Newday

Dr James Muecke AM graduated with Honours from the University of Adelaide Medical School in 1987. Following his internship, James lived and worked as a doctor in Africa and subsequently as an eye surgeon in the Middle East, battling malaria, wild animals, and rebel soldiers. He founded Sight For All in 2008, turning his boundless energy into a fight against blindness in the Aboriginal communities of Australia and some of the poorest countries of Asia and Africa. His commitment to social impact and humanitarian endeavors has earnt him a string of awards including an Order of Australia in 2012, the Australian Medical Association’s President’s Leadership Award in 2013, and Ernst & Young’s Social Entrepreneur for Australia in 2015.

James is a researcher, a teacher, an author, a musician, a photographer, and a film producer, and uses his many skills to deliver passionate, fascinating, and at times confronting presentations about his life, his work, philanthropy, resilience and social entrepreneurship. A neurological condition impacting on his dexterity has forced James into a premature retirement from surgery. Not letting his disability slow him down, James has redirected his vigor to crafting films, and has a number of powerful documentaries under his belt and several compelling projects in production.

Ani Choying Drolma is a renowned Buddhist nun, singer, author of Singing for Freedom, and philanthropist, often referred to as the “rockstar nun” for her soul-stirring performances that have touched millions worldwide. With over 20 million views online, her voice, often described as “heavenly” and filled with compassion, has a unique ability to uplift, heal, and inspire across cultures and spiritual traditions.

Beyond her music, Ani Choying is a celebrated humanitarian and the first UNICEF National Goodwill Ambassador for Nepal. She uses her voice as a tool for change, founding the Arya Tara School to educate young girls and championing causes such as women’s empowerment, children's rights, health, and education.

For more than 15 years, Vinh Giang has dedicated himself to mastering the art of performance-enhanced communication, helping thousands of professionals worldwide do the same through the power of magic. In his inspiring talks, Vinh seamlessly integrates storytelling and magic to motivate audiences to embrace change and see the "possible in the impossible." Vinh delivers his key messages in a truly memorable and profound manner that always leaves his audiences with a sense of wonder and empowerment.

Rebecca Tapp assists industry leaders, CEO'S, entrepreneurs, and media personalities to activate purpose-driven influence. She has spent 15 years working in partnership with globally acclaimed speakers, activists, authors and influencers. She is the host of the Decoding Purpose Podcast and a purpose-driven entrepreneur. In that time, Rebecca has mastered the intersection between purpose and influence with a clear focus on taking an idea, into the kind of influence that creates impact.

Rebecca is an internationally recognised coach and consultant working in Australia and the Asia Pacific in developing new talent in the speaking industry. She is also the creator of Ignite; a consulting process designed to assist leaders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and influencers to gain clarity of purpose, and to tell that story online, onstage and most significantly in life. Rebecca is a Company Director of 'Future Crunch' who are a think tank consisting of scientists, artists, technologists, and entrepreneurs spreading a global movement of intelligent optimism. She is also the Co-founder of 'Supernova Tribe', a purpose-driven content and branding agency for influencers.

As a change-maker, Rebecca is on the board of directors for Hark Angel, a charity with a mission is to work with impoverished communities to build 100 schools around the world. She is also on the board of social enterprise Project Gen Z and has over the last decade raised more than $150,000 for charity in business and in hosting fundraising events and campaigns.

Martin is a consultant in organisational and leadership development, a facilitator of innovation and change; trainer, coach and author. He is a faculty member for the Presencing Institute, and for HSBC Next Generation Development, HRH Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conference for Leaders, and the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Martin works with business, government and civil society leaders globally. He advises the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative as thinking partner to Chiefs of Staff and Heads of State, including three years as Special Consultant to the President of Zambia.

Martin authored Leading Like Madiba: Leadership Lessons from Nelson Mandela (2006), It’s How We End That Matters: Leadership Lessons from an African President (2009), and Driftology: How to Access Life’s Greatest Opportunities by flying on the wings of others (2015).

Gill is a powerful and thought provoking communicator, challenging us to think deeply about the relationship we have with the world around us, with each other and importantly hold with ourselves.

