Ashley McGrath
Pronoun
Chief Executive Officer
CEOs for Gender Equity
Dr Ashley McGrath is a gender equity trailblazer on a mission to bridge the gap between awareness, intention and action. Ashley leads CEOs for Gender Equity, a for-purpose organisation which seeks to accelerate gender equity by inspiring and supporting CEOs to take action. Ashley received a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) for her research which aims to increase the inclusion and diversity of women in the mining industry.
SESSIONS
Day 1
3:25
Mini Leadership Labs
Lab A: Resilience in High-Pressure Environments
The rules keep changing. Priorities shift. Teams are stretched thin. Learn how to lead decisively through ambiguity, protect momentum when others are burning out, and stay anchored when the pressure builds.
Jaki Virtue, Chief Operating Officer, Soul Patts
Lab B: Building Authentic Executive Presence and Self-Belief
Develop your leadership confidence by understanding how to back yourself, speak with authority, and position yourself for progression.
Penny George, Director of Corporate Affairs, AstraZeneca
Lab C: Leading Inclusion with Impact
Build the confidence and capability to lead inclusively, challenge bias, and drive a culture of equity—wherever you sit in the organisation.
Ashley McGrath, Chief Executive Officer, CEOs for Gender Equity
Lab D: Leading High-Performing Teams
Unpack what it really takes to build and sustain a team that consistently delivers results. This lab focuses on the behaviours, systems and leadership practices that drive accountability, trust and performance for long-term success – even in the face of conflict, underperformance, or team dysfunction – to support long-term success.
Anne Cavalieros, General Manager, Performance, Reward and People Technology, nbn Australia
Day 2
9:40
CEO Panel: Stronger Together – Building Trust, Influence and Impact
Who gets heard, backed, and seen – and how leaders are shifting that power dynamic
What it really takes to build trust across teams with diverse backgrounds and lived experience
Personal examples of allyship in action and how it made a difference
Embedding accountability and navigating discomfort with courage
Moderator: Ashley McGrath, Chief Executive Officer, CEOs for Gender Equity
Catherine Hunter, Chief Executive Officer, Diversity Council Australia
Rachel David, Chief Executive Officer, Private Healthcare Australia
Soraya Alali, ANZ Chief Executive Officer, Zip Co
Andrew Yates, Chief Executive Officer, KPMG Australia