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The ultimate event to get you up to speed on the recent trends in everything health and safety

Health & Safety Leaders' Summit

Safety at the crossroads: Creating safe work in a dynamic landscape

9 -10 March 2026 | Grand Millennium, Auckland

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About the Summit

2025 marks 10 years since the enactment of the Health and Safety at Work Act. With a current review into the Act underway and WorkSafe New Zealand undergoing refreshing its structure, strategy and operating model, health and safety in New Zealand is at a crossroad.

We are in the middle of one of the most important and consequential periods for health and safety in New Zealand in recent memory. Which makes it crucial to understand how to progress your organisation’s safety agenda in an environment where compliance, best practice and innovation is constantly evolving.

The 2025 New Zealand Health & Safety Leaders’ Summit programme has been curated to address these trends and more. Over two days, we’ll explore the changing safety landscape, and the new and emerging knowledge areas and skill domains required of safety leaders.

We have brought a range of talented local and international speakers together to share their knowledge, passion and experience into practice. The Summit will be an fantastic opportunity to connect with others in the profession meeting similar challenges with passion, purpose and innovation.

We look forward to welcoming you to the summit.

DAY 1

The first day will explore a number of themes, including the changing nature of compliance, the evolving legislative and regulatory environment, and will explore how existing ideas around safety measurement, compliance and leadership may need to be challenged to continue to be fit for purpose.

DAY 2

The second day will take a more practical approach. You’ll be hearing from health, safety and wellbeing practitioners who have put a range of innovative ideas into practice, including psychosocial risk, decluttering safety, learning teams and more. We’ll also be exploring the skills, competences and knowledge areas needed for safety professionals to continue to be influential and effective.

Have you ever asked yourself what the difference in management and leadership is?

Here is a simple explanation:

Management:

You’re focus is primarily on day-to-day operations and achieving short-term goals. As a manger, you ensure tasks are completed efficiently, processes are followed, and deadlines are met. You are concerned with things like resource allocation, control, and performance.

Leadership:

You’re focusing on long-term visions and lasting impact. As a leader, you inspire and motivate others to achieve a common goal that goes beyond immediate results. Your legacy is built on the positive change you’ve create for your team, your organisation, and potentially even beyond. You leave people feeling empowered, inspired, and with a sense of purpose.

Let's get you moved from a management mindset to leadership legacy.

Transform yourself to be an expert, innovator and visionary at the Health & Safety Leaders’ Summit 2025. So, you can not only achieve your goals but have a lasting impact!

Key Themes

  • Upcoming legislative changes for both large and small businesses and clarification for governance and operational management

  • Building a culture of safety: collaborative approaches and getting buy-in in reducing workplace harm

  • Company and officer obligations – what are the operational and practical implications in this changing landscape?

  • Beyond compliance – demonstrating leadership in driving proactive safety culture for a stronger, safer team

  • Psychosocial risks – a deep dive into a psychosocial wellbeing compliance and resilience

CU105 web photo 2

Join a community of forward-thinking leaders and uncover next-generation strategies and insights to enhance the workplace safety and wellbeing landscape.

This summit is not just about keeping up with the pace; it is about shaping your and everyone else’s future.

Here’s what we’ve curated:

  • Disruptive insights: Explore cutting-edge advancements for safety solutions, predictive analytics for wellbeing, and the rise of the human-centric workplace
  • Future-proof strategies: Gain actionable insight to navigate emerging trends, adapt to a changing workforce, and thrive in the years ahead
  • Collaborative inspiration: Network with leaders and industry peers, share best practice, and co-create a future where wellbeing and safety are seamlessly integrated

Key Themes

  • Upcoming legislative changes for both large and small businesses and clarification for governance and operational management

  • Building a culture of safety: collaborative approaches and getting buy-in in reducing workplace harm

  • Company and officer obligations – what are the operational and practical implications in this changing landscape?

  • Beyond compliance – demonstrating leadership in driving proactive safety culture for a stronger, safer team

  • Psychosocial risks – a deep dive into a psychosocial wellbeing compliance and resilience

Empower your choice: Craft your perfect conference experience

Day 1 of this summit will provide you with everything you need to know to excel your health & safety leadership!

Day 2 is designed by you. We have two streams and you can decide for each session, which topic is the most relevant to your practice that allows you to drive change.

