The Future of Leadership Summit – APAC 2026 | IECL

27–28 October 2026 · Sydney & Virtual

The Future of
Leadership
Summit

APAC 2026

Institute of Executive Coaching & Leadership

Two-day summit from 9 am each day
Fullerton Hotel, 1 Martin Place, Sydney
+ Live-streamed globally via Zoom

Redefining leadership in an AI-shaped world.

Leadership is at an inflection point. As AI reshapes work, talent pipelines shift and new generations step into leadership, expectations of leaders are being rewritten in real time.

The IECL Future of Leadership Summit APAC 2026 is a two‑day, high‑level think tank for CEOs, CPOs and senior leaders from enterprise, ASX 500 organisations and government. Join us in Sydney, or virtually, to explore a new era where human capabilities, systemic thinking and AI-enabled work design come together, and every leader is equipped as a change agent.

Highlights

See the Summit in Action

Watch highlights from the IECL Leadership Summit 2024 - two days of keynotes, panels and workshops with Australia’s leading senior executives and coaches - to get a taste of the calibre and energy you can expect in 2026.

By 2027,
over 40%

of leadership roles will be fundamentally reshaped by AI and automation, yet most organisations don’t have a clear plan for the human capabilities their leaders will need next.

Secure Your Place

Why This Summit Matters

This isn’t a question of adding more content to existing programs. It’s about rethinking:

What leaders are actually for when AI can do much of the technical work
How leadership pipelines evolve as new generations and new roles emerge
Which human skills become non‑negotiable in your systems, not just your values

The Future of Leadership Summit APAC 2026 gives you the space, peers and frameworks to answer these questions, and to begin rewiring your leadership system for what’s coming.

THE ROOM

WHO YOU'LL BE IN THE ROOM WITH

This Summit is intentionally curated for senior decision-makers responsible for leadership at scale, including:

CEOs
Chief People Officers and Chief People & Culture Officers
Chief Human Resources Officers
Group Heads of Learning, Talent and Leadership

Attendees come from large enterprise, ASX 500 organisations and major government agencies. Numbers are capped to preserve the quality of dialogue, peer connection and co‑creation.

If you’re accountable for leadership capability, culture and the human side of AI-enabled transformation, this Summit is for you.

Your Outcomes

WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH

Strategic clarity, practical frameworks and a network of peers at your level.

By the end of the two days, you will:

Reframe leadership for an AI-shaped future
Articulate what leadership is for in your organisation now, and which human skills must become core capabilities, not add‑ons.
See what systemic leadership uplift looks like
Understand how leading organisations are moving from isolated programs to integrated, organisation‑wide leadership ecosystems.
Clarify how coaching and coaching culture accelerate change
Explore how organisational coaching panels, internal coach capability and coach‑like leadership can lift performance and adaptability.
Leave with a first-cut leadership uplift roadmap
Capture a tailored set of next steps you can take back to your executive team, including where IECL can partner with you to deliver.

The Experience

A High-Level Think Tank, Not Just Another Conference

The IECL Leadership Summit 2026 is designed as a premium, high-trust environment where senior leaders think together, not just listen.

Across two full days you’ll experience:

Provocative keynotes and C‑suite panels to frame the big questions on AI, human capability, leadership pipelines and change.
Curated table conversations with peers who are wrestling with the same challenges you are.
Two rounds of focused breakout workshops on Day Two, each offering three streams so you can choose what’s most relevant.
Deliberate white space for networking, with extended breaks, hosted lunches and evening conversations to build enduring connections.

This is a Summit designed for senior leaders who want to shape the conversation, not sit on the sidelines.

Agenda & Speakers

Two Days, Carefully Sequenced

Stage One

Reframe

Challenge conventional assumptions about leadership, AI and human capability.

Stage Two

Reimagine

Explore new models for leadership pipelines, human skills, change capability and coaching culture.

Stage Three

Rewire

Translate these insights into a practical roadmap for your organisation.

The IECL Leadership Summit 2026 is designed as a two-day journey through these three stages, each building on the last to move you from insight to action.

Full Programme

Agenda Overview

Arrival

From 8.30am

Registration & Leadership Connections

Connect with senior leaders from across Australia over coffee before the Summit begins. Book 1:1 meetings, reconnect with peers and start contributing to the conversations that will shape the future of leadership.

