Impact Investing For Advisers, Foundations, & Family Offices
Access experts and specialists to advance your understanding of the opportunities available for investment in positive impact companies, organisations, and projects and share your ideas and deals with other advisers, foundations, and family offices. Sessions will focus on accessing and generating new ideas, researching funds and deals, and pitches from early-stage companies through to institutional-grade funds.
Impact Investing for Institutions
Hear from major funds, super funds, and Government institutions about their existing exposures to positive impact assets and companies and their processes to determine how they allocate capital. Sessions will also include presentations from existing portfolio companies and funds, asset consultants, and internal fund teams.
Impact Focus Areas
To identify investment opportunities and facilitate capital flows to address pressing social and environmental challenges, we will focus sessions on key impact investment sectors with keynote speakers, expert panels, dealmakers, and investors. Each sector will have a separate stream enabling Summit attendees to delve deeply into one area or join sessions most relevant to them across the themes. At the 2026 Summit, the streams will be:
- Climate & Environment: investing in solutions that reduce emissions, protect ecosystems, and build a more sustainable, low-carbon future.
- Healthcare: better health through equitable access, early intervention, and investment in systems that prioritise wellbeing.
- Communities & Inclusion: improving outcomes and ensuring safer, fairer, more inclusive communities for all.
- Biotech & Medtech: accelerating breakthrough innovations that enhance diagnosis, treatment, and the delivery of affordable, scalable solutions.
- Systems Change Investing: adopting a systems lens to investing to both drive change and benefit from change in the global economy.
- Asia Pacific Investment Opportunities and Partnerships: engaging with our region to identify investment opportunities in developing and frontier markets and develop partnerships to scale impact investing.
Pitch Sessions
Following the keynote presentations and panel sessions, companies and funds in each sector will present to investors, providing attendees with live capital raising opportunities.
See the Summit Program from 2025 below
Breakfast
Foundations Group for Impact Investing (FGII): Advancing impact capital with Foundations and For Purpose Organisations
Welcome Address
Moderator
The Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong MP
Member for Macquarie Fields, NSW
Welcome to Country
The Twilight Before the Storm
Viktor Shvets, author of The Twilight Before The Storm and Macquarie’s Global Head of Strategy, will discuss the implications for investment markets from the systems change that is now occurring. His views are relevant for all investors, but particularly for impact investors who understand the key role that capital can play in shaping social and environmental impact. As Viktor says, "The next decade promises to be the most critical in terms of the transition from today's capitalism to a yet-to-be-defined alternative system" and all of us play a role in this transition.
Keynote Speaker
Viktor Shvets
Global Strategist, Macquarie Capital
Institutional Investors – Investing In An Era of Turbulence
Reflecting on Viktor's keynote speech, institutional investors and advisers will discuss their investment strategies in an era of turbulence, providing insights from one of Australia's largest super funds, a leading impact investor in the emerging markets of Africa and India, and a major asset consultants.
Moderator
Kerry Series
Founder & Chief Investment Officer, NorthStar Impact
Panelists
Viktor Shvets
Global Strategist, Macquarie Capital
Andy Kuper
Founder and CEO, LeapFrog Investments
Rachel Halpern
Head of Sustainability, JANA Investment Advisers
Family Offices & Foundations: The Influence of the Next Generation
One of the key themes in Viktor's new book is the shifting power dynamics due to demographics. This panel will highlight how the next generation are influencing the allocation of capital by family offices and foundations.
Moderator
Tyson Fenay
Board Member and Chair of New Gen Network, Philanthropy Australia
Panelists
Ingrid Albert
Executive Director, Alberts
Caroline Vu
Chief of Staff, Boundless Earth
Charlotte Siddle
CEO, Siddle Family Office
Morning Tea
Transition time to go to Streams
FOUNDATIONS
Foundations & Family Offices shift towards Impact Investing
with Snow Foundation
With the Foundations Group on Impact Investing having been established in late 2023, there is clear evidence of increased interest in impact investing by foundations and family offices. Leading figures in the sector will discuss how this shift is taking place.
