MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Warwick Merry
Professional Master of Ceremonies
Back by popular demand, Warwick Merry returns as ACTA’s Master of Ceremonies for the 38th Annual Treasury Conference!
A Certified Speaking Professional, double Certified Virtual Presenter, and recipient of the Global Outstanding Intrapreneur Award, Warwick is known for transforming conferences into unforgettable experiences. With a dynamic background in radio, theatre, improv, and music, he brings a unique blend of energy, humour, and seamless facilitation that keeps delegates fully engaged.
Renowned for his “Making Events Awesome” philosophy, Warwick has worked with leading organisations including Lotterywest, Air New Zealand, AMTIL and RACGP. His ability to connect with audiences — whether on stage, online, or anywhere in between — has made him one of Australia’s most trusted and in-demand MCs.
After the overwhelmingly positive feedback from last year, Warwick will once again be leading the program and facilitating ACTA’s highly anticipated Fishbowl Sessions — a conference favourite he helped elevate to new heights.
Get ready for another memorable ACTA experience with Warwick at the helm.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Cameron Mitchell
Head of Geopolitical Risk, ANZ
Geopolitics in Transition: What 2026’s Global Shifts Mean for Australian Treasurers
11:00AM - 11:30AM | Wednesday 27 May
In a world marked by rising geopolitical tension and economic fragmentation, treasurers face a landscape that’s more volatile — and more consequential — than ever. Join Cameron Mitchell, Head of Geopolitical Risk at ANZ, as he returns to ACTA to unpack the forces reshaping global markets and what they mean for Australian corporates in 2026.
This year’s session dives into insights from the latest global risk assessments, including the surge in geoeconomic confrontation, now identified as the top global risk for 2026, alongside interstate conflict, supply‑chain disruption, and intensifying technological competition. With experts warning that over half of the world expects a “turbulent or stormy” outlook, treasurers must navigate an environment where traditional economic relationships and trade norms are being rewritten.
You’ll walk away with practical, forward looking guidance to strengthen your treasury strategy amid global uncertainty — equipping you to safeguard liquidity, manage risk, and seize emerging opportunities in a world where the rules are still being rewritten.
Prepare to look beyond today’s headlines and into the forces that will define tomorrow.
Ben Jarman
Chief Economist, Australia and New Zealand, J.P. Morgan
Economic Outlook 2026: Key Trends Shaping Treasury Decisions
Australia’s economic outlook in 2026 is being shaped by a cautious recovery, stabilising inflation, and shifts in productivity and fiscal settings that continue to influence business conditions nationwide. Ben Jarman, Chief Economist, Australia and New Zealand at J.P. Morgan, will provide a focused update on the forces driving Australia’s economic trajectory—from interest rate expectations and wage dynamics to investment trends and sector‑specific pressures.
Forecasts point to modest improvements in GDP growth supported by strengthening real wages, fiscal measures, and productivity‑oriented reforms, even as the broader global environment remains restrained by slower international trade and fragile demand conditions. Ben will explore how these domestic and external factors intersect to shape funding costs, currency movements, and operating conditions for Australian corporates.
Treasure teams will walk away with practical, forward‑looking insights to support planning, liquidity management, and risk assessment in an economy balancing global headwinds with emerging pockets of resilience.
Sir Rod Eddington
Chairman of J.P. Morgan's Asia Pacific Council
Closing Keynote: Leadership and Risk in a Shifting Global Order
Australia sits at the centre of a fast‑changing strategic map: great‑power competition in the Indo‑Pacific, shifting alliances, and breakthrough technologies like AI and cyber that are transforming how power is projected—and how risk spreads through economies and organisations.
You’ll hear how the global order is evolving, where the real flashpoints lie, and why the next decade will reward leaders who can make clear, timely decisions under pressure. This is a strategy and leadership session—no treasury mechanics—designed to sharpen your external lens so you can return to the office with stronger judgment, better questions, and a calmer crisis playbook.
Fast, candid, and unforgettable. This finale will send you back to the office with a clearer map—and the confidence to lead when it counts.