Highlight Video for the 2025 Forum Below

Rapporteurs Report for the 2025 Australia-Canada Economic Forum.

2025 Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forums Participant’s List (Sydney)

The Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum List of Participants for 2025

2025 AusCan Awards: Exceptional Leaders Under 40 – Meet This Year’s Trailblazers!

We are proud to announce the 2025 AusCan Under Forty Exceptional Leaders Award winners, celebrated during the 9th Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum held in Sydney.

Please join us in congratulating:

🏆 Amanda Brain – Creative Destruction Lab, Melbourne A bold innovator accelerating entrepreneurship and impact through deep tech and mentorship.

🏆 Jahanzaib Ansari – CEO & Co-founder, Knockri A trailblazing tech leader driving inclusive hiring through AI-powered behavioral assessments.

These two outstanding individuals were recognized for their leadership, innovation, and commitment to building a better future for both nations and beyond. The awards were presented by Caitlin Gill of Egon Zehnder, in recognition of the exceptional talent that exemplifies the strength of Australia–Canada collaboration.

The AusCan Awards spotlight the power of collaboration between Australia and Canada. By honouring young changemakers, we invest in a shared future rooted in innovation, inclusion, and global impact.

2025 Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum Program

Our theme for the 2025 Forum, “Trusted Partners: Navigating the Future Together,” highlighted the importance of collaboration in an evolving global landscape. Key discussions focused on timely and critical issues, including geopolitical risks, critical minerals and metals, AI and cybersecurity, and infrastructure. The Forum also emphasized the vital role of Indigenous economic inclusion in shaping a sustainable and prosperous future.

A Vision for the Future: Insights from Our Forum Co-Chairs

2025 AusCan Leadership Forum Media Op Ed

Announcement: 2026 Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum

The next Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum will convene in Vancouver, BC, Canada, in late May 2026. This exclusive, invitation-only event will mark the Forum’s tenth meeting.

The theme and panel sessions will be announced in fall 2025—stay tuned for updates!

Organising Committee

Sam Boutziouvis

Vice-President, Government Relations and Multilateral Development Institutions forAtkinsRealis Canada Inc.

Mr Boutziouvis is based in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, where he oversees high-level relationship management between the Government of Canada and AtkinsROalis’ senior leadership team. He collaborates with senior management and various business units to secure critical political, diplomatic, public service, and crown agency (EDC, CCC) support for the company’s domestic and international market expansion. Sam also represents the corporation by maintaining strategic relationships with multilateral development institutions and national and international industry associations. His extensive experience, including over 20 years with the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (a CEO-based public policy advocacy organization), greatly contributes to his role. During his tenure at the Council, he held increasingly senior positions, including Vice-President, Policy, with a focus on international and fiscal issues. Previously, Sam served as a senior analyst in the Gas Exports Division at the Department of Energy, Mines, and Resources (now NRCan) with the Government of Canada. Sam holds an MA in Public Administration from Carleton University, undergraduate degrees in Economics and Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa, and has completed the Executive Program at the University of Western Ontario.

Kimbalee Clews

Communication & Engagement Manager forATCO Australia

Kimbalee was appointed as the Communications and Engagement Manager at ATCO Australia in 2021. In this role, she manages the New Energy division’s stakeholder and community engagement team, which is the linchpin between ATCO’s commercial project teams, the corporate affairs division and external stakeholders. She is responsible for the development and delivery of ATCO’s stakeholder and communication strategies, media liaison and key stakeholder and government relationship management, in supporting the development and delivery of ATCO’s infrastructure projects across Australia’s eastern states. With more than 25 years’ experience in the energy industry, Kimbalee has previously worked in the retail and corporate divisions of energy providers, as well as for distribution network service providers in NSW. Kimbalee lives with her husband in regional NSW on a small farm and has an adult daughter who is currently completing undergraduate studies at the University of Newcastle.

Cameron Crouch

Manager of International Relations and Portfolio Growth for BHP

Cameron joined BHP in 2017 and has predominantly worked in roles focused on providing geopolitical and public policy advice, and engaging with key government and civil society stakeholders. Prior to joining BHP, Cameron worked as an economics and policy consultant for nine years, working at firms like EY and PwC. Cameron holds a PhD in International Security from the Australian National University, and a Bachelor and Master’s degree from the University of Queensland.

