The PeopleFirst
Global Summit ’26

Ryan McGrory
MD, Australasia
Inspiring Workplaces

Intro and About IW

James Comer, Resmed
Alex Pusenjak, Fluent Commerce
Nicole Karagiannis, People Purpose

Behind the Entries: What Makes an Inspiring Workplace Stand Out

Sophie Taylor, Pest2Kill
Sharon Lindner, LIW

Small Team, Big Impact: Creating an Inspiring Workplace Without a Big Budget

Sarah McCarthy, One School Global

Design of work: Creating an environment where people can thrive

Douglas Pharmaceuticals

Winner Showcase: How Douglas Pharmaceuticals Puts People First

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Chardelle Nicholls Gallagher, Benefit Services
Lauren Jepson, Contact Energy

Culture at Scale: Keeping Work Human in Complex Organisations

Patrick Aouad, CU Health

Ryan McGrory, Inspiring Workplaces

Closing the Region

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work

DevOn

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Mr. Gurbax Singh
Managing Director
EagleBurgmann India Pvt. Ltd

Mr.  Dinesh Duggal
Executive Director
EagleBurgmann India Pvt. Ltd

Sealing Human Relations with Business Success: Lessons from 50 Years of Building a People-First Workplace

For more than five decades, EagleBurgmann India has built sustainable business success by placing people at the heart of its growth journey. This session explores how a strong people-first culture, grounded in trust, care, and employee-centric leadership, has contributed to high retention, strong engagement, organizational resilience, and long-term business performance.

Through practical examples and real-life experiences, including successfully navigating organizational changes during the COVID-19 period, the speakers will share how investments in employee well-being, family engagement, career development, inclusive leadership, and continuous improvement have helped create a motivated and future-ready workforce. The discussion will also highlight how evolving workplace policies and processes are being redesigned to meet the changing expectations of new generations of employees while ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of decision-making.

Attendees will gain insights into building workplace cultures where employees feel valued, empowered, and inspired to contribute their best every day, demonstrating how a people-centric approach drives innovation, adaptability, and lasting business success.

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Dr Jerry Gule
Director | Coach
Gule Executive Coaching (Pty) Limited

Creating a Culture of Joy and Happiness in the Workplace

In a bid to drive high performance, productivity and realize better returns, organizations relentlessly push their people to breaking point. In the process joy and happiness gets driven out the door which leaves teams feeling robotic, stressed and frustrated by the demand to do perform even more. Humans are wired for connection, joy and laughter. When the workplace is devoid of key ingredients of matters to people life becomes boring and worthless. In the circumstances some people may perceive themselves as being of not being valued.

This talk shows how to reclaim and embed humanness in the workplace to energize teams to truly enjoy and value their contribution and to feel positive and energized. It shows how when people are happy and joyful can drive productivity and success in sustainable ways.

The talk also provides practical ways those in charge of teams can remove workplace barriers and create a culture of joy and happiness in the workplace and how that can benefit individuals, the organization and the community in general.

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work

American Creativity Academy

An Inspiring Talk From…

Jocquine Charbel
Behavioral Strategist & Organisational Consultant
The SHIFT™ Framework

The SHIFT™ Framework: Building Human Readiness for the Future of Work

Drawing on elements of The SHIFT™ Framework, Jocquine will explore how behavioural strategy and decision-making insights can help leaders and teams navigate change. This presentation offers a high-level evaluation of the root causes behind organisational reactions and how to strengthen human capability in today’s workplace.

Karin Volo
CEO
Evoloshen

Is Your AI Innovation Draining Your People?

The AI Disruption Equation — from empty to energized

Everyone’s racing to adopt AI but innovation without trust quietly drains the very people it’s meant to empower, leaving teams anxious, exhausted, and resistant. This session hands leaders the AI Disruption Equation: a clear way to see what’s really happening beneath the surface, and how to turn that energy drain into momentum that lets teams thrive.

What people walk away with:

A talk from Inspiring Workplace Winner…

Suzi Archer
Director of Internal Communications
Norgine

Culture Transformation Without the Fairy Tale

Culture transformation is often presented as a destination. In reality, it’s messy, non-linear and never really finished.

Over the last three years, Norgine has moved from a fragmented employee experience to a more connected, purpose-led culture recognised externally for engagement, employee experience and workplace culture. But the progress wasn’t driven by a single initiative, framework or playbook. It came through listening, experimentation, leadership alignment and a willingness to adapt as business priorities evolved.