Her vital work, particularly in countering violent extremism, became her focus after she was left severely and permanently injured from the actions of a suicide bomber in the co-ordinated terrorist attack on London’s transport network in July, 2005.

Prior to the bombings, Gill was a respected figure within the fields of Architecture, Design and the Arts in London. As Publisher of Blueprint, the contemporary culture magazine, she established herself within the world renown British design scene. She later went on to be Founding Director of The Dangerous Minds Design consultancy and then Head Curator at the Design Council.

‘Designing a sustainable peace’ has become the core focus to Gill’s body of work. Under the acronym for Making a Difference ‘M.A.D.’, Gill has created both an agency, a ‘think’ and ‘do’ tank, M.A.D. Minds and a creative business, Music Art Discussion, where she brings her performance and visual art together to express her wonder and observations of life.

Mickey Kumatpi Marratyu O’Brien is an Aboriginal person and descendant of the Kaurna (Adelaide Plains) and Narrunga (Yorke Peninsula) peoples. He has been providing cultural advice for many years and is a proud ambassador for the Kaurna people. His warm Welcome to Country is always a highlight at our summits.

Culture is an important part of Mickey's life and he honours the responsibility passed down to him by his father, well-known Kaurna elder, Uncle Lewis O’Brien, by incorporating culture into every Welcome to Country. He is truly valued as a Newday Leadership advisor.

Rob and Cheryl are two human beings who have abandoned the ‘normal’ to pursue the truly extraordinary. At 72 years old apiece, this committed couple have sacrificed more than most in order to lead for the greater good. From not owning their first home until they were 63, to risking their life in war zones and never being paid a regular wage, what these two beacons of peace and hope will teach you is simple: there is another way... several, in fact.

Katrina Webb is recognised and acknowledged for her unique athleticism and outstanding success as a Paralympic athlete. She has won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in athletics at three Paralympic Games.

She was the first torch bearer to enter the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games and in 2006 Katrina was selected to present on behalf of the International Paralympic Committee to the United Nations in New York.

To add to this she has walked the Kokoda track and has trekked to Basecamp Everest. Katrina was selected as one of two Paralympians Ambassadors for the International Paralympic Committee at the London and Rio Paralympic Games. She was a reporter with Seven at the Tokyo Paralympic Games and Nine at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

Katrina is an international speaker, leadership and personal mastery consultant, trainer in wellbeing and resilience, a physiotherapist and also the founder and director of Newday.

Adam Thompson is best known as front man of Australian rock band Chocolate Starfish, whose self-titled debut album went Platinum and won an ARIA after spawning their number one hit, You’re So Vain. Social responsibility has come to play a major role in Adam’s life and career as a solo artist, making him a highly sought-after entertainer and keynote speaker, working with remote indigenous communities and schools across Australia and corporate groups from around the globe.

Adam has combined his two passions and created the renowned team-building activity MusoMagic, which boasts its own TV show Outback Tracks (SBS) and has spawned a not-for-profit MusiKarma, which helps disadvantaged youth reach their potential.

Matthew Wright-Simon is delighted to be working with the Newday Leadership team, working alongside Katrina in curating and designing and hosting summits, labs and our recent eSeries. As he has done since 2018, Matthew will link the intimacy of what's shared with the big picture and the events that shape our lives as leaders.

Matthew's purpose is to creatively stimulate, facilitate, engage and activate people to contribute to positive social, environmental and economic impact – and to have a lot of fun in the process!

Matthew's diverse commercial work with engagement consultancy, Ecocreative, is informed by his roles in thought leadership, philanthropy and conservation with TEDxAdelaide, the Awesome Foundation and Landscape Partnerships, an environmental NGO he co-founded several years ago.

In 2019, Matthew co-founded Double Denim, a sustainable textiles social enterprise that benefits a women's homelessness service. This is one of several social enterprise ventures he helps lead, complemented by his role on the board of the South Australian Social Enterprise Council peak body. In 2019-20, Matthew was voted as one of Pro Bono Australia's Impact 25 for his contribution to social and environmental advocacy and enterprise in Australia.