Queensland Investor Summit 2026

Program Overview

Future Fortunes. Human Edge. Investing in the Age of AI.

Dates: Sunday, 13 September 2026 – Tuesday, 15 September 2026

Optional site tour: Wednesday, 16 September 2026

Location: The Langham, Gold Coast, 38 Old Burleigh Rd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217

General admission (ASA Member): $750

General admission (ASA Non-Member): $870

ASA Volunteer rate: $490

Prices include GST. Registration terms & conditions apply.

Main Event Page Register Now Speakers FAQ

Monday, 14 September 2026

8:30 am | The Next Decade: AI, Robotics and the Future of Investing
Professor Michael Milford, Director of the QUT Centre for Robotics
Artificial intelligence and robotics are reshaping industries at an extraordinary pace, but where will the biggest opportunities emerge? Professor Michael Milford will explore the technologies transforming business, the trends likely to define the next decade, and the signals investors should watch as innovation moves from research to commercial reality. The session will help investors distinguish long-term structural change from both short-term hype and early adopter disappointment and better understand how these technologies may influence listed companies across a range of sectors.

9:20 am | High Conviction Ideas
Sanjee Narendran, Head of Funds Management and Education, Teaminvest
Shaun Weick, Portfolio Manager, Wilson Asset Management
Laurence Hart, CEO, Corval Avenue
Fund managers and investment specialists share where they are finding opportunity, what they are avoiding, and how they are thinking about valuation, risk and long-term returns. This session is designed to help investors test their own thinking and identify new areas for research.

10:00 am – 10:30 am | Morning Tea

10:30 am | ETFs: Building Better Portfolios
Hugh Lam, CFA, Investment Strategist, Betashares
Additional panelists to be announced.
ETFs are now a core part of many investor portfolios, but choice and strategy matter. This session will explore how investors can use ETFs for diversification, income, global exposure and thematic investing, while understanding the risks and trade-offs.

10:55 am | Fireside Chat: Woodside CEO, Live from Asia
Liz Wescott, CEO, Woodside
Hear directly from the CEO of one of Australia’s largest energy companies as Liz Westcott discusses Woodside’s strategy, capital allocation, the evolving global energy landscape and the opportunities and challenges shaping long-term shareholder value. This live fireside chat will provide investors with valuable insights into the decisions driving one of the ASX’s leading companies.

11:15 am | Chair Panel: Leadership, Governance and Long-Term Value
Ann Sherry AO, Chancellor, QUT, and Non-Executive Director, National Australia Bank
Duncan West, Chairman and Non-Executive Director, Suncorp
Susan Forrester AM, Board Chair, Non-Executive Director, ASX
Hear directly from experienced company Chairs on how boards think about strategy, performance, risk, culture and shareholder value. This session gives investors a rare opportunity to understand what happens inside the boardroom and what matters when assessing company leadership.

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm | Lunch

1:00 pm | Economic Outlook: Forces Shaping Markets and Investor Confidence
Paul Bloxham, Chief Economist, Australia, New Zealand and Global Commodities at HSBC
Inflation, interest rates, government policy and global uncertainty continue to shape investment markets. In this keynote session, Paul Bloxham will share his outlook for the Australian and global economy, the key risks and opportunities investors should be watching, and what current economic trends could mean for portfolios, retirement planning and investor confidence over the year ahead.

1:40 pm | What Matters to Retail Investors
Samuel Taylor, Principal Lawyer, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Additional panelists to be announced.
Moderator: Rachel Waterhouse, CEO, Australian Shareholders’ Association
Retail shareholders are a diverse group, but many want the same thing: companies that perform, communicate clearly and treat shareholders fairly. This session will explore the issues that matter most to investors, from governance and capital management to transparency, dividends and long-term value.

2:20 pm – 3:00 pm | Energy, Minerals and Critical Resources
Cris Moreno, CEO & Managing Director, Vulcan Energy Resources
Jordan Eliseo, General Manager, ABC Bullion
An additional panelist to be announced.
Resources remain an important part of many Australian portfolios. This session will explore the outlook for gold, silver, energy, lithium, metallurgical coal and other key commodities, and what investors should consider when assessing resource companies, commodity cycles, capital allocation, project risk and policy settings.

