Emerge Conference

Emerge is APSCo Australia's annual full-day conference for recruitment and staffing leaders

Emerge

Emerge 2025 is back on July 22 in Sydney

For 2025, we’re returning to Sydney and stepping into the historic NSW Parliament House – a venue steeped in prestige and tradition.

Connect with peers, clients, and industry leaders in the iconic halls on July 22.
Hear from Sian Fenner, Westpac’s Head of Australian Business & Industry, as she unpacks the economic outlook for our sector.
Be inspired by Andrea Clarke, bold leadership expert and author of Adapt, on how to become future-fit.
Hear our panels discuss how strategy, innovation, and diversification will be key as the market returns.
Gain hands-on operational insights from peers in your market, and an invaluable reset on the future of recruitment.

With multiple speakers, high-impact panels, live on-stage moments and exclusive networking drinks to finish the day - this is an event you’ll want to experience in the room.

Check out our agenda below to see what we've got planned for Emerge 2025.

Great-value tickets are available for the month of July. Tickets for Members are $495, and $450 each for a group of 3 members or more. Non-member pricing is also available at very competitive rates.

Purchase tickets here

Emerge 2025 - July 22

Agenda

FROM 8:15 AM
REGISTRATION

8:45 AM
WELCOME TO EMERGE

lesley_horsburgh

Lesley Horsburgh, APSCo Australia

9:00 AM
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Headshots Square (43)

Unpacking the economic outlook with Sian Fenner - Head of Australian Business & Industry, Westpac

9:50 AM
PANEL: FROM NOW TO NEXT

As the world of work continues to evolve, the staffing market faces a critical juncture: stay the same and risk irrelevance or adapt to the gamut of change and transform services.

From the rise of digital platforms, relentless margin pressure, offshoring and outsourcing to Ai and automation, our panel share how they envisage the future of work and how they’re showing up to participate in the future.

Khanh Pham

Khanh Pham, Bullhorn

Mark Coyle, Impellam Group

Jacky Carter, The Satori Partnership

Tim Moran, Leaders IT

11:00 AM
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Adapting to the Future of Work

Andrea Clarke, Work Futurist & Author

In a world obsessed with artificial intelligence, we’re missing the real story: the future won’t be shaped by algorithms alone - it will be shaped by the humans who can adapt to them. This is a practical keynote that reframes adaptability as the most essential skill of our time - more critical than IQ or EQ.

Drawing on global research, real-world insight, and her own experience inside executive teams, Andrea shares a simple four step framework to help learners, leaders and organisations shift from AI anxiety to AI fluency - not by chasing tools, but by transforming talent.

12:00 PM
KEYNOTE: WHERE TO FOR THE RECRUITMENT MARKET?

Greg Savage

Greg Savage

1:20 PM

PANEL: OPERATING THROUGH CHANGE

Following the morning panel session, we take a deep dive into the operational aspect of steering a business through change. From keeping a grip on the P&L, remodelling new structures and leveraging technology, our panel will share practical tips, real experience and offer tangible takeaways to help your business stay on track through times of change.

Luke Howes, Six Degrees Executive

Cameron Martin, William Buck

Facilitated by: Victoria Kirwin, APositive

Samantha Miklos, CMR | Cornerstone Medical Recruitment

2:00 PM
PANEL: UNLOCKING THE POWER OF COMPLIANCE

The staffing world has faced a barrage of regulatory change over the last 5 years, forcing firms to add rigour to people and processes to reduce risk.

But does tight regulation and stringent compliance give us the opportunity for a competitive advantage over box ticking red tape? Hear our panellists discuss the role that compliance plays in a commercial setting and how best to harness the opportunity.

Headshots Square (5)

Martin Richardson,

Risk Collective

Louise Rumble,

Gadens

Nicola Martin,

Squire Patton Boggs

Amy Towers,

Risk Collective

Headshots Square (3)

Bronwyn Murphy,

AHP

3:10 PM

DEAL MAKERS LIVE ON STAGE

From podcast to the main stage! Emerge will host a special live edition of Deal Makers, where recruitment’s boldest conversations come to life in front of an audience.

