Emerge Conference

Emerge is APSCo Australia's annual full-day conference for recruitment and staffing leaders. Tickets for 2026 are now on sale.

Emerge returns to Sydney on July 28.

The agenda for this year’s conference brings together leaders from across recruitment, workforce solutions, technology, transformation, economics and offshoring to explore the forces reshaping our industry.

We’re thrilled to welcome Kevin O’Neill, Technology Research Director at Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), who will open the day with a global view of workforce trends, technology disruption and the future of recruitment and staffing.
Joining the lineup is Besa Deda, Chief Economist at William Buck, bringing her sharp, data-led perspective on the Australian labour market and the economic trends influencing workforce demand, hiring and business confidence.
Amit Somaiya, CEO & Founder of IMS Group, will share insights into the growing role of offshoring in the future workforce market, while panel discussions featuring leaders from Hays, The Network, BREXA ANZ, The Precision Group, WorkPro, Goheadhunt, Impellam Group and Morson Edge Australia will tackle workforce ecosystems, transformation, capability and business evolution.
The afternoon turns to practical AI application, with HyperAutomate Co-Founders Jordan Betteridge and Lee Whittaker leading an interactive AI and technology workshop designed to explore how businesses can modernise and improve operational efficiency.
Monique Richards (She/Her), Managing Director of Aquent Australia, will also share Aquent’s evolving journey with AI - offering a candid look at how the business is embedding AI into real recruitment workflows and navigating change in practice, not just theory.
And back by popular demand, The Big Rec Quiz returns to close out the day, hosted once again by one of Australia’s most respected recruitment trainers and industry commentators, Ross Clennett.

Highlights from 2025

Take a look at the highlights from last year's conference and get a feel for the conversations, connections and insights that make Emerge a standout industry event.

Emerge 2025

2026 Emerge Speakers

Employer Brand Director, Principals

Founder & CEO, WorkPro

CEO APAC, Impellam Group

Founder & CEO, Goheadhunt

Managing Director, Avec

2026 Emerge Agenda

8:15am – 8:45am

REGISTRATION DESK OPEN

9:00am

Welcome

Lesley Horsburgh

Managing Director APSCo Australia

9:10am – 10:10am

Keynote: Exploring the Global Workforce

This keynote explores the forces reshaping the $1.8 trillion global staffing market and what they mean for leaders in Australia and across APAC.

Kevin will start with a market reality check - where growth is happening, how Australia compares globally, and where the biggest opportunities lie. He'll then examine the shift in workforce models, as contingent labour, SOW, and direct sourcing rise, and as procurement and enterprise expectations redefine value.

Next, we'll look at technology and AI- and cut through the hype to understand what’s truly changing, the risks emerging, and why human-led models remain critical.

Finally, we'll focus on the strategic imperative: why standing still is the greatest risk, and how leading firms are reinventing for growth.

Kevin O'Neill

Technology Research Director, Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA)

10:10am – 10:55am

Keynote

The Australian Labour Market

Besa Deda

Chief Economist, William Buck

10:55am – 11:25am

MORNING TEA

11:25am - 11:40am

Keynote

The role of Offshoring in the future workforce market

Amit Somaiya
CEO & Founder, IMS Group

11:25am – 12:10pm

Panel Session

Inside the Workforce Ecosystem: How do we co-exist and collaborate?

As the market shifts continue and technology enables are far more complex competitive landscape, transformation is the only way to survive. Our panel discuss the value proposition of true specialism, MSP models, SOW and Platforms – how do we co-exist and where’s the opportunity for collaboration.

Facilitated by Tania Evans, Founder & CEO, WorkPro
Richard Barnett, Strategic Sales Director, MSP & RPO, ANZ, Hays
Michelle Mallaney, Associate Director, The Network
Adham Ghafary, Founder & CEO, Goheadhunt
Claire Gallagher, Employer Brand Director, Principals

12:10pm – 12:55pm

Panel Session

The Art of Transformation

Picking your niche is one thing but ensuring its implemented across all aspects of the business is critical to success.

Facilitated by Mark Coyle, CEO APAC Impellam Group
Fiona Ellis-Hill, Head of Capability & Change, BREXA ANZ
Simon Hair, Managing Director, Precision Sourcing
Rob Lawrence, Managing Director, Morson Edge Australia
Dennis Grant, Managing Director, Avec

1:00pm – 1:45pm

LUNCH

1:45pm – 2:30pm

Keynote/Workshop

The AI Advantage: What It Actually Means for Your Business

AI isn't just changing how recruiters work, it's changing how staffing businesses compete.

In this no-slides, live-demonstration session, the team from Hyper Automate will show you three things every business owner in the room can act on.

How to get a real-time picture of your business without a single extra report

How to catch compliance and revenue risk before it costs you

How to respond to client opportunities faster than your competition.

Whether you're AI experimenting or already deploying, you'll leave with a clear picture of where the leverage is, and what to do first.

Jordan Betteridge, Co-Founder, HyperAutomate

Lee Whittaker, Co-Founder, HyperAutomate

2:30pm – 3:15pm

Fireside chat

Monique Richards (She/Her) shares Aquent’s evolving journey with AI, offering a candid look at how the business is embedding AI into real recruitment workflows.

Monique Richards (She/Her)

Managing Director, Aquent Australia

3:15pm – 3:45pm

AFTERNOON TEA

3:50pm – 4:30pm

The Big Rec Quiz

A fast-paced timeline journey through recruitment history, testing panellists knowledge in the ultimate industry quiz.

Facilitated by Ross Clennett

4:30pm - 4:40pm

Closing remarks

4:40pm - 6:30pm

NETWORKING DRINKS

Tickets are on sale

Emerge is a full-day experience packed with fresh insights, big conversations, and practical strategies that drive performance, compliance, and inclusion in a changing world of work. Select from single tickets to discounted corporate packages for your team.

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