Jamie Engel is the founder of Neutopia.co, the leading online education platform to support the global transition to connected ways of learning for academic, corporate and forward-thinking organisations. Neutopia supports 21st-century learning and builds community by creating meaningful peer-to-peer engagement. It is powered by an AI-based recommendation system similar to a “Spotify for knowledge”.

With a background in film, 3D animation, virtual and augmented reality, he specialises in designing innovative curricula and training programs that use storytelling techniques along with new technologies. He has designed programs for a range of higher education and corporate clients including Laureate Universities, BT Finance, Westfield and Haworth Global. Jamie is exploring how augmented reality can be used to communicate complex systems information in interactive and immersive experiences through virtual simulations.

An inspiring keynote speaker and master educator, Jamie has mentored and partnered on projects that foster entrepreneurship, social enterprise and leadership skills for young adults such as One Young World and Remarkable, Australia’s first disability-focused accelerator. He recently joined the Advisory Council for the Future Minds Accelerator chaired by David Gonski and sponsored by Rio Tinto. Jamie is committed to setting new standards in education by connecting upcoming leaders, sharing their wisdom and amplifying their impact.

Marcus is currently helping build Volt’s Banking As A Platform capability for Partners in Australia.

In his role as Head Of Partnership Engagement, he helps Partners take full advantage of Volt Banking, Data and Analytics capability to deliver exceptional customer journeys and experiences within their own businesses and technology.

Marcus has over 20 years experience in the legal, financial and property industries in Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada. Since 1994 Marcus has envisioned and built several industry changing businesses, products and platforms.

More recently this has included developing a global first business and software, leveraging the Open Banking capability.

Melissa has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry, working previously as a financial planner, stockbroker and seminar delivery specialist. Melissa has worked with a variety of different employers – from large financial institutions such as Sunsuper, Suncorp and Westpac to small boutique financial planning firms.

With a passion for finance and making a difference in people’s lives, Melissa was naturally drawn into financial planning. But while working in the industry, she realised there was a strong need to educate and coach people around managing their money.

Melissa consolidated all her knowledge around finances and her love of working with people and created her own money coaching business called Talking Money.

Talking Money is about changing people’s lives by providing the tools, support and framework to empower them to have clarity, awareness and efficiency around their money.

Melissa creates a safe space to have a real conversation about money and is passionate about uncovering how our relationship with money impacts our motivations and behaviour every…single…day!

Melissa has spoken extensively as a guest speaker and has also been a contributor in numerous magazines and newspapers including Marie Claire Australia.

Melissa has been a member of the Financial Planning Association since 1997.

Melissa hold a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance), Diploma of Financial Planning, and is a Certified Financial Planner (non-practising)

Melissa likes to keep fit and healthy and enjoys spending time with her two children, Olivia and Lachlan. Good company, food and wine are essential!

With over 20 years of financial services experience, over a broad range of roles in advisory, consultancy, business development, as an advice practice owner and director, Phil is passionate about financial advice businesses.

He’s worked across both larger organizations (BT, AMP, CoFunds in UK) as well as start-ups (Your Welcome) and loves bringing innovative strategies into the organisations he works with to help them optimise their success.

His current position at Implemented Portfolios enables him to work with financial advice practices to help deliver business efficiency and focus more time on helping their clients achieve their best lives.

Shannon has over 21 years’ experience in Financial Services in Australia and abroad. Shannon is the co founder and Managing Director of WealthO2. Shannon has previously held the position of Managing Director Australia at Calastone (a global top 50 Fintech innovator company).

In the role of MD, Shannon led the strategy, sales and growth initiatives for Calastone in Australia working closely with the Asset management, Banking and Advisor community. Prior to Calastone, Shannon was employed by Royal Bank of Canada for over 8 years in various roles, including Global Product, Strategy and Development and Client Solutions.

Shannon has successfully led key strategic initiatives, provided consultancy to strategic clients, and implemented multiple transformational high profile projects. Shannon brings both vision, a true understanding of where the market is and trends for future direction, a logical and pragmatic approach, and an inspiring energy to all those that work with and alongside her. She has a strong Product Management and strategy skillset with a focus on innovation.

Shannon has a Summa Cum Laude BSc Honours in Chemical Engineering.

Simon is the CEO of RIAA — an organisation with 280+ investment organisation members who jointly manage over $9 trillion in assets globally — where he has worked for the past seven years to elevate sustainability issues as core investment risks and opportunities, and shift capital to support a more sustainable, equitable and prosperous world.

Simon is also co-chair of the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative, a financial services sector collaboration consisting of 90 organisations who are working to develop a roadmap for the sector to contribute systematically to Australia’s contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. ASFI brings together leaders spanning Australia’s major banks, superannuation funds, insurance companies, financial sector peak bodies and academia to develop a Sustainable Finance Roadmap by mid-2020, in consultation with diverse sectors and stakeholders.

Simon has operated at the intersection of economics, finance and sustainability for nearly 20 years and has international experience as an economic adviser, investment analyst and sustainability consultant across finance, corporate and not-for-profit sectors.
Simon is active across the region and internationally in responsible investment and sustainable finance.

Some people talk about the future. Simon chooses to live it. He researches trends and emerging technologies, then runs experiments on himself, his business and sometimes his family. Armed with his first-hand experiences, Simon helps others implement the future and successfully navigate the risks, challenges and opportunities it brings.

Along the way, these experiences have also resulted in a couple of books: Analogosaurus: How to avoid extinction in a world of digital business is about how to engage people in the opportunities of technology and The Digital Champion: Connecting the dots between people, work and technology is both a practical guide to identifying and implementing technology opportunities.

Simon’s fresh, insightful keynotes reflect the same philosophy of continual experimentation and improvement that he brings to the rest of his life. Inspired by live music performances, Simon uses cutting-edge video and sound mixing software to deliver an immersive visual and audio experience that reinforces what makes live events unique.

Steve has worked in the Financial Services industry for over 30 years. During the last eight years, Steve has founded two businesses, SHMarketing&Design and Feedsy.

SHMarketing&Design is a marketing consultancy and website design business specialising in helping small businesses prioritise and deliver on their marketing ideas and to communicate their value to clients.

Feedsy is a news and client communication company that helps advice businesses with their very own branded digital strategy, including eMail services and NewsBlogs on the web. Feedsy’s engine room helps financial advisers show that they care for their clients through email automation and educational content. Feedsy strives to give Financial Advisers the freedom to express their knowledge and ability to inform.

Steve is married and enjoys playing tennis, camping, water-skiing, listening to music and watching his two children play sport in the Adelaide Hills community.

One of Steve’s biggest challenges was walking the Kokoda trail in 2007.