"A fantastic event."

 

- Adam Gibson, author of 'Agile Workforce Planning'

Proudly sponsored by

The SWP Conference returns to APAC

Following the success of last year's inaugural SWP Conference in Brisbane, we're hugely excited to be reconvening the APAC Strategic Workforce Planning community this year in Melbourne.

Uniting and supporting professionals and business leaders for the exploration and development of Strategic Workforce Planning for the Future of Work.

Connecting professionals to share ideas, advance collective knowledge, and co-create solutions.

Join us in December to learn how leading companies in APAC are and embedding strategic thinking in workforce decisions, and engaging stakeholders in SWP - from senior leadership to the front line.

Nick Kennedy

Chair · Workforce Planning Institute

Follow all the news, podcasts, and building excitement: #SWPConference · LinkedIn

"Almost every single speaker gave me ideas I could take away and start applying.

From what I learned from being in the audience, this was the best conference I've been to."

-- Group Director of Strategic Workforce Planning, Babcock International

in partnership with

Why attend the SWP Conference?

Speed up your progress

Learn how other SWP leaders are building Strategic Workforce Planning capability at their organisations.

Find out what technology is available to fast-track your transition from short-term to long-term planning.

Grow your network

This is a conference focussed on Strategic Workforce Planning, Talent Intelligence, and Workforce Analytics.

Meet others who are tackling the same challenges as you - domains of work may vary, but we all share the same goals.

Get inspired

Learn how generative AI and external data sources can be used responsibly to unlock strategic capability.

Meet with senior and influential figures in strategic HR and Workforce Planning, bring your challenges and find solutions.

Two days of high-quality presentations from leading practitioners, focussed peer discussions, and unrivalled networking.

Breakfast, lunch, refreshments, and evening drinks reception - all included

Outstanding panel of speakers

Sadhana Bhide
Sadhana Bhide
Strategic Workforce Planning SME
Pearson Workforce Skills

Andrew Buckland
Andrew Buckland
Associate director Workforce Strategy & Analytics
Eastern Health

Sally Capp
Sally Capp
Lord Mayor of Melbourne
City of Melbourne

Sue Chamberlain-Ward
Sue Chamberlain-Ward
Executive Manager, People & Culture
Gowrie Victoria

Suzie Custerson
Suzie Custerson
APAC Director- Strategic Workforce Planning & Talent Acquisition; GAICD
SEEK

Jennifer Dobell
Jennifer Dobell
Executive Director, Workforce Strategy and Wellbeing
Victorian Department of Health

Sally Dwyer
Sally Dwyer
Head Organizational Development
Macquarie Group

Melitta Hardenberg
Melitta Hardenberg
Global Head of Capability
Xero

Chris Hare
Chris Hare
Co-Founder
eQ8

Anthony Hindmarsh
Anthony Hindmarsh
Director General Workforce Design & Reserve - Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force

Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy
Chair
Workforce Planning Institute

Catherine Leighton
Catherine Leighton
Principal Workforce Analytics
BHP

Sarah Logan
Sarah Logan
Director, Workforce Policy and Programs
Department of Education

Amanda Lovelock
Amanda Lovelock
Global Manager, Workforce Strategy
BHP

James McKay
James McKay
Head of Workforce Strategy & Strategic Workforce Planning
ANZ

Adam McKinnon
Adam McKinnon
People Data and Analytics Leader
Reece Group

Rebecca Meynell
Rebecca Meynell
Director, Health Workforce Strategy
Victoria Department of Health

Jessica Murphy
Jessica Murphy
General Manager Workforce Strategy and Capability
BUPA

Maivi Nguyen
Maivi Nguyen
Senior Manager, Human Capital
Deloitte

Damian Oliver
Damian Oliver
Assistant Secretary (Workforce Futures)
Jobs and Skills Australia

Sarah Rogers
Sarah Rogers
Partner
Deloitte Australia

Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Global Workforce Planning Director
Arcadis

Kanella Salapatas
Kanella Salapatas
Group Head of People Data & Analytics
QBE

Vaughn Sheahan
Vaughn Sheahan
Head of Organisational Development & Analytics
BHP

Clif Sittinger
Clif Sittinger
Employee Journey Expert
ANZ

Matthew Tooley`
Matthew Tooley`
Principal Workforce Strategy & Capability
BHP

Agenda

Please note, the timings and content of individual sessions may change

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM

Envisioning the Future Workforce

 
Sally Capp
Sally Capp, City of Melbourne
 
 
 