Moderator
Michelle Di Fabio
Program Director, Foundations Group for Impact Investing (FGII)
Panelists
Ben Smith
Head of Impact Investing, Paul Ramsay Foundation
Craig Betts
Chief Investment Officer, The Snow Foundation
Stacey Thomas
CEO, The Wyatt Trust
CLIMATE
Leveraging Australia's Advantages for Climate Investing In Our Region
Given Australia's unique physical properties, significant pools of capital, leading reseach institutions, and a growing cohort of climate-focused investors, how do we maximise these advantages in climate deals acrss the Asia-Pacific region?
Moderator
Zoe Whitton
Managing Director, Head of Strategy and Impact – Pollination Group
Panelists
Katerina Kimmorley
Head of Commercial and Investments, Boundless Earth
Tan Kueh
CEO, Grok Ventures
Rod Sims
Chair, The Superpower Institute
COMMUNITIES – SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCLUSION
Sustainable Investment Solutions For Australia's Housing Crisis
with NAB
With housing affordability and supply a key issue for the upcoming Federal Election, NAB provide insights on the sustainable investment solutions required to address the crisis.
Keynote Speaker
Cathryn Carver
Group Executive, Corporate and Institutional Banking, NAB
HEALTHCARE
The Future of Healthcare
FOUNDATIONS
Blending a Smooth(ie) Deal: When, why and how to structure a blended deal
DFAT-hosted panel
How are global leaders thinking about blended finance? Who’s playing, and where? When and why would you include blended finance in a portfolio?
Hear from Convergence, and work through a real life deal with panellists – how were the requirements of different capital providers balanced, and how were internal hurdles navigated?
Moderator
Tristan Knowles
Unit Head, Blended Finance, Asian Development Bank
Panelists
David Barton
Principal Investment Specialist, Asian Development Bank
Safia Gulamani
Chief Operating Officer, Convergence Blended Finance
Carly Hammond
Impact Specialist – Sustainability and Impact, New Forests
CLIMATE
Where capital at scale is required to address the Climate Crisis
with leading Australian funds managers
The transition to clean energy and reaching net zero emissions will require significant capital investment. The experts will discuss where and how that capital should be allocated.
Moderator
Kylie Charlton
Managing Director, Australian Impact Investments
Panelists
Alex Ramsey
Co-Founder & Investment Director, InfraDebt
Ludovic Theau
Chief Investment Officer, Australian Ethical Investment
COMMUNITIES – SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCLUSION
Inclusive Social Infrastructure
with For Purpose Investment Partners, Inclusive Housing Australia and Australian Unity
HEALTHCARE
Identifying great investments in the Healthcare Sector
with Bell Potter and leading Australian funds managers
Panelist
Dr Bianca Ogden
Fund Manager, Platinum Asset Management Ltd.
FOUNDATIONS
A Creative Venture: Opportunities for impact investing in the arts
with Creative Australia and SEFA
Hear about ways to access and analyse deals in the arts and achieve positive social impact
Moderator
Jayne Lovelock
Director, Private Partnerships and Impact, Creative Australia
Panelists
Emily Albert
Executive Director, Alberts
Hanna Ebeling
CEO, Sefa
Abhilash Mudaliar
Founder, Grey Area Partners
CLIMATE
Navigating the climate investment landscape – from start up to institutional investment
with Gilbert + Tobin
COMMUNITIES – SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCLUSION
Beyond Market Returns – investing for real impact across the housing spectrum
with JBWere
Continuing the discussion on the housing crisis, the panel will share their experiences in investing to achieve real impact in these areas
Moderator
Gillian Gordon
Head of Alternative Investments and Responsible Investing – Executive Director, JBWere
Panelists
Iain Wood
Director, Conscious Investment Management
Michelle Phillips
Group CEO, YWCA Australia
HEALTHCARE
Addressing the mental health crisis
with Mind Ventures
Moderator
Dr James Allen
Director People Experience and Innovation, Gallagher
Panelists
Nicole Gibson
Founder & CEO, inTruth Technologies
Alon Greenspan
Managing Partner, Mind Ventures
Mathew Simpson
Executive Director, Raindrum
Lunch
Artists Workshop with Creative Australia
FOUNDATIONS
Innovating how we invest in female, community-led solutions
with ygap and First Australians Capital
Join the discussion on new ways to support female, community-led organisations providing place-based solutions to social, economic, and environmental challenges
Moderator
Jessica Forrest
Executive, Sustainability – NAB
Panelists
Kyah Bell
Director, First Australians Capital
Meenal Khare
CEO, ygap
Natasha Short
Founder, Kimberley Jiyigas
CLIMATE
Gender and Climate-Smart Investing: Opportunities & Lessons Learnt in Asia-Pacific
with Minderoo Foundation
Reflections on the intersection of gender and climate-investing to provide investors with insights on accessing opportunities across Asia Pacific
Moderator
Serena Grant
Director of Business and Human Rights & Equal Economic Opportunity, Minderoo Foundation
Panelists
Marijn Wiersma
Director Community and Innovation, 2X Global
Christina Hobbs
General Manager, Impact & Advocacy, Future Group
COMMUNITIES – SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCLUSION
Scaling solutions helping young Australians with disabilities
with Control Bionics
Australia leads the world in terms of technology, policy, and funding for solutions for disability, but how do we scale these to ensure young Australians receive the benefits.
