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30 JULY 2026 | Intercontinental Wellington

THE CHANGE & TRANSFORMATION SUMMIT

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Culture | Strategy | Engagement | Capability | Delivery

As organisations grapple with rapid change and evolving business landscapes, successful transformation is imperative for long-term success. This event provides essential insights and strategies to navigate complex change initiatives, mitigate risks, and unlock significant performance improvements.


Are you ready to lead your team through successful change?

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the ability to adapt and transform is critical to long-term success. Join us for a comprehensive exploration of the key strategies and techniques to navigate organisational change and drive lasting impact.

Mastering Change Management 

Learn proven methodologies and frameworks to effectively manage large-scale transformations.

Cultivating a Change-Positive Culture

Discover how to foster a culture that embraces change and drives innovation.

Leveraging Leadership for Transition 

Gain insights from experienced leaders on inspiring and guiding teams through change

Practical Tips & Case Studies 

Benefit from real-world examples and actionable advice to implement change effectively.

The Psychology of Change

Understand the emotional and cognitive factors that influence individual and organisational responses to change

This event is ideal for:

  • Executives and leaders: Those responsible for driving strategic change and organisational transformation.
  • Change management professionals: Individuals who specialise in managing and leading change initiatives.
  • HR professionals: HR leaders and practitioners interested in fostering a culture of change and employee engagement.
  • Consultants and advisors: Professionals who support organisations in their change and transformation journeys.
  • Anyone seeking to develop their leadership skills and ability to navigate change.
 
register your interest

Venue

The location and how you can get there

Address

InterContinental Wellington
2 Grey Street, 
Wellington Central

8:30

Registration and Coffee

9:00

Welcome from the Chair

9:10

Transformation starts with leadership: Setting the tone from the top

  • Why most transformations fail at the human layer, not the technology layer

  • The leadership behaviours that shape trust, culture, and momentum

  • Aligning executive teams around a shared narrative for change

  • Creating clarity in environments of uncertainty, pressure, and fatigue

  • What visible leadership looks like during transformation

9:50

From intent to adoption: Making change stick in the real world

  • Why change initiatives fail after launch, even when the strategy is sound

  • Designing change around real behaviours, not ideal processes

  • Overcoming resistance, disengagement, and passive non-compliance

  • Building ownership at every level

  • Measuring success through behaviour change, not activity or rollout

10:30

Morning break

11:00

Case study: System-wide change - Aligning People, Process and Platforms

  • Coordinating across agencies, teams, and stakeholders

  • Embedding consistency without losing flexibility

  • Designing services around real human behaviour, not org charts

11:45

Trust, communication & culture: The foundations of successful change

  • Why trust breaks down during periods of change

  • Communicating change in ways that reduce fear and increase clarity

  • Creating psychological safety during uncertainty and transition

  • Embedding transparency, accountability, and consistency into leadership behaviours

  • Turning trust into a measurable and actively managed asset

12:30

Lunch

1:30

Beyond the AI hype: Embedding AI into how work gets done

  • Why AI fails without workforce readiness, trust, and clear use cases

  • Designing AI-enabled workflows that augment how people work

  • Moving from pilots to production: governance, data readiness, and integration challenges

  • Building confidence vs resistance across teams – overcoming the AI FUD cycle

  • Measuring success: adoption, productivity uplift, and decision quality, not just deployment

2:10

The change capability gap: Why strategy fails in execution

  • The missing middle: translating strategy into day-to-day behaviour

  • Building internal change leadership at every level across the organisation

  • Practical approaches to driving adoption and accountability

  • Embedding change as a core organisational muscle

2:50

Leading people through sustained change

  • The cumulative impact of continuous change on teams and leaders

  • Managing fatigue, disengagement, and change saturation

  • Supporting people through uncertainty, ambiguity, and shifting priorities

  • Maintaining performance while navigating ongoing transformation

3.30

Afternoon break

3:50

Resilient by design: Leading through uncertainty, risk, and transformation fatigue

  • Building resilience at individual, team, and organisational levels

  • Leading through ambiguity, pressure, and constant change cycles

  • Balancing urgency with sustainability

  • Supporting wellbeing while maintaining accountability

4:20

Closing keynote: The future of change leadership

  • Why change is no longer an initiative, but a constant state

  • The leadership mindset required to lead in ongoing transformation

  • Building organisations that continuously adapt and evolve

  • What NZ organisations must do to stay competitive while staying human-centred

5:00

Chair's summary remarks and end of conference followed by networking reception

Back to top

Speakers to be announed

Kirsty Dent

Founding Consultant
Fractionally NZ

Nick Busse

Global Program Manager - Transformation
Worley
Critical-thinking, energetic and success-driven manager with 30 years’ experience across business and IT program and project management, achieving transformational changes across a broad range of industries. Highlights include APAC delivery of global standard Energy Trading solution, global passenger reservation solution for premiere experiential travel operator, successful Operation Improvement program for a leading NZ diary operator eliminating a backlog of 5million cans of infant formula, and upgrading electrical infrastructure of main regional air traffic control towers within NZ.  Currently the establishment and management of two concurrent 3 year programs delivering core Cyber solution and a global standard solution platform and methodology for mega construction projects.

