Effect Executive Retreat 2026
Join 60 senior leaders for an exclusive evening of strategic dialogue, peer connection and fresh perspectives on the opportunities shaping business today.
20-21 October 2026 | 1 Hotel Melbourne
Where Leaders Shape What’s Next.
Effect 2026 brings together an intimate group of 60 C-level executives to explore one of the most important leadership questions of our time: how the enterprise must evolve in the age of AI.
Centred on the shift to the Autonomous Enterprise, over 24 hours the event will explore how organisations can become more connected, intelligent, and responsive—turning insight into action in real time.
Through candid discussions, peer exchange, and strategic dialogue, leaders will come together to share perspectives, challenge thinking, and define what's next for business.
Experiences Beyond the Boardroom at Melbourne’s Most Iconic Venues.
Hosted at Melbourne's luxury waterfront 1 Hotel, Effect 2026 combines executive dialogue with exceptional experiences. Continue the conversation over an exclusive evening in the historic Grand hall and complemented by a special Penfolds wine experience celebrating 75 years of Grange, the evening offers a unique opportunity to continue conversations in an exceptional setting.
Agenda
- Day 1: 20 October 2026
- Day 2: 21 October 2026
Settle in and connect with fellow attendees over a light lunch ahead of the program kick-off.
Angela Colantuono, President & Managing Director, SAP ANZ
Angela will open Effect 2026 by setting the scene for the discussions ahead, sharing her perspective on the forces reshaping business, leadership, and technology. Drawing on conversations with customers across ANZ, she will explore the opportunities and challenges leaders face as they navigate transformation in the age of AI and prepare for the next era of enterprise growth.
Featuring Gordon Cairns, Past Chairman of Woolworths, and Christelle Young, Managing Director at T2 Tea.
Designed to feel more like a boardroom than a stage, this interactive leadership session explores the strategic decisions facing organisations today. Through real-world scenarios and candid discussion, leaders will examine the challenges of business transformation, AI adoption, organisational change, and leading through uncertainty.
Gordon Cairns will draw on decades of board and executive experience to unpack the tensions, trade-offs, and judgement calls that define leadership at the highest level. Together, the panel will tackle complex scenarios involving innovation, risk, culture, stakeholder expectations, and organisational change, offering practical insights into how leaders make decisions when there is no obvious answer.
Joining him, Christelle Young brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across strategy, transformation, data analytics, AI, and technology. As Managing Director of T2 Tea, she is leading the modernisation of a purpose-led retail brand, driving sustainable growth and embedding AI into retail operations, bringing a contemporary perspective on innovation, transformation, and data-driven leadership.
Gordon Cairns
Past Chairman, Woolworths
Christelle Young
Mananging Director, T2
Angela Colantuono
President and Managing Director, SAP ANZ
Leading Through Transformation: What It Takes to Create Lasting Business Value
Going live isn’t the finish line for transformation—it’s where the real work begins. For today’s leaders, the challenge is balancing growth, efficiency and resilience while continuously adapting the organisation in the changing world.
This candid conversation brings together senior leaders to explore what transformation looks like from beyond the boardroom—and how organisations are turning transformation into tangible value. From improving operational efficiency and optimising costs, to building resilient operations, advancing digital transformation and how organisations are using AI to transform operations and deliver business outcomes.
The panel will explore the choices leaders are making, the challenges they are encountering, and what it takes to translate transformation ambition into lasting business outcomes.
Tu Tran
Country Director Australia and New Zealand, WalkMe
Paul Begley
Head of Technology & ERP, Aurizon
From Foundation to Scale: Latrobe Community Health Service Journey to Enterprise AI
This 90-minute session brings together ~30 senior leaders to explore what it takes to scale AI beyond experimentation and isolated use cases. The conversation will focus on the organisational, data, and governance foundations required to drive successful enterprise-wide adoption and measurable business outcomes.
