National AI & Cybersecurity Leadership Summit 2026

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National AI & Cybersecurity Leadership Summit 2026For sponsorship and other enquiries please email us at dev@for-purpose.com.au or call us at +61 401 625 001

About the event:This Summit is part of the For-Purpose Leadership Series

This Summit is a high-level, one-day leadership forum bringing together Australia’s most influential leaders across business, government, technology, education, care, infrastructure and civil society. Designed for Board Directors, CXOs, policymakers, SME owners, and senior decision-makers, the Summit provides a unique national platform to navigate the accelerating convergence of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and sovereign capability.

Hosted in Melbourne, the Summit creates an essential space for leaders to understand how AI-driven transformation is reshaping Australia’s priorities in trust, governance, productivity, public value, workforce readiness, and national resilience. In alignment with the Federal Government’s National AI Plan, the program examines how organisations can capture emerging opportunities, spread the benefits of AI responsibly, and strengthen Australia’s capability to keep its people safe.

Featuring expert-led panel discussions, strategic briefings, and cross-sector insight sharing, the Summit brings forward the voices shaping Australia’s AI future—from innovators and industry pioneers to national security leaders, technologists, regulators, researchers and community advocates. Each session is designed to equip executive participants with the foresight required to lead confidently through rapid technological change.

Our SpeakersAdam Awty, CEO, Law Institute of Victoria. Nicola Grayson, Head of Public Affairs, Creative Australia. Richard Welch MP,Member for North-Eastern Metropolitan Region, Shadow Minister for Industry, Shadow Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Shadow Minister for AI and the Digital Economy Doug Hammond, Chief Information Security Officer, Uniting Sarah Barnbrook, CEO,Away from Keyboard Inc; Advisor, National Council of Women Victoria; Company Secretary, Australian Gender Equality Council (AGEC) Professor Michael Pervan, Ceo, Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority's (IHACPA) Paul Hubbard, Assistant Secretary (AI Delivery and Enablement) Will Shackle, Founder, Nuclear for Australia Patrick Kidd OBE OAM, CEO, Future Skills Organisation Dali Kaafar, Executive Director, Macquarie Cyber Security Hub; Founder, CEO APATE.AI Hon Simon Kennedy MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Shadow Assistant Minister for the Digital Economy, Shadow Assistant Minister for Scrutiny of Government Waste, Member for Cook Hon. Danny Pearson MP, Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, Minister for Government Services, and Minister for Finance Prof Simon Lucey, Director, Australian Institute for Machine Learning; Office of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Adelaide William Harris, Chief Operating Officer,