Now in its third year, the Forbes Australia Women’s Summit – themed “Building What’s Next” – brings together the brightest minds and boldest ideas for one powerful day dedicated to the women designing the future.
Curated by Forbes Australia editor-in-chief Sarah O’Carroll, the Summit is dedicated to unlocking new thinking and translating ideas into impact.
Delving deep into “What’s next”, the Summit features influential leaders, founders, creators and innovators sharing the ideas and strategies shaping the decade ahead.
Speakers at the Forbes Australia 2026 Women’s Summit include:
• Megan Gale, friend of the brand for Lancôme
• Geraldine Slattery, President Australia, BHP
• Satya Tammareddy, Head of Go-To-Market, Australia and New Zealand, OpenAI
• Bruna Papandrea, Emmy and Golden Globe-winning Producer, Founder and CEO, Made Up Stories
• Kayla Itsines, Author, Entrepreneur, Co-Founder, Sweat
• Monica Saunders-Weinberg, Co-Vice Chair, Terrace Tower Group
• Susie Grehl, Executive General Manager – Wealth & Private, CBA
• Chloe Fisher, Entrepreneur, Author, Podcaster and Content Creator
• Katrina Leslie, Founder and Chairman, swipejobs
• Bahar Etminan, Founder and Editor, Ageless Radiance Club
• Trish Botha, Managing Director, Australian Indigenous AI Solutions
• Annie Liao, Founder, Build Club
• Grace Toombs, Founder, June Health
• Alexis Fernandez-Preiska, Neuroscientist, Performance Coach and Podcaster, Do You F***ing Mind?
More speakers will be announced soon.
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“The Women’s Summit exists to surface ideas that actually move things forward,” said Sarah O’Carroll, Editor-in-Chief, Forbes Australia. “Every speaker has something genuinely useful to say. Not a highlight reel, but real insight, real data and real lessons from the front line of whatever they’re building.
“Now in its third year, the Forbes Australia Women’s Summit goes from strength to strength. This year’s lineup – including Megan Gale, Kayla Itsines, BHP’s Australian head Geraldine Slattery, TV producer Bruna Papandrea and tech entrepreneur Katrina Leslie – is a testament to its growing success and impact.
“From AI and neuroscience to entrepreneurship and women’s health, this year’s lineup reflects the full breadth of what it means to be building something that matters right now – and in the future,” she said.
“The conversations that begin at the Forbes Australia Women’s Summits have a habit of changing lives. We often hear stories from women who attended the summit about how the day changed something for them.”
“We are incredibly proud to be the official presenting partner of the Forbes Australia Women’s Summit,” said Melanie Craig, Lancôme Brand Director.
“This partnership is a powerful reflection of Lancôme’s commitment to celebrating female leadership and empowerment on a global stage. We are especially excited to share our pioneering work in Longevity Science, which represents the next frontier of skin health and vitality. At its core, our research is about more than beauty. It’s about resilience and ensuring women feel their most vibrant at every stage of life. It is a privilege to support a platform that inspires the trailblazers of today and tomorrow.”
Forbes Australia today also announced Commonwealth Private as Platinum Partner of the Women’s Summit, and Cartier W0men’s Initiative as a Spotlight Partner.
Susie Grehl, Executive General Manager – Wealth & Private, CBA, said: “At Commonwealth Private, we see extraordinary women leading change across every sector. Partnering with Forbes Australia for their Women’s Summit allows us to celebrate those leaders and connect them with the next generation of innovators.”
Forbes Australia Group Director, Head of Commercial, Media and Advertising, Stephanie Antonis, said: “Forbes Australia is building one of the most influential communities of women in the country. Partnering with Lancôme for the 2026 Women’s Summit brings a global beauty icon into a deeply engaged, high-intent environment, and reinforces the confidence blue-chip brands have in our brand as a platform for premium storytelling, brand building and growth.”
The Forbes Australia 2026 Women’s Summit:
• Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
• Venue: Illumina, 1 Elizabeth Street, Sydney
• Presented by: Lancôme
• Tickets: Available now.