Women in Leadership Summit 2025: Banking & Financial Services

Join Liquid Learning for this kick-off session as we prepare for three days of incredible speakers, senior leaders, expert deep-dives and unmissable panel discussions!

We often get caught up on day-to-day demands without reflecting on the deeper "why" behind our work. Purpose-driven leaders, however, take the time to connect with their personal purpose and use it as a compass for leading others and driving impact. In this session, Ivana shares her journey of identifying her leadership purpose and how she leads with this everyday.

- Define and refine your personal purpose, even as it evolves over time

- Learn where you can make the greatest impact, both in your current role and beyond

- Lead others purposefully, creating alignment between their work and the broader mission

Step into a dynamic, hands-on session designed to sharpen your leadership edge. In this collaborative problem-solving lab, attendees will work in small groups to tackle real-world leadership challenges—ranging from navigating team conflict to managing change and making complex decisions under pressure.

With a focus on peer learning and practical application, this session will stretch your decision-making muscles, build confidence in handling ambiguity, and strengthen your ability to think strategically and act decisively.

- Experience structured problem-solving in a leadership context

- Learn diverse approaches to common workplace dilemmas

- Enhance collaboration, critical thinking, and decision-making skills

Mix and mingle with your fellow leaders over a cup of coffee and light refreshments.

The Financial Services industry thrives on constant innovation and transformation. But with sustained change comes challenges to wellbeing, so how as a leader do you ensure you and your team thrive? In this session, Lou shares her experience of leading transformation and how she achieves high performance whilst maintaining wellbeing.

- Breed psychological safety in your team

- Thrive through sustained periods of change

- Support people to prioritise their wellbeing at work

The financial services sector is evolving, and so is the workforce that will drive it forward. To remain competitive and innovative, the industry must effectively attract, retain, and develop the next generation of talent. But how do we recruit young professionals into a sector that is often seen as traditional and rigid? What do they value in a career, and how can we align their aspirations with the opportunities in financial services?

- Learn how to connect with the values of younger generations

- Delve into different working styles and how they can impact your team

- Position financial services as an exciting, dynamic career path

Enjoy a midday lunch break. A time to refresh, refuel, and prepare for a full afternoon of immersive learning and inspiration.

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, adopting a digital-first mindset is no longer optional for leaders, it’s essential. In this session, Jo will explore what it means to lead with a digital-first approach, emphasising the importance of technology, innovation, and adaptability in driving organisational success.

- Gain insights into fostering a culture of digital fluency

- Leverage data for better decision making

- Embrace change as an opportunity for growth

Starting a new leadership role can often be daunting and as with any other job, some trial and error needs to happen for you to find your feet. When you’re in leadership though, those trials are often on display and can have more of an impact on others. Finding your leadership identity is an ongoing process with ebbs and flows along the way. In this session, join Kate as she candidly shares the lessons in leadership she has learnt and the practical tips she has used to overcome challenges. 

- Learn from the experience of a seasoned leader

- Understand where you can apply your own leadership lessons

- Reflect on your personal journey and set goals for the future

A quick break to refresh and continue building your network with fellow leaders. Enjoy a light refreshment before finishing day one.

In today’s distraction-driven world, stress and digital overload are causing burnout at an alarming rate. The One-Minute Reset provides a practical solution—one minute of mindfulness to reclaim focus, reduce stress, and improve productivity. This talk offers a survival guide for leaders and professionals to thrive amidst the chaos.

- Break the stress cycle and reclaim your focus

- Rewire your brain for clarity and commitment

- Integrate simple solutions to improve your wellbeing

Join us for our end of day networking. Enjoy canapés and drinks whilst getting to know your peers further, build ongoing relationships, and share your highlights of the day.

Reflect on yesterday’s insights and get ready to connect with a diverse group of peers from various industries, unlocking even more opportunities for learning, networking, and meaningful connections.

In today’s dynamic workplace, leadership approaches that foster collaboration and advance equity are more important than ever—something Louise Hickman understands deeply. Louise is passionate about creating inclusive environments where every voice is heard and valued. In this session, she explores how collaboration and shared success are key to driving positive organisational outcomes and meaningful progress.

- Build a culture of equity through collaboration

- Empower teams by valuing diverse contributions

- Lead with a focus on inclusive, purpose-driven outcomes

Organisations everywhere are navigating periods of disruption and uncertainty, calling for a new style of leadership. In this session, Rowenna will focus on the importance of authenticity and share insights from challenging times in her career, including the Global Financial Crisis and COVID-19. She’ll discuss the need to adapt, recognize emerging opportunities, and how she has harnessed uncertainty to strengthen her own resilience and that of her team.

- Adapting your leadership and working style 

- Embracing authentic leadership 

- Developing personal and team resilience amidst challenges

Mix and mingle with your fellow leaders over a cup of coffee and light refreshments.

We live in a world of information overload, where constant competing demands on our attention have made work overload, and decision fatigue an increasingly widespread issue. Recognising the sources of work overload is crucial, but it's also important to learn strategies to reduce the cognitive load that accompanies it, so you can make great decisions while performing under pressure. Join Karen as she shares practical tips for identifying and managing your work overload stressors.

- Explore the neuroscience of working memory and attention.

- Understand the importance of monitoring your mental energy level

- Practice a relaxation technique to reduce stress and get your cognitive energy back

When people feel psychologically safe they are more creative, honest, and accountable. As leaders it's our responsibility to provide an environment that's free from blame and criticism to allow people to thrive. In this session, Nic shares how she prioritises psychological health and safety for her team and encourages them to speak out.

