Professor Marcia Langton AO is an anthropologist and geographer, and since 2000 she has held the Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne.

Professor Langton has produced a large body of knowledge in the areas of political and legal anthropology, Indigenous agreements and engagement with the minerals industry, and Indigenous culture and art. Her role in the Empowered Communities project under contract to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and as a member of the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians are evidence of Professor Langton’s academic reputation, policy commitment and impact, alongside her role as a prominent public intellectual.

Her 2012 Boyer lecture series titled The Quiet Revolution: Indigenous People and the Resources Boom is one of her recent contributions to public debate, and added to her influence and reputation in government and private sector circles. In 1993 she was made a member of the Order of Australia in recognition of her work in anthropology and the advocacy of Aboriginal rights.

Professor Langton is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, a Fellow of Trinity College, Melbourne and an Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College at the University of Queensland. In 2016 Professor Langton was honoured as a University of Melbourne Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor. In further recognition as one of Australia’s most respected Indigenous academics, Professor Langton was appointed as the first Associate Provost at the University of Melbourne in 2017.

Jamie Lowe is a Gundjitmara Djabwurrung man serving as the CEO of the National Native Title Council (NNTC) and inaugural Co-Chair of the Mabo Centre, established to promote Traditional Owner economic and social empowerment through a partnership with the University of Melbourne.

With a dedication to advocating for First Nations peoples’ self-determination, Jamie has played a pivotal role in various significant initiatives. He was instrumental in negotiating the Closing the Gap Agreement, which took effect in July 2020, and currently represents the NNTC as a Joint Council member of the Coalition of the Peaks, advising on economic development and supporting national cooperation on Closing the Gap initiatives.

In 2021, he was appointed Indigenous Specialist Representative for the Australian Heritage Council, advising the Australian Government on heritage matters. Prior to his role at the NNTC, Jamie was the CEO of the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, which holds native title rights in southwestern Victoria, including the Great Ocean Road. He is also an inaugural member of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, which is negotiating a Treaty with the Victorian Government.

Internationally, Jamie represents the NNTC at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, contributing to discussions on Indigenous rights and advocacy. His work, both nationally and internationally, emphasizes creating economic independence while preserving cultural identity, as he champions a national Treaty and other initiatives for Traditional Owners and communities across Australia. Jamie remains committed to supporting his community and fostering economic empowerment for First Nations people.

Professor Paul Kofman is Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics and Sidney Myer Chair of Commerce at the University of  Melbourne.  

He holds a PhD in Economics (1991) from Erasmus University Rotterdam and came to Australia in 1994 as a Lecturer in Econometrics  at Monash University. He joined the University of Melbourne in 2001 as a Professor of Finance after appointments at the University of  New South Wales and the University of Technology, Sydney. He was Head of the Department of Finance from 2006 until 2010, then  progressed to Deputy Dean in 2010. He was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics in 2012.  

Paul has undertaken consultancy work for the European Options Exchange, the New York Board of Trade, the Central European  University, several Dutch investment banks, the Dutch Centre for Actuarial Statistics, and the Australian Office of Financial Market.

His main research interest is in quantitative finance and the ethics of finance; the latter of which he continues to teach. With  colleague and co-author of the book A Matter of Trust Clare Payne, they introduced Ethics in Finance as one of the first online subject at the University of Melbourne. With Associate Professor Sean Pinder, Paul designed and developed the first Coursera MOO specialisation, ‘Essentials of Corporate Financial Analysis and Decision Making’, in partnership with the Bank of New York Mellon.  

Paul was one of the founding directors of the ARC-funded Financial Integrity Research Network which to this date provides a strong,  cohesive and efficient approach toward supporting research and research training in the Australian finance academic community.

Ned David is a Kulkalaig, a Traditional Owner of the Central Islands of the Torres Strait.   

His homeland of Magan includes Tudu (Warrior Island), Iama (Yam Island), Gebarr (Gabba Island), Mucar (Cap Island), Sassie and  Zagai, the surrounding reefs of Wapa (Warrior reef) and Thidu (Dungeness reef). Ned has family connections to the Komet tribe of Mer  (Murray Island) through his mother and to the Doeybaw clan of Saibai Island through his father.   

Ned is a respected leader and the current Chair of the Gur A Baradharaw Kod Torres Strait Sea and Land Council Torres Strait Islander  and Aboriginal Corporation (GBK). Extending his strong commitment to cultural and community excellence, he is also the Chair of the  Magani Lagaugal Registed Native Title Body Corporate (RNTBC), the Malu Lamar RNTBC and the Torres Strait Islanders Regional  Education Council.   

Ned’s career background includes working closely with all levels of government and the private sector.

Florence Drummond, a Dauareb Wuthathi woman, is a recognised leader in advancing Traditional Owner partnerships across the  mining and major projects value chain. She is an entrepreneur and innovator, dedicated to sustaining strength-based narratives that  galvanise local ecosystems and drive economic advancement.  

Florence champions the integration of Traditional Owner participation as a cornerstone of a just transition, aligning industry operations  with community aspirations. Her entrepreneurial approach highlights the value of innovation in creating sustainable pathways for  ecosystem development, ensuring that First Nations voices remain central to progress and prosperity.  

Her global advocacy for First Nations women in the minerals sector has taken her to mining jurisdictions worldwide, fostering inclusive  dialogues and transformative partnerships. She has collaborated with the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute,  contributed to multi-year initiatives at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and represented Australia at APEC and  UNESCAP forums.  

Florence’s leadership in relationship building for ESG principles and Sustainable Development Goals bridges global mechanisms with  local solutions, ensuring impactful and enduring outcomes. In 2023, she was recognised as one of WA Business News’ 40 Under 40  and named amongst Women in Mining UK’s 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining.  