Choose between:

  • Health & Wellbeing at work
  • Innovation & Technology in health and safety

KEY SPEAKERS FOR 2026

Our 2026 key lineup brings together thought leaders, counsel and experts in Health and Safety. Check out more today.

View speakers

Scott McMillan

Director of Safety
 
Melbourne Park

Brett Murray

CEO

Site Safe

Kelly Hansen-White

Acting DCE Insights and Engagement
 
WorkSafe New Zealand

Past Attendee Profile

This summit is your chance to network with industry and occupational leaders and peers that share your passion for health & safety

Industries
Job functions

Venue

The location and how you can get there

Address

Grand Millennium Auckland
71 Mayoral Drive, Cnr Vincent Street,
Auckland 1010

Agenda

Agenda to be announced

View 2024 Agenda & Speakers

8:00

Registration and Coffee

9:00

Mihi Whakatau 

9:05

Welcoming remarks from the Chair

Brenton Harrison, Podcast Host, Circus of Safety

9:10

Health & Safety in 2026 and Beyond: A WorkSafe Update

  • Key learnings from the past 12 months, reflecting on recent cases, initiatives, and their implications for organisations across Aotearoa

  • Updates on regulatory focus areas, and emerging priorities for compliance and enforcement

  • WorkSafe’s vision for creating safer, healthier, and more resilient workplaces in 2026 and beyond

Kelly Hanson-White, Acting DCE Insights and Engagement, WorkSafe New Zealand

9:30

Leading from the Top: Executive Insights on Health and Safety Excellence in Aotearoa

  • Explore how New Zealand executives embed health and safety as a core organisational value while balancing productivity and wellbeing

  • Showcase practical strategies for fostering cultures of trust, accountability, and continuous improvement across diverse industries

  • Discuss the evolving expectations of boards, regulators, and investors in driving safer, more resilient workplaces

  • Highlight the role of technology, data, and cross-sector collaboration in shaping the future of health and safety in Aotearoa

Panel Chair - Sheridan Broadbent, Chair, Business Leaders' Health and Safety Forum


Craig Davidson, Managing Director, AECOM

Brett Murray, CEO, Site Safe

More panellists to be announced

10:15

Morning break

10:45

Navigating Change: What New Proposed Health & Safety Legislation Means for Your Business

  • What are the proposed changes to legislation and what that means for you

  • Exploring differences in requirements of small and large organisations in managing risk

  • Addressing overcompliance and overlapping health and safety duties

  • The distinction between governance and operational management of health and safety responsibilities

Grant Nicholson, Partner, Anthony Harper

11:15

Health & Safety in Action Panel: Responding to Change and Making it Work for Your Business

  • Industry perspectives on leadership in health and safety, highlighting how proactive leadership drives compliance, culture, and accountability across organisations.

  • Operational implications of the new legislation, including effects on day-to-day processes, staff responsibilities, training, and engagement, with practical examples of how businesses are adapting

  • Identifying gaps beyond legal requirements, discussing what additional measures, systems, or initiatives need to be put in place to ensure critical safety practices are embedded even when not explicitly mandated by law

Melanie Dooney, Chief Risk & Corporate Services Officer, Auckland Airport

Jo van den Berg, Head of Safety & Wellbeing, Foodstuffs North Island

Bridgette Sullivan-Taylor, Business Partner for Strategy, Risk and Corporate Affairs, KiwiRail

More panellists to be announced

12:00

Tech & Trust: How to Innovate Without Losing the Human Touch

  • Exploring how the same safety technologies can strengthen trust and engagement or create resistance, depending on leadership intent, transparency, and follow-through.

  • Through real-world case examples from different industries, examine why technology only amplifies what already exists: strong trust multiplies impact, weak trust is exposed

  • Using data storytelling and evidence to shift conversations from compliance to proactive safety leadership and culture

Dr Manuel Seidel, Founder and CEO, ecoPortal

12:30

Lunch

13:30

Officer Due Diligence: Insights from the Gibson High Court Appeal

  • Examining the legal principles established in the Gibson appeal and their implications for how officers meet their due diligence obligations under health and safety law

  • What the Gibson decision highlights about the scope and limits of officer accountability, including how leaders are to demonstrate proactive steps in ensuring compliance and worker safety

