Keynote
Dave Clare
Circle Leadership, Founder
Driven by a PURPOSE to evolve the world of work, Dave's sense of mission is clear: to redefine business success not just for the accolades but for the impact.
Rob Neely
Founder and Director / Securely Group
Entrepreneur, Fintech Innovator, and Community Leader who is recognised globally for his groundbreaking work in digital identity, banking, and cybersecurity.
Rob Neely is a distinguished Australian entrepreneur and fintech innovator, recognized globally for his groundbreaking work in digital identity, banking, and cybersecurity. As the founder and CEO of Securely Group, Rob has developed multiple patented technologies, earning him international acclaim and numerous prestigious awards.
Under Rob’s leadership, Securely Group has been awarded patents across various sectors, including advanced banking solutions that have garnered multiple global fintech awards, pioneering identity verification technologies for dating platforms, revolutionary personal identity security solutions, and most recently, a first-of-its-kind patent designed to address social media-induced anxiety through biometric algorithms and emotional analytics never before contemplated.
Beyond his impressive professional achievements, Rob is a dedicated community leader in his hometown of Noosa Heads, Queensland. He passionately champions the region as the "Silicon Coast," advocating for the growth of a robust local technology ecosystem. Rob is also deeply committed to philanthropy, actively supporting numerous community initiatives and charitable causes. His longstanding service as an Angel Flight pilot further exemplifies his dedication to making a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
Rob continues to inspire innovation, foster secure digital interactions globally, and enrich his community through visionary leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and unwavering commitment to social responsibility.
Awards and Recognition - Neely's groundbreaking work has earned him several prestigious accolades: • 2025 MPE Awards (Berlin) – Best Startup Innovation Finalist: Recognized for Securely Group's innovative solutions in the payments industry • 2024 US Fintech Awards – Innovator of the Year: Recognized for establishing a new banking rail that significantly impacts the fintech industry . • 2024 Fintech Business Leader of the Year (APAC): Honored for his leadership and contributions to the fintech sector in the Asia-Pacific region . • 2024 ARN Innovation Awards – Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist: Acknowledged for his entrepreneurial spirit and innovative solutions in the technology industry . • 2017 Gold Medalion Recipient Surf Lifesaving Queensland • 2014 SLSA Lifesaving Excellence Award • 2006 – 2024 Angel Flight Pilot
Sessions
Rob Neely’s Sessions
Immersion
Investor Attraction Deconstructed: the recipe for investment success
FWD>INVEST
Explore the POV of differing players in investor attraction. Presented by: Steve Allan, Rob Neely, Sophie Robertson, Alex Knight
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Venue 114
FWD›››25 Speakers and Panellists
Keynote
Elea Wurth
Deloitte, Lead Partner Trustworthy AI, Strategy Risk & Transactions
Elea leverages over two decades of advanced analytics expertise to shape ethical, legally sound, and technically rigorous AI governance strategies for major institutions.
Keynote
Mark Visser
Big wave surfer, author, keynote speaker, mindset coach and founder of The Ocean Warrior
At FWD›››FEST 25, Mark will ignite your entrepreneurial spirit with his keynote on DAY TWO, Riding the Wave, sharing actionable insights to tackle challenges and seize opportunities.
Featured
Daniel Flynn
Thankyou, Social Entrepreneur | Co-Founder
Daniel Flynn is one of Australia’s most compelling social entrepreneurs, known for transforming bold ideas into powerful movements.
Featured
Ivan Carl Engelbrecht
Leonardo.ai, Head of Product and Design
Ivan thrives on solving challenging problems, is always looking to learn more and pushing boundaries through collaboration.
Featured
Kevin Wan Lum
LGT Crestone, Deputy Chief Investment Officer
Kevin has more than 25 years of financial markets and investment management experience in Australia and overseas.
Featured
Mark Woodland
Kismet, Founder & CEO
Mark has built and scaled multiple purpose-driven companies, combining technology, empathy, and relentless execution.
Featured
Peter Deans
52 Risks and Gōru, Creator & Founder
Peter is the visionary Creator & Founder of Gōru and 52 Risks®, principal of Notwithoutrisk Consulting, and a trusted advisor to fintechs and start-ups companies.
Featured
Rob Rand
Knobby, Founder and CEO
A seasoned expert in subscription business models, Rob specialises in turning customer transactions into long-term relationships.
Featured
Sam Bala
NewStore, Principal, Omnichannel Architecture
Sam Bala is a retail innovator and entrepreneur who has spent his career defining what good looks like—from the ground up.