As an advisory board member of the Centre for Australia-India Relations, Florence is committed to building future leaders for  Directorship roles. Her expertise in entrepreneurship, innovation, and Traditional Owner participation positions her as a visionary  authority on fostering sustainable, inclusive economic growth within local and global frameworks.  

Joanne Farrell is the current Chair of Safe Work Australia and Chair of Brightwater Care Group. Her non-executive director roles include  those with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Western Operations), Senate of the University of Western Australia, and Deputy Chair of the  Queen Elizabeth II Medical Trust. She is a member of the AICD and Chief Executive Women.  

Throughout her career Joanne has been active in supporting First Nations capacity building and reconciliation and has been active in  many gender equity related organizations along with mentoring women in both the Mining Industry and Not-For-Profit organisations She was recognised for contributions to gender equity with awards from the Chamber of Minerals and Energy Western Australia,  Financial Review’s Women of Influence and Women in Mining International.

Joanne holds a qualifications in Psychology, Economics and Executive Management from University of Western Australia, Curti University, Australian Graduate School of Management (UNSW) and London Business School.  

Joanne’s career has included leadership roles in Human Resources, Government and Community Relations, Health, Safety, Security  and Environment and Communications. She has worked in most States of Australia, the UK and the USA.

Rowan Foley is a member of the Wondunna clan of the Badtjala people, Traditional Owners of K’gari (Fraser Island), Queensland.  

He is the founder and chief executive of the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation, a non-profit organisation that connects Aborigina communities supplying carbon credits with councils and businesses seeking to offset their carbon pollution. A ranger by trade himself,  Rowan first moved to the Northern Territory in 1989 shortly after ‘hand back’ to work as a ranger at Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park Subsequently he returned many years later with his family to be the Park Manager and implemented the $21m sunrise project.  

In 1995 Rowan was employed as the Kimberley Land Council’s first Land Management Officer and went on to establish their Land  Sea Management Unit and negotiated the first Indigenous Protected Area in Western Australia at Paruku (Lake Gregory  

Rowan is providing leadership in the area of carbon farming with environmental, social and cultural values. He has presented at the  United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bonn and Paris Climate Agreement, is a regular speaker at  the Carbon Market Institute Summit and can often be found in remote communities working with Traditional Owners and Aboriginal  rangers.

Tim Goodwin is a Yuin man, with connections to Wiradjuri country through his grandmother.   

Tim is a barrister at the Victorian Bar and practices primarily in commercial and public law. He was one of the Junior Counsel Assisting  the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory and is currently Junior Counsel Assisting   

the Yoorrook Truth-telling Royal Commission in Victoria. Prior to joining the Bar, Tim worked at Allen’s as a solicitor for three years in  commercial litigation, and in banking and financ  

Before joining Allen’s, he served as an Associate to Justice North and Justice Bromberg of the Federal Court of Australia. He also  served as Foreign Law Clerk to Justice Skweyiya of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.  

Tim has a Bachelor of Arts and Laws (with Honours) from the Australian National University and a Master of Laws from Harvard Law  School.  

Tim is a member of the Yuin people of the South East Coast of New South Wales. He serves on a number of boards, including as a  Board Member of Museums Victoria, the Human Rights Law Centre, SharingStories Foundation and the Aurora Education Foundation.

Professor Paul Jensen is the Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Business & Economics at the University of Melbourne.  

He is currently the General-Secretary of the Asia Pacific Innovation Conference, which is an interdisciplinary network of scholars i economics, management and law focusing on innovation research.  

Paul commenced at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research at the University of Melbourne in 2003, working  with Professor Beth Webster and a team of economists affiliated with the Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia (IPRIA) He has published widely in the area of innovation economics in leading field journals (Journal of Industrial Economics, RAND Journal o Economics, Journal of International Economics, Journal of Law & Economics) and in general interest journals (Review of Economics  and Statistics, Oxford Economic Papers, Cambridge Journal of Economics). He has been the recipient of numerous ARC Discovery and  Linkage Grants over the years and is currently working on a Linkage Grant evaluating the impact of the Indigenous Preferential  Procurement Policy.  

He was an editor of the Australian Economic Review for 5 years and is a frequent commentator on domestic and international public  policy. He was formerly Assistant Director of the Melbourne School of Government and a Fellow of the Oxford Intellectual Property  Research Centre and has had research visits at global institutions including Oxford University, Hitotsubashi University, Munich  University, Polytechnic University of Turin and Leuven University.

Sharon Reynolds is a member of the Esperance Tjaltjraak native title group and maintains strong connections with the South-West and Goldfields regions of Western Australia.

Sharon has worked in the native title and resource sectors for the past 25 years in a range of roles, including Claims Case Manager at the National Native Title Tribunal, Senior Native Title Agreements Adviser at Rio Tinto, and is currently the Global Head of First Nations and Human Rights at Woodside Energy. A highlight of Sharon’s career was being part of the early Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) negotiation team for Rio Tinto’s claim-wide ILUAs in the Pilbara and the 2023 Woodside Solar ILUA with the Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation (NAC), which preserves Ngarluma’s native title rights and interests.

With postgraduate qualifications in Social Impact from the University of Western Australia and Human Rights from Curtin University, Sharon continues to advance her studies in Indigenous rights, leadership, and sustainability. Her academic and professional endeavours reflect her dedication to advancing the recognition and rights of Aboriginal people.

Sharon is deeply committed to achieving meaningful native title outcomes for Traditional Owners and maximising opportunities that empower Indigenous communities.