Matthew Doman

Vice President with Crestview Strategy based in Sydney

Mr Doman is a seasoned public affairs professional with over 30 years of experience spanning government, media, industry advocacy, and communications across Australia, Latin America, and the United States. He has a proven track record leading successful campaigns for investment and development. With strong communication skills, political acumen, and media insight, Matt has held senior positions in the Australian oil and gas sector, fostering collaborations between industry, government, and regional communities nationwide. Previously, Matt served as the Public Affairs Director of the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association, the leading industry body, and worked with the International Gas Union. As a former press secretary toAustralian Government Ministers for Finance and Trade, he engaged extensively with foreign governments, industry bodies, and private sector entities. Before his tenure in government and the energy sector, Matt spent 13 years in journalism across Australia, Latin America, and the United States, contributing to reputable publications such as The Australian, The Australian Financial Review, The Economist, and The Financial Times. He holds a Bachelor of Economics from Flinders University of South Australia.

Caitlin Gill

Consultant with Egon Zehnder

An Australian based in Montreal, Ms Gill co-leads the firm’s Canadian Leadership Advisory practice focussing on the assessment, development and recruitment of c-suite leaders across industries. She supports Boards on topics such as CEO succession, Director renewal and activist situations. Prior to Egon Zehnder, Caitlin was a Partner with Boston Consulting Group. Before that she was a senior lawyer at the National Broadband Network. Caitlin began her career at Aliens Linklaters as a Senior Associate in the Mergers and Acquisitions team. Outside of work Caitlin is passionate about finding ways to bring the best of Australia to Canada and vice versa. To that end, she is constantly educating her husband and young son around key topics such as vegemite, cricket and white sand beaches while also learning to ski and ice skate in the Canadian winter.

Trevor Kennedy

Vice-President, Indo-Pacific, Business Council of Canada

Based in Tokyo, Mr Kennedy leads the Council’s work on Canadian business trade and investment ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific. Trevor advises and executes on trade policy initiatives and liaises with Canadian policymakers, foreign officials and international business networks representing key partners. Prior to joining the Council in 2016, Trevor was a Trade Policy Officer at Global Affairs Canada. He also worked with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada as a Junior Research Fellow focused on trade policy. He has lived and worked in Japan with the Japan Exchange (JET) Programme and speaks Japanese. Trevor is a fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and is a member of the Canada-Korea Forum Steering Committee. He holds a Master of Arts in Asia Pacific Policy Studies from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from St. Thomas University, New Brunswick.

Jean-Etienne Leroux

Managing Director, Australia & New Zealand, CDPQ

As head of the region, Mr Leroux also takes an active part in positioning CDPQ as a partner of choice across all asset classes, in promoting CDPQ’s brand image and in representing the organization with the financial and business community, as well as with key stakeholders. He oversees a team of professionals responsible for targeting promising opportunities for CDPQ in the region. The portfolio under his management includes assets in public transportation, water and energy distribution, utilities, toll roads, airports and ports. Mr Leroux is also responsible for the Sydney office, where he has worked since 2015. He joined CDPQ in 2001, first working as Director, then Senior Director, Infrastructure. Prior to that, he was an Analyst, then Director, Investment, Private Equity. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in finance and quantitative methods, as well as a Master’s in Financial Management and Engineering from HEC Montreal. He is a CFA charterholder and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). Mr Leroux sits on the Boards of Directors of Plenary Group Holdings, the Port of Brisbane, the WestConnex (toll roads), Northwest Rapid Transit (Sydney Metro) and Transgrid, the New South Wales electricity transmission network. He is also a past member of the Boards of InTransit BC, the Budapest airport, South East Water UK as well as the Monitoring Committee of Fiera Axium Infrastructure.

Kate Logan

High Commissioner of Australia to Canada

Ms Logan is a senior career officer with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently First Assistant Secretary, Pacific Strategy Division. She previously led the Consular and Crisis Management Division, was Chief of Protocol and Assistant Secretary of the Executive Branch. She was Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs with responsibility for South and South-east Asia and counter-terrorism issues. Her roles overseas include Ambassador to Greece, Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Paris, Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian High Commission in Colombo, and Second Secretary at the Australian Embassy in Athens. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) majoring in international law and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Melbourne. In 1994 she completed a Graduate Diploma in Foreign Affairs and Trade from the Australian National University. She speaks French and Greek.

