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Taking place 21-22 September 2026 at Hyatt Regency Sydney, the HR + L&D Innovation & Tech Fest AU brings together HR and learning leaders from across Australia to explore the ideas, technologies and strategies shaping the future of work.

As organisations navigate rapid change across workforce expectations, capability development and emerging technologies, HR and L&D professionals are rethinking how they attract, develop and retain talent.

This event provides a platform for leaders to connect, exchange practical insights and discuss the people strategies shaping a changing world of work.

Shaped by our unique, research-led methodology and in-depth discussions with HR and L&D professionals across Australia, this year’s program reflects the real priorities and challenges facing people and learning leaders today.

With an incredible line-up of speakers to be announced in the coming weeks - meet the keynote speakers:

Dr Yemi Penn, Cultural Peace Broker, Author, Engineer & Filmmaker

Dr Yemi Penn is a globally recognized global keynote speaker, thought leader, engineer, and PhD researcher awarded the prestigious Nancy Millis Medal for research excellence, placing her doctorate in the top 5% nationally. A systems thinker with a rebelliously curious spirit, Yemi is the founder of Rebellious Curiosity and Cultural Peace Brokering - two practical, evidence-based frameworks that empower leaders to challenge inherited narratives, navigate discomfort, and lead meaningful cultural transformation. Her work is rooted in one belief: transformation isn’t just personal - it’s collective, and it’s a leadership imperative.

From London to Lagos, Sydney to Seattle, Yemi brings lived experience, social scientific rigour, and deep empathy to every stage and boardroom she enters. She has helped global companies, schools, governments, and communities shift how they lead, connect, and transform - not by avoiding discomfort, but by moving through it, together. Whether she’s facilitating cultural repair within organizations or helping CEOs build inclusive, trauma-informed workplaces, her approach is as bold as it is human. Her award-winning research explores how curiosity can disrupt inherited rupture’s, transform identity, and unlock powerful new pathways for leadership and liberation.

Her signature question - “What would shift if we made peace with our pain and used it to lead?” is a call to action for every leader, team, and system ready to evolve.Yemi is the author of Did You Get the Memo?, the producer of multiple documentaries, and a trusted advisor to purpose- driven leaders across sectors. If you’re building human-first systems, ready for real change, and willing to learn how to lead in solidarity, Yemi is who you call.

Matt Hall, Red Bull Air Race World Champion

A retired wing commander and top gun fighter pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force, Matt Hall is a combat veteran of Iraq, with USAF medals for heroism under fire in his F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet, supporting marine troops on the ground. In 2009, following his decorated career in the RAAF, Australia's very own top gun pilot became the first Australian ever to compete in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. Matt placed third in his racing debut and since accumulated seven wins and 25 podiums, ultimately winning Red Bull Air Race in 2019 making him the most successful air race pilot in the modern era.

Matt is regarded as aviation royalty. He is one of the best fighter pilots and general aviators in the world of all time. He is currently one of only four prestigious Red Bull Co-pilots in the world. He flies for Red Bull in high profile media stunts, Formula 1, NRL, supercars and international air shows. Matt is a man who epitomises high performance. He is also highly sought for his IP on risk management. He is the CEO of Matt Hall Racing, the CEO of Afterburner and author of his autobiography The Sky Is Not the Limit.

Melissa Crawford, Director, Tech With Heart

Melissa Crawford is one of the most distinctive voices at the intersection of future technology, human psychology, and strategic foresight. With two technology degrees and a Master of Science in Psychology underway, and formal foresight training from the Institute for the Future and the University of Houston, she brings genuine academic depth to the stage, not just trendspotting. A certified futurist, member of the Association of Professional Futurists, and chartered member of both the Institute of Directors and HRNZ. Melissa has worked in some of New Zealand’s largest organisations across technology, aviation, banking, FMCG, retail, education, and energy and now operates globally through her company Tech with Heart.
 
What sets Melissa apart is her rare ability to convey future technology shifts in a way that feels human. She doesn't just talk about what's coming, she equips boards, executives, and leaders with the strategic foresight to act on it. Recognised on the HRD Hotlist multiple times, named HR Leader and HR Person of the Year, and most recently awarded the Emerging Directors Award from the Institute of Directors, Melissa brings a track record that's as compelling as her ideas.

Damien Bruckard, Co-Founder, Geopolitical Strategy

Damien Bruckard is one of the Asia-Pacific’s most authoritative voices on geopolitics and business. A former Australian diplomat and trade negotiator, he has advised governments at the highest level, helped broker international agreements, and now counsels boards and executives worldwide on the forces reshaping markets.

As Co-Founder of Geopolitical Strategy, Damien advises boards, investors, and senior executives on how geopolitics shapes strategy, risk, and opportunity. His clients span finance, professional services, and industry, where he helps leaders stress-test assumptions, anticipate shocks, and chart long-term strategies in an uncertain world. He also publishes Geopolitical Dispatch, whose analysis is trusted daily by thousands of decision-makers as a benchmark for clarity and judgment.

Damien’s career has taken him from Moscow to Paris. As a diplomat at Australia’s Embassy in Russia, he is one of the few Western officials to spend significant time in Russia in recent years, travelling through the country and across the former Soviet states and even translating for Mikhail Gorbachev. In Canberra, he was one of Australia’s lead negotiators on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, securing key outcomes on investment rules. He has also worked for the United Nations in New York and taught public policy at universities across Asia and Africa.

At the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, the world’s largest business organisation, he rose to become Head of Global Engagement. There he forged partnerships with the UN, WTO, World Bank and WHO, and helped conceive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, later adopted by the UN Secretary-General and enabling millions of tonnes of Ukrainian exports during wartime.

A fluent speaker of French, Russian and Italian, Damien brings unmatched global experience to the stage. He is renowned for his ability to engage audiences with clarity, gravitas and wit. Damien holds First Class Honours degrees in Law and Arts, has studied at Sciences Po in Paris, and completed executive education at Harvard and Cambridge Universities. Based between Paris and Melbourne, he works at the intersection of diplomacy, strategy and business helping organisations see further, think sharper, and act with confidence in uncertain times.

With valuable networking opportunities and a focus on practical, research-driven content, the HR + L&D Innovation & Tech Fest AU 2026 is a must-attend event for HR and learning professionals navigating the evolving world of work. 

Discover new ideas, gain practical takeaways and connect with your peers. 2FOR1 tickets are available – secure your tickets today.