Opening

9.00am

Welcome to the Future of Leadership Summit

Introducing the leadership challenges shaping this year's Summit. Together we'll set the context for two days of research, dialogue and practical leadership focused on one question: what will leadership require next?

Research Launch

9.10am

The Human Leadership Index 2026

Be among the first to explore the inaugural Human Leadership Index — new research examining the state of leadership across Australia and the Asia-Pacific. Drawing together executive insights, organisational research and global trends, this session reveals the capabilities leaders will need to thrive in an increasingly AI-enabled world.

Executive Panel

9.45am

CEO Reality Check

What leadership assumptions have today's CEOs been forced to rethink? Senior executives discuss the realities of leading through disruption, uncertainty and accelerating technological change, sharing the lessons reshaping leadership at the highest levels. Additional panellists will be announced in the lead up to the Summit.

Keynote

11.00am

Navigating Megatrends & Leading Emerging Generations

Australia's leading futurist explores the demographic, technological and societal forces transforming organisations, reshaping workforces and redefining leadership over the coming decade.

Interactive Session

12.00pm

Leadership Systems Lab

Leadership challenges don't exist in isolation. Working alongside IECL's senior faculty, delegates will explore the organisational systems behind today's leadership challenges and identify practical opportunities for change.

Lunch

1.00pm

Networking Lunch

Continue the conversation over lunch while connecting with fellow delegates, partners and speakers.

Partner Insight

2.05pm

Trusted Expertise in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence is changing how organisations work — but it is also increasing the value of trusted human expertise. Drawing on PwC's latest research, this session explores how leaders can harness AI while strengthening judgement, capability and organisational performance.

Executive Panel

2.55pm

CEO × CPO: The New Leadership Contract

How is the relationship between CEOs and Chief People Officers changing? Senior executives explore what organisations need from leadership teams as AI, capability and workforce expectations continue to evolve. Additional panellists will be announced soon.

Interactive Experience

4.10pm

Leadership in the Round

Leadership cannot be learned by listening alone. Katharine McLennan's immersive experience places delegates at the centre of the conversation, exploring the human capabilities that technology cannot replace — trust, presence, courage and connection.

Closing

5.00pm

Day One Reflection

The day's insights are brought together before previewing Day Two's Leadership Studios and collaborative Leadership Exchange.

Arrival

From 8.30am

Delegate Connection

Reconnect with peers and reflect on the insights from Day One before the Summit moves into practical application.

Fireside Conversation

9.05am

Leading Through Transformation

An executive conversation exploring how leaders successfully navigate large-scale organisational transformation while maintaining performance, culture and trust. Guest speaker to be announced.

Leadership Studios

10.00am

Choose Your Leadership Studio

Select from three practical learning experiences, designed to provide practical tools, ideas and real-world leadership conversations.

Leading with AI Leadership in Practice Leading Organisations through Coaching

Lunch

12.10pm

Networking Lunch

Continue discussions with delegates, speakers and partners before the afternoon program.

Facilitated Experience

1.15pm

Leadership Exchange

Working alongside IECL faculty and fellow delegates, explore real leadership challenges, share ideas and develop practical commitments that can be applied immediately within your organisation.

Closing Keynote

2.20pm

Orchestrating Change

International conductor and leadership expert Carlos del Cueto demonstrates how trust, collaboration, listening and shared purpose transform individual excellence into extraordinary organisational performance. An unforgettable closing keynote combining leadership insight with live performance.

Executive Panel

3.30pm

Leadership 2030

What must leaders stop doing? What should they protect? What must they invent? Senior leaders explore the future of leadership through the lens of the Human Leadership Index and identify the capabilities organisations must build over the coming decade.

Closing

4.20pm

Summit Close

The Summit concludes by bringing together the major themes from the Human Leadership Index and inviting every delegate to commit to one leadership action that will shape the future of their organisation.

Speakers

Thinkers & Practitioners Shaping the Future

We are bringing together a select group of thinkers and practitioners who are shaping the future of leadership, work and AI in our region.

Confirmed

Mark McCrindle

Social Researcher & Futurist, McCrindle Research

Opening the Summit with a data‑informed view of the forces reshaping leadership, work and human capability.

Coming Soon

Additional Speakers

Additional speakers, including senior CPOs, technology leaders and IECL experts, will be announced in the lead‑up to the Summit.