Sarah Quigley

Acting Consul General of Canada in Sydney

Sarah Quigley joined Global Affairs Canada in 2007 after practicing law with Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. Sarah has served in the Office of the Deputy Minister of International Trade and in the International Law Bureau. Outside of headquarters, Sarah has served in Washington, DC as Special Advisor to the Canadian Ambassador to the United States and in the Pacific Regional Official in Vancouver. Sarah now represents Canada as the Acting Consul General of Canada in Sydney.

Natalie Stirling

Executive Director, Strategy, Membership and Engagement, Business Council of Australia

With over two decades of diverse experience in stakeholder relations, partnerships, brand advocacy and strategic communications, Natalie heads up the membership services function and engagement of over 130 Chief Executives of Australia’s largest companies, and their representatives. Prior to this role, Natalie worked as a senior party official directing fundraising for both the Victorian and Federal Liberal Party of Australia, building on strong corporate and political connections before moving to the BCA following the Liberal Party’s success at the 2019 Federal Election. Earlier in her career, Natalie managed business units in organisations covering corporate and major events, marketing, and sponsorship. Natalie holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Auckland.

Julie Sunday

High Commissioner of Canada to Australia

Dr Sunday joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2005. Most recently, she served as Assistant Deputy Minister for the Consular, Security and Emergency Management Branch, and led Canada’s consular policy and operations; travel advice; and international emergency policy, operations and response. She also spearheaded efforts to advance the Canada-led Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations. She was named Canada’s first Senior Official for Hostage Affairs in October 2023 and has led diplomatic engagement to support the release of hostages abroad. At Global Affairs Canada, Dr Sunday has served as Director for Science, Technology and Innovation; Director General and Adviser to the Chief Financial Officer; Director General, Security and Emergency Management, and Chief Security Officer; and Director General for Pandemic Response (2021), a role in which she led the department’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution campaign. She has also served at two of Canada’s central agencies—the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Privy Council Office—and was director general of Clean Technology Innovation at Natural Resources Canada.

Bradley Sutherland

Senior Manager, Business Development atAir Canada

Bradley joined Air Canada in 2016, managing some of Air Canada’s top corporate travel accounts. Today, Bradley and his team look after Air Canada’s new corporate contracting program and the Air Canada MICE (Meetings & Events) program. The team is also responsible for representing Air Canada in the B2B space across Canada. Bradley is proud to serve on the board of Meetings Means Business Canada, SITE Canada, Destination Canada Business Events Advisory Board, Alphabet Sports Collective and the Canada — India Business Council.

Deirdra Tindale

Vice President, Crestview Strategy

Mrs Tindale is a seasoned corporate affairs professional with extensive experience in the global resources sector. Previous to her new role at Crestview Strategy, Deirdra was Head of Corporate Affairs for Rio Tinto in Canada as well as the company’s global Aluminium business. Deirdra spent 10 years in Australia working across all areas of Corporate Affairs, first with BHP and then Pilbara Ports Authority. She started her time with BHP in London, supporting exploration projects in West Africa. Deirdra started her career in politics as Director of Communications to cabinet ministers responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Industry, and Canadian Heritage. She has a master’s degree in political science from University Laval and a bachelor’s degree from Laurentian University. A passionate advocate for diversity, Deirdra was named the 2018 Gender Diversity Champion in NSW Mining. Deirdra lives in Montreal with her husband and daughter.

Michelle Webster

Australia’s Consul-General and Trade and Investment Commissioner

Ms Webster is based in Toronto and oversees the consular teams in Toronto and Vancouver. She also leads the investment and trade directors to promote collaboration between Australia and Canada. Known for her strategic thinking, team leadership and stakeholder engagement skills, Michelle has represented Austrade and Australia in China, Japan, India and in the Federal Trade and Investment Minister’s office in Canberra. She brings significant experience providing high-level strategic advice in corporate and government settings to advance Australia’s strengths in trade and investment. Michelle joined Austrade after a career in financial and creative services in Australia, Canada and the UK, including with BT Funds Management, the Australian Film Commission, NBC and the BBC. Most recently, Michelle was based in Sydney serving as Austrade’s NSW State Lead and previously as head of the Americas and Europe desk for the Government and Policy Division. She speaks German and Spanish.