2026 ASO Skills Expo Programme

The 2026 ASO Skills Expo welcomes you to the Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach

8:00 – 8:30 am

Visit the coffee cart for complimentary coffee

8:30 – 8:40 am

Delivered by ASO Member (QLD) Dr Bill Glasson AO, ASO Board Director (QLD) Dr Louise Robinson, and ASO Board Director (QLD) A/Prof Thomas Campbell

8:40 – 8:45 am

Acknowledgement of Yugameh Country by A/Prof Kris Rallah-Baker, ASO Member (QLD).

8:50 – 9:30 am

Delivered by Prof Nitin Verma, ASO Member, former RANZCO President:

• Social entrepreneurship for Ophthalmologists

9:30 – 9:40 am

Presented by Prof Peter McCluskey President of RANZCO.

9:40 – 9:50 am

Presented by Dr John Kennedy, President, ANZEF

9:50 – 10:20 am

Chaired by Dr Peter Sumich, ASO President

Industry Panellists:              

• Karen Fowler, Senior Director of Commercial Operations & Strategic Projects Alcon ANZ
• David Walker, Marketing Manager Surgical, Bausch + Lomb
• Nigel Goldsworthy, National Sales Manager, Ellex
• Naushad Mistry, Brand Lead, Astellas

10:20 – 11:00 am

Part Two of ASO Movie | Visit the Photo Booth in the main foyer for complimentary professional headshots courtesy of the ASO.

Headshots BY BOOKINGS ONLY. 

11:00 – 11:20 am

Presented by George Sotiris, Founder and Director, HR in Health:

• How AI has changed the HR game, for better and for worse

11:20 – 11:40 am

Presented by Dr Jamie Chew, Co-Founder, i-Scribe & Dr Rahul Chakrabarti, ASO Board Member Victoria

• Applying AI in practice and the things to consider
• The big positives of AI in practice and what to watch out for when it comes to patient safety 

11:40 am – 12:00 pm

Presented by Dr Lily Vrtik, MHL FRACS(plast), MBBS, Specialist Plastic Surgeon, MDA National Underwriting Committee Clinical Advisor

• Ethicolegal issues behind medical advertising and social media (medicine vs commercialism)                       

12:00 – 12:10 pm

Chaired by Dr Louise Robinson

Panellists:

• Prof Chris Pyke, Chief Medical Officer, Mater Education
• Alasdair Torrie, Manager Programs & Partnerships, Mater Education

12:10 – 12:30 pm

Presented by Jarrod Bramble, Managing Partner, Cutcher and Neale:

• Focusing on the outcomes of the Federal Budget and what that means for your practice

12:30 – 12:50 pm

Presented by Dr Erica Darian-Smith, Eagle Eye Surgeons Sydney, Sponsored by Rayner

12:50 – 1:45 pm

Part Three of the ASO Movie

Join us for lunch and meet this year’s sponsors and partners. 

1:45 – 2:30 pm

Chaired by A/Prof Thomas Campbell, ASO Board Member (QLD) and Skills Expo Convener. 

Panellists: 

• Associate Professor Sanjay Jeganathan, Immediate Past Chair CPMC
• Prof Peter McCluskey, President, RANZCO
• Katrina Ronne, Chief Executive Officer, ASO
• Dr Peter Sumich, President, ASO

2:30 – 3:00 pm

What To Look For When Checking Your Practice Financial Health 

Chaired by Donna Glenn with panellists: 

• Jarrod Bramble, Cutcher & Neale, Partner
• Scott Bell, CEO, SMS Health Care
• Dr Isabel McLean, Ophthalmologist, Bundaberg Eye Clinic

3:00 – 3:30 pm

Visit the coffee cart for complimentary tea and coffee.

3:30 – 3:40 pm

Panel Discussion chaired by A/Prof Thomas Campbell, ASO Board Member (QLD), Proudly sponsored by CURA Day Hospital.

Panellists: 

• Dr Bill Glasson
• Dr Rahul Chakrabarti
• Dr John Horsburgh
• Dr Anoushka Kothari
• Dr Matthew McCartney

3:40 – 4:00 pm

Chaired by Dr Louise Robinson.

Panellists: 

• Dr Andrew Apel, The Eye Health Centre 
• Nicole Brown, Partner, Cutcher and Neale,
• Julian Muldoon, Director, 1Group Property Advisory

4:00 – 4:20 pm

Campfire session with Ruby Kraner-Tucci, National Health Reporter News Corp Australia, Dr Peter Sumich, ASO President & Ellie Fink, ASO Manager Media & Communications:

Why Media Matters in the Medical World

• The ASO’s Role in the Media Landscape
• How Media Supports Advocacy
• Social Media for Advocacy.

4:20 – 4:50 pm

Panel Discussion chaired by A/Prof Thomas Campbell, ASO Board Member (QLD)

Panellists include:

Dr Louise Robinson, ASO Board Member and Expo Convenor

Christian Devereux, Director EMBLM Agency

4:50 – 5:00 pm

Delivered by convenors

Join us for a sunset cocktail party on the poolside deck, Sofitel Broadbeach. Pre-registration is needed for this event.

Proudly sponsored by CURA Day Hospitals

Join us for the Leaders Breakfast Forum where the greatest minds from across the healthcare sector come together and unpack the issues of the day.

9:00 – 9:30 am

This Keynote Presentation will be delivered by Professor Joel Pearson, Director of the Future Minds Lab, Deputy Director of Human Readiness at the UNSW AI Institute, and an ARC Future Fellow at the University of New South Wales. 

• At a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping workplaces and decision-making at unprecedented speed, Australian neuroscientist and psychologist Joel Pearson will share his insight with organisations at the 2026 Skills Expo, urging us not to lose sight of their most powerful asset: the human mind.

9:30 – 9:45 am

Professor Joel Pearson’s Keynote Presentation will be followed by a one-on-one Q&A Session with A/Prof Thomas Campbell, ASO Board Member (QLD).

• ASO Members are invited to submit their questions to Prof Pearson ahead of the Skills Expo at info@asoeye.org.  

9:45 – 10:15 am

Take a moment to catch up with colleagues and key healthcare thought leaders ahead of the Forum or participate in a Meet and Greet with Prof Pearson.

10:15 – 11:45 am

The Forum will be hosted Dr Bill Glasson AO and is sponsored by Ramsay Health Care. 

Panellists:

• Ramsay Health Care, National Manager - Growth & Partnerships, Claire Thurwood
• AMA President, Dr Danielle McMullen
• ASO President, Dr Peter Sumich
• RANZCO President, Prof Peter McClusky, ASO Board Member
• Chief Medical Officer, A/Prof Catherine McDougall
• Health Ombudsman, Queensland, Janet Anderson PSM