Moderator
Andrew Bird
Managing Director, Foundstone Advisory Pty Ltd
Panelists
Jeremy Steele
CEO and Managing Director, Control Bionics
Zara Fulton
Head of Investment, Remarkable
Myron Mann
Chief Executive Officer, Bedford Group Ltd
HEALTHCARE
Radiopharmaceuticals are transforming cancer diagnosis and treatment
Moderator
Michael Gerges
Associate Director in Corporate Finance, Bell Potter Securities
Panelists
Andrew Adamovich
Chief Executive Officer, AdvanCell
Dr David Cade
Group Chief Medical Officer, Telix Pharmaceuticals
CLIMATE
Climate Companies Pitch Session
COMMUNITIES – SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCLUSION
Infrastructure Funds Pitches
HEALTHCARE
Healthcare Companies Pitch Session
Infrastructure Funds Pitch x3
Afternoon Tea
CLIMATE
Climate Funds Pitch Session
COMMUNITIES – SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCLUSION
Communities Companies Pitch Session
HEALTHCARE
Healthcare Funds Pitch Session
Transition time – Buffer and transfer back to Plenary
Inside the Engine Room: How Koda Builds Impact-Driven Portfolios
Moderator
Louise Walsh
Founder and CEO, Walsh Capital
Panelists
Norman Zhang
Chief Investment Officer and Partner, Koda Capital
Victoria Lindores
Wealth Adviser & Partner, Koda Capital
Keynote Speaker
Norman Zhang
Chief Investment Officer and Partner, Koda Capital
Program Related Investments
Most family offices made their wealth through being entrepreneurial but most have adopted the conventional model of philanthropy.
To have impact on a social problem you need scale…whether for profit or NFP.
To achieve such scale you need high risk investment, hands on participation to help build management capability and a long term commitment.
Venture Capital is the global gold standard not grant making.
Keynote Speaker
Roger Allen
Director, Indigenous Capital Limited
MC Wrap – Close Day 1
Australian Impact Investing Awards
Join us to celebrate the winners at the Awards Dinner at the conclusion of Summit Day 1
Hosted breakfast with DFAT- Clean energy solutions driving social equity and empowerment.
Join DFAT for breakfast and interactive discussion on financially viable community and household-level projects that are transforming essential energy generation, storage, distribution and WASH infrastructure. This session will explore innovative clean energy and infrastructure solutions, their role in enhancing social equity and economic empowerment, and the opportunities for investment and replication in underserved communities.
Welcome and intro by MC
Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040
with the IFC
Impact investing for the Billions: the South-east Asia Opportunity
DFAT-hosted panel
Don’t miss the South East Asia opportunity – hear about investment strategies that are delivering strong financial returns alongside positive climate and social impacts. Capture the upside in growing economies with shifting demographics, as climate and nature markets pick up pace, and the gender dividend is realised.