Alex Knight
Advanced, Managing Director
Helping innovative founders turn R&D into a growth engine.
Alexander Cohen
Scope&Go AI Agency, Founder
Alexander specialises in bridging technical and non-technical environments to create impactful solutions.
Bryton Wishart
Cured Compliance, Founder
Bryton is a proud entrepreneur and technology enthusiast with an obsession for learning. Bryton is on the Silicon Coast Board.
Craig ‘CJ’ Josic
Co- Founder, Silicon Coast
Craig Josic aka CJ is epitomises the essence of a visionary leader and community builder. With over a decade of unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
David Neal
Eighth Mile Consulting, CEO
David is a highly energetic, charismatic, and committed leader that takes pride in inspiring others to reach their full potential and allowing organisations to find their competitive edge.
Dr Karen Sutherland
University of the Sunshine Coast, Senior Lecturer in Public Relations
Dr Karen Sutherland, AI Stream Host | Senior Lecturer, Public Relations | Director, Dharana Digital.
Jason Garland
Sunshine Coast Tech Industry Alliance (SCTechIA), Chair
As Chair of Sunshine Coast Tech Industry Alliance and the Sunshine Coast Business Council, alongside his own technology firm Secure Access, Jason provides connection to the digital economy.
Kathryn Giudes
macroDATA Digital Solutions, Managing Director
Chair of Silicon Coast - Kathryn Giudes is a leader dedicated to creating successful organisations through strategic conversations and problem-solving.
Kelly Lavery
Strucket, Inventor - CEO
Strucket’s seemingly overnight success was based on three years of research, design, prototype, tooling, testing, grant applications, sourcing funding, sleepless nights.
Kerry Neill
Triballink, Director
Kerry has worked within community services, health, training and education, creating and delivering Indigenous education experiences and lessons
Laura Ashmole
River City Labs, Head of Growth
Laura believes the success of any business is determined by its ability to innovate, harness the potential of it’s people and be utterly obsessed with it’s customers.
Mayor Rosanna Natoli
Sunshine Coast Council, Mayor
Mayor Natoli will lead the Sunshine Coast community to a bright future while protecting the lifestyle we love.
Michelle Reeves
Zipline AI, Founder and CEO
An international executive and entrepreneur, Michelle has led innovation strategies for brands across fashion, sports, entertainment, and emerging tech.
Nicole Nixon
Five Faces, CEO
Nicole brings a rare blend of empathy and operational discipline, shaped by diverse roles in manufacturing, consulting, and entertainment.
Oscar Lloyd
ProxiTech, Founder
Oscar develops AI and robotics applications for manufacturing and service industries while offering educational services in collaboration with various organisations.
Richard Burrows
Performance Breathing Australia, Director
As an elite performance coach, Rich centres his approach on the mastery of the breath.
Rob Neely
Securely Group, Founder and Director
Entrepreneur, Fintech Innovator, and Community Leader who is recognised globally for his groundbreaking work in digital identity, banking, and cybersecurity.
Rob Steffler
DeLorean Project, Founder/Facilitator
Rob is an experienced educator that is passionate about innovation and disruption to Education and believing for radical change to the system.
Ryan Hollis
everfocus, Director
Sustainability and ESG are not just feel good concepts—they are a proven path to growth, and Ryan has spent over 25 years showing companies exactly how to achieve it.
Sarah Morgan
RSB Capital, Vice President, Business Development
CEO | Entrepreneur | Speaker | MC | Author | Panel Facilitator | Leadership Expert | Founder - Influential Leader Academy
Sean O'Neill
Nash Capital, Managing Director
Sean O’Neill is the Managing Director of Nash Capital, a mid-market private equity fund in Australia that manages $200m of high-net-worth client funds.
Susan Toft
The Laundry Lady Australia and New Zealand, CEO
As CEO and founder of Laundry Lady and TimeBoss (an AI-driven platform powering The Laundry Lady), Susan has created scalable solutions for industries like aged care, cleaning services, and pet grooming.
Thomas Pollock
Gov Ready, Managing Director
Thomas brings over two decades of expertise in winning government business for the SME sector.
Tim Collier
Cummins & Partners, National Head of Strategy
Tim Collier is on a mission to bring back what makes advertising great: simple, entertaining, and memorable ideas that drive real business results.
Tracy Sheen
The Digital Guide, AI Speaker and Consultant
As founder of The Digital Guide and Unusual Comms, Tracy specialises in implementing AI responsibly while balancing innovation and risk.
