CDAO Sydney schedule

During this 10-minute networking session, the aim of the game is to go and meet three people you don't already know. Use the questions on the screen to guide your conversation. Have fun!

• How can we identify and mitigate biases in the data our AI systems use?
• What steps can we take to ensure our algorithms are transparent and accountable?
• How can we incorporate human oversight to enhance the fairness of AI decisions?
• What measures should we implement to regularly audit and update our AI systems for continuous fairness?

Panellists:

Keynote Panel: Is AI the Problem or the Solution for Data - Can You Ensure Fairness in AI-Driven Decision-Making Processes?

• How can we identify and mitigate biases in the data our AI systems use?
• What steps can we take to ensure our algorithms are transparent and accountable?
• How can we incorporate human oversight to enhance the fairness of AI decisions?
• What measures should we implement to regularly audit and update our AI systems for continuous fairness?

Panellists:

Ash Nair General Manager - Data Analytics Automation and AI (CDAO) icare NSW

Rafaela Salzer CDAO Hollard Insurance

Gina Choutis GM Data & Analytics Vocus

Siamak Tafavogh Head of Business Insights Group CBHS

Yoga Yohesvaran Head of Data and Information Governance Colonial First State

• Understanding EU AI Act and its impact globally, and what are the implications on business
• Australia's Privacy Laws – key changes and how will these impact AI adoption
• Ensuring transparency and accountability in AI systems, particularly in the context of regulatory frameworks

AI can elevate your organisation to the next level of data intelligence, but research shows that only 4% of organisations believe their data is AI-ready. To ensure AI results you can trust, you need accurate, good quality data underpinning it. In this presentation, we’ll explore:

• The impacts of delivering data that is not AI-ready
• The essential data governance & quality considerations that will set you up for AI-success
• Practical solutions to common AI challenges such as AI bias, and lack of contextual relevance

• Key elements of a modern data governance framework
• Trends and challenges
• What skills are required for an organisation and its people to be effective in an evolving landscape

• The Critical Role of Data Integrity in AI Systems: Exploring how compromised data integrity can result in flawed AI models—often referred to as "bad bots" —that introduce errors and biases into financial ecosystems

• Reducing Risks in Data Pipelines feeding AI Models: Implementing strategies to maintain high-quality data inputs in AI/ML models, minimising the long-term consequences of inaccurate or corrupted data
• Establishing a Resilient Data Framework: Designing comprehensive data integrity check systems to ensure consistent, accurate, and effective AI-driven decision-making

• Insights from Real-World Applications: Analysing how leading financial institutions tackle data integrity challenges and the broader impact on their AI initiatives
• Building Trust in Data-Driven Approaches: Outlining key measures that global financial organisations can adopt to ensure their AI strategies are grounded in accurate and reliable data

Speaker:

Scott Lam Data Conduct: Records Management SME, Group Compliance Standard Chartered

Deepak Kannan Associate Director - Group Data Risk Management NAB

• The evolving threat landscape demands a shift to proactive, data-centric security: Traditional perimeter defences are insufficient so understanding data context is critical
• Leveraging data intelligence for early threat detection, faster incident response, and prioritised security controls
• Collaboration between data and security teams, powered by data visibility, is essential for building true cyber resilience in today's complex data environments

Speaker:

Mark Wroniak Partner Cyber Security McGrathNicol

In today's rapidly evolving generative AI landscape, Chief Data & Analytics Officers (CDAOs) face unprecedented opportunities to revolutionise their organisations. While GenAI integration offers tremendous potential for innovation and competitive advantage, building secure AI systems presents significant challenges.

How do you safely tap all of the unstructured and structured data within your hybrid cloud landscape to feed these AI models? How can you ensure sensitive data is protected? What guardrails are needed to protect AI models from prompt injection and data exfiltration attacks? How do you implement continuous risk monitoring throughout your generative AI pipeline?

Join Tim Stead, Technical Director at Securiti to learn how CDAOs can implement a comprehensive framework to build safe, scalable generative AI systems that drive organisational success.

Key Takeaways:

• Critical risk factors in generative AI implementation
• Four essential components for developing secure, compliant generative AI systems
• Strategic best practices for embracing generative AI with innovative governance and compliance approaches

• From Data to Gold: Discover how to unlock the hidden value in raw data with AI-powered insights that drive transformative outcomes.
• AI with a Conscience: Secrets to building scalable, ethical AI solutions that are transparent, fair, and trustworthy.
• Responsible Innovation in Action: Leverage cutting-edge data tools to create meaningful impact while staying accountable to stakeholders.