9:15 AM - 9:25 AM

Welcome to the SWP Conference

 
Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy, Workforce Planning Institute
 
 
 
9:25 AM - 9:55 AM

Planning to Execute: Locking in Value from SWP

 
Amanda Lovelock Vaughn Sheahan
Amanda Lovelock, BHP
Vaughn Sheahan, BHP
 

Discover how BHP transformed strategic workforce plans into real value, making key choices to ensure success, not stagnation, with practical insights.

 
9:55 AM - 10:25 AM

The Shift from Headcount Planning to Strategic Workforce Planning

 
Kanella Salapatas
Kanella Salapatas, QBE
 

Explore QBE's journey away from cost-centric annual business planning, towards a collaboration between HR and Finance for strategic workforce planning.

 
10:25 AM - 10:35 AM

Q&A

 
Amanda Lovelock Kanella Salapatas Vaughn Sheahan
Amanda Lovelock, BHP
Kanella Salapatas, QBE
Vaughn Sheahan, BHP
 
 
 
10:35 AM - 11:05 AM

Morning break

 
 
 
 
 
 
11:05 AM - 11:35 AM

SWP in Air Force Workforce Growth

 
Anthony Hindmarsh
Anthony Hindmarsh, Royal Australian Air Force
 

Exploring the Air Force's journey of strategic workforce design and planning as an example of Defence practices, to meet the people needs of the future.

 
11:35 AM - 12:05 PM

Building a Workforce for the Future

 
Suzie Custerson
Suzie Custerson, SEEK
 

How to build a resilient and forward-thinking workforce, and navigate the evolving landscape of talent acquisition, retention, and development.

 
12:05 PM - 12:35 PM

Innovating for Health: Driving SWP 

 
Jennifer Dobell Rebecca Meynell
Jennifer Dobell, Victorian Department of Health
Rebecca Meynell, Victoria Department of Health
 

Learn how to incorporate consultation and co-design at every stage of SWP to drive change through competing agendas, and develop innovative approaches.

 
12:35 PM - 12:50 PM

Q&A

 
Jennifer Dobell Anthony Hindmarsh Rebecca Meynell Suzie Custerson
Jennifer Dobell, Victorian Department of Health
Anthony Hindmarsh, Royal Australian Air Force
Rebecca Meynell, Victoria Department of Health
Suzie Custerson, SEEK
 
 
 
12:50 PM - 1:50 PM

Lunch break

 
 
 
 

 

Complimentary buffet lunch and refreshments for all attendees.

 
1:50 PM - 2:30 PM

Environment Scanning Simulation

 
 
 
 

A simulation exercise in clarifying, understanding, and exploring your organisations environment.

 
2:35 PM - 3:15 PM

Decoding your Strategy

 
 
 
 

A simulation exercise in clarifying, understanding, and exploring your organisations strategy.

 
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Afternoon break

 
 
 
 
 
 
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM

Innovative Applications of ONA to Inform Business Strategy

 
Adam McKinnon
Adam McKinnon, Reece Group
 

See an innovative implementation of network analysis using novel datasets, enabling a richer, data-driven approach to inform strategic decision making.

 
4:15 PM - 4:55 PM

On the Radar: Getting SWP onto the Agenda in Large Corporates

 
Sally Dwyer Jessica Murphy Nick Kennedy James McKay
Sally Dwyer, Macquarie Group
Jessica Murphy, BUPA
Nick Kennedy, Workforce Planning Institute
James McKay, ANZ
 

In a world where operational pressure often dictates prioritisation, how do we ensure strategic workforce planning gets the executive attention it needs?

 
4:55 PM - 5:10 PM

Day 1 Wrap-Up

 
Nick Kennedy Chris Hare
Nick Kennedy, Workforce Planning Institute
Chris Hare, eQ8
 
 
 
5:10 PM - 7:00 PM

Drinks reception

 
 
 
 
 
 
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM

Jobs and Skills Australia and its Contribution to Workforce Planning

 
Damian Oliver
Damian Oliver, Jobs and Skills Australia
 

Understand the role of JSA, and the opportunities for collaboration to improve workforce and skills outcomes.

