Governing with impact in the new AI world

KEYNOTE - AI is here. But who’s governing it? 10:20am

Rose Hiha-Agnew leads national initiatives to strengthen not-for-profit governance across Aotearoa New Zealand, supporting good governance practice to support a sector of 115,000 NGOs, including 28,000 registered charities. As Tumu Whakarae of Community Governance Aotearoa, she drives strategy and innovation through education, policy influence, and practical resource design.

An experienced governance advisor and trainer, Rose brings grounded expertise in co-design, governance development, and indigenous leadership. She has contributed to international forums on governance and is active in trans-Tasman networks advancing community leadership.

KEYNOTE - AI - Our future (today's) changed workforce 11:15am

Megan Motto OAM is an experienced executive, board director and governance leader with more than 25 years’ experience across professional associations, public policy and governance. Formerly CEO of the Governance Institute of Australia and Consult Australia, Megan has held influential leadership and advisory roles across Australia’s business and governance sectors. She is currently General Manager of the Ambulance Provident Fund, Principal of MottoAdvisory, Strategic Counsel for Codex Communications, and serves on the Nominations Committee of auDA. A Fellow of the AICD, GIA and CGI, Megan was awarded an OAM in 2025 for her outstanding contribution to business and governance.

SPEAKING: AI for Directors - You can use it but you can’t blame it - 3:00pm

Steven Bowman is Managing Director of Conscious Governance and brings a great depth of experience facilitating Board reviews and strategic planning processes. Steven has held numerous senior executive, CEO and Board positions in USA and Australia, as well as authoring and co-authoring over 14 books on governance, strategy, risk and executive leadership.

Q & A PANELIST: 1:30pm

Julie Garland McLellan is a governance expert and board-whisperer. With elite postgraduate qualifications and extensive practical experience serving on diverse boards, she combines academic rigor with real-world expertise. An accomplished author of six books on governance, Julie’s approach emphasizes strategic clarity, accountability, and sustainable success. Her masterclasses and keynotes empower leaders to foster responsible, ethical governance that builds trust and protects reputation. Grounded in her disciplined martial arts background and a deep understanding of organisational culture, Julie delivers actionable insights that inspire confident, principled board leadership in today’s complex business environment.

SPEAKING: Lead the Opportunity: How Directors Move from AI Anxiety to AI Advantage - 12:45pm

Helen is a seasoned Board Director, Entrepreneur, and AI expert with extensive boardroom experience, chairing multiple boards, including Answer Services Ltd, and serving on boards including The Co-operative Bank Ltd and Centrix Group Ltd.

As the owner of Directorly, a consulting business that helps boards and executive teams optimise their Boardroom performance, Helen specialises in integrating AI to enhance governance and decision-making. Her leadership in AI began with pioneering digital humans and RPA initiatives in her Exec days at Vodafone, and she continues to be a thought leader in using AI to drive boardroom innovation and operational efficiency.

SPEAKING: Real-world adoption of AI for governance - 2:30pm

David Renwick is the product marketing manager at BoardPro, a SaaS board governance platform serving NFPs and businesses across New Zealand and Australia. He works closely with the product and marketing teams, leading positioning, GTM strategy, sales enablement and competitive intelligence.