CEO Roundtables Sydney

AI SYD

**Note: Meetup RSVPs are closed. Please register on luma.com: [https://luma.com/vercel-0jd3](https://luma.com/vercel-0jd3)** Sydney is home to some of the best AI engineers in the world, from early-stage startups to global enterprises. SYD AI Meet Up is where they come together. Whether you're shipping AI features in production, experimenting with AI SDK, or figuring out how AI fits into your stack - this is your room. ​**The headline: Collaboration with Vercel** ## ​What to Expect ​**6:00 – 6:30 PM: Pizza & Networking** Grab a slice, meet fellow engineers, and connect with the community. ​**6:30 – 7 PM: Lightning Talks** **We planted real CVEs in 16 repos to find out which AI model actually catches vulnerabilities. The best model is a surprise** by Patrick Collins CEO, Dam Secure **From Traces to Trust: Shipping Reliable LLM Apps with Langfuse** by Muhammad Ali, Senior Solution Architect @ ClickHouse ​**7 PM – 9:00 PM: Networking & Wrap Up** **Talk title:** **We planted real CVEs in 16 repos to find out which AI model actually catches vulnerabilities. The best model is a surprise.** Talk Description: Every new model is benchmaxxing and also test against the same public vulnerable repos, like OWASP Juice Shop. That makes the standard benchmarks essentially useless. So we built our own eval suite and benchmark. We mine CVEs from open-source commit history and replay the reverted fix back onto the codebase, across 16 repos. I'll show the results and give a sneak peak into how we built that eval suite and the results. The leading model, which we ran through Vercel will surprise you! This is a talk for developers interested in behind-the-scenes of eval suites and benchmarks. **Speaker:** Patrick Collins CEO, Dam Secure **Talk title:** **Traces to Trust: Shipping Reliable LLM Apps with Langfuse** Talk Description: Building an LLM demo is easy; running one in production is not. This deep dive walks through how Langfuse helps teams move from "it works on my prompt" to measurable, debuggable, cost-aware AI systems. We'll explore tracing and spans for complex agent pipelines, prompt management and versioning, evaluation workflows to catch regressions before users do, and dashboards for cost and latency monitoring. Along the way, we'll look at real traces from a live application and discuss how observability data feeds back into improving prompts, models, and architecture. If you're building with LLMs or agents, you'll leave with a concrete playbook for instrumenting your own stack. **Speaker:** Muhammad Ali, Senior Solution Architect @ ClickHouse Muhammad Ali is a Solutions Architect at ClickHouse, helping teams design high-performance analytics systems and make deliberate choices about data formats, engines, and lock-in trade-offs in the agentic era. ## ​Who Should Attend ​Whether you're at a startup or an enterprise - if you're building with AI, this is for you. * ​AI engineers building intelligent features and applications * ​Frontend and backend developers integrating AI into real products * ​Founders and CTOs exploring AI-native architectures * ​Anyone curious about AI SDK and modern AI tooling **Note: Meetup RSVPs are closed. Please register on luma.com: [https://luma.com/vercel-0jd3](https://luma.com/vercel-0jd3)**

SydDT #131: Lead Change That Matters with Ben Pecotich

Join us for the launch of my Ben Pecotich's new book Lead Change That Matters: Design the Conditions for Momentum! Your ticket includes all the usual SydDT goodness… plus a set of limited-edition Lead Change That Matters cards that we’ll use on the night to catalyse conversation and help you choose your own journey. You’ll also get a special launch discount on Ben's new book. 300+ people shared their experiences, goals, frustrations, and hopes through the research behind the book – including so many of you from the SydDT community. Lead Change That Matters is a call to action. It says the work matters, the people involved matter, and what we choose to do next matters. This session is for you if you’re: * Leading change you’re accountable for but can’t really control * Navigating complexity with increasing ambiguity and uncertainty * Caring for everyone’s wellbeing but dodging your own burnout * Firefighting the tactical when you want to lead the strategic change that matters At the heart of the book is a tension that ran through the research. Leaders are expected to juggle more as the work becomes faster, more complex, and more scrutinised… but the conditions around them haven’t kept pace with what’s being demanded. We want people to collaborate, adapt, take the initiative, and deliver meaningful results. What are we doing to make that possible? The premise is that leading change well is about designing the conditions for people to do meaningful work together – bringing purpose and performance together to build momentum and deliver results that matter. We’ll explore these themes together… with a focus on how we design the conditions for momentum, so we can lead change that matters. Come join us for some fun conversations with interesting people in and around the design thinking community. New members are welcome! **SPEAKER** **[Ben Pecotich](https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpecotich/)** **Design & Innovation Director/Founder, [Dynamic4](https://dynamic4.com). Author of Lead Change That Matters: Design the Conditions for Momentum** Ben's a designer, adviser, and founder of Dynamic4. He works alongside leaders and their teams on their most complex challenges across strategy, design, and tech. For 30+ years, Ben's led, designed, and delivered strategic change in financial services in Australia, NZ, Asia, the UK, and Europe – and co-founded 20+ startups and social enterprises across health and fitness, fintech, events, and community building. He founded Dynamic4 in 2001. Ben takes a human-centred design and living systems approach to helping clients design, build, and launch ideas that customers and teams love, make money, and do great things for people and our planet while increasing wellbeing. Everything he does is about accelerating the transition to more regenerative ways of living and doing business, creating the conditions for people and communities to be happier and live on a healthier planet. Ben's the author of Solve Problems That Matter and his new book Lead Change That Matters: Design the Conditions for Momentum is launching now. He's also the co-founder of Sydney Design Thinking. **EVENT SPONSORS** This event is brought to you by [Thoughtworks](https://www.thoughtworks.com/), [Shapeshifters](https://www.shapeshifterscreative.com.au/), and [Dynamic4](https://dynamic4.com/). We take photos and record our events for documentation and promo purposes. Just let us know if you prefer not to be featured.

