Ozwater Water Leaders Forum 2025
The Water Leaders Forum is a C-Suite invite only session that brings together 150 leaders and partners from across the Australian Water Association (AWA) network.
Looking Back, Moving Forward – 20 Years of Leadership and the Future of Water Infrastructure
For 20 years, the Water Leaders Forum—proudly co-founded and sponsored by GHD—has sparked critical conversations that have shaped our sector. As we celebrate this milestone, we reflect on two decades of leadership insights and look to the challenges and opportunities ahead.
With investment in water infrastructure surging to a major capital investment wave, the sector faces a familiar yet complex challenge: delivering major projects efficiently and affordably while ensuring resilience in a changing climate and preparing their market readiness. We’ve seen infrastructure booms before—both in water and in sectors like transport and energy. What lessons can we draw from these cycles? What insights can we gain from international peers? And how do we balance efficiency, affordability, and long-term sustainability in this era of transformation?
This session promises a unique blend of retrospective insights and forward-thinking perspectives, guiding us to build a future-ready water sector that leads by example.
Sponsored by:
Water Leaders Forum Panel
Sonia Adams (Panel Facilitator)
Chief Client Officer, GHD
Growing up on a farm in rural Australia, Sonia witnessed the effects of drought and floods, and the importance of resilience at a community level.
As a "right-brain" creative, Sonia learnt early in her career how to connect with "left-brain" engineers, scientists and technicians. On a professional level, Sonia is comfortable not always fitting in – in fact, standing out is her superpower.
In her role as Chief Client Officer, Sonia connects incredible people and fresh ideas to create technical solutions for GHD’s clients, helping to build a sustainable future for generations to come. This means looking closely at the intersection of humans and nature, how we live in and build our communities ensuring it’s done with minimal harm and with lasting benefit.
Stuart Cairns (Panellist)
Partner, Bird & Bird
Stuart is a distinguished partner and co-head of the International Projects and Procurement Group at Bird & Bird, based in London. With over 20 years of experience, Stuart specialises in public sector and utilities procurement, particularly within the infrastructure domain.
He has worked extensively with government and regulated bodies, both nationally and internationally, to design, manage, and implement some of the most complex competitive procurement processes. His expertise is particularly valuable for private organisations seeking to secure optimal outcomes in large-scale, complex contracts and programmes.
As a member of the Procurement Lawyers Association and a former external member of the Northern Ireland Procurement Board, Stuart is committed to advancing procurement best practices. His ability to work closely with clients to ensure both compliance and successful outcomes makes him exceptionally well placed to support procurements in sectors such as water and utilities.
Robyn McLeod AM (Panellist)
Non-Executive Director, Yarra Valley Water, CleanTeq Water and Austin Health
Robyn McLeod AM is a distinguished Australian Non Executive Director with over 30 years of diverse experience in water industry governance in Australia.
In her professional career she has served as Commissioner for Water Security in South Australia and held roles such as National Director of Water at KPMG, Executive Director of Major Water Projects for the Victorian Government, and Industrial Officer in the water sector. Currently, she is a Non-Executive Director at Yarra Valley Water, CleanTeq Water (ASX:CNQ) and Austin Health. She also held a Directorship at Melbourne Water for eight years.
In recognition of her exceptional contributions to social welfare and governance, Ms. McLeod was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2024. Beyond her professional achievements, she remains deeply committed to championing women in leadership roles and building resilience in women's lives across Australia. Ms McLeod is also a fellow of the AICD.
Professor Ariella Helfgott (Panellist)
Foresight Director, SA Futures Agency
Dr Ariella Helfgott is Foresight Director of SA Futures Agency. She is also global Director of Foresight and Strategic Learning for the World Energy Council, a Professor at the University of Adelaide and Program Director of Foresight and Decision-making for the One Basin CRC, a member of the Futures Council of the ANU National Security College and Director of Collaborative Futures.
Ariella has more than 20 years’ experience enabling future-focused dialogues, decision-making, collaboration and systemic change. She has worked across 26 countries in 8 global regions guiding governments, industries and communities using foresight to create resilient, healthy and prosperous futures.
Previously, Ariella served as Director of Strategic Foresight in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet for the Government of South Australia, Director of Scenarios for the World Energy Council, a member of the Shell Scenario Team and lead academic research programs for many years at the Universities of Oxford, Utrecht, Wageningen and Adelaide.
Ozwater Directors Forum 2025
The Directors Forum is a C-Suite invite only session that brings together board directors from across the Australian Water Association (AWA)’s network.
