focus on digital innovation as well as how societal and technology changes will impact the future of industries.

Peters knowledge on various Industries is very diverse. His Keynotes & Workshops look at Emerging Technology and the impact this is having on individuals & their business.

Hosting a virtual event requires the same care and attention as an in-person event. By thinking of virtual events not as small one-off presentations, but as value-added, engagement-driven experiences, you can create an impactful event that extends well-beyond a computer screen.

Unlike physical events, virtual events are highly interactive and user friendly. Virtual events can be designed as per the requirements of attendees.

We have selected some speakers who are doing big things virtually through these challenging times and can make your virtual event a huge success.

In this new era of social distancing, the live events industry has come face to face with huge challenges - but when life gives you lemons, why not make lemonade.

While we believe nothing will replace the magic of in-person events, we know companies have a need to be agile and adapt, and virtual events are a great option that offer the benefit of being able to book any speaker around the world without the added additional costs associated with flights and accommodation.

Below are some speakers outside of our shores who are doing great things in the virtual space, and could be a perfect fit for your next online event.

The COVID-19 crisis has created extraordinary levels of disruption to our sense of security, domestic and community life, economy, public institutions, and the international system. People, firms and governments have all been caught unawares, and are still scrambling to make sense of what is happening, what is to come and how to respond.

The global outbreak is creating significant challenges for leaders at all levels and organizations of all sizes. The pandemic may be changing our way of life but that doesn’t mean you have to stop learning.

Leadership speakers are the catalyst for the change you seek within your organisation. When you choose a well-known speaker to come to your next virtual event, you’re communicating certain things to your team – that you desire something more than the status quo, that their fire and passion is important to you and that you won’t settle for mediocrity.

Listen to their stories, learn their lessons and equip your team with the tools it needs to overcome the challenges presented to us at this moment.

As the coronavirus crisis creates unprecedented uncertainty, it’s important that companies figure out how to protect and increase revenues — and not default to the stagnancy of cutting costs. The ability to grow will separate the leaders from the pack when the global economy rebounds, as it eventually will, and companies in every industry have the opportunity to rise out of the crisis as winners.

With an energy-driven keynote, sales workshop or series of training and consulting sessions a successful sales and marketing speaker can teach your organisation the right strategies for greater sales and marketing success.