Australia CHRO Community
Executive Summit
13 May 2026 | Hilton Sydney
13 May 2026
Hilton Sydney
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Australia's top CHROs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CHROs today:
Shaping the Human Impact of AI and Creating New Ways of Work
Developing Agile Leaders in a Dynamic Landscape
Reinvigorating Culture While Driving Innovation
Australia CHRO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CHROs, For CHROs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

Julie Carroll
CRH
Chief People Officer, Australia

Helen Fraser
Laing O'Rourke
Director, People

Benjamin Morris
Mirvac
Group General Manager, HR

Duncan Thomas
Landcom
Executive General Manager, People, Culture & Safety
What to Expect
Agenda
08:00 - 09:00 Registration & Breakfast
09:00 - 09:45 Gartner Keynote
Transforming the HR Operating Model — Prepare HR for AI Today & Tomorrow
Arj Bagga
VP, Team Manager
Gartner
AI is rapidly advancing, and HR must adapt to stay relevant. However, few CHROs feel their current function is set up for the AI era. CHROs should develop a comprehensive AI strategy to help facilitate their AI transformation and think critically about evolving HR functional roles and work. The best CHROs will chart a course for transformation to drive the most business value within HR and the enterprise.
- Discover how AI will impact HR’s structure and critical steps to evolve your function
- Learn how to protect the skills that matter and upskill your HR team for the AI era
- Understand the best practices for embedding AI use in HR
09:45 - 10:15 Break
10:15 - 11:00 Breakout Session
Cracking the Code — The New Science of High-Performance Cultures
Hosted by Culture Amp
Justin Angsuwat
Chief People Officer
Culture Amp
Most organisations treat engagement and performance as separate goals, yet only 2% of CHROs believe their current systems drive results. Drawing on research from more than 1,800 global organisations, we debunk the “false choice” between culture and output. Join us to explore the Performance Culture Quadrant — a data-backed framework to move beyond retrospective surveys and build “performance confidence” across your workforce.
Join this session to learn how to:
- Categorise your organisation’s current culture and identify the levers needed to reach elite performance
- Understand the psychological link between engagement and sustainable business outcomes
- Move from lagging indicators to a holistic strategy that predicts and drives future success
11:00 - 11:30 Networking Break
11:05 - 11:25 Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
11:30 - 12:15 Breakout Session
Leading Out of Turbulence — Building Workforce Resilience and Driving Change at Qantas
Natalie Thomson
Executive Manager, People
Qantas Airways Limited
Qantas has faced a period of transformation, navigating leadership transitions, operational challenges, and the critical need to restore trust across its workforce. At the heart of this journey lies the interplay between culture transformation and the ability to lead change effectively.
Join this session with Natalie Thomson, Executive Manager People, Qantas Airlines and Qantas Loyalty as she shares her insights on:
- Defining and transforming culture and embedding in daily operations
- Developing resilient leaders and engaging employees during periods of uncertainty
- Managing large-scale organisational change and maintaining workforce stability
11:30 - 12:15 Executive Boardroom
Beyond the Hype — Bridging the AI Adoption Gap to Unlock True Value
While AI continues to generate excitement and promise across industries, organisations often overlook the crucial role of the workforce in achieving successful AI transformation. CHROs are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between AI strategy and successful implementation by making employees active partners in AI adoption.
Join this boardroom to discuss:
- Enabling the workforce to reskill and embrace AI-driven change
- Redesigning roles and processes to unlock enterprise-wide success
- Collaborating with business leaders to align AI investments with business objectives
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Australia CHRO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Hilton SydneyA block of rooms has been reserved at the Hilton Sydney at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 1300 445 866. Please mention 90Z to ensure the appropriate room rate.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $370 AUD (plus tax) is 24 April 2026.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.