This session shares the realities of Norgine’s journey: what worked, what didn’t, and how our approach evolved from building momentum to sustaining performance. From embedding employee voice and creating meaningful employee experiences to navigating organisational change, operational challenges and rapid business transformation

Laura Meakin
Senior Employer Branding Manager
Genting Casinos UK

Building An Inspiring Workplace in a 24/7 Industry

Nick Lavin
Head of Global Communications & Brand, Nineteen Group

From Megaphone to Telephone: Making Culture Something People Can Feel

Great workplace culture is not defined by values written on a wall or a calendar of employee initiatives. It is defined by what people experience every day.

In this practical case study, Nick Lavin shares how Nineteen Group has worked to build and maintain a people-first culture while growing as an international business. He will explore the importance of communication as a conversation rather than a broadcast, creating meaningful recognition and connection, and deliberately investing in people and their development.

Nick will also share some of the lessons Nineteen has learned as it has grown, including why culture does not automatically scale, and the importance of designing the employee experience you want to create rather than simply introducing more initiatives.

Richard Roberts
Founder
EnRich HR

Inspire your workplace by being a force for good

There has never been a more important time to build a business that stands for something. Today’s employees want more than a good salary. They want to know that the organisation they work for makes a positive contribution – to its customers, its communities, the environment and society as a whole.

And when they do people feel more connected to their work. They become more engaged. More motivated. Because inspiring workplaces don’t just have great cultures internally – they create a positive impact externally too.

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

POD

Bharat Siyani
VP People & Culture
Breathe & ELMO Group UK

Helen Bissett, founder
Kirsty Beckett, Client Director
H&H Agency

Reawaken the Spirit of Work

Culture at work isn’t what we say it is. It’s how people experience it every day. And right now, for too many people, that experience feels flat, fragmented and transactional.

Work is big part of life. It can be where people grow, connect, contribute and become more of themselves. But too often, workplaces leave too much of that potential untapped.

Through evidence, storytelling and sharp reflection, this session explores what helps people feel more alive at work, why connection and energy matter, and what we need to do to create the conditions where the sheer brilliance of people can fully emerge. Not someday in the future. Now.

Emma Bridger
Co-Founder
The EX Space

The People-First revolution: One year on

What’s changed, what hasn’t….and what needs to happen next

At last year’s People 1st Summit, Emma Bridger argued that the People profession was at a once-in-a-generation turning point. AI was transforming work, human capabilities were becoming more valuable, and People professionals had an opportunity to become designers of better, more human experiences.

One year on, AI has accelerated, but has the People profession changed with it?

In this honest and provocative follow-up, Emma will revisit the ideas she shared last year and ask what has genuinely shifted, where familiar ways of working remain stubbornly embedded, and whether organisations are really becoming more people-first.

Drawing on what she has observed inside organisations over the past year, Emma will explore why good intentions, more listening and new technology are not enough. Becoming genuinely people-first requires a more fundamental shift: from expert-led delivery to understanding people’s lived experience, designing with rather than for them, and continually testing and learning what works.

Emma will introduce a practical ‘Insight → Design → Practice’ approach and challenge People professionals to consider what they need to do differently next.

The session will give you:

• An honest assessment of how the People profession is responding to the changing world of work
• A clearer understanding of what being genuinely people-first means in practice
• Insight into why considerable activity and investment do not always create meaningful change
• A practical approach for moving from expert-led delivery to people-first design
• Three important shifts they can begin making within their own work

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Gemma Price
CEO
Hubgem

Culture by Design: How We Built an Inspiring Workplace, Fully Remote

In 2019, Gemma Price launched HubGem as a solo consultant with no capital behind her. Today, HubGem is a fully remote team of 26 recognised as the world’s #1 Happiest Workplace in 2026, with retention above 90%, hundreds of happy customers worldwide, and five-star Glassdoor reviews maintained since the business began.

In this session, Gemma shares the real story behind that culture — the decision, made while hiring her very first employee, to protect culture over speed of growth, and what that has meant in practice ever since: a dedicated People & Culture Manager from a very early stage, a leadership programme built around psychological safety, and a set of remote-first rituals designed to keep a distributed team genuinely connected. This isn’t a highlights reel of perks. It’s a practical look at what it actually takes to build and sustain culture inside a growing, fully remote business — including what worked, what didn’t, and the mindset shift that made the difference. Attendees will leave with ideas they can adapt for their own teams, wherever they’re working from.