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm | Afternoon Tea

3:30 pm | Session to be announced

4:00 pm | Tech Titans: Nasdaq 100 vs Hang Seng TECH
Michael McCarthy, CEO, moomoo
In this session, Moomoo Securities Australia’s CEO Michael and market strategist will compare the Nasdaq 100 Index with the Hang Seng TECH Index. He will explore their recent performance, examine the key similarities and differences between the two markets, and discuss potential investment opportunities for Australian investors

4:30 pm | AI as Intelligence: The Big Opportunities for Shareholders, and How
Dawid Naude, Chief AI Officer, Affinda; CEO & Founder, Pathfindr
Artificial intelligence in business is often framed as a productivity story: faster processes, leaner teams, lower costs. But for shareholders, the bigger opportunity lies elsewhere, in how AI can sharpen the way companies think, decide and compete.

In this session, Dawid Naude will unpack where the real value sits for shareholders and, just as importantly, how forward thinking companies are getting there. Drawing on his work advising business leaders and entrepreneurs, he’ll explore how AI is being used to improve judgement, surface blind spots and strengthen leadership decision making, not just automate the routine.

Delegates will leave with a practical lens for spotting genuine AI opportunity in the companies they hold: what strong adoption looks like in practice, the questions worth asking management, and the signals that separate substantive capability from surface level hype.

From 5:00 pm | Drinks Event, Northside Pool

Tuesday, 15 September

8:30 am | Listed CEO Fireside Chat
Graham Turner, Founder, Global Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Flight Centre Travel Group (ASX: FLT)

9:00 am | Small Cap Growth Stories: Opportunities and Challenges
Adam Davis, CEO, EDU Holdings
Additional panellists to be announced.
Hear directly from small cap CEOs as they discuss growth opportunities, execution challenges, capital management and the decisions shaping their businesses. Investors will gain valuable insights into what drives success and long-term shareholder value in the small cap sector.

9:45 am – 10:15 am | Morning Tea

10:15 am | Listed Investment Companies (LICs): Positioning, Opportunities, and Portfolio Strategy
Panellists to be announced.
Moderator: Ian Irvine, CEO, Listed Association

11:00 am | ASX-Listed Company Leaders Panel: Strategy, Growth, and Shareholder Value
Brad Colledge, CEO & Managing Director, Data#3 Limited
Kitrina Shanahan, CFO, Hub24
Additional panellists to be announced.
How do leading companies create long-term value for shareholders? CEOs will discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping their businesses, including growth strategies, capital allocation, competition, regulation and changing market conditions. Investors will hear directly from company leaders and gain insights into the decisions driving performance and long-term shareholder returns.

11:45 am – 12:45 pm | Lunch

12:45 pm | Power Hour: Investing in the Next Decade
Billy Leung, Senior Investment Strategist, Global X
Helen Mason, Fund Manager, Schroders Investment Management Australia Ltd
Additional panellists to be announced.
Four investment professionals. Four big ideas. One fast-paced session. In this dynamic format, four speakers will present the long-term themes they believe will have the greatest impact on economies, businesses and investors over the decade ahead. Attendees will hear a range of perspectives designed to inspire new thinking and identify future opportunities.

1:45 pm | Demographics, Disruption and the Investor of the Future
Simon Kuestenmacher, Co-Founder & Director, The Demographics Group
Australia and the world are undergoing profound demographic change, and the implications for everyday investors are significant. Ageing populations, intergenerational wealth transfer, migration, housing pressures, workforce shortages and the rise of AI are reshaping how people live, work, spend and invest.

In this forward-looking session, Simon Kuestenmacher will explore the major forces likely to influence the next decade and what they may mean for ASX-listed companies, key sectors and long-term portfolio positioning. From healthcare and housing to infrastructure, financial services, technology and consumer behaviour, Simon will help investors understand the demographic signals worth watching as they consider future opportunities and risks.

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm | Afternoon Tea

During the Summit, you will learn how to:

Understand how AI and robotics are creating new investment opportunities and risks.
Assess the impact of economic and geopolitical trends on markets and portfolios.
Identify opportunities across Australian and global equities, ETFs, resources, and emerging sectors.
Better evaluate company fundamentals, governance, and long-term value.
Ask more informed questions of company leaders and investment professionals.
Strengthen your investment process and make more confident, evidence-based decisions.
Build a portfolio with a long-term perspective in a rapidly changing world.

