Diverse Opportunities: The Future of Finance in Queensland

Leah leads the Infrastructure group which plays an integral role in leading infrastructure planning and policy to inform government’s investment and delivery of coordinated and resilient infrastructure. The Infrastructure group also leads the State’s planning and delivery of the 2032 Games Infrastructure program and the Gabba Entertainment Precinct.

She has held senior executive roles in Queensland Treasury, Building Queensland, Aurecon and The University of Queensland, bringing a wealth of public and private sector experience.

Leah is passionate about connecting across the public and private sectors to deliver better infrastructure outcomes, as well as building future leaders in the public sector, where she began her career as a graduate.

With experience in senior Treasury roles and extensive background in policy development, Rachel has delivered innovative solutions to complex challenges across the Queensland, Australian and Irish public sectors.

As Associate Under Treasurer, the Social and Intergovernmental and Industry and Budget divisions report to Rachel, and the Fiscal, Economics and Commercial division also collaborate closely.

In this role, Rachel drives a joined-up and strategic approach to policy and budget development, fosters the integration of industry, budget, social, and intergovernmental policy work, and guides high-priority investigations across data, financial, and policy domains.

Known for her strategic leadership, resilience under pressure, and ability to communicate clearly and pragmatically, Rachel is passionate about leveraging innovation and collaboration to drive meaningful change and deliver outcomes for Queensland.

Professor Caitlin Byrne AM FAIIA is Pro Vice Chancellor (Business) at Griffith University, where she is a member of the University executive and leads the strategic direction of the Griffith Business School.

A former Australian Government diplomat, she brings deep expertise in international policy and diplomatic practice. Her research on Australian public diplomacy and soft power is published in leading international journals.

Prior to joining academia, Caitlin held senior roles in the Queensland Government, leading social and legal policy strategy and reform, including within the Office for Women. She currently serves on a range of global policy and research advisory boards and is active in community initiatives focused on addressing homelessness.

Caitlin is a Fellow of the Australian Institute for International Affairs and Faculty Fellow for the University of Southern California’s Centre for Public Diplomacy. In early 2026 Caitlin was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to business education and to international relations.

Nell was appointed Chief Executive, Westpac Institutional Bank in October 2023. The Institutional Bank provides a range of banking services to Commercial, Corporate, Institutional and Public Sector customers with connections to Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe and US markets.

Nell first joined Westpac in February 2021 as Managing Director, Financial Markets, after 21 years at Goldman Sachs in London and Australia, most recently as Head of the Global Markets division in Australia and New Zealand.

She holds a Master of Philosophy in Finance and Economics from Cambridge University and a Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honours) from the University of Sydney.

Nell is a member of the AICD and Chief Executive Women.

Susan joined QTC in September 2023 as Managing Director of Funding and Markets responsible for QTC’s debt and funding strategy, investor relations, economics, sustainability, financial risk management, and treasury management advisory to deliver cost effective borrowings for the Queensland Government.

Susan has more than 35 years of experience in financial markets and investment management. Prior to QTC she was an Executive and Managing Director at Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) for 20 years.

She also held key investment positions at NRMA Asset Management, Bankers Trust Funds Management, and Suncorp Investment Management, worked as an economist for National Australia Bank, and served as Director of Foreign Exchange Services at Syntec Economic Services.

Susan has a Bachelor of Economics and MBA from the University of Queensland, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics from University of Melbourne. Susan is a member of Chief Executive Women and a Graduate of AICD.

Natalie has a proven track record in building and managing successful businesses. She began her career as banking and finance lawyer in Auckland, New Zealand before moving into investment banking in London. Natalie joined JP Morgan in the late 1990s after relocating to Australia and held progressively senior roles, including 14 years as Head of Debt Capital Markets. Under Natalie’s leadership, the DCM platform outperformed its peers in the Australian market for more than a decade. After 23 years at JP Morgan, Natalie was appointed Chief Operating Officer, Markets at National Australia Bank before joining RBC in 2021.

Natalie is passionate about diversity and inclusion and has provided support and mentoring to women throughout her three-decade career in financial services. She championed D&I at JP Morgan as a long-term member of the bank’s Women’s Interactive Network and driver of D&I initiatives including mentoring and career development. At RBC, Natalie continues to be strong advocate for D&I. She is a member of RBC’s Australia Diversity Leadership Council, Executive Sponsor of RBC’s Australian Pride Employee Resource Group and is actively involved in mentorship programs within the bank and in the community.

Natalie is a member of the Australian Financial Markets Association and sits on the Markets Governance Committee. She has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts (History) from the University of Otago in New Zealand.

Natalie lives in Sydney with her family.