Many organisations are exploring AI, but scaling beyond pilot projects requires more than technology. It starts with trusted data, strong governance, and a clear adoption strategy. Join Latrobe Community Health Service and DXC Technology as they share their journey to establish a common data foundation through an integrated SAP transformation spanning finance, HR, procurement, and workforce management. Learn how creating a shared data language across the organisation is enabling the next phase of AI adoption, from embedded AI capabilities to future intelligent agents, while supporting measurable business outcomes and enterprise-wide transformation.
Discussion Topics:
- Adoption and change management
- Data and governance foundations
- Key use cases and business outcomes
- Measuring AI success and value
Format:
- 20 minutes: Opening fireside chat
- 50 minutes: Facilitated roundtable discussions
- 20 minutes: Knowledge sharing and key takeaways
Arindam Chaudhuri
Executive Director Digital Health,
Latrobe Community Health Service
Paul Dearlove
ANZ SAP Practice Lead, DXC
Paul Kruger
ANZ SAP Sales Director, DXC
Using AI to modernise operating models and ways of working.
Session Overview:
This 90-minute session brings together ~30 senior leaders to discuss how AI is reshaping operating models, workforce strategies, and business processes. Attendees will explore what it takes to lead transformation at scale while preparing organisations and employees for new ways of working.
Shirley Ferrier is the Group General Manager, Digital & IT at Pact Group, where she leads the enterprise technology strategy and digital transformation agenda across more than 120 sites. With over 20 years of leadership experience at global organisations like Boeing, Telstra, and Microsoft, she drives the integration of artificial intelligence, advanced cybersecurity, and SAP modernisation. Shirley is passionate about aligning technology investment with business strategy to future-proof operations, enhance supply chain performance, and accelerate sustainable growth.
Discussion Topics:
- Transforming business processes
- Workforce readiness and skills
- Leading change at scale
- Future operating models
Format:
- 20 minutes: Opening fireside chat
- 50 minutes: Facilitated roundtable discussions
- 20 minutes: Knowledge sharing and key takeaways
Shirley Ferrier
Group General Manager, Digital & IT , Pact Group
Hosted by The Config Team, this evening networking reception combines drinks, peer engagement, and optional speed networking to help executives build valuable connections with fellow leaders. Through a series of structured, small-group discussions and informal networking opportunities, attendees can exchange perspectives, share experiences, and continue the conversation in a relaxed setting alongside industry peers and partners.
Join fellow attendees for an exclusive dining experience at the iconic National Gallery of Victoria. Hosted in the historic Grand Hall and complemented by a special Penfolds wine experience celebrating 75 years of Grange, the evening offers a unique opportunity to continue conversations in an exceptional setting.
Begin the day with an optional wellness experience designed to recharge, reset, and prepare for a day of strategic discussion and executive engagement.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the way organisations operate, leaders are increasingly focused on moving beyond experimentation to achieving measurable business outcomes. Join Rachel Hunter, Head of AI at SAP, in conversation with Eva Balan-Vnuk, Chief Digital Officer at SA Power Networks, and Paul Holland, GM Procurement and Property at AGL, as they explore the realities of scaling AI across complex enterprise environments.
Drawing on their experiences leading digital transformation, innovation and operational change, the panel will discuss emerging AI trends, governance and risk considerations, lessons learned from implementation, and the strategies required to translate AI investments into sustainable business value. Attendees will gain practical insights into the leadership, culture and business decisions that are enabling organisations to move from pilot programs to enterprise-wide impact.
Eva Balan-Vnuk
Chief Digital Officer, SA Power Networks
Paul Holland
GM, Procurement and Property, AGL
Rachel Hunter
Head of AI, SAP
Resilient, Connected Organisations Leveraging Real-World AI in Core Platforms
Session Overview:
This 90-minute session brings together ~30 senior leaders to discuss what it takes to evolve towards the Autonomous Enterprise.