  • Reflecting on how organisations currently approach officer due diligence, identifying blind spots or risks, and considering practical steps to strengthen governance processes within your own business context

  • Understanding the distinction between an officer’s strategic governance role and day-to-day operational management, and how the Gibson case refines expectations of oversight, influence, and accountability


14:10

Building a Culture of Safety: A Collaborative Approach to Reducing Workplace Harm

  • Exploring Project Whakahaumaru, Harm Reduction Action Plan, a strategic response to improve worker safety

  • Exploring the key interventions planned include improving workplace culture and leadership, providing access to health and safety best practices, and promoting effective recovery at work

  • How industry collaboration brings broader positive cultural, social and economic impacts as well as significant improvements in safety and productivity within the industry

Paul Jarvie, Manager Employment Relations and Safety, Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA)

14:50

Data-Driven Safety: Streamlining Reporting to Focus on People

  • Exploring efficient data collection and reporting methods to reduce administrative burden and improve decision-making

  • Using insights from health and safety data to free up leaders’ time for direct engagement with teams and frontline staff


15:15

Afternoon break

15:45

Culture in Action Panel: Building Frontline Capacity and Sustaining Safety Through Trust and Leadership at The Port of Auckland

  • Explore how the Port of Auckland invested in relationships, trust, and partnerships to transform safety culture. Learn how frontline-designed behavioural principles and operational leadership programs are building lasting capability and ownership in high-risk environments.

  • Reflections on conscious leadership decisions to move the organisation in a new direction and how efforts are being sustained, embedding safety and culture as core elements of good leadership.

  • How collaboration with unions and other stevedoring companies is shaping a sector-wide code of practice and using influence and partnership to improve safety performance and resilience across the industry.

Tessa Auelua, GM Container Terminals & Engineering, Port of Auckland

Grant Williams, Assistant Secretary, Maritime Union of NZ

Rob Mair, General Manager Health Safety and Wellbeing, Port of Auckland

Nico Maka-Kea Lupo, Stevedore, Port of Auckland

16:30

The Art of Storytelling: Getting Buy-In for Health and Safety Initiatives

  • Learn why stories are more effective than rules and policies when it comes to influencing health and safety

  • Discover an easy-to-use tool for structuring safety stories that engage people and make toolboxes, pre-starts, and meetings more impactful

  • Explore practical ways to use storytelling to improve safety engagement from the frontline to the executive team

Heidi Lance, Director, Real Learning New Zealand

16:55

Summary remarks from the Chair

Brenton Harrison, Podcast Host, Circus of Safety

17:00

Day 1 Close & Networking Drinks

8:00

Registration and Coffee

9:00

Welcome back from the Chair

Brenton Harrison, Podcast Host, Circus of Safety

9:10

Psychosocial Risk: Insights and Strategies from Australia

  • Examination of Australian regulatory approaches to managing psychosocial risk and harm in the workplace

  • Key lessons from enforceable undertakings and case law, highlighting how businesses are adapting to the evolving framework

  • Comparative insights from international approaches to psychosocial risk, with practical takeaways for New Zealand organisations


9:45

Psychosocial Risk in Focus Panel: Insights from New Zealand Businesses

  • Explore the WorkSafe ‘Managing Psychosocial Risks at Work’ guidelines and requirements of employers under relevant legislation

  • Examples of practical safeguards New Zealand businesses use to identify, measure, and manage psychosocial risk

  • Discussion of challenges, gaps, and opportunities in current approaches, and share strategies to strengthen psychosocial risk management beyond compliance

Vanessa Matakatea, New Zealand Senior Safety Manager, Linfox Australia and New Zealand

Stacey Shortall, Partner, MinterEllisonRuddWatts

Dimple Grewal, Group Health and Injury Management Lead, Fletcher Building Limited

Deborah Douglas, Head of HSW, Performance, Reward and Wellbeing, ASB

10:30

Morning break

11:00

The Frontline Leader’s Dilemma: Carrying the mental load whilst supporting your team’s wellbeing

  • The unique mental load of abuse-exposed leadership

  • Using data and patterns to understand the impact of psychosocial challenges

  • Protective leadership strategies

  • Building long term resilience

Julie Cressey, General Manager, TelusHealth

11:30

Safety in Action Panel: Stories from the frontline

  • Explore how frontline leaders shape health and safety management, influence team culture, drive engagement, and keep their teams safe

