9.00am - 9.45am 

Technology and AI in Achieving Success in Financial Services 

The financial services industry is being reshaped by technology and AI at pace, and larger offshore markets are often further down this path. Dee McGrath sits on the boards of both Revolut Australia and the ASX, giving her a front-row seat to how these shifts are playing out. She’ll share what she’s seeing overseas, what’s working, what’s coming, and what it means for how financial services are delivered and consumed here in New Zealand. 

Keynote Speaker:  

Dee McGrath, Director, Revolut Australia 

11.00am - 11.45am

Opportunities in an AI World - Investing in Ideas That Matter

Paul Newfield will cut through the hype and focus on identifying the ideas that genuinely matter. Jason Boyes the Chief Executive of MORRISON managed Infratil has recently said that demand for efficient AI infrastructure was striking and may be the investment opportunity of a lifetime. With AI rapidly influencing how capital is allocated, businesses are built, and markets evolve, this session will examine where the smart money is heading and what New Zealand needs to do to position itself in a rapidly shifting global environment. 

Keynote speaker:

Paul Newfield, CEO, MORRISON

11.45am - 12.30pm

Entrepreneur – Succeeding on the Global Stage 

Gallagher Group is one of New Zealand’s standout success stories, growing from its Waikato roots into a global business. With revenue of $600m currently, Gallagher is on track to become a billion-dollar turnover tech exporter within a few years. Kahl Betham will share his perspective on what it takes to scale a New Zealand business internationally, the challenges of competing in global markets, and the opportunities that lie ahead for homegrown companies with global ambitions. 

Keynote Speaker:

Kahl Betham, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Gallagher Group 

1.30pm - 2.15pm

Dealing With Disruptions: An Economic Update

The war in Iran, renewed trade frictions, and the advance of artificial intelligence (AI) have changed the calculus of commerce. Can growth remain resilient in the face of these developments? How will central banks react to renewed inflation risk?  The answers to these, and other questions, will be discussed.

Keynote speaker:  

Carl Tannenbaum, Chief Economist, Northern Trust USA 

The Ruakura Superhub is a significant piece of New Zealand’s infrastructure puzzle, and it’s being delivered through iwi partnership with Brookfield. The completed value of the 70 hectares of new logistics development is some $1 billion. Hinerangi Raumati-Tu’ua and Craig West will go behind the scenes on this project, exploring how Tainui Group Holdings has developed the Superhub through strategic partnerships, what the project means for regional and national economic development, and what lessons it holds for how we deliver critical infrastructure in New Zealand. 

Speakers:  

It’s not often you get the chairs or senior directors of all five major banks in the same room. This panel brings together some of the most experienced governance voices in New Zealand’s financial services sector to discuss the role of governance in supporting clients and the broader economy. How can financial institutions better enable their customers to succeed? What is the role of strong governance in navigating an increasingly complex operating environment? Their perspective drawn from across their governance portfolios will provide an excellent perspective of how the financial services sector can make the New Zealand waka travel faster. 

Speakers:  

Dame Therese Walsh, Chair, ASB,
Pip Greenwood, Chair, Westpac NZ
Scott St John, Chair, ANZ NZ
Kevin Kenrick, Non-executive Director, BNZ
Susan Peterson, Chair, Kiwibank

4.30pm - 5.20pm

Debate: That the Market is Best Placed to Deliver Energy Sector Resilience 

Energy sector resilience is one of the defining challenges of the coming decades and is in sharp relief given the disruption to oil supplies from the gulf. New Zealand is also facing a decline in domestic gas production and electricity prices spiked a couple of years ago.  To manage dry-year risk in electricity production, a previous government explored development of a large pumped hydro scheme, and the current government is looking to enter into a contract for the installation and operation of an LNG facility. This debate will put the proposition to the test: is the market best placed to deliver the resilience our energy sector needs, or does the scale and complexity of the challenge demand a different approach? Speakers will argue for and against the moot. 

Speakers to be Announced.