Navigating Complexity & Growth in the Boardroom
Aligned with the Ozwater’25 theme, Looking Back, Moving Forward, this year’s Directors Forum will explore how governance needs to evolve as the water sector undergoes unprecedented infrastructure investment and rapid digital transformation. With rising living costs and financial constraints, boards must balance investment and affordability, ensuring water security and resilience while keeping charges manageable for customers.
As AI and digital technologies become embedded in core infrastructure, governance models must shift. Traditionally seen as a technical domain, digital is now integral to optimising critical infrastructure and ensuring future resilience. How can boards leverage digital transformation while safeguarding against cybersecurity risks? How does AI challenge traditional governance models, and are our boards ready for this shift?
Discussions will examine:
• Investment vs Affordability – How do boards balance major infrastructure upgrades while ensuring financial sustainability?
• Technology, AI & Risk Management – As AI reshapes industries, board members must assess value and risk faster than ever before. Unlike financial expertise, technical proficiency has not been a prerequisite for board membership—does this need to change?
• Digital as Core Infrastructure – How do we integrate digital solutions into traditional infrastructure? What are the opportunities to optimise assets and improve performance?
• Risk & Resilience – How does digital disruption challenge the sector’s approach to long-term planning, security, and governance?
• Future Leadership & Workforce Evolution – What new leadership skills will CEOs and boards need? How will AI and automation reshape the workforce, and how should boards prepare?
• Diversity, Inclusion & Workforce Expectations – What does the water workforce of the future look like, and how do we attract the right talent?
To drive a dynamic and engaging discussion, we’ll also be incorporating insights from attendees, pre-surveying directors on their current use of AI and digital tools, and weaving these perspectives into the conversation.
This forum for board directors, featuring board chairs, will challenge conventional thinking, provoke discussion, and explore what leadership will look like in the water sector of the future.
Sponsored by:
Directors Forum Panel
Mary Kanavoutsos (Panel Facilitator)
ANZ Executive Market Director - Water, Jacobs
Mary is Jacobs’ Executive Market Director for Water across Australia and New Zealand and is a Non Executive Director of Yarra Valley Water.
Over the last 30 years, Mary has worked in the water sector in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East. She is a recognised and accomplished strategic and business leader who has lead the development and delivery of significant water infrastructure solutions, focused on sustainability and community outcomes.
Mary has worked across both the public and private sector, and has held executive level technical, business and commercial roles, delivering sustainable water solutions for water utilities, the power sector and the mining and resources market.
Mary has a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) Honors degree from University of Melbourne in Australia and is a Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Allan Holmes (Panellist)
Chair SA Water
Allan is an experienced company director and chair, and a former Chief Executive in the South Australian government. He led the state Department of Water and Environment for more than 15 years and has continued to work for state and commonwealth agencies in numerous roles.
With a wealth of experience in a range of environmental and scientific disciplines, Allan was recently also a member of the SA State Planning Commission and chair of the Murray Darling Basin Authority’s Independent Assurance Committee.
His knowledge of governance is comprehensive, rooted in a deep understanding of general management and government practice.
Lynn Warneke (Panellist)
Chair South East Water
Lynn Warneke is the Chair of South East Water corporation, which serves 1.9 million customers and manages $5 billion of assets in the south-east of Melbourne.
She is also a non-executive director of SEW's wholly-owned subsidiary Iota, which commercialises innovative technology for the water sector, and a non-executive director of publicly-listed, private and not-for-profit companies in the cybersecurity, telecommunications and social services sectors.
Lynn has significant experience in the strategic leadership and governance of AI and emerging technologies, innovation, digital and data programs, and workplace and customer transformations. She is a start-up industry mentor with Stone & Chalk and serves on the ACS National AI Ethics Committee.
Peter Wilson AM (Panellist)
Chair Power and Water Corporation and Non-executive Director
In addition to his role on the Power and Water Board, Peter is also Chair and non-executive director of Indigenous Essential Services Pty Ltd, Power and Water’s wholly owned, not-for-profit subsidiary.
Peter’s previous roles include Commissioner on the former State Electricity Commission of Victoria, CEO and Managing Director of Energy 21, and 4 terms as Chairman of Yarra Valley Water.
He was Chair and National President of CPA Australia, the world’s fourth-largest professional accounting organisation, and was a non-voting Board member on the International Federation of Accountants in New York.
Peter has been Chair of the Australian Disability Network Ltd Board since May 2015, and chairs the Audit and Risk Committee at the Office of the Auditor-General in Western Australia, and the Premier and Cabinet Department in WA. He is the independent member and Chair of the Australian Retail Credit Association and the Reciprocity and Data Exchange Administrator Limited.
Peter is Chair of the Victorian Institute of Strategic Economic Studies at Victoria University, and an advisor to the International Consortium for Research into Employment and Work at Monash University.
He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2005 for services to workplace relations and safety, and community service, and was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2004.