  • Building effective and meaningful engagement with frontline workers and health and safety leaders

  • Understanding where gaps exist between frontline experiences and management perspectives to improve safety outcomes

  • Hear from the frontline and how their perspectives can help to shape policies, innovations, and workplace safety practices

Norman York, Operations Manager, Easysteel

Jasmin Smith, South Island Transport Manager, Linfox

More panellists to be announced - Frontline workers from across industries to provide perspectives and insights

12:15

Exploring an Emerging Risk: Loneliness in the Workplace

  • Understand why the World Health Organisation has declared loneliness a global public health concern

  • Explore the prevalence of loneliness in the workplace using New Zealand specific data

  • Gain insights into the impact of loneliness in the workplace

  • Discuss actions and initiatives workplaces can implement to address the issues

Michele Grow, CEO, Assure Programs and Chair, Assure Mental Health Advisory Board

12:45

Lunch

13:45

Innovation in Action: Harnessing Technology to Advance Workplace Safety

  • Explore how new and evolving technologies are influencing health and safety practices

  • Discover tools and innovations that support safer decision-making and behaviours on the job

  • Look ahead at how organisations can prepare, adapt, and build capability to keep pace with emerging technologies

Scott McMillan, Director of Safety, Melbourne Park

14:30

Artificial Intelligence: Exploring the role of AI and its impact on workplace health and safety

  • A practical overview of how AI is evolving workplace health and safety and exploration of both opportunities and risks

  • Using examples from businesses in New Zealand, explore how organisations are leveraging AI for risk detection and data collection to create safer workplaces

  • Considerations for ethical and inclusive AI deployment and strategic ideas for shaping culture, leadership and safety in an AI-enabled future

Danushka Abeysuriya, CTO and Founder, Rush Digital

15:00

The Next Horizon – Reimagining Health, Safety and Wellbeing for Aotearoa’s Future

  • Consider how cross-sector collaboration, data, and innovation can build a connected, learning-driven safety culture across New Zealand’s workplaces.

  • Challenge current assumptions and envision the new capabilities, mindsets, and partnerships needed to sustain safer, healthier, and more resilient organisations.


15:40

Summary remarks from the Chair

Brenton Harrison, Podcast Host, Circus of Safety

15:45

Conference close

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Speakers

Speakers to be announced 

Speakers

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Brenton Harrison

National HSW Manager, Fonterra
Health & Safety Consultant, Ignite Safety
As co-host of The Circus of Safety podcast, an INSHPO global intern, and a BMX NZ board member holding the health and safety portfolio, Brenton has built a reputation for cutting through safety jargon and getting to what really matters: empowering people to speak up, share their knowledge, and take ownership of risk. He is the main voice of the Circus of Safety, whose enthusiasm and spark keep the videocast engaging.

Grant Nicholson

Partner
Anthony Harper
Grant Nicholson is a partner at Anthony Harper and one of New Zealand’s leading health and safety lawyers. He helps organisations navigate major incidents and strengthen their safety compliance and governance. Grant was closely involved in the investigations into the Whakaari / White Island eruption and has worked on many other high-profile cases, including Pike River. He is currently working on cases arising from forestry, infrastructure/construction, manufacturing, tourism, and transportation/logistics incidents. 

Julie Cressey

General Manager
TELUS Health New Zealand
Julie Cressey is the General Manager of TELUS Health New Zealand, where she leads the New Zealand business operations and serves as a passionate advocate for mental health and wellbeing, making a meaningful difference in workplace mental health on a daily basis. As a recognised thought leader in the field, Julie spearheads innovative initiatives that address critical workplace mental health challenges across New Zealand. She brings a unique combination of strategic business leadership, deep mental health expertise, and practical implementation experience and offers audiences actionable insights and real-world business application, making her an invaluable voice in New Zealand’s evolving landscape of workplace mental health and employee wellbeing. Additionally, Julie currently serves as President of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association of Australasia (EAPAA).

