Adelaide Connected (AC) 6.0 - Wednesday 9 November 22

Adelaide Connect 6.0 theme this year is Sustainability. Will your industry, your business / career & you survive ?

Change is the only constant in the business world. With new technologies, new markets, and new ways of staying afloat, it is difficult to keep up with the latest trends. Technology is changing the way we do business, the way we communicate with each other, and the way we do just about everything. It is changing the way we work and how we interact. It is changing the way companies are run. It is changing the way people think about themselves and how they present themselves to the world.

The question is, how : How sustainable is your organization ? has technology impacted your life as a business owner? How has is it impacting your career? How do you stay up-to-date and keep your business or career relevant? today we will cover what sustainability is in the “new norm”, is why it is important from an economic, social and environmental aspect and how a business (or individual) can integrate it into their operations (changes in career)

Are you ready for Adelaide Connected 6.0

Register now for the early bird discount!!! (available until 30 September 2022)

What is included in this event?

• Three course meal (main & desert)
• Drinks
• Networking with professionals from many industries
• Presentation from four industry speakers followed by a panel discussion

Kick off is from 5:30 pm | Our MC and Key Note Speakers

Panel Facilitator:

Sanja Hendrick, Founder & Managing Director Talent Academy

Sanja returns as the popular Master of Ceremonies for the 6th edition of Adelaide Connected.

She is the co founder of Talent Academy, an award-winning training company based in Adelaide, delivering professional development workshops nationally. Sanja is a speaker, coach, mentor and performer. Talent Academy facilitates public speaking training workshops nationally with specific expertise coaching thought leaders in developing keynotes, product suites and a TEDx talk.

As a theatre performer for 18 years, Sanja brings large stage experience and non-verbal communication expertise to the table. With her qualifications in management, expertise in international relations and experience as a board member for multiple organisations, Sanja is able to facilitate communication training at various levels within organisations with unique perspective.

Speaker:

Laura Mercurio, Chief Executive Officer Blockchain Australia

Laura Mercurio is the new CEO of Blockchain Australia and active as a board member of HerTechPath, which is an organisation that aims to inspire women and girls to consider careers in the technology sector. Blockchain Australia acts as the connection between merchants, industry, government, regulators, financial institutions and influential policy forums which give direction to the emerging industry at home and abroad.

Laura has more than two decades of cross-sector international experience as a business advisor and transformation consultant. She has an outstanding record of strategic and operational leadership, entrepreneurial transformation and business development for multinational corporates as well as Tech startups and SMEs.

Following an early career in sales, marketing and corporate sponsorship in Australia, Laura joined Citigroup in Zurich and latterly London, where she delivered large-scale technology change and integration programmes. She subsequently worked for Merrill Lynch, joining prior to its industry-changing merger with BlackRock and she was instrumental to this integration, leading systems, processes and people change across 25 countries for the EMEA and Asia Client Relationship Management group, developing a new operating model and leading the migration of >1000 client accounts.

​Laura then transitioned to an account management and communications role where her skills in brand building came to the fore, creating an engagement strategy that reached >300,000 clients. BlackRock’s $13.5BN ground-breaking merger with Barclays Global Investors soon followed, and Laura was selected to lead this integration, the largest of its kind in the asset management industry. Directing >30 large-scale projects, she successfully delivered the $2.7TR AuM global programme of integration, cementing BlackRock’s position as the world’s number one global asset manager.

Speaker:

Carmen Garcia, Founder & Chief Executive Officer Community Corporate

Carmen Garcia founded Community Corporate to help refugee and migrant communities, as well as women, youth and long term unemployed find work. Her belief is that work is at the core of human dignity and as a second-generation Filipino migrant, she witnessed firsthand the struggles her mother faced to be able to practice law without her qualifications being recognised in Australia. Carmen established Community Corporate to challenge conventional thinking, broker relationships across sectors and advocate for the important role of work as a cornerstone to settlement and belonging for newcomers to Australia.

Community Corporate also brokers strategic partnerships between the community, public and corporate sectors and creates opportunities for organisations and leaders with shared values and a commitment to social responsibility to collaborate. Refugee employment programs are custom-designed and tailored to the needs of corporate partners like Woolworths, Accenture, Spotless, On The Run and IKEA, who all benefit from access to a diverse workforce.

In addition to her role as CEO of Community Corporate, Carmen serves on a number of boards and is the Honorary Consul for the Philippines in South Australia. Recognition for Carmen Garcia and Community Corporate has resulted in the following awards:

- Top50 Small Business Leaders 2021- Winnovation Awards Social Impact Winner 2021- Fast Movers SA Top25 Finalist 2020- Australian small business Champion Awards Winner 2020- Australia Day Inspiring SA Women's Award Commendation 2020- Governor's Multicultural Awards Outstanding Individual Achievement Winner 2019- SA Training Awards Finalist Industry Collaboration Award 2019- 40 Under 40 Winner State Contribution Award 2018- Telstra Business Women's Award SA Finalist 2017- Aus Mumpreneurs Award Silver Winner 2017.

Speaker:

Nick Palousis, Founder & Managing Director 2XE

Nick is the Founder and CEO for 2XE, and has spent 20 years working with over 1,000 businesses and governments to help them pursue ESG and net zero emissions with the best possible holistic return on investment.

He has worked with clients across almost every major industry and government sector (both in Australia and abroad). He is a recipient of a national British Council Eureka Prize, an ADC Australian Leadership Award and was an advisor to the World Economic Forum’s Driving Sustainable Consumption Project.

Under Nick’s leadership, 2XE received a Climate Change Leadership Award from the Premier of South Australia. Nick has degrees in Mechatronics Engineering (First Class Honours) and Mathematical & Computer Science from the University of Adelaide.

The 6th Annual Adelaide Connected Dinner will be held at the new Playford Hotel, hosted by:

This years 6th Annual Adelaide Connected Dinner is sponsored by:

Adelaide Connected 6.0 is organised ​by a wide collective of professional and industry organisations: