Royd Kennedy standing in front of fire truck

Royd Kennedy is a highly experienced emergency management consultant with a 44-year background in public safety, fire and rescue, and building fire safety. He has worked in New Zealand, the Middle East, and Australia, demonstrating expertise in emergency response, planning, crisis management, and training. As the Managing Director of SAFETY ON-SITE SERVICES LTD, and an Emergency Management Consultant in New Zealand and Australia, he brings valuable insights to the industry. With a strong educational background and a history of serving Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Royd’s unwavering commitment to safety and preparedness makes him a trusted professional in the field.

Roy Breeze recently retired after an impressive 49-year career in Fire and Emergency NZ. He spent 21 years on the frontlines and held various senior management positions, including leading the USAR Task Force and serving as a National Advisor during a major restructuring of FENZ. Roy’s notable accomplishments include being President of the Fire and Emergency Commander Association NZ, initiating significant capabilities within FENZ, and sharing his expertise as a respected speaker. He is particularly known for his role as the incident controller during the Tamahere cool store explosion, which resulted in the tragic loss of an IC Fire officer and severe injuries to seven other firefighters.

Nathan Mullins describes himself as just an ordinary guy with a wife, a mortgage and three kids. But he does admit he’s had more than his fair share of exceptional experiences. He an ex-cop, ex-soldier with the Army Reserve special services and ex-security consultant in Iraq. He’s also a volunteer with Australian Aid International and a corporate motivational speaker, working mostly with groups of men. He still does AAI work when he gets the call up. He lives in Melbourne.

In the wake of the Grenfell Fire tragedy, Bronwyn Weir was called upon to co-author the influential Building Confidence Report. This federal report, commissioned by Australia’s Building Ministers, serves as a testament to Bronwyn’s expertise and deep understanding of building regulation. Published in 2017, the report continues to shape policy and reform efforts in Australia regarding building regulatory matters.

Clear communication was instilled in Chris Huet from the beginning of his career.
As a fighter pilot and instructor, he was taught that speaking clearly and motivating others was not only part of his job, it sometimes meant life or death.
After serving as the Commanding Officer of the Air Force’s top gun fighter pilot school, Chris left the Air Force to apply his communication skills in a surprising combination of roles.

As a consultant, he developed a communication plan for a $20 billion aviation change program and led community forums on the environmental effects of a new Air Force aircraft.

Bronnie Mackintosh is a Station Officer with Fire and Rescue NSW and has been a firefighter for 16 years. Her career has encompassed many roles, spanning general firefighting, rescue, operational communications, community safety, and education and training.

Bronnie is a Winston Churchill Fellowship recipient. She travelled the world to research how international fire agencies are changing their workforces to be more reflective of the diverse communities they protect.

Cliff has been a lifelong student of leadership. Since his teenage years he’s always loved the topic of people and how to lead and influence them to achieve shared goals. It is part of what drove him towards a career in the military that so far spreads over 16 years.

During that time Cliff was exposed to a wide range of leadership training and experience. He worked with some of the best of leaders, ones you would willingly following into battle and take a
bullet for, but he also worked with some of the worst of leaders, those you would prefer to throw a grenade under their bed while sleeping.

Maria Kornakova

Dr. Maria Kornakova is a Manager of Bushfire Services at FPA Australia, she holds a degree in architecture and was a Fulbright Scholar. She successfully finished postdoctoral fellowships at Massey University in New Zealand and the University of Melbourne for her Ph.D. She has a professional interest in “bushfire risk reduction practices through building, planning, and architecture,” which is the main emphasis of her research.

Challenging outdated opinions and practices within the construction industry, Peter uses his position as a founder, educator and keynote speaker to encourage change for the better within the passive fire niche and the wider business world.

Backed by a wealth of diverse knowledge, he is driven to waken the broader industry to the importance of getting passive fire right the first time every time and reminding them of the dire consequences on the line if they fail to do so.

Rupert McCall is an Australian poet of international renown. His tributes to special events and occasions have become highly sought-after and treasured for the indelible mark they’ve left on audiences everywhere.