FOR THE
LOVE
OF ____
The Global Impact Summit is coming to Sydney on August 5–6, 2026, bringing together leaders, creators, philanthropists, and changemakers for two days of bold ideas, meaningful connection, and real-world impact.
This year’s theme, For the Love Of ___, is a celebration of what drives us — the causes, communities, and futures we’re committed to building together.
Hosted across Sydney’s most iconic cultural venues — the State Theatre and Walsh Bay Arts Precinct — the Summit will feature inspiring keynote speakers, thought-provoking sessions, and unforgettable moments designed to reimagine what generosity can look like today.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of the inaugural Global Impact Summit.
Programme Overview
Keynote Speakers 2026
Olivia Khalili
Head of Atlassian Foundation
Olivia is Head of the Atlassian Foundation, which is helping to unleash the potential of social impact teams. The Atlassian Foundation has donated over US$85 million and empowered over 10,000 nonprofits worldwide with free or discounted tools.
With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of business and global impact, Olivia has built and scaled programs that harness cross-sector collaboration and innovation to tackle some of society's most pressing challenges.
This is the kind of leadership shaping the future of philanthropy and we can’t wait to hear from her at the Global Impact Summit.
Anita Sood
Microsoft Elevate Asia Commercial Operating Unit Lead
Anita Sood is a dynamic technology leader passionate about harnessing digital and AI innovation to drive positive, scalable social impact across Asia. With nearly two decades of experience across Microsoft, AWS and Cisco, she sits at the intersection of technology and purpose, partnering with nonprofits, NGOs, education systems and social enterprises to accelerate mission outcomes through secure cloud, AI and data driven transformation.
Anita’s expertise spans industry strategy and operations, ecosystem development, AI transformation, business development, and customer success. A strong advocate for diversity, accessibility and inclusion, she actively mentors emerging leaders, particularly women facing early life challenges, drawing inspiration from her mother’s journey as a refugee whose access to digital skills transformed her life.
As Microsoft Elevate Asia Commercial Operating Unit Lead, Anita leads regional go to market strategy, accessible skilling initiatives and partner led innovation designed to help impact driven organisations address urgent societal and environmental challenges. She is widely recognised for building high trust partnerships, operational excellence and cross team collaboration that translate strategy into measurable outcomes, particularly across Education (K 12) and the nonprofit sector.
Monika Tu
Founder & Director, Black Diamondz Property Concierge.
Monika Tu is one of Australia's most recognised figures in luxury real estate and high-net-worth client advisory. As the founder and director of Black Diamondz Group, she has built a business that sits at the intersection of premium property, lifestyle concierge, and cultural intelligence — with a particular specialisation in serving Chinese and international ultra-high-net-worth clients across the Australian market and beyond.
Over the course of her career, Monika has helped mobilise more than $500 million for charitable causes. She serves as Chair of the Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation Lunar New Year Celebration, Committee Member of the SCHF Gold Dinner, and Committee Member of the MCA Artists Ball — among a wide portfolio of philanthropic commitments that reflect her deep belief in giving back at scale.
Daniel Flynn
Co-Founder, Thank you.
Daniel Flynn is the co-founder and Managing Director of one of Australia’s most successful start-ups, Thankyou. At 19, driven by a vision to change the world we live in, he co-founded the social enterprise which is now globally recognised for its innovation, disruption, and impact. Daniel’s journey as a founder is marked by grit and unconventionality, pioneering Thankyou to redefine ‘business as usual’, and change the world we live in, forever. To date,
Thankyou has given over $19.34 million to impact partners in the fight against global poverty.
Sam Weidenhofer (@itssozer)
Creator Economy, Entrepreneur & Mental Health Activist.
Samuel Weidenhofer is content creator and mental health activist who is on a mission to prove that kindness, when acted upon, can change lives. From raising $2 million to retire an 88-year-old veteran to creating life-changing moments for terminally ill children, Sam has turned simple acts of compassion into a global movement. In 2025 alone, he raised over $7 million, was named GoFundMe’s No.1 Social Impact Creator, and was featured in more than 200 media outlets worldwide.
With over 15 million followers, Sam continues to inspire action through his 7 Day Kindness Challenge and his growing We Are Kindr movement, empowering individuals, schools, and workplaces to choose kindness every day.
Because for Sam, kindness is not just something we feel. It is something we do. And when we do it together, it becomes unstoppable.
Your Hosts
Chris Sebastian
Artist, Winner of The Voice.
Chris Sebastian is an acclaimed Australian artist, songwriter, and storyteller whose music sits at the intersection of soul, faith, and lived experience. Known for his powerful vocals and deeply personal songwriting, Chris has built a career defined not just by talent, but by authenticity — using music as a vehicle for connection, healing, and hope.
As part of the Sebastian Foundation, Chris is actively engaged in supporting mental health initiatives and creating spaces for young people to feel seen, heard, and supported. His work extends beyond the stage, reflecting a belief that music has the power to reach people in ways few other mediums can.
As the House Band for the Global Impact Summit, Chris will help shape the emotional rhythm of the event — creating moments that move beyond conversation and into something felt. Because sometimes, the most powerful ideas aren’t just heard. They’re experienced.
Ashani Dante
Women’s Leadership Speaker & Brand Ambassador
A passionate thought leader, dynamic speaker, creator, visionary, and Founder of The Flourish Journey (previously known as Flourish Girl). With a background in pediatric speech pathology, she’s a powerful advocate for youth mental health, facilitation, and communication.
Over the past 9 years, Ashani has impacted 30,000+ teenage girls lives across 100+ schools through The Flourish Journey. Recognised among Australia’s 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian Australians, her mission is simple: “gifting people access to their own inner power and intuition.”
Ashani is also the co-host of Mamamia’s most popular self-development and mental health podcast, But Are You Happy?, where she brings raw honesty, humour, and heart to conversations that help women feel seen, understood, and empowered.
Beyond her work in the impact and charity space, Ashani empowers women to embrace their uniqueness and champions cultural diversity and inclusion.
As a renowned voice, she has collaborated with Sportsgirl, Lancôme, MECCA, T2, Endota (so much more!) to inspire positive change. Ashani Dante is a trailblazer, guiding women back to their authentic power and potential.
James Kozina
Philanthropy Leader & Relationship Strategist
A relationship-driven leader with over 20 years’ experience across the not-for-profit and education sectors, James brings a people-first approach to philanthropy, partnership building, and large-scale impact. His work centres on connecting individuals, ideas, and opportunities in ways that create meaningful, lasting outcomes.
With a background spanning creative direction and the design of large-scale events, James has a strong ability to shape experiences that bring people together with purpose. He is particularly focused on facilitating high-trust philanthropic relationships, helping align values, vision, and opportunity between donors, organisations, and communities.
Currently working within higher education, James supports research and innovation initiatives spanning areas such as climate solutions, robotics and AI, and medical technologies. His role sits at the intersection of emerging ideas and the people who can help bring them to life.
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We’ve got heaps of great announcements, side events and speakers to announce over the coming weeks. Join the mailing list to be the first in the know about all things Global Impact Summit.
THE ICONIC
STATE THEATRE & WALSH BAY ART PRECINCT
