18-19 March 2026 | Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia
Where Real Engagement Meets Real Opportunity
Customer Contact Week ANZ 2026 - Day One
8:15 am - 8:40 am
CCW 2026 Registration Kicks-off
8:40 am - 8:45 am
IQPC Opening Remarks | Event Director's Opening Speech
8:45 am - 9:00 am
Chairs Opening Remarks |
Claire Cunningham -
Founder and Managing Director,
The Customer Connexion /Coles
8:55 am - 9:20 am
Keynote Panel | The CX Tipping Point: What 2026 (and Beyond) Demands from Contact Centres
Wes Self -
Chief Operating Officer,
GMHBA
Customer expectations, workforce dynamics, and technology adoption are all reaching a tipping point. This panel brings together senior leaders to explore what the next phase of customer contact looks like and how organisations can prepare now for what’s coming in 2026 and beyond.
Key Takeaway - Understand the critical shifts shaping the next era of customer contact and identify practical steps to future-proof your organisation.
9:20 am - 9:50 am
Partner Keynote | Break the Metrics Trap - Win With Trusted Human-Centred Intelligence
Shehara Hapugalle -
CX Specialist,
Zoom
Kris Ram - Chief Executive Officer, CDM Direct
Too often CX strategy starts and ends with metrics handle time, cost per contact, service levels. Those are outputs, not outcomes. In 2026, the winners will be organisations that untangle customer experience from old scorecards and reframe it around trust, context and real human connection supported by intelligence.
Join Kris Ram, CEO of CDM Direct and Shehara Hapugalle, Zoom CX Specialist, and learn:
- how AI-powered workflows transformed fragmented processes into seamless, insight-driven conversations.
- How to turn AI to a “superpower layer,” to let agents focus on what truly matters
- How to rethink your CX playbook and explore modern, intelligent platforms can support your CX transformation.
Sponsored by: Zoom
9:50 am - 10:20 am
Panel Discussion | The Executive Playbook: Balancing Growth, Technology and People in 2026
Wes Self -
Chief Operating Officer,
GMHBA
Leonna Sanderson - Chief Operations Officer, Equifax ANZ
Kanika Puri - Chief Operating Officer, Fast Cover
This discussion brings together senior leaders to share how they’re balancing innovation with operational discipline, ensuring people and technology work together to power growth.
Key Takeaway - Understand how a holistic approach to people, processes, and technology can power growth while maintaining operational discipline.
10:20 am - 10:40 am
Real-world Lessons Learned from Deploying AI for Customer Experience
Ben Hancock -
Manager of Customer Service Automation Digital and AI,
NICE
Paul Judd - Senior Solution Architect, Optus
Drawing on real-world experience deploying AI in enterprise customer service environments, this session explores the practical lessons organisations are learning as AI moves from experimentation to production. While the vision for AI in customer experience is ambitious, successful programs are built on strong foundations—from the information AI relies on, to selecting the right problems to solve first. This session will share insights into what separates promising pilots from scalable AI initiatives that deliver measurable business value.
Beyond the technology itself, delivering AI in customer experience requires alignment across the organisation and a willingness to learn quickly once solutions are live. Ben Hancock, NiCE will discuss the importance of collaboration across teams, the role of testing and evaluation, and how continuous feedback and analytics allow organisations to rapidly improve AI performance. Complementing these perspectives, Paul Judd from Optus will focus on the human and operational side of AI adoption, including change management, organisational readiness, and preparing teams to successfully support AI-driven customer experience.
Sponsored by: NiCE
10:40 am - 11:25 am
IN CONVERSATION WITH ADAM GILCHRIST | MASTERING THE GAME OF LEADERSHIP AND PERFORMANCE
Adam Gilchrist -
Leadership Keynote,
Cricket Australia
When the stakes are high and the spotlight never fades, true leadership is revealed.
Adam Gilchrist — one of the most admired cricketers of all time, record-breaking wicketkeeper-batsman, and Vice-Captain of Australia’s most dominant sporting era — joins CCW 2026 for a rare and exclusive conversation on leadership, performance, and the mindset of champions.