- Create meaningful connections to foster trust

- Improve innovation by instilling confidence to take risks

- Reduce burnout by removing emotional load

Enjoy a midday lunch break. A time to refresh, refuel, and prepare for a full afternoon of immersive learning and inspiration.

Team members with different backgrounds, talents and experiences can add more value to tackling business challenges with innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth. Join us for this panel discussion as we delve into how a variety of perspectives strengthens problem-solving, encourages creativity, and enhances decision-making across industries. 

- Identify the role you can play in creating diversity of thought in your team

- Celebrate individual differences and create an environment of psychological safety

- Learn about others experiences and backgrounds with curiosity

In an ever-changing world of work, resilient leadership is essential for navigating challenges and driving innovation. In this session, Liz explores strategies to build personal resilience as a leader while fostering resilient teams that thrive under pressure. Learn how great leadership inspires teams to create better solutions by cultivating adaptability, emotional intelligence, and a culture of support.

- Discover techniques to enhance personal resilience and stay grounded during adversity

- Learn how to empower teams to adapt and maintain high performance in times of uncertainty

- Build a culture of psychological safety and trust to inspire collaborative, solution-focused mindsets

A quick break to refresh and continue building your network with fellow leaders. Enjoy a light refreshment before finishing day one.

Sally Connell is the Chief Transformation & People Officer at Foxtel Group, where she has led transformative cultural and operational changes since 2017. With over 20 years of experience across industries such as media, telecom, and professional services, she is known for driving large-scale workforce transformations. Join Sally for this session as she shares how she advocates for values-led leadership and a focus on employee wellness, inclusion, and sustainability throughout transformation.

- Learn strategies to spearhead major transformation across different industries

- Lead change that delivers tangible results

- Celebrate the people at the heart of disruption and innovation

Join us for our end of day networking. Enjoy canapés and drinks whilst getting to know your peers further, build ongoing relationships, and share your highlights of the day.

We're back! Another day and a whole lot more learning to come - time to check back in with your fellow leaders.

Tick off any goals you've scored so far, develop an implementation plan for your new goals and set yourself up for another exciting day!

Christina, a visionary leader with over two decades of experience in driving organisational transformation, is renowned for her work in creating inclusive cultures and operational excellence. In this session, Christina will share her expertise on leading change, emphasizing the importance of agility, innovation, and people-centric leadership in today’s fast-paced business environment. Drawing from her extensive career in tech, she will offer actionable strategies to inspire leadership resilience and support diverse, high-performing teams.

- Reflections on the leadership journey of a C-Suite leader

- Embrace flexibility and agility to adapt to new technology

- Support others to navigate change

True leadership begins where comfort ends. This session explores how personal and professional growth often comes from the moments when we feel most uncertain—but choose to show up anyway. Through real-world insights and practical guidance, Christine reflects on how to recognise opportunities, navigate self-doubt, and lead with confidence—even when the path ahead is unfamiliar.

- The power of saying yes—even when it feels uncomfortable

- Tools for identifying and pursuing growth opportunities

- Reframing setbacks as opportunities for growth and resilience

Mix and mingle with your fellow leaders over a cup of coffee and light refreshments.

The inner critic is an internal voice that often highlights our perceived flaws and shortcomings, acting as both a source of self-doubt and a potential motivator. In this session, Kylie challenges the conventional idea of silencing the inner critic, instead exploring its potential to drive growth and self-awareness.

- Understand how the inner critic can serve as both a motivator and a barrier

- Learn strategies to reframe negative self-talk into constructive dialogue

- Gain practical tools to balance self-assessment with self-compassion

Gone is the 9-5, Monday-Friday working week. People's lives are changing and therefore people's needs are different when it comes to working. Traditionally people have been forced to fit in with mainstream working structures but the organisations with the most engaged and productive workforces are the ones with leaders who are reimagining what work means to people. In this session, Jodi shares her passion for thinking creatively and finding better solutions that support her people.

- Think outside the box to challenge norms

- Put people at the forefront of your business solutions

- Balance your peoples and the businesses needs

Enjoy a midday lunch break. A time to refresh, refuel, and prepare for a full afternoon of immersive learning and inspiration.

Whether you're an intern or the CEO at a company, it's vital that you understand working relationships and can identify the power dynamics at play. Being able to navigate power structures can give you influence over others and helps to get projects over the line, ensures your voice is heard in meetings, and reduces the chance of conflict. In this panel session we discuss the move away from traditional hierarchy and how to navigate relationship dynamics.

- Identify different types of relationships at work

- Explore hierarchical vs matrix structures and the considerations for both types of organisation

- Gain strategies for mastering relationships and navigating complexities

A quick break to refresh and continue building your network with fellow leaders. Enjoy a light refreshment before finishing day one.

Traditional leadership styles often fall short of addressing the complexities of today’s modern workforce. As the needs of the workforce change, so must the style of the leaders. In this session, Liana shares her fresh approach which helps her create an environment of innovation, creativity and high performance.

- Embrace forward thinking leadership practices

- Inspire and engage your team for better results

- Break free from outdated management models

We wrap up our two days of insight and inspiration with this interactive roundtable session. This is your chance to table any topic or trend for a final group discussion. Network with your peers, reflect on your journey so far and create an action plan to carry you forward!

- Reflect on your key takeaways from the Summit

- Identify opportunities for career progression and growth

- Create an action plan for your leadership journey