Moderator
Tristan Knowles
Unit Head, Blended Finance, Asian Development Bank
Panelists
Helen Wong
Managing Partner, AC Ventures
Ben Barry
Senior Managing Director, Macquarie Group
Mufti Utomo
Chief Investment Officer, PT TBS Energi Utama Tbk
Building Integrity for Institutional Scale: International Trends in Impact Investing and a Framework for the Future
with BlueMark and Tideline
Moderator
Ben Thornley
Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Tideline
Panelists
Christina Leijonhufvud
CEO, BlueMark
Philippe Valahu
CEO, Private Infrastructure Development Group
Simba Marekera
Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Head of Private Assets at Brightlight
Social enterprise sector and impact investing in Queensland
with Hon. David Janetzki MP – QLD Treasurer, Minister for Energy and Minister for Home Ownership
Moderator
Luke Terry
CEO, White Box Enterprises
Panelists
David Janetzki MP
Treasurer, Minister for Energy and the Minister for Home Ownership., Queensland
Allan English
Strategic Advisor, Mindhive
Sally McGeoch
Senior Advisor, Westpac Foundation
Morning Tea
Transition time
INSTITUTIONS
Major Asset Owner Perspective
with UniSuper
Moderator
Estelle Parker
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA)
Panelists
Lou Capparelli
Head of ESG, UniSuper Management
Peter Devine
CEO, Uniseed
Claudia Kwan
Equities Investor – Global & Impact, NorthStar Impact
CLIMATE TECH
How technology is key to addressing the climate crisis
EDTECH
The new learning and education revolution
with Jan Owen AM
Keynote Speaker
Jan Owen AM Hon DLitt
Entrepreneur/founder, AdaptabilityQ
MEDTECH / BIOTECH
The Path to an Australian Bionic Eye – Lessons Learned ?
Keynote Speaker
A/Prof Penelope Allen
Head, Vitreoretinal Surgical Unit, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
INSTITUTIONS
Risk Busting: assessing and mitigating emerging markets risk in practice
DFAT-hosted panel
Hear from investment-grade rated private market investors on strategies to mitigate risks in emerging market investments. What does this look like for EM fund managers and in project finance deals? Can a focus on impact during DD – and after close – genuinely mitigate the downside?
Moderator
Ralitsa Rizvanolli
Head of Sarona Singapore, Sarona Asset Management
Panelists
Sarah Xie
Assistant Vice President, Moody's Investors Services
Birribi Dillon
Head of International Partnerships & Development, Export Finance Australia
Nishant Kumar
Managing Director Asia Investments at GuarantCo and Head of Coverage – Asia, Private Infrastructure Development Group
CLIMATE TECH
Accelerating the energy transition
with Boundless, Energy Networks Aust., Infrastructure Access Managers
Moderator
Eytan Lenko
CEO, Boundless Earth
Panelists
John McKinnon
Chairperson, Infrastructure Access Managers
Izzy Jensen
CEO, Transition Accelerator
EDTECH
The Future of Education and Work: from the classroom to AI
Moderator
Edward Slade
Founder & Managing Director, Schoolhouse Solutions Pty. Ltd.
Panelists
Nicole Dyson
Founder & CEO, Future Anything
Peter Mobbs
Managing Partner, Five Sigma
Andrew Barnes
Co-Founder & Director, Go1
MEDTECH / BIOTECH
MedTech advances for women's health
with Ovum AI
Moderator
Hannah Birdsey
CEO, Investing In Women
Panelists
Ariella Heffernan-Marks
Founder and CEO, Ovum AI
Lisa Fedorenko
Head of Impact Investing, Save the Children Global Ventures
Dr Richard Lipscombe
Managing Director, Proteomics International Laboratories Ltd
Anoushka Gungadin
CEO & Managing Director, Hera MED Ltd
INSTITUTIONS
Challenges and opportunities from leading institutional investors in impact
with Australia Sustainable Finance Initative (ASFI)
Moderator
Oliver Doraisamy
Senior Manager (Policy & Engagement), Australian Sustainable Finance Institute
Panelists
Alison Ewings
General Manager ESG, QIC
Natasha Morris
Managing Director of Responsibility and Impact, Adamantem Capital
Leilani Weier
General Manager, Responsible Investment & Sustainability, Rest
CLIMATE TECH
Where Australia can play and win in Climate Tech
with Climate Tech Partners
Key sectors where Australia can excel: energy intensive processes of local minerals and biomass such as biofuels, SAF, biochemicals, green lithium, green iron, green hydrogen
Moderator
Tom Kline
Co-Founder and Partner, Climate Tech Partners
Panelist
Amy Philbrook
Regional Hydrogen Technical Lead, Arup
EDTECH
Attracting capital to the education sector: the promise and the pitfalls
with Giant Leap, Phillips Foundation, Seek Investments
Moderator
Jan Owen AM Hon DLitt
Entrepreneur/founder, AdaptabilityQ
MEDTECH / BIOTECH
Building and Scaling MedTech/Biotech companies
Moderator
Ben Wright
CEO, Mimetic – Medtech Foundry
Panelists
Aina Gaur
Associate Partner – HealthTech Focus, Sagana
Christian Toouli
CEO and Managing Director, FivepHusion
Klaus Bartosch
CEO, Founder & Managing Partner, Dreamoro
Lunch Panel: Backstage Pass – The Surprising World of Investing in Theatres
Don't miss the opportunity to gain insights from panellists Greg Khoury, Chair of the Next Century Trust and Executive Director Century Venues Group, and Beau Neilson, Owner of The Vanguard and Trustee of the Neilson Foundation, as they delve into the captivating world where theatre meets impact.