Julia Jack

Chief Purpose and Brand Officer
Kiwibank
Julia joined Kiwibank in May 2023. She has more than 25 years’ experience in NZ and the UK in marketing, customer experience and commercial roles and now leads the Purpose and Brand function for Kiwibank. Comprising Brand and Marketing, Customer Experience, Corporate Affairs, Māori Advisory, Purpose, and Sustainability, together this team is focused on connecting our customers and our people to our purpose and brand.

Kallol Dutta

Transformation Director
Spark New Zealand
As the Transformation Director at Spark New Zealand, Kallol is responsible for the strategy, governance, and enterprise adoption of data, AI, ERP, IT and automation capabilities across the group. With over 20 years of experience in leading consulting, IT, digital, and data teams, he has a proven track record of developing and implementing IT and digital strategies that generate commercial and customer value, while evolving Spark into a data-driven organization. Kallol’ focus has been on delivering data-driven initiatives that use AI responsibly in various domains, such as marketing, digital, enterprise, product, and network. He has also led the ERP transformation from legacy SAP to cloud-based Microsoft Dynamics 365, and established foundational capabilities such as migration to cloud, Adobe campaign implementation, and automation COE to deliver process efficiency using robotic process automation (RPA). He has successfully led teams through organizational change, such as the enterprise-wide agile transformation at Spark. Kallols’ mission is to enable digital innovation and transformation through data and automation, and to empower his team, partners, and customers to achieve their goals.

Stacy Mahon

Product Manager – Geospatial
Hamilton City Council
Stacy is a dedicated leader and geospatial professional with 18 years’ experience and a background as a geospatial analyst. As the Product Manager for Geospatial at Hamilton City Council, he is passionate about leveraging technology to solve real-world challenges and drive innovation. With a strong focus on Digital Twin technology, Stacy is committed to developing dynamic, data-driven models that enhance decision-making. Leading a talented team, the team is at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge geospatial solutions that bridge the gap between digital and physical spaces. His expertise lies in using technology to optimise spatial data, streamline processes, and help understand the opportunities for the fastest-growing city in New Zealand. Presenting alongside Justine Kennedy, Stacy will share insights on Hamilton’s Digital Twin and how it has enhanced decision making for Hamilton city.  

Nadia Herriott

GM Transformation & Optimisation
Mercury
With a proven track record of driving organizational change, Nadia champions the adoption of Mercury’s Adaptive principles, focused on building capabilities to become the driving force behind sustainable transformation, facilitating fundamental shifts in mindset, culture, and ways of working across the company. She oversees the execution of multifaceted change programs that harmonize technology, process, and people considerations while safeguarding customer and employee experiences. Drawing on her extensive experience leading Mercury’s Program Management and steering the successful separation of Trustpower Retail and Generation businesses, Nadia brings a unique perspective on creating transformation strategies that deliver substantial business value while nurturing an adaptive organizational culture. Nadia’s diverse background includes roles in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, sustainability consulting, and technology implementation, giving her a multifaceted understanding of change management across different sectors. A graduate of Massey University with a Bachelor of Business Studies in Management and International Business, she has received multiple recognitions for outstanding contributions and academic excellence

Paula Stenhouse

Adaptive Enablement Lead
Mercury
Paula has been living and breathing change and transformation for a lifetime. Experience working across Australia, New Zealand and Europe has built adaptability, cultural awareness and resilience.  Over the last 9 years, Paula’s leadership has spanned the cultural transformation of Trustpower, the separation of Trustpower’s Retail and Generation businesses, the merging of Mercury NZ and Trustpower, and the design and embedding of Mercury’s adaptive operating model.   These experiences, along with a Master of Science degree (first class honours) in Industrial and Organisational Psychology from Canterbury University, have taught Paula time and time again that people and culture are at the heart of any transformation’s success.  Creating a learning organisation where people have a shared vision and build knowledge together results in successful outcomes for even the most difficult of problems.

Justine Kennedy

Product Owner Geospatial | Digital Services
Hamilton City Council
Justine is a seasoned Project Manager at Hamilton City Council, driving transformative initiatives powered by technology and digital innovation. With a unique blend of expertise in urban design and strategic and spatial planning, she brings a holistic perspective to complex projects. Her eight years of experience leading projects have instilled a deep understanding of community-centric approaches, a core principle she applies to her work with digital technologies. Presenting alongside Stacy Mahon, Justine will delve into a case study examining the practical application of Hamilton’s Digital Twin, highlighting the productivity gains and other significant impacts achieved through this transformative initiative. She will share insights into how HCC is harnessing the power of digital innovation to create a more efficient, sustainable, and community-responsive city.

Elsamari Botha

AI and Digital Transformation Specialist & MBA Director
UC Business School
Dr Elsamari Botha is the MBA Director at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and teaches Digital Transformation and Technology Preparedness in the UC MBA programme. She is also an extraordinary associate professor at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa. She attained her PhD in Industrial Economics and Management at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. With 15 years of consulting experience, as well as starting an EdTech platform, Elsamari’s research focuses on the adoption and monetization of new technologies in organisations, online consumer behaviour, and digital strategy development. Elsamari has published in leading international journals such as Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, Business Horizons, the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, and Public Relations Review.

