MBA Strategy and Leadership Forum 2022

Strategy and Leadership Insights for Uncertain Times.

The UWA Business School Strategy & Leadership Forum is an immersive experience to come together and hear from influential business leaders about topical strategic issues, career development and leadership innovations. It’s hosted on the beautiful UWA campus and the program is designed so that participants can share ideas and best practice in industry with their peers. 

This year’s forum will be presented by industry leaders from the Mining and Resources Sector and Financial Services.  

Emcee

Peter van Onselen, UWA Professor Politics and Public Policy

Peter van Onselen, is a politics and public policy professor at the University of Western Australia, author, political journalist and commentator.

About the speakers

Alex Atkins, Non-executive Director of ASX listed Mining Companies

Alex Atkins is a Non-executive Director of various ASX listed mining companies. She is a mining engineer, geologist and geotechnical engineer with an MBA(Finance). She is a Chartered Professional Fellow of The AusIMM and Engineers Australia. For the first half of her 25+ year career Alex worked in site operations roles in multiple commodities and jurisdictions. She later pivoted to consulting and regulation, becoming WA’s first female District Inspector of Mines. She has served as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Advisor & Principal Engineer at various mining consultancies. 

Mark Barnaba AM CitWA

Mark is an Independent Director with a broad range of international experience in finance, commerce and natural resources. He has extensive and particularly diverse experience at board level in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. He is currently a member of the Board (and Chairman of the Audit Committee) of the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Deputy Chairman and Lead Independent Director at Fortescue Metals Group (one of Australia’s largest and most successful companies). In 2015 Mark was named a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant service to the investment banking and financial sector, to business education, and to sporting and cultural organisations.

Sam Michael, Executive Chair of OXMT and UWA Adjunct Senior Lecturer

Sam Michael worked in Formula 1 for 21 years, covering all aspects of race car performance and reliability engineering for Lotus, Jordan, Williams and McLaren. As Technical Director at Williams and Sporting Director at McLaren, he also contributed to the FIA Technical and Sporting Working Groups. Today, Sam is the FIA President of the Safety Commission for global motorsport.

Sam is now the Exec Chair of OXMT – a software company applying machine learning to the optimisation of maintenance in capital intensive industries such as mining and rail. He is also an adjunct senior lecturer at UWA for Leadership in Maintenance (MGMT5512).

Virginia Christie, Governing Body Member of the Economic Regulation Authority

Virginia has had over 20 years’ experience at the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Commonwealth Treasury in Canberra. She has also worked in other senior roles both offshore and in Australia. She currently serves on the Governing Body of the Economic Regulation Authority in WA, is a Director for the Government Employees Superannuation Fund (GESB) and is a Ministerial appointee for ASIC on its Insolvency and Disciplinary Committee. Prior to this she has served as a non-executive director for Keystart Loans Ltd, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA and was a member of the Foundation and Board of Management at St Mary's Anglican Girls' School.