Across three World Cup victories and countless unforgettable innings, Gilchrist redefined what it means to perform under pressure and lead with integrity. In this inspiring, behind-the-scenes session, he shares how to:
- Build and sustain a high-performance culture where every individual feels part of the win
- Lead through scrutiny, challenge, and change — staying grounded while the world is watching
- Unlock the mental resilience needed to thrive at the top
- Balance ambition, teamwork, and authenticity in moments that define careers
With untold stories from the dressing room, lessons from the field, and a live audience Q&A, this session promises an unforgettable mix of motivation, honesty, and humour — leaving every CCW attendee fired up to lead, perform, and play their best game.
This is an unmissable moment. One stage. One morning. One legend. Only at CCW 2026
11:25 am - 12:00 pm
Morning Recharge in the Expo
Fuel up, connect, and explore - your chance to grab a coffee, meet solution partners, and spark new conversations across Australia’s customer contact leadership community.
Interactive Discussion Groups
IDG A
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG A | The Elastic Contact Centre: Orchestrating Voice Beyond the Static IVR Blake Rowley - ..Senior Manager, Product Specialist APJ, TwilioChristopher Connolly - Director, Presales Engineering APJ, Twilio
IDG B
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG B | Reimagining Workforce Enablement Jacky Karam - Manager Omni-Channel Services, P&N Bank
IDG C
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG C | Modernising the Contact Centre Stack Kerry McCarty - Customer Service Manager / Lead, Z Energy NZ
IDG D
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG D | Proactive, Predictive, PersonalisedSponsored by: HCLTech
IDG E
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG E | AI Governance, Ethics, & Transparency Laurence Fonsdituri - Head of Client Growth, Noble Oak
IDG F
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG F | Back to Basics: Are We Fixing the Right Problems Before Investing in More Technology? Manuela Metz - Head of Contact Centre, Australian Motoring ServicesSarah Chamberlain - Head of Customer Operations, Australian Motoring Services
IDG G
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG G | Measuring What Matters: KPIs Challenged, Disrupted, and Reimagined Marie Andriopoulos - Manager Customer Service and Experience, VETASSESS
IDG H
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG H | Government Service Equity & Accessibility by Design
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Networking Lunch & VIP Hosted Lunches
Join us in the expo hall for a relaxed networking lunch with the full Customer Contact community - connect with peers, explore the exhibition, and recharge for the afternoon ahead. For invited guests, exclusive VIP lunches will run concurrently - bringing senior customer contact leaders and select partners together for high-impact conversations in a more intimate setting.”
Unlocking Smarter Operations with Technology
2:30 pm - 2:50 pm Case Study | Optimising Operations: Building for Efficiency Brooke McKenzie - Head of Service Centre, NTI - National Transport Insurance
Unlocking Smarter Operations with Technology
2:50 pm - 3:20 pm Panel Discussion | Redesigning the Agent Experience: Tools That Make Work Easier Kim Phillips - Head of Customer Operations and Tyro Health, TyroKirsty Robinson - Customer Experience Director, TAFE Queensland
Leo Hede - Kids Helpline Manager, Yourtown
Contact centre leaders discuss which technologies have truly improved day-to-day workflows for employees, from call routing and knowledge management to live dashboards and coaching tools.
Key Takeaway - Discover how the right tools and technologies can streamline workflows, reduce friction, and empower agents to perform at their best.
Unlocking Smarter Operations with Technology
3:20 pm - 3:40 pm Fireside Chat | Resilient CX in an Uncertain World: Lessons from Leaders Navigating Change Sean Richards - Call Centre Operations Manager, PowershopA discussion on how organisations are building agility into their customer strategies to handle disruption, from economic headwinds to unexpected.
Key Takeaway - Understand how adaptable CX strategies can help organisations respond to change while maintaining loyalty, satisfaction, and business continuity.
Unlocking Smarter Operations with Technology
3:40 pm - 4:10 pm Case Study | Voice of Customer: Incremental Changes for Impactful Results Cara Pring - Digital and Customer Experience Director, Winc Australia
Unlocking Smarter Operations with Technology
4:10 pm - 4:40 pm Afternoon RechargeFuel up, connect, and explore - your chance to grab a coffee, meet solution partners, and spark new conversations across Australia’s customer contact leadership community.
Building Thriving Teams
2:30 pm - 2:35 pm Chair's Opening Remarks Laurence Fonsdituri - Head of Client Growth, Noble OakA practical session exploring how to equip your CX team with high-impact skills to reduce dependency on Product and Tech, collaborate cross-functionally to drive revenue, and showcase CX wins to the C-suite to secure funding, gain recognition, and embed CX as a non-negotiable part of business success.