Dr Manuel Seidel

CEO and Founder
ecoPortal
Dr. Manuel Seidel is the founder and CEO of ecoPortal, a leading health and safety engagement software company in Australasia. He’s passionate about transforming traditional “tick box” health and safety, sustainability, and risk management systems into modern engagement platforms that add maximum value for their organisations. Equipped with a PhD in engineering, he developed a framework to help organisations effectively implement and improve sustainability and risk management strategies. ecoPortal’s intuitive reporting, management, and analytics technology is built to help organisations boost performance, engage people, reduce risk, and stay compliant.

Jo van den Berg

Head of Safety & Wellbeing
Foodstuffs North Island
Jo leads Safety & Wellbeing at Foodstuffs North Island, where she focuses on fostering a culture of care and creating a workplace where people feel safe, supported, and able to thrive. She takes a practical, people-first approach, working alongside teams to build resilience and help them thrive.  Jo is a Steering Group Member of the GM Safety Forum aimed at helping members grow their own capacity and leadership providing opportunities for members to collaborate to improve New Zealand’s health and safety system and performance.

Kelly Hanson-White

Acting Deputy Chief Executive, Insights and Engagement
WorkSafe New Zealand
As Acting Deputy Chief Executive, Insights and Engagement, Kelly leads this business group in the collection and analysis of data to guide impactful and equitable WorkSafe interventions, monitoring their effectiveness, offering regulatory advice, and enhancing our information resources. This involves working across WorkSafe teams and with stakeholders, including sector groups and iwi, to promote culturally responsive approaches to reducing workplace harm. Since joining WorkSafe in 2017, Kelly has held several senior roles, including Chief Advisor to the Chief Executive and Chief Advisor Regulatory Excellence. She is also serving her second three-year term as a member of the Attorney General’s Legislation Design and Advisory Committee (LDAC), which advises government agencies on matters of good legislative design. Kelly has a Masters of Education from Massey University and her early career was in the education sector before moving into policy roles in work health and safety, where she was instrumental in the development of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Vanessa Matakatea

NZ Senior Safety Manager
Linfox
Vanessa is an experienced Safety, Health, and Wellbeing Leader with recognized success across various industries in Maritime, Telecommunications, Construction, Health and has recently joined the Transport and Logistics sector.  Vanessa recognizes the importance of enhancing the health and well-being of workers to achieve better safety outcomes, and more effective worker engagement and participation.  She does this by empowering the workers voice, applying her positive influence in leadership, and places significant focus on organizational culture, visible leadership, and effective working relationships.  Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Psychology, Diplomas in Workplace H&S and Business Management, a Nebosh IGC in OSH and was awarded the 2023 Safeguard Practitioner of the Year.

Melanie Dooney

Chief Risk & Corporate Services Officer
Auckland Airport
Melanie has leadership responsibility for legal, people experience, public relations, government relations as well as safety and risk at Auckland Airport. This includes health, safety and wellbeing; enterprise resilience; and risk, compliance and assurance. A proven people-leader, Melanie has over 20 years of experience in senior human resources and finance roles in New Zealand and internationally. She is experienced in working in complex stakeholder environments and in both private and public settings. Melanie holds a Master of Business Administration degree and a Master of Science in Biochemistry degree, both from the University of Otago.

Danushka Abeysuriya

Founder & Chief Technology Officer
RUSH Digital
Danu is one of Aotearoa’s leading technical innovators. He founded RUSH, a digital product & experience business, almost twenty years ago to develop world-class solutions for organisations including the Ministry of Health, Z Energy, Farmlands, Google and UNICEF. A passionate advocate for ethical AI, Danu oversees the development of a software platform called R/VISION, a computer vision AI platform which is transforming workplace safety in New Zealand’s. R/VISION provides 24/7 automated monitoring and near-real time insights into safety risks, shifting the approach from reactive incident reporting to proactive risk prevention. Danu is passionate about using technology to serve humankind, believing that “we have a responsibility to use our developer privilege to change the world for the better.”

Stacey Shortall MNZM

Partner
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Stacey has more than 25 years of experience successfully representing financial institutions, other corporate clients, public sector entities, and directors and officers in significant litigation and regulatory matters. She has been recognised as a leading lawyer in New Zealand by Chambers Global and Asia-Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Legal Media Group, and NZ Lawyer. Alongside a broad regulatory and litigation practice, including substantial trial and appellate experience, Stacey also provides legal and strategic advice on a wide variety of matters to directors, executive management, and in-house counsel. She is frequently instructed to conduct internal reviews and self-assessments for clients and their boards.

