Jon Whittle is Director of CSIRO's Data61, the digital and data science arm of Australia's national science agency. With around 1000 staff and affiliates, Data61 is one of the largest collections of R&D expertise in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science in the world. Data61 partners with over 200 industry and government organisations, over 30 Universities, and works across vertical sectors in manufacturing, health, agriculture, and the environment. 

Prior to joining Data61, Jon was Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University, the largest university in Australia. He was named CEO Magazine's 2019 Education Executive of the Year.  Jon is also a former Technical Area Lead at NASA, where he worked on software for NASA space missions.

Jon is passionate about the role digital technologies can play in society. He has a world-leading reputation on how to adapt software development methods to fully take into account human values and ethics, so that we build software for a society we want rather than one we get by accident. Jon is also host of CSIRO's Everyday AI podcast, which provides a gentle introduction to AI and cuts through much of the hype surrounding this emerging technology.

For more than 35 years, Emma Crichton has been a leading figure in the highly competitive bid industry, driving successful strategies across the UK, USA, Sweden, and Australasia. Her expertise has enabled organizations of all sizes to secure critical contracts that not only boost business growth but also create meaningful community impact.

In 2023, Emma embarked on her most ambitious venture yet: launching AutogenAI’s Asia-Pacific division. Within a year, she exceeded all expectations, scaling the business to multi-seven-figure revenues. Under her leadership, AutogenAI quickly established itself as a key player in the region, landing major clients across consulting, healthcare, and defence. Emma’s vision and strategic acumen have accelerated AutogenAI’s growth, making it the preferred partner for companies leveraging generative AI to transform their bidding and procurement processes.

But for Emma, success isn’t just about financial milestones—it’s about people. With a double degree in Sociology and Social Work, she began her career in social services, securing funding for programs that made a tangible difference in people’s lives. That same human-first philosophy drives her leadership today. She believes AI isn’t here to replace expertise—it’s here to amplify it. Under her guidance, AutogenAI is redefining how businesses approach bidding, blending cutting-edge technology with the strategic insight of human experts.

Her ability to balance innovation with impact has earned her industry recognition, including the prestigious National Employment Services Association (NESA) Employment Discovery Grant in 2017.

Born in Warrnambool, Victoria, Emma grew up watching her father, a self-taught bidder, win contracts that built a successful construction business. She learned early that success isn’t about waiting for opportunities—it’s about creating them.

Today, as she leads AutogenAI’s charge across APAC, Emma remains focused on what matters most: delivering results, driving innovation, and ensuring that every success is built on a foundation of human expertise and integrity.

Dhawal has partnered with the boards & c-suites of some of the largest Fortune 500 and ASX 100 companies (across US, EU, Greater China and APAC) to deliver globally acclaimed, multi-award winning and market differentiating AI strategies & initiatives. With a proven track record of over 20 years’ experience in AI/ML across all major industry sectors, he brings an ‘issue-based problem solving’ mindset to enable complex organisations navigate their critical priorities.

Dhawal has delivered some of the largest globally acclaimed, multi-award winning and market differentiating AI strategies and initiatives and is passionate about enabling large corporations become scaled intelligent enterprises (unlocking scaled value through data, AI, automation, emerging tech & ecosystem partnerships). Shaping and delivering first-to-market, industry-changing strategic partnerships and joint ventures, Dhawal helps complex organisations lead “in the new”, with confidence