Kacper Mazek

Partner
Radically
Kacper is passionate about modern leadership and believes that leaders play a critical role in high performing organisations. A key focus for him is helping change how leaders think about work, culture and customer value. He helps leadership teams test and define customer-centric ways of organising and operating. His ultimate goal is to help organisations build engaging workplaces that deliver value to the end customer. Kacper has been involved in multiple international transformational projects, with teams in the USA, Australia and Poland. His recent engagements have focused on building adaptive organisations, introducing new management practices for New Zealand corporates.

Qiulae Anthony

Associate Director, Sustainable Value
KPMG

Edwin Dando

Partner
Radically
Edwin helps organisations rethink how they approach work and people, applying agile thinking to help them improve. In 2006 he founded agile leader Clarus, acquired by Assurity in 2012, and established Assurity’s successful education business while running the Auckland branch and the national agile practice. He has extensive experience working with executives and senior leaders to establish agile practices across various business units. Edwin is also a professional Scrum.org trainer, the first person in the world to become a certified Evidence-Based Management consultant. He donates a percentage of his time to social organisations including schools, universities and charities.

Patrick O’Doherty

Chief Data Officer
Inland Revenue NZ

Tighe Wall

Chief Transformation Officer
Contact Energy

Peter Cully

Founder & President
Association of Change Management Professionals Australia & New Zealand
Peter has been facilitating business transformation in Blue Chip organizations in the UK, UAE and Australia over the past 30 years, from the perspective of strategic risk and organizational change management, and enterprise business transformation. Peter is currently serving a Senior Director Business Transformation Officer at HCLTech where he is spearheading numerous high-impact projects across a variety of industries, driving organizational growth and innovation, and developing adaptable, agile and aligned organizations. Peter is a visionary leader and applies a pragmatic approach to solving complex business challenges. He champions the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and agile methodologies to enhance operational efficiency and foster a culture of continuous improvement and has driven countless organizations through successful technology-driven change initiatives. As a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Peter emphasizes the importance of inclusive leadership in achieving sustainable success. He is committed to mentoring the next generation of leaders and regularly contributes to industry publications, sharing his expertise on topics ranging from digital transformation, sustainability, and a multi-disciplinary approach to navigate complex challenges, seize new opportunities, and drive successful business outcomes. Peter has developed practical strategies for harnessing the power of business transformation to navigate the complexities of today’s business landscape. He has applied organizational change and risk management to achieve successful business transformation and offer actionable insights to leaders on navigating change. In an increasingly chaotic and transactional geo-political environment, Peter has provided insights into how businesses can effectively manage and mitigate risks, drive innovation, employee engagement, operational efficiency and customer experience, and gain a meaningful and actionable view of the success of business transformation efforts.

Michael Henderson

Corporate Anthropologist and Culture Expert
Cultures at Work
For 29 years, Michael has enhanced over 300+ businesses through culture transformation. His background in Anthropology is his biggest asset in strengthening the culture of organisations.  Michael uses this specialist knowledge in helping clients to understand what culture really is, the right strategies in fostering a dynamic environment within their workplace and the methods to maintain it. Michael believes deeply that your organisations deserve to have their  culture aligned as a strategic asset and will share transformative approaches, methods and strategies for the cultural development of your organisation.

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DOUBLE PASS

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  • Must be from the same organisation & book at the same time. For valid tickets, payment by 30 July, 2026.
Buy ticket

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STANDARD
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$ 1299 + gst
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Local, Central Govt, NGO & Māori Trusts rate

DOUBLE PASS

PRICE PER PERSON
$ 1100 + gst Per Person
  • Must be from the same organisation & book at the same time. For valid tickets, payment by 30 July, 2026.
Buy ticket

SUPER SAVER

LOCAL, CENTRAL GOVT, NGO RATE
$1499
$ 1099 + gst
  • For valid ticket, payment by 12 June, 2026.
Buy ticket

EARLY BIRD

LOCAL, CENTRAL GOVT, NGO RATE
$1499
$ 1299 + gst
  • For valid ticket, payment by 30 June, 2026.
Buy ticket

LAST MINUTE

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  • For valid ticket, payment by 30 July, 2026.
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Registration Conditions

Ticket Terms
All prices are in New Zealand dollars ($NZD)
A surcharge of 2.5% + GST applies to credit card payments on top of the total amount.
Pre-Sale Tickets are valid only for the specific event for which they were purchased and cannot be transferred to other events. To remain valid, Super Saver and Early Bird tickets must be paid by date quoted.
Group ticket options are valid for registrations from the same organisation, booked at the same time.
By selecting any special pricing offer for classes of organisation, sector, or individuals or using any promotion code, you are asserting to the organiser your right to claim any such pricing offer, and acknowledge the organiser’s right to audit such claim and, if in the opinion of the organiser using its sole discretion the conditions for special pricing are not met, reject any registration.

For full terms & conditions, please visit https://www.brightstar.co.nz/terms-and-conditions

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