Bridgette Sullivan-Taylor

Business Partner for Strategy, Risk and Corporate Affairs
KiwiRail

Craig Davidson

Managing Director
AECOM
As AECOM’s Managing Director for New Zealand, Craig Davidson leads a team of around 600 designers, engineers, planners, and scientists across four regional offices. A chartered professional engineer with over 25 years’ experience in the infrastructure sector, Craig has held numerous senior leadership roles across the built environment and has successfully overseen large-scale infrastructure and corporate projects in New Zealand, Australia, Asia, America, and the United Arab Emirates. A passionate champion for health and safety, Craig places the wellbeing of people at the forefront of every project and initiative. He ensures that health and safety principles are embedded in daily operations, keeping these priorities top of mind for all employees. Under Craig’s leadership, AECOM New Zealand has strengthened its health and safety culture by implementing comprehensive initiatives such as the Safety for Life programme. This programme nurtures a culture of caring and empowers every employee to take ownership of safety and wellbeing, supported by rigorous standards, ongoing education, and proactive risk management.

Paul Jarvie

Manager Employment Relations and Safety
Employers and Manufacturers Association

Brett Murray

Chief Executive
Site Safe

Throughout his 20 years in the health and safety field, Brett has been committed to helping make workplaces safe, healthy and rewarding environments to New Zealanders. His oversight of many of New Zealand’s most serious and complex industrial accident investigations has given him a deep appreciation of the challenges faced by high-risk industries.

In 2010, Brett headed the investigation into the Pike River mining disaster and later went on to establish and lead WorkSafe New Zealand’s High Hazard Unit. In his role as General Manager of Operations, Brett was the senior operational executive on the governance group that oversaw the development of the 2015 Health and Safety at Work Act.

Since 2018 Brett has been the Chief Executive of Site Safe NZ, the country’s largest membership health and safety organisation.

Dimple Grewal

Group Health and Injury Management Lead
Fletcher Building Limited
Dimple Grewal leads the health, injury and wellbeing strategies across the Fletcher Building Group portfolio of companies. With a Master’s Degree in Psychology and her roots in Australia workers compensation insurance, Dimple brings a diverse set of skills to oversee 25 businesses across Australia and New Zealand in areas such as injury management, health monitoring, and wellbeing. A strategic leader with strong stakeholder engagement skills, Dimple has been able to deliver early intervention to 80% of potential injury claims in New Zealand and improve both business and individual outcomes across the businesses.

Scott McMillan

Director of Safety
Melbourne Park
Scott McMillan is the Director of Safety at Melbourne Park and an Honorary Fellow at Deakin University, recognised for his leadership in applying emerging technologies to enhance safety training and performance. With a trade background as an Electrician and Instrumentation Technician, Scott has built a diverse career across heavy industries and complex operating environments, including remote locations such as Antarctica. His experience spans engineering, operations, and safety, bringing a practical, systems-focused perspective to safety management. Today, Scott focuses on designing safety systems that are simple, engaging, and aligned with how work is actually done, ensuring they support people to do their best work while maintaining high standards of safety.

Norman York

Operations Manager
Easysteel

I have been in management for over 15yrs through multiple levels of leadership. Over each of these roles Health & Safety has been at the forefront of my leadership journey. I have acquired a great passion for the safety and wellbeing of people and apply an empathetic approach when interacting or coaching others in Health & Safety. I am a strong believer that Health & Safety isn’t a forum or tool we force into businesses but a belief in the processes and disciplines we administer which provide results in a healthier and safer culture.

Rob Mair

General Manager Health Safety and Wellbeing
Port of Auckland
Rob Mair is the General Manager Health, Safety and Wellbeing at the Port of Auckland. Rob previously spent five years working at the City Rail Link project, latterly as the Health and Safety Director for the Link Alliance. He is originally from the UK and has 25 years of experience in a range of senior safety management roles including at London Underground and across London’s transport sector, spanning operations, infrastructure management and project delivery. Rob is a member of the GM Safety Forum Steering Group and is the project lead for the development of best practice guidance for the management of critical risks.