A case study from Silver Cloud HR

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James Malia, President UK & Europe, Prezzee (host and moderator)
Claire Hunter, Papier
Nicola Shaw, Warner Music

More meaning, less budget: employee appreciation that makes an impact

How Prezzee and leading People teams are making recognition count when every pound has to work harder

Tight budgets, rising expectations. Prezzee’s James Malia hosts People leaders from Papier and Warner Music to share what really makes employee appreciation land, backed by findings from the Prezzee Employee Engagement Barometer. Learn how to make recognition budgets work harder and why planning early for the festive season builds a year-round culture of recognition.

What viewers will learn:

• Practical ways to sustain engagement and appreciation during continued economic pressure
• How different organisations are making limited recognition budgets work harder
• What employees value beyond pay, informed by Prezzee Employee Engagement Barometer data
• How to use festive planning as part of a broader, year-round engagement strategy
• Real-world lessons that can be adapted to different workforce sizes, sectors and cultures

Gustavo Tavares
Head of Talent Solutions  | Latam Ambassador & Judge
Aon | Inspiring Workplaces

The EVP Delivery Gap

How the credibility of an employer brand relies on consistency between what companies promise and what employees perceive

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Raffaella Galluzzi
Global Head of Learning & Development
Hitachi Energy

Clarissa Deneno
Induction Project Lead
Hitachi Energy

From Orientation to Belonging: Reimagining Induction for a People-First Workplace

In today’s fast-changing world of work, first impressions matter more than ever. Yet many organizations continue to view induction as a one-time administrative activity rather than a strategic opportunity to shape culture, engagement, and long-term success.

In this session, Raffaella Galluzzi (Global Head of Learning & Development) and Clarissa Deneno (Induction Project Lead) will share how Hitachi Energy redesigned its global induction journey to create a more meaningful, people-centered experience for new hires. Moving beyond traditional onboarding, the approach focuses on helping employees connect with purpose, culture, community, and opportunities for growth from day one.

Built around four interconnected pillars, the program provides a structured yet flexible framework that guides employees through their first months in the organization. By combining learning, manager involvement, social connection, and practical support, it creates a consistent experience across countries and business units while remaining relevant to local needs.

Drawing on practical insights and lessons learned, Raffaella and Clarissa will explore the mindset, design principles, and stakeholder partnerships that enabled this transformation. They will share how organizations can move beyond transactional onboarding to create experiences that foster belonging, accelerate integration, and strengthen the connection between people and business goals. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas for transforming induction into a powerful driver of engagement, retention, and organizational culture.

Key Takeaways

• Why induction is a critical moment in the employee experience.
• How to design onboarding journeys that foster belonging and inclusion.
• Practical lessons from a global induction transformation.
• How effective induction supports talent retention, performance, and culture.
• Approaches for delivering a consistent and holistic employee experience across a complex, matrixed global organization.

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Luis Barreto
Division Vice President for Latin America
TaskUS, Inc.

The Culture-First Advantage: Designing Employee Experiences That Fuel Performance and Retention

What does it take to build a workplace people actually want to stay in? This session explores the core employee experience strategies driving retention and performance across Latin America, from competitive benefits to career pathing and recognition. Drawing on TaskUs’ culture-first approach, learn actionable frameworks for creating an environment where talent thrives.

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Chris Littlefield
Founder | Keynote Speaker on Employee Appreciation and Workplace Culture
Beyond Thank You

Stronger Together: Simple Ways to Stay Connected and Work Better Together in Times of Uncertainty

Restructuring. Acquisitions. Layoffs. Shifting priorities. Constant political and global uncertainty. In the middle of it all, we’re all being asked to do more with less.

It’s no surprise people are overwhelmed, burned out, and disconnected. When we live in a constant state of survival mode, it’s hard to remember to invest time and energy in the relationships that make work better. Silos grow, conversations become harder, and people spend more time working around each other than with each other.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Workplace culture expert and international conflict-resolution facilitator Chris Littlefield will help us slow down, laugh, and remember to see the humanity in the people we work with every day. Together, we’ll explore the essential skills and practical, no-fluff actions leaders can use to build trust, strengthen psychological safety, stay connected, and build the relationships that help us navigate uncertainty together.

