Emma Alberici

Facilitator

Emma Alberici spent 29 years in the news media, most recently in public interest broadcasting, gaining a reputation for her ability to engage audiences with her sharp and interrogative interviewing style on the ABC's flagship economic and political analysis program, Lateline.

From her early days as a finance editor on the Melbourne Herald Sun and a decade of investigative reporting in the field at the Nine Network, Emma also managed to write the seminal 1994 Small Business Book which was an instant success and updated twice to meet demand from readers, culminating in a 60,000 print run.

She carved a stellar career at the ABC where she was the 7:30 Report Finance Editor and then Europe Correspondent during the Global Financial Crisis. She returned to Australia in 2012 to take up the position of host with Australia's then leading late night news and analysis program Lateline.

After six years spent interviewing world leaders and local newsmakers, Emma was promoted to Chief Economics Correspondent.

Emma is now a Principal Consultant at Derwent Executive Search, bringing to the task her exceptional experience as a journalist, business reporter and communications specialist.

Her enduring curiosity and impeccable listening skills are also being put to great use at Charles Sturt University where she is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Communications Faculty. Emma teaches Masters Degree students the art of asking the right questions to elicit rich and insightful information.

Before joining Derwent, Emma spent a year advising leadership teams at the intersection of marketing and issues management, helping them better engage with government, create engaging content and leverage a dynamic media environment.

Emma is an excellent communicator, passionate about diversity and inclusion and is invited to speak on economic and geopolitical affairs. She is also a highly sought after professional speaker, MC, interviewer and panel facilitator.

Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury and Employment, and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT. Prior to being elected in 2010, Andrew was a professor of economics at the Australian National University. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard, having graduated from the University of Sydney with first class honours in Arts and Law. Andrew is a past recipient of the Economic Society of Australia's Young Economist Award and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences.

His books include Disconnected (2010), Battlers and Billionaires: The Story of Inequality in Australia (2013), The Economics of Just About Everything (2014), The Luck of Politics (2015), Choosing Openness: Why Global Engagement is Best for Australia (2017), Randomistas: How Radical Researchers Changed Our World (2018), Innovation + Equality: How to Create a Future That Is More Star Trek Than Terminator (with Joshua Gans) (2019), Reconnected: A Community Builder's Handbook (with Nick Terrell) (2020), What's the Worst That Could Happen? Existential Risk and Extreme Politics (2021), Fair Game: Lessons From Sport for a Fairer Society and a Stronger Economy (2022) and The Shortest History of Economics (2024).

Andrew is a keen Ironman triathlete and marathon runner, and hosts a podcast called The Good Life: Andrew Leigh in Conversation, about living a happier, healthier and more ethical life. Andrew is the father of three sons - Sebastian, Theodore and Zachary, and lives with his wife Gweneth in Canberra. He has been a member of the Australian Labor Party since 1991.

Hon Sussan Ley MP

Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Minister for Women
Shadow Minister for Industry, Skills and Training
Shadow Minister for Small and Family Business

Sussan Ley’s career path has been wonderfully varied, working odd jobs on the way to a pilot’s license, with roles as an air traffic controller, stock-mustering pilot and occasional shearer’s cook following.

While raising three children on a family farm, ten years study led to a senior position at the Australian Taxation Office before entering federal politics in 2001.

Sussan is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Serving the rural NSW electorate of Farrer since 2001, Sussan has also been allocated responsibility in a number of portfolio and policy areas, most recently as Shadow Minister for Women, Industry, Skills and Training as well as Small and Family Business.

Sussan regards it as an honour to represent regional Australia, ensuring she makes time to regularly travel through her electorate and around the country listening to the views and concerns of constituents.

Having migrated from Zimbabwe with his family as a teenager, David went on to captain the Wallabies and Vice-Captain the Brumbies as part of a stellar rugby career in which he has been awarded for leadership on and off the field.
With a Masters in Sustainable Agriculture, David also has a track record as a powerful advocate on issues ranging from climate to marriage equality.
He has been involved in multiple small businesses and has co-founded numerous not-for-profit community initiatives in Australia and overseas, including with his wife Emma.

In 2021, David attended the COP26 climate summit and led The Cool Down campaign that saw over 470 Australian athletes from 40+ sports call on the Australian Government to lift its ambition on climate change. Upon returning home, he announced his run as the community-endorsed Independent Senate candidate for the ACT. After campaigning on a platform of integrity, doing politics differently and making Canberra count, David was successfully elected at the 21 May 2022 Federal Election.