Philanthropy Leadership Summit 2025 – In pictures!
Fri, 8 Aug 2025
What an incredible few days we had in Canberra! Browse through these moments that capture the passion of our speakers, the engagement of our audience, and the collaborative spirit that made our Leadership Summit truly special.
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Professor Thomas Homer-Dixon: How can we lead with ‘commanding hope’?
Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News & Storytelling
Fri, 8 Aug 2025
Globally renowned complex systems expert, Canadian Professor Thomas Homer-Dixon, kicked off the main event at the Philanthropy Leadership Summit 2025 by unpacking the polycrisis. Speaking to Giving News beforehand, he said that leadership for our times involves helping people to be more comfortable with uncertainty and understand that it ‘creates possibilities for novel breakthroughs’.
PA welcomes Laura Cochrane as Executive Director, Membership and Engagement
Fri, 8 Aug 2025
The Philanthropy Australia team is delighted to welcome Laura Cochrane as Executive Director, Membership and Engagement. Laura is an executive with 20 years’ experience across philanthropy, social investment, corporate affairs and journalism. She was most recently CEO and Managing Director of the Bennelong Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bangarra Family Office, where she led giving in Australia and the UK focused on creating education and employment pathways for people facing the biggest barriers to participation.
Philanthropy Leadership Summit 2025: ‘People have appreciated the honesty of the speakers’
Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News & Storytelling
Fri, 8 Aug 2025
The feedback was clear and consistent. This year's Philanthropy Australia Canberra summit took a refreshing direction that felt inclusive, open and a rich exchange of ideas. The tone was set early ‘to push each other hard in conversations’ and a focus on sharing personal stories struck a chord. Delegates came away feeling galvanised and energised about the sector’s unique position to play an important role in addressing the polycrisis.
$16 million investment to grow Social Impact Leadership Australia (SILA)
Fri, 8 Aug 2025
A philanthropic investment of $16.4 million will expand Australia’s foremost professional development program in the social sector and boost the capability of those leaders and organisations who are working to help tackle the country’s entrenched social and environmental challenges.
‘Fund the glue’: Julia Gillard sets a compelling tone at Leadership Summit dinner
Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News & Storytelling
Fri, 8 Aug 2025
The Pre-Summit Dinner at the National Press Club with the Hon. Julia Gillard AC was the perfect way to kick off the Philanthropy Leadership Summit 2025.She delivered a powerful opening address to frame the coming discussions on leadership for our times. The only woman to have held the Australian prime ministership, she spoke of the two roles that are now “incredibly close to my heart” – Chair of the Wellcome Trust in London and Founder and Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership.
Welcome to PA’s two new Engagement Leads
Fri, 25 Jul 2025
We are delighted to welcome to new members of the Philanthropy Australia membership and engagement team – Fleur Allen and Caroline Morrissey.Caroline joins Kim Harland in the PA Queensland team as the Engagement Lead (QLD/NT). Fleur is our Engagement Lead (WA/SA) working from the Perth office with Ollie Hanson.