Artificial intelligence can create great value when embedded in core business processes. In this session, hear from industry leaders, such as Nick Delija (CIO, Infox), Simon Waterhouse (National Operations Manager, Wurth Australia and Neil Wightman (Regional CEO, Westernacher), on how many organisations are integrating AI into their core business processes to accelerate innovation cycles, enable smarter decisions, streamline and automate operations and build greater resilience. Discover the strategies, governance frameworks and human skills required from business leaders to maximise the opportunity of next-generation, future-ready enterprises
Discussion Topics:
- AI embedded into core business processes
- Intelligent and autonomous operations
- Governance, trust, and business control
- Building resilient and future-ready organisations
Format:
- 20 minutes: Opening fireside chat
- 50 minutes: Facilitated roundtable discussions
- 20 minutes: Knowledge sharing and key takeaways
Simon Waterhouse
National Operations Manager, Wurth Australia
Nick Delija
CIO, Linfox
Neil Wightman
Regional CEO, Westernacher
Driving Productivity, Simplification, and Measurable Business Value
Session Synopsis:
This 90-minute roundtable brings together ~30 senior leaders to explore how organisations can harness AI to drive greater efficiency and optimise costs at scale. The conversation will focus on identifying opportunities to improve productivity, streamline operations, and unlock cost efficiencies, while addressing the organisational, technology, data, and governance considerations required to achieve sustainable and measurable business outcomes.
Chris Rae is a business-oriented technologist, SAP evangelist and General Manager – SAP Practice at Atturra. With over 20 years of experience in the SAP industry, Chris is passionate about driving business change through technology and is a strong advocate for SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). He founded DalRae Solutions in 2015, which was subsequently acquired by Atturra. A member of SAP’s global mentor program, Chris has a proven track record of helping organisations solve complex business challenges through technology and is a regular speaker at SAP conferences globally.
Discussion Topics:
- Operational efficiency and productivity
- Automation and workflow optimisation
- Cost reduction and value creation
- Measuring business impact and ROI
Format:
- 20 minutes: Opening fireside chat
- 50 minutes: Facilitated roundtable discussions
- 20 minutes: Knowledge sharing and key takeaways
Chris Rae
Founder and Chief Architect, DalRae Solutions
Mark Bouris AM, Entrepreneur, Innovator, Author and Academic
Drawing on decades of experience building businesses, challenging convention, and navigating disruption, Mark Bouris will share his perspective on what it takes to lead in an increasingly complex and fast-moving world. Through candid stories and practical insights, he'll explore the role of leadership, resilience, decision-making, and adaptability in driving lasting business success.
This closing conversation will leave attendees with fresh perspectives on leading through uncertainty, embracing change, and creating organisations built for the future.
Guest Speakers
Mark Bouris
Entrepreneur, Innovator, Author and Academic
Mark Bouris AM is one of Australia’s most respected entrepreneurs, finance commentators and business mentors. Best known as the founder of Wizard Home Loans, he challenged the traditional banking sector and built Australia’s second-largest non-bank mortgage lender before its sale to General Electric in 2004. Today, as Executive Chairman of Yellow Brick Road, he continues to champion financial accessibility, entrepreneurship and home ownership for Australians.
Gordon Cairns
Past-Chairman of Woolworths
Gordon is a highly experienced business leader, director and advisor with a distinguished career across consumer goods, beverages, banking, energy and retail. Born in Bridge of Allan, Scotland, and educated at the University of Edinburgh, he began his career in brand management before holding senior international roles with Frito-Lay across the USA, Australasia and Europe. He later joined Lion, where he led the Australian beer business before serving as CEO for seven years, transforming the company into a purpose and values-led organisation. Gordon has since held board and advisory roles with Westpac, Macquarie Group, Origin Energy, Woolworths and leading private equity and advisory firms.
Christelle Young
Managing Director at T2 Tea
Christelle Young is an innovative and results-driven executive with over 20 years of leadership in strategy, transformation, data analytics, AI, and technology. Managing Director at T2 Tea, a B Corp-certified company, she leads the charge in elevating everyday rituals and the art of living, through 100% sustainably sourced tea done differently. Christelle is dedicated to driving a purpose-led brand with sustainable growth, modernizing the brand, elevating AI into retail operations, and expanding its reach.
Our Sponsors
- Sponsors 1
- Sponsors 2
- Sponsors 3