Join for an interactive panel discussion led by Jessica Mendoza-Roth, Executive Director of The Social Impact Hub. Together, the panel will delve into the intricacies and innovative partnerships that are rejuvenating Australia's cultural infrastructure, while also supporting artist development.
INSTITUTIONS
Impact Unplugged: A frank and fearless discussion about Australia’s impact investing landscape
IIA-hosted panel
Panelists
Gillian Gordon
Head of Alternative Investments and Responsible Investing – Executive Director, JBWere
Rachel Halpern
Head of Sustainability, JANA Investment Advisers
David Hetherington
CEO, Impact Investing Australia
CLIMATE TECH
Opportunities for Climate Investors in 2025
Moderator
Will Richardson
Managing Partner, Giant Leap
Panelists
Paul Evans
Operating Partner, Palisade Impact
Ridhaa Ahmed
Head of Infrastructure & Structured Capital, Grok Ventures
Justin Punch
Chair, ARENA
Olympia Yarger
Founder & CEO, Goterra
EDTECH
Optimising educational outcomes
with Cool Australia and Kip McGrath
Moderator
Jason Kimberley
founder, Cool
Panelists
Tanna Hardinge
First Nations Education Specialist, Cool.org
Karen Geloven
CEO, Kip McGrath Australasia
Jose Palmero
Chief Executive Officer, 3PL
MEDTECH / BIOTECH
Finding the next med-tech breakthrough – from evidence to impact
lead by Evans & Partners
Medical technology is transforming healthcare by delivering innovative solutions to critical, unmet patient needs. This panel will showcase companies and investors at the forefront of med-tech innovation— those involved with breakthrough technologies backed by clinical evidence and real-world patient outcomes. From cutting-edge diagnostics to novel treatment approaches, these innovations are driving impact by improving healthcare access, quality, and efficacy.
Moderator
Hashan De Silva
Founder & Managing Partner, KP Rx
Panelists
Andrew Shute
Senior Vice President, Business Development at EBR Systems
David Nayagam
Executive Director, Healthcare, E&P
Dr Rohan Hoare
Chief Executive Officer, Epiminder
Kate Hunt
Chief Commercial Officer, Nova Eye Medical
CLIMATE TECH
Climate Tech & Education Companies Pitch Session
EDTECH
Education Funds Pitch Session
MEDTECH / BIOTECH
MedTech/Biotech Companies Pitch Session
with Cordis Asset Management
Afternoon Tea
CLIMATE TECH
Climate Tech Funds Pitch Session
EDTECH
Education Companies Pitch Session
MEDTECH / BIOTECH
MedTech/Biotech Funds Pitch Session
Transition time – Buffer and transfer back to Plenary
The story behind Seaspiracy
Acclaimed Cinematographer Ali Tabrizi will share the story of his groundbreaking Netflix documentary 'Seaspiracy', and what we all need to know about the global fishing industry.
Keynote Speaker
Ali Tabrizi
Filmmaker & Founder, Disrupt Films & Seaspiracy Foundation
The Power of Collective Action: Unlocking the Leverage of Multi-Sector Partnerships
Closing the education gap at scale requires more than isolated efforts – it demands collaboration across the private, public, and social sectors. This keynote will explore how collective impact models serve as a powerful framework for driving large-scale, evidence-based education solutions.
Keynote Speaker
Dr Geetha Murali
CEO, Room to Read
MC Wrap
Networking Drinks
Join us at the conclusion of Day 2 for networking drinks at ICC Sydney.