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Catherine Marvin
Senior Director, Communications
Macmillan Publishers

What We Do Matters: How Macmillan Publishers Turns Values Into Impact 

At Macmillan Publishers, our work starts with a belief in the power of books and stories to make a difference. But creating impact means looking beyond what we publish to how we invest in our people, our communities, and the causes connected to who we are.

In this session, Catherine Marvin, Senior Director, Communications at Macmillan Publishers, will share how Macmillan has worked to turn its values into meaningful action. From investing in employees’ growth and creating opportunities for them to give back, to building MacImpact, the company’s corporate social responsibility program, and expanding its focus on literacy and access to books, she’ll explore how connecting employees to real-world impact can strengthen culture, create community, and remind people why the work they do matters.

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Edward Kruger, MBA, SHRM-SCP
Senior Human Resources Business Partner
Ocean State Job Lot

Mobility Made Simple: The Blueprint for Placing Leadership Talent at Scale and Speed

During a rapid expansion in 2025, we realized that relying on spreadsheets, intuition, and reactive decision-making for leadership mobility wasn’t sustainable. We needed to get the right, experienced leaders into new territories, fast.  Join us for a 30-minute session where we reveal how we stripped out the noise and built a proven 6-step blueprint for placing high-performing leaders at scale and speed.  

You will learn how to:

• Assess leaders efficiently and gauge their willingness to relocate. 
• Utilize a weighted scorecard to measure current performance against crucial KPIs.
• Integrate this data into a simplified tool to instantly identify promotion-ready candidates.
• Establish a proactive committee to make data-driven, strategic people moves and ensure smooth backfills.
• Stop reacting to vacancies.

Discover the mobility blueprint that is paying dividends in 2026 and beyond at the Inspiring Workplaces Global Summit! 

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Kelly Duff
Employee Experience Manager
Sentinel Technologies

Amplifying Impact Through Connection – How Human Connection Creates Extraordinary Workplaces

What if the key to building a thriving workplace isn’t another program or policy, but the quality of human connection? I’ll explore why connection remains one of the most important leadership and culture-building skills in today’s workplace. Through personal stories, lessons learned while helping strengthen culture during a period of unprecedented workplace disruption, and practical examples from Sentinel Technologies’ award-winning employee experience initiatives, I’ll demonstrate how intentional moments of connection can foster belonging, strengthen teams, and create workplaces where people genuinely want to be. Attendees will leave with practical ideas they can immediately apply to build stronger relationships, elevate employee experience, and amplify organizational impact.

Laura Cooke
Co-Founder & CEO
Positive Foundry

What Culture Is Actually Made Of

We treat culture and development like neighbors that are competing for the same budget and calendar space. This talk makes the case that they’re not neighbors at all: development is the actual mechanism that builds culture, not a program that sits beside it. And as AI reshapes what we’re asking our people to carry, closing the gap between who we say we’ll develop and who we actually develop has never been more urgent.

Key Takeaways

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Courtney Zehnder
People & Culture Brand Manager
RS

Small Team, Big Impact

What do you do when you’re tasked with elevating the employee experience, strengthening your employer brand, and driving engagement, all without additional resources?

In this engaging and practical session, Courtney Zehnder shares the scrappy strategies, creative mindset, and proven playbook she has used throughout her career to transform limitations into opportunities. Drawing from real-world experiences and lessons learned, she’ll show you how to build influence, leverage partnerships, and create meaningful impact, even without a large team or budget. Whether you’re an HR team of one or part of a lean organization, you’ll walk away with actionable ideas, a fresh perspective, and the confidence to bring your biggest ideas to life.

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

Cal Rolle, Head of Culture
Dr. Tarek Kaoun, Head of Leadership Development & Talent Management
Novo Nordisk Canada Inc

Harnessing Emotional Intelligence: The Force Behind Culture, Leadership and Change

Sustaining a culture where people grow, adapt and thrive. At Novo Nordisk Canada, emotional intelligence is the force connecting our culture, leadership, and change management efforts. The session will explore how emotional intelligence influenced our 2025 and 2026 people strategy. Prepare to learn about culture champions, change readiness, coaching, leadership development, and employee growth. Results will support stronger connections, more meaningful conversations, and a more inspiring workplace.

An Inspiring Talk from

Jason Lauritsen
Co-Founder and CEO
Check-In To Thrive

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

A case study from Inspiring Place to Work…

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