Previous Keynote Speakers
The Illawarra Connection is known for bringing a diverse range of quality keynote speakers to the Region for events.
A list of our speakers since December 2007 is below.
April 2018 |
Professor the Hon Gareth Evans AC QC |
February 2018 |
Phil Glendenning AM - President of the Refugee Council of Australia |
December 2017 |
Anthony Laye - Mentalist |
October 2017 |
Martin O'Shannessy - Partner, OmniPoll |
August 2017 |
Raelene Castle - CEO, Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs |
July 2017 (luncheon) |
Dr Simon Longstaff AO FCPA - Executive Director, The Ethics Centre |
June 2017 |
John Borghetti AO - CEO and MD, Virgin Australia |
April 2017 |
Michael Grinder - Expert in the science of non-verbal communication |
February 2017 |
Chris Joscelyne - Managing Director, Australian Projects Pty Ltd |
December 2016 |
Greg Champion |
October 2016 |
Unveiling of the 2016 Olympic Tile for the Olympic Tribute Wall |
August 2016 |
Alex Frino - Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Strategy), UOW |
July 2016 (luncheon) |
Keith Suter - Futurist |
June 2016 |
Chris Allen - Paratrooper, Policeman, Counter-terrorism Expert and Global Best-Selling Author |
April 2016 |
Allan Mills – Partner, Finance and Performance Management, Deloitte |
February 2016 |
Alex Malley – Chief Executive, CPA Australia |
December 2015 |
Sam Bailey – Father, Pilot, Husband and Best-Selling Author |
October 2015 |
The Hon Justice Jane Mathews AO – First Female NSW Supreme Court Judge |
August 2015 |
Geraldine Doogue – Presenter, Journalist and Author |
July 2015 |
Professor the Hon Stephen Martin – Chief Executive, Centre for Economic Development Australia |
June 2015 |
Peter Baines – Founder of Hands Across the Water and Expert in Sustainable Leadership |
April 2015 |
Peter Martin – Economic Editor, The Age |
February 2015 |
Jerrold Cripps – Former Commissioner of the Independent Council against Corruption |
December 2014 |
David Stephens – Singer / Cabaret Performer |
October 2014 |
Ryan Campbell – Young Adventurer of the Year 2013 |
August 2014 |
Rod Matthews – Human Performance Specialist |
June 2014 |
Her Excellency Professor The Honourable Marie Bashir – Governor of NSW |
April 2014 |
Major General B.W. (Hori) Howard AO, MC, ESSM (Retd) |
February 2014 |
Brendan Lyon – Chief Executive, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia |
December 2013 |
Brendan Dowrick – Commonwealth Games Gymnastics Gold Medalist |
October 2013 |
Dr Adrian (Adi) Paterson – CEO, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) |
August 2013 |
Dr Alex Zelinsky – Chief Defence Scientist and Head of DSTO |
May 2013 |
Kerry Chikarovski – Director, Chikarovski & Associates |
April 2013 |
Sebastian Terry – Author of The 100 Things |
February 2013 |
Professor Howard M. Armitage – Director of the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology at the University of Waterloo, Canada |
October 2012 |
General David Hurley, AC, DSC – Chief of the Australian Defence Force |
August 2012 |
Dr Erica Smyth – Chair, Toro Energy Limited |
June 2012 |
Jim Maxwell – ABC Grandstand Sports Presenter |
April 2012 |
Jonathan Pain – Author of The Pain Report |
February 2012 |
Martin O’Shannessy – CEO, Newspoll |
December 2011 |
Professor Gerard Sutton AO – Vice Chancellor, University of Wollongong |
October 2011 |
Hugh Mackay – Psychologist, Social Researcher and Writer |
June 2011 |
Ross Gittins OAM – Economics Journalist and Commentator |
April 2011 |
John McGrath – CEO, McGrath Real Estate |
February 2011 |
Mark McCrindle BSc (Psychology), MA, QMPR – Director, McCrindle Research |
October 2010 |
The Hon John Fahey – President of the World Anti-Doping Agency |
August 2010 |
David Chalke – Leading Australian Social Analyst |
June 2010 |
Arthur Sinodinos AO – Managing Director, Institutional Banking, Business Banking Australia |
April 2010 |
Alex Frino PhD – CEO, Capital Markets CRC Limited |
February 2010 |
Cheryl Kernot, Director of Social Enterprise: The Centre for Social Impact |
December 2009 |
General Peter Cosgrove (Ret’d) AC, MC ndc (Ind), jssc, psc (US), Dip Mil Stud, FAICD |
October 2009 |
Tim Costello – CEO, World Vision Australia |
August 2009 |
Glenn Stevens – Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia |
June 2009 |
Karin Moorehouse – TIGS Alumni |
April 2009 |
Brendan Burkett PhD OAM – Paralympian and Commonwealth Games Medalist |
February 2009 |
Colin Bloomfield – President of Illawarra Coal and Chair, NSW Minerals Council |
December 2008 |
Andrew Horabin & Penny Hartgerink |
October 2008 |
Tim Cope – National Geographic Adventure Honoree 2007 & Australian Adventurer of the Year 2006 |
August 2008 |
Robyn Moore – Communication Expert |
June 2008 |
Panel of Speakers |
April 2008 |
John Brogden – CEO, Manchester Unity Australia |
February 2008 |
Candy Tymson – Leading Business Communicator and Author |
December 2007 |
Dr J John Smith – Expert on Creativity and Lateral Thinking |