Why IECL

A Systemic, Human-Centred Lens on Leadership

The Institute of Executive Coaching & Leadership (IECL) has spent over 25 years working with corporate and government clients to lift leadership capability through organisational coaching, coach education and systemic leadership programs.

We believe:

Leadership is a system, not a series of events.
Human skills are the core capabilities of that system.
Coaching is one of the most powerful ways to embed those capabilities in everyday work.

The Summit is where this experience meets the lived realities of today’s CEOs and CPOs, to explore what the next era of leadership looks like, and how to build it intentionally.

Limited Tickets · 12–28 October

How to Attend

In Person

Individual Ticket

In-person attendance at the Fullerton Hotel, Sydney. Considered seat placement. Full catering over two days, 9 am – 5 pm.

Book Now

In Person · Group

Table of Ten

In-person table of ten at the Fullerton Hotel Sydney. Bring your team, leaders and clients. Full catering over two days, 9 am – 5 pm.

Book Now

Online

Virtual Attendance

Virtual attendance via Zoom for a superior event experience, live-streamed from Sydney with online facilitators, extra content, and networking opportunities.

Book Now

Summit Venue

The Fullerton Hotel, Sydney

1 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000

The Summit will also be live-streamed to a global audience. In-person tickets are strictly limited.

A 10% accommodation discount is available for Summit attendees at the Fullerton Hotel. Use promo code IECL when booking.

View Venue

Who Is IECL?

About IECL

The Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership (IECL) are the pioneers of Organisational Coaching excellence. Since 1999, we have spearheaded the professionalisation of this unregulated industry, ensuring every leader and organisation can thrive and grow through world-class coaching.

Our focus is crystal clear: to cultivate confident, competent, and ethical organisational coaches and leaders. With a remarkable track record of working with individuals and organisations globally, IECL empowers professionals to reach new heights.

Voted #1 Coach Training Certification Globally 4 Years Running
Judged against 50+ leading coaching organisations by The Balance, New York. IECL's executive coaching certification programs were found to provide the best tools, best-in-class methodologies, and instant credibility with clients.

Client Testimonials

What Our Clients Say

IECL have been a true partner, supporting our business in the personal and professional development of our Executive Manager cohort. The team listen carefully, create solutions that suit our business, and are responsive and engaging when we need them.

Principal Business Partner

Insurance Sector

IECL took the time to understand each individual in our Senior Leadership Team, understand our group dynamics, and factor in our business landscape to create a holistic customized leadership development program that placed us in the driver's seat.

President – Pacific

Environmental Manufacturing

Executive coaching is an integral part of our global talent programs. We have partnered with IECL on multiple occasions — participants have consistently rated their coaching as key to helping make changes in their leadership.

Global Talent Management Lead

Property & Construction

Questions?

Event FAQ

If you need further help, contact IECL at [email protected]

Where is the venue? +

The Summit will be held at the Fullerton Hotel Sydney, 1 Martin Place, Sydney, Australia.

Are there accommodation discounts? +

Yes — a 10% accommodation discount is available for delegates. Use promo code IECL when booking at the Fullerton Hotel website.

Will session recordings be available? +

Yes. Registered attendees will be provided with access to recordings of all sessions after the Summit.

Are group registration discounts available? +

Yes — discounts are available for table/corporate registrations when you purchase IECL membership. More information on membership can be found at iecl.com.

Do I need to register on arrival? +

Yes, you will be required to register before the start of the Summit on both days. Please arrive 15 minutes early.

What platform will be used for virtual attendance? +

Zoom will be used. Instructions for virtual attendance will be sent to you 2 weeks prior to the Summit.

Can I switch from virtual to in-person (or vice versa)? +

Ticket type switches are allowed, subject to availability and applicable fees. Please contact [email protected] to request a change. In-person tickets may not be switched outside our refund policy, however you may send someone in your place.

Can I attend just one day? +

The Summit is designed as a two-day experience and one-day tickets are not available. You are welcome to send a team member in your place for the second day if necessary.

What is the refund policy? +

Our full cancellation and refund policy can be found at iecl.com/policies.

Are sponsorship or exhibitor opportunities available? +

Yes — please contact us at [email protected] to discuss sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities.

Limited Tickets · 27–28 October 2026