• Is Generative AI really revolutionising data and analytics, driving business innovation and value?
• What are the key trends and forces shaping the integration of Generative AI into business processes
• Learn practical strategies for adapting data practices to support effective AI system development
• Discover actionable insights for redesigning business models and strategies to fully leverage AI capabilities

• Readying non-technical teams to work effectively with AI
• Reskilling your workforce for AI adoption requires strategic planning and support
• How should data governance evolve to address the unique challenges AI introduces?
• As AI evolves rapidly, how do we ensure continuous learning and effective feedback loops for the workforce?

Panellists:

Malcolm Wanstall VP Data Cochlear

Sam Stark Head of Advanced Analytics Capabilities Endeavour Group

Amyn Nathwani Head of Data Governance and Privacy Healthdirect Australia

Anil Arya Head of Data and Technology Australian Conservation Foundation

• What is truly new to data & analytics today?
• How do you envision and deliver robust governance frameworks for successful adoption of new data-driven technologies while ensuring ethical and responsible use of these technologies
• Upskilling employees so they are equipped with the skills to engage with the technology, while maintaining transparency and accountability through effective governance practices.
• Examining the comprehensive costs of the evolving data landscape, including talent acquisition and retention, technology infrastructure, data quality and availability, and ethical considerations
• Myth busting – is technology getting easier? Or is it bringing new challenges?

Panellists:

Simone Roberts General Manager, Data AUSTRAC 

Craig Napier Chief Data Officer University of Technology Sydney

Scott Lam Data Conduct: Records Management SME, Group Compliance Standard Chartered

Michael Storozhev Chief Underwriting Officer PassportCard Australia

Mudit Srivastav Director, Data Science and Engineering Colonial First State

Speakers:

Billy Loizou Area Vice President Amperity

Sam Bessey Solution Lead Amperity

• Can you ensure that democratisation efforts do not compromise privacy or lead to biased outcomes?
• Does AI facilitate or hinder data access and analysis?
• Showcasing successful implementations of ethical data democratisation that highlight best practices and lessons learned

• How do you define a data-led culture?
• How do you build and encourage data culture organisation-wide?
• How do you overcome barriers to gain support for building a data-led culture?

Panellists:

Andy Sutton General Manager Advanced Analytics Endeavour Group

Oliver Dwyer General Manager Data Insights & Analytics MYOB

Pia Andrews Serial Public Sector Reformer and ex CDAO

Javed Shaikh Head of Data and Analytics BaptistCare

Andrew Spiegelman Head of Data & Analytics Service NSW

• Finding the right literacy strategy for your company
• Devising a literacy plan for the next two years
• Maintenance and upkeep: Keeping the organisation up to date with trends, changes and new ideas

Panellists:

Imma Chippendale Senior Strategic Advisor, Data Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)

Arvind Raghuraman Head of Data Risk Governance NAB

David Silvestre Director Data & Digital BVAC Bupa Villages and Aged Care – Australia

Akansha Aggarwal Data Domain Architect SA Power Networks

Sandeep Mathur Head of Data and Engineering Greenpeace Australia Pacific

This presentation explores how ethical principles must guide AI development in our rapidly evolving technological landscape. Discover why human values remain essential as we advance AI capabilities and how thoughtful implementation can create systems that truly benefit society.

Learn about:

• The fundamental importance of AI ethics and the risks of neglecting these considerations
• Practical approaches to transparency, accountability, fairness, and privacy in AI systems
• Strategies for building organizational cultures where ethical AI development becomes standard practice

Join us to explore how maintaining the human touch in AI isn't merely an option—it's essential for creating technology that serves humanity's best interests while earning genuine public trust.

• How can you tell what works for your business without investing first? Best practices, tell-tale signs and trends to pick up from the get-go
• Developing a robust AI strategy deeply rooted in your business objectives, data capabilities, and operational realities
• Implementing a data-driven approach comes with numerous advantages that directly impact bottom lines and competitive positioning, such as measurable business goals, informed decision-making, and real-time insights

• Discover how businesses can harness data analytics to guide strategic decisions and catalyse impactful digital transformation
• Examine methods for leveraging data to tailor customer interactions, ultimately enhancing satisfaction and loyalty
• Uncover essential performance indicators (KPIs) that assist businesses in assessing the effectiveness of their digital transformation initiatives through data-driven insights
• Acquire insights into best practices that will equip leaders with the tools necessary to navigate the complexities of digital transformation in today’s data-centric world

Panellists:

Andrew Spiegelman Head of Data & Analytics Service NSW

Ritesh Deshpande Head of Delivery and Data Governance Southern Cross Care

Tushant Nayyar Head of Data Services QBE

Vedvrat Sharma Head of Engineering & Data Screenrights