Tessa Auelua

GM Container Terminals & Engineering
Port of Auckland
Tessa’s current role as GM Containers & Engineering has her leading the largest operational team at Port of Auckland including Planning, Day of Operations, and the Engineering team. These business units make up nearly two thirds of the people employed at Port of Auckland. Just two and a half years into her role at POAL, Tessa has sponsored several HPHE projects – Terminal Operating System upgrade, Operational Improvement Team, Straddle Fleet upgrade, Transitional Workshop build. Given the highly operational aspect to her teams, Tessa has completed full lash training and regularly works alongside stevedores on vessels, embedding safety culture and achieving a hands-on understanding of process, and SOPs.

Grant Williams

Assistant Secretary
Maritime Union of NZ

Nico Maka-Kea Lupo

Stevedore
Port of Auckland
Nico joined the Port of Auckland as a stevedore in February 2018 and operates the large quay cranes that load and unload containers from vessels. Nico has been a long standing and active H&S representative and a Maritime Union of NZ union delegate, and has consistently advocated for improved safety for workers throughout his time at the Port. Nico won the annual Safety Always award in 2025 for his outstanding safety leadership and for his important contribution to the fatigue risk management working group.

Michele Grow

CEO, Assure Programs
Chair, Assure Mental Health Advisory Board
Michele is the CEO of Assure Programs, a leading provider of EAP, mental health, wellbeing and digital health services. She is responsible for a wide range of services that support the entire employee life cycle including preventative, responsive, reactive and development support services in New Zealand and globally. Michele has significant expertise in strategic health and wellbeing and workplace risk management including employee wellbeing, mental health, work-related stress, change management and leadership. Michele provides strategic guidance to Boards and Senior Executives on minimising risk across the workforce and maximising the measurable outcomes and benefits from health and wellbeing services.

Heidi Lance

Director
Real Learning
With over 20 years of experience in learning and development, Heidi brings a rare blend of strategic thinking, creativity, and care. She has partnered with organisations across construction, retail, energy, banking, and beyond – designing tools and experiences that lead to real results: safer sites, stronger teams, better conversations, and more inclusive workplaces. What drives her is simple: helping people do their best work and go home safe, well, and proud of what they’ve built – together.

Sheridan Broadbent

Chair
Business Leaders' Health & Safety Forum
Sheridan Broadbent is an experienced non-executive director and senior executive with a background in business strategy, technology, business development, and transformation leadership in the infrastructure and ICT sectors.  Sheridan has held Chief Executive and senior executive roles in the energy, telecommunications and engineering sectors in the Asia Pacific region.  She currently a non-executive director of ASX- listed Downer Group (ASX:DOW) and is the Chair of the Business Leaders’ Health & Safety Forum in New Zealand. Sheridan has previously served as the Chair of Kordia Group, Chair of Pipeline and Civil Ltd, Non-executive Director of publicly-listed Manawa Energy Ltd and Spark New Zealand, and independent director of Transpower, Kaingaroa Timberlands and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Authority, and as a member of the New Zealand Government’s Cyber Security Advisory Committee. Sheridan holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program and is chartered member of both the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Agenda

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Sponsors

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EcoPortal

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Assure

TELUS Health

Rush Digital

Exhibitor

Habit Health

Clearhead

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Bodycare Workplace Solutions

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Plus, we have some unique opportunities to put your company, products, and services in the spotlight.

Ready to take your brand to the next level? Contact us today to learn more or secure your spot at this leading event.

Why you should invest in audience marketing
CT105

PRE SALE

$ 1650 + gst
  • For valid ticket/s, payment by 31 October, 2025.
Buy ticket

DOUBLE PASS

$ 1550 per person + gst
  • Must be from same organisation and book at same time. For a valid tickets, payment by 9 March 2026.
Buy Ticket

Individual Tickets

Super Saver

$2450
$ 1850 + gst
  • For valid ticket, payment by 19 December, 2026.
Buy ticket

Early Bird

$2450
$ 2050 + gst
  • For a valid ticket, payment must be made by 12 February, 2026.
Buy ticket

Full Price

$ 2450 + gst
  • For a valid ticket, payment must be made by 9 March, 2026.
Buy ticket

Workshop tickets

Workshop Ticket

$ xxx + gst
  • For valid ticket, payment by 9 March, 2026.
Buy Ticket

Workshop Ticket

$ xxx + gst
  • For valid ticket, payment by 9 March, 2026.
Buy Ticket
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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