 
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM

Building Capability Frameworks at Speed and Scale

 
Melitta Hardenberg
Melitta Hardenberg, Xero
 

A live case study of a global SaaS company, and their goal of mapping 90% of roles globally to a capability framework, under pressure to deliver results fast. You'll hear the design choices and the implications for delivery, how to enable the business to self-serve and run at speed, and the approach to move to a digitised, employee-centred experience. 

 
10:10 AM - 10:20 AM

Q&A

 
Melitta Hardenberg Damian Oliver
Melitta Hardenberg, Xero
Damian Oliver, Jobs and Skills Australia
 
 
 
10:20 AM - 10:50 AM

Morning break

 
 
 
 
 
 
10:50 AM - 11:25 AM

Looking at Skills through the Lens of SWP

 
Sadhana Bhide
Sadhana Bhide, Pearson Workforce Skills
 

With the explosion in AI, a skills identification and development strategy is key to future business success. Learn how a robust SWP approach builds a foundation of readiness for change.

 

Breaking Down Silos to Drive Global Internal Mobility

 
Diana Ross
Diana Ross, Arcadis
 

Discover how we boosted internal mobility, shifted from tactical to strategic planning, and adapted to a skill-focused, dynamic work environment.

 
11:30 AM - 12:05 PM

Modern Work Transformation: Navigating New Challenges and Opportunities

 
Sarah Rogers Maivi Nguyen
Sarah Rogers, Deloitte Australia
Maivi Nguyen, Deloitte
 

If the past century of work was based on the view that work was fixed and repeatable, the next century will be based on the view that work is fluid and agile. 
 

 

Lessons Learnt Embedding SWP in a Public Hospital

 
Andrew Buckland
Andrew Buckland, Eastern Health
 

Learn how SWP was taken from the initial idea, through building reputation, understanding, credibility and brand, through to getting a seat at the table.

 
12:05 PM - 1:05 PM

Lunch break

 
 
 
 

Complimentary buffet lunch and refreshments for all attendees.

 
1:05 PM - 1:45 PM

Roundtable discussions

 
Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy, Workforce Planning Institute
 

Peer-to-peer brainstorming session, with a choice of topics to delve into with other attendees.

 

Roundtable discussions

 
Suzie Custerson
Suzie Custerson, SEEK
 

Peer-to-peer brainstorming session, with a choice of topics to delve into with other attendees.

 
1:50 PM - 2:25 PM

SWP for Early Childhood Education

 
Sue Chamberlain-Ward Sarah Logan Jessica Murphy Nick Kennedy
Sue Chamberlain-Ward, Gowrie Victoria
Sarah Logan, Department of Education
Jessica Murphy, BUPA
Nick Kennedy, Workforce Planning Institute
 

Learn how government and employers are dealing with the workforce challenges of huge reforms in a high-turnover, low-paid sector.

 

Building the Foundations for SWP Data Modelling and Analysis

 
Catherine Leighton Matthew Tooley`
Catherine Leighton, BHP
Matthew Tooley`, BHP
 

Learn how BHP approached decisions on developing their capability for Strategic Workforce Planning modelling and data analytics technology.

 
2:25 PM - 2:55 PM

Afternoon break

 
 
 
 
 
 
2:55 PM - 3:30 PM

Connecting Action Plans to Strategy

 
Clif Sittinger
Clif Sittinger, ANZ
 

Learn how ANZ developed workforce action plans for the retail bank through integrating a new modelling approach.

 
3:30 PM - 4:10 PM

The Impact of AI on the Future Workforce

 
Suzie Custerson James McKay Vaughn Sheahan
Suzie Custerson, SEEK
James McKay, ANZ
Vaughn Sheahan, BHP
 

What can employers do to ensure their staff are well placed to utilise and engage with AI to aide and enable the SWP process?

 
4:10 PM - 4:15 PM

End of Conference Wrap-up

 
Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy, Workforce Planning Institute
 
 
 
Time Zone: (UTC+10:00) Melbourne [Change Time Zone]

Register now for this unique and critically-important event

Participant

$895

WPI Member

$100 discount