Investor Welcome

Sunday, 13 September 2026 | 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Join fellow attendees for an informal catch-up before the Summit begins. Set against the beautiful beachside backdrop of The Langham, this relaxed gathering is an opportunity to meet other investors and ASA members ahead of the Monday program. Drinks will be available for purchase at the bar.

Tuesday Investor Workshops

3:00 pm | When to Hold, Trim or Sell: A Practical Framework for Investors
Tim Carleton, Chief Investment Officer, Auscap Asset Management
Knowing when to sell shares is one of the hardest decisions investors face. A falling share price can test conviction, a rising share price can raise valuation concerns, and a changing company story can make it difficult to know whether to hold, trim or exit.

In this practical investor workshop, Tim Carleton, Chief Investment Officer, Auscap Asset Management, will explore how investors can bring greater discipline to sell decisions. Tim will discuss how to assess whether the original investment case remains intact, when valuation or opportunity cost should trigger a reassessment, and what warning signs may indicate that a company’s growth outlook has changed.

The session will also examine common behavioural traps, including holding on too long, selling too early after short-term volatility, becoming anchored to a past share price, or allowing emotion to drive portfolio decisions.

By the end of this workshop, participants will better understand how to:

distinguish between short-term market volatility and a genuine change in the investment case
identify warning signs that may indicate it is time to reassess, trim or exit an investment
consider valuation, opportunity cost and portfolio risk when reviewing a holding
recognise behavioural biases that can undermine sell discipline
use a more structured framework when deciding whether to hold, trim or sell

This educational session will help self-directed investors strengthen their investment process, review portfolio holdings more objectively, and make more disciplined decisions in changing market conditions.

4:00 pm | Using AI in your Investment Research
Nathan Hood, Membership Officer, Australian Shareholders’ Association
Dawid Naude, Chief AI Officer, Affinda; CEO & Founder, Pathfindr
Artificial intelligence is one of the biggest technological shifts investors have seen in decades. The challenge isn’t access to AI – it’s knowing how to use it effectively. While many people are getting generic, unreliable answers, others are using AI to accelerate research, better understand businesses, identify risks, challenge their assumptions, and make more informed investment decisions.

This workshop is designed to help investors and shareholders move beyond the hype and learn practical techniques that can be applied immediately. Through real examples and live demonstrations, you’ll learn how to turn AI into a valuable investing tool rather than just an interesting novelty.

You’ll learn:

Why people are having vastly different AI experiences
What AI is actually good for, and what it’s not
Why people get poor answers from AI
The simple framework for getting better results every time
The different roles AI can play for investors and shareholders
Real-world examples of how investors are using AI today
How to manage context, memory, and ongoing conversations
Better prompts for company research and investment analysis
How to fact-check AI outputs and avoid common pitfalls
Privacy, security, and safe AI practices
A practical checklist for becoming a more effective AI user
Live demonstrations, Q&A, and discussion

The AI workshop will be offered as two concurrent sessions, allowing attendees to choose the session that best suits their experience level.

AI for investors: getting started, with Dawid Naude
A practical introduction for investors who are new to AI and want to understand how it can support research, idea generation and company analysis.
AI for intermediate and experienced investors, with Nathan Hood
A more advanced session for investors already using AI who want to improve how they test ideas, analyse information and apply AI tools in their investment research.

Whether you’re a beginner or already experimenting with AI, you’ll leave with a clear understanding of how to use these tools to save time, improve your research process, and become a more effective investor.

Workshop admission pricing:
Member: $199 | Non-Member: $249
(both workshops are included in your ticket)

Site Tour: Suncorp Disaster Management Centre

Wednesday, 16 September 2026 | 8:00 am – 12:15 pm

Go behind the scenes of one of Australia’s most advanced disaster response operations with an exclusive visit to the Suncorp Disaster Management Centre.

For investors, understanding how an insurer prepares for and responds to natural disasters is increasingly important. Severe weather, claims management, risk pricing, technology investment and customer response all have implications for operational performance, capital management, brand trust and long-term shareholder value.

This unique site tour will provide insights into how Suncorp monitors severe weather events, responds to floods, storms and bushfires, and supports customers and communities during times of crisis.