Paul Masters

Paul Masters, Sovereign Private

Ged Mason

Ged Mason OBE, CEO, Morson Group

lesley_horsburgh

Lesley Horsburgh, APSCo Australia

3:50 PM

THE BIG REC QUIZ

The Big Rec Quiz comes to the Emerge stage to test your industry smarts, competitive streak, and team spirit. From recruitment trivia of the past, present and future, this fast-paced session is equal parts fun and fiercely fought.

Bragging rights, and a few laughs guaranteed.

Ross Clennett

Hosted By Ross Clennett

Sue Healy, Managing Director, Talent Quarter

Simon Hair, Managing Director, Precision Sourcing

Josh McCole, Senior Account Executive, Bullhorn

4:30 PM
CONFERENCE CLOSE /CANAPES AND NETWORKING DRINKS

NSW Parliament House

Keynote speakers

Sian Fenner joined Westpac as Head of Business and Industry Economics after relocating to Sydney from Singapore. She is responsible for providing important insights for business and industry across Australia. She is the author of Westpac’s Quarterly Business Snapshot, regarded as necessary reading for businesses. She was previously Head of International Economics at the Monetary Authority of Singapore from 2022 to 2024 responsible for the global economic forecasts and scenarios as well as the banks stress tests. Prior to that, Sian was Director and Lead Economics at Oxford Economics specialising in macroeconomic analysis of the APAC region and providing essential bespoke research for industries and companies. She has held several other positions in banks in London and the Australian Federal Treasury spanning over a two decade career in economic research and forecasting.

Andrea Clarke is a Sydney-based Work Futurist, author, and former foreign correspondent who helps people become future-fit through bold thinking, practical tools, and powerful storytelling. After a global career in journalism and human rights—including work in Washington D.C. and conflict zones—she founded Future Fit Learning in 2012 to build adaptability and communication capability at scale for ASX-listed companies. Her first book, Future Fit, won Australian Business Book of the Year, and her latest, Adapt (Simon & Schuster), empowers readers to master change with simple habits. Andrea’s work is driven by one goal: to help people shape their future, not fear it.

Greg Savage is a globally renowned recruitment leader, author, and keynote speaker with over 40 years of industry experience. He has founded four successful recruitment businesses, including people2people, Firebrand Talent Search, and Recruitment Solutions, the latter of which he led to a public listing on the Australian Stock Exchange. As the author of The Savage Truth, Greg shares invaluable insights on leadership, business, and life drawn from his extensive career. He is also the founder of the Savage Recruitment Academy, an innovative e-learning platform designed to elevate recruitment professionals worldwide. Greg's contributions have earned him recognition as one of LinkedIn's 'Top Voices' and induction into the Recruitment International Hall of Fame.

Secure your seat at Emerge 2025

Great-value tickets for Emerge are available. Tickets for Members are $495, and $450 each for a group of 3 members or more. Non-member pricing is also available at very competitive rates.

Purchase tickets here

Our sponsors

Founded and headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, SEEK has grown into a multinational technology company with over 3,300 employees and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

SEEK develops and applies innovative data and technology tools to facilitate high-quality matching and improve reliability of marketplace information.

Email:

Bullhorn is the global leader in recruitment software, providing the only fully integrated applicant tracking and customer relationship management system paired with social media recruiting and business development tools.

Delivered through Software as a Service (SaaS), Bullhorn is backed by the most comprehensive roster of integrated partner solutions available in the industry.

The Finance Consultancy provides appropriate funding solutions and strategic advice to recruitment businesses to allow them to grow.

APSCo Members will be able to utilise The Finance Consultancy to effectively tender and determine whether their current cash flow funding of their business is most beneficial for them, without obligation.

Contact Chris Slack

IMS People Possible is a leading offshore recruitment services provider with over 250 clients and more than 3,000 dedicated employees. We help businesses transform with innovative, cost-effective recruitment solutions. With 19+ years of experience, we've partnered with recruitment brands across the US, UK, EU, and APAC regions.

HealthPass is a multi-tech stack, cross-industry, automated onboarding and compliance platform capable of creating a single point of entry for to decipher all workers compliance needs, removing the majority of human effort for both the worker and company from onboarding and ongoing compliance management