Key Takeaway - Discover practical strategies for cross-functional collaboration that drive revenue and embed CX as a critical business function.
Building Thriving Teams
2:35 pm - 3:15 pm Panel Discussion | Reimagining Engagement: Creating a Workforce That Stays, Grows and Thrives Sarah Dale - Retail Growth & Planning Manager, BCU BankNisha Varma - Contact Centre Experience Manager, Brighter Super
Bryan Middleton - General Manager Of Outstanding Customer Experience, Contact Energy Ltd
A panel of workforce leaders will share how they are reinventing engagement and development strategies to connect with the next generation of talent. Discussion will cover learning and development, culture, and innovative approaches to employee success.
Key Takeaway - Discover strategies to engage and retain the next generation of talent while fostering growth and development across your workforce.
Building Thriving Teams
3:15 pm - 3:55 pm Panel Discussion | From Insights to Impact: Turning Customer and Employee Voice into Real Change Telena Thompson - AD Student Experience, University of the Sunshine CoastAshley Humphrey - Head of Customer Operations, Aurora Energy
Laurence Fonsdituri - Head of Client Growth, Noble Oak
Exploring how data, feedback, and frontline insights are being harnessed to drive transformation, innovation, and better outcomes for customers and staff alike.
Key Takeaway - Learn how to translate customer and employee insights into actionable strategies that drive transformation and measurable impact.
Building Thriving Teams
3:55 pm - 4:10 pm Interactive Session on Workforce PlanningBuilding Thriving Teams
4:10 pm - 4:40 pm Afternoon RechargeFuel up, connect, and explore — your chance to grab a coffee, meet solution partners, and spark new conversations across Australia’s customer contact leadership community.
4:40 pm - 5:10 pm
Partner Case Study | How United Airlines Is Building an AI-Driven, Action-Oriented Contact Center
Andrew Cannington -
General Manager APAC,
Cresta
United Airlines is transforming its contact center by combining real-time agent support with a structured insights-to-action engine. Rather than treating AI as a standalone tool, United has built an operating model where frontline execution and enterprise decision-making continuously inform one another. The result is faster response times, more confident CX decisions, and a smarter organization over time.
In this session, you’ll learn how United Airlines:
Empowered agents in the moment with AI-driven guidance that improved productivity and experience
Turned customer conversations into a real-time radar for faster, more confident CX and policy decisions
Built a continuous improvement flywheel where frontline execution and leadership insight reinforce each other
United Airlines is transforming its contact center by combining real-time agent support with a structured insights-to-action engine. Rather than treating AI as a standalone tool, United has built an operating model where frontline execution and enterprise decision-making continuously inform one another. The result is faster response times, more confident CX decisions, and a smarter organization over time.
In this session, you’ll learn how United Airlines:
Empowered agents in the moment with AI-driven guidance that improved productivity and experience
Turned customer conversations into a real-time radar for faster, more confident CX and policy decisions
Built a continuous improvement flywheel where frontline execution and leadership insight reinforce each other
Sponsored by: Cresta
5:10 pm - 5:40 pm
Panel Discussion | The Workforce Revolution: Building and Leading Teams for the Next Decade
Alicia George -
Head of Customer Care ANZ,
Lifehealthcare
Daniel Tollenaere - Chief Operating Officer, Story House Early Learning
Amy-Lauren Saad - Manager, Customer Support, Cleanaway Waste Management
George Skaf - National Contact Centre Manager, Bega Group
A look at how organisations are rethinking talent, skills, culture, and leadership to create resilient, engaged, and future-ready teams.
Key Takeaway - Understand how forward-looking leadership and strategic workforce planning can drive long-term organisational success.
5:40 pm - 5:45 pm
Chairs Closing Remarks | Turning Insights into Action
Claire Cunningham -
Founder and Managing Director,
The Customer Connexion /Coles
A closing perspective on how the ideas and lessons shared can be translated into practical actions that drive growth, engagement, and innovation across contact centres.
5:45 pm - 7:15 pm
The Winner’s Circle Awards & Party
Celebrate, connect, and let loose at CCW after hours!
Raise a glass to industry excellence, cheer on the winners, and dance alongside the brightest minds in CX. It’s your moment to celebrate success - yours and the industry’s - in true CCW style.