Master your Social Skills and 10x your Income LIVE MASTERCLASS

**Boost your confidence, connect like a pro, and watch your income soar at this live social skills masterclass!** ## Master your Social Skills and 10x your Income LIVE MASTERCLASS Ready to level up your game? Join us in person for this supercharged masterclass where you'll learn how to boost your social skills and watch your income soar! No fluff, just real tips and tricks that work. Don't miss out on this chance to transform your life and connections. Let's get social and get paid! This will be a game-changer if you are an Introvert who wants to break out of their shell or brush up your social skills overall, make an impact and grow your leadership and most importantly.... Multiply your income. ### **Get ready for this immersive experience and full of breakthroughs!!** Please buy your ticket from this link [https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/master-your-social-skills-and-10x-your-income-masterclass-tickets-1999262872069?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/master-your-social-skills-and-10x-your-income-masterclass-tickets-1999262872069?aff=oddtdtcreator) **Speaker Profile:** Sam Lee is the Founder and CEO of Connect with Confidence, A Multi Award-Winning and Certified Social Skills Coach, 2x Published Author of “The Social Way” and “Connect with Confidence” which are Self-Help books currently sold through Amazon and Dymocks platforms. He is also a motivational and keynote speaker. He is involved in Non-For Profit Organisations such as Vice-President of Media and Communications for the Australian Vietnam Business Council, Executive Committee of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association and President of Hong Kongers Sydney Social Networking Community. After starting his career as a real estate agent, Sam moved into Helping Introverted Professionals to Master their Social Skills and Multiply their Income. Recently celebrating 6 years of Social Skills coaching over 1000+ students ranging from University students, Teachers, Lawyers, IT Professionals, Accountants, Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Top Executives and CEOs. He is also featured in media such as TV and Radio shows and worked with the NSW Government and other listed companies for training purposes. Please buy your ticket from this link [https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/master-your-social-skills-and-10x-your-income-masterclass-tickets-1999262872069?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/master-your-social-skills-and-10x-your-income-masterclass-tickets-1999262872069?aff=oddtdtcreator)

From Chaos to Confidence

Schedule --- • 19:00 - 19:30 General networking starts. Setup space, open the first. Brief Introduction Round (Who are you? What do you do?). FREE drinks • 19:30 - 20:00 What bugs you (i.e. Lean Mastermind)? • 20:00 - 21:00 Topic of the day (see speaker details below). Q & A • 21:00 - 21:15 Last drinks. Closing down. Carry on partying elsewhere. **Details** --- General get together. Share the latest news in the entrepreneurs community. Have a drink with like minded people Exchange stories from the trenches and tips on how to run a better business. **Lean Mastermind Session** --- Share a Challenge or an idea you have for your start up / business How can we help you resolve your problem or help you improve on your idea? ## **Topic of the Day: From Chaos to Confidence** How Smart Content Management Keeps Your Business Compliant, Efficient and Ready to Grow ## **Speaker of the Day: Bruce Wren CEO of revelr.ai** Bruce has created and sold several companies before. Revealr.ai is his latest project and deals with turning the 40 year old PDF into an "online twin". ## **Audience** Suitable for those with a growing business looking to share solutions and experience to accelerate growth and value. Bring a friend/aspiring entrepreneur. **Format** --- Casual get together/Mastermind **Sponsors** --- Thanks for [WOTSO](https://wotso.com/locations/manly) for hosting the event and Michael from https://www.magaconsult.com/about for nourishment (i.e. free drinks and nibbles). Thanks to Amazon Web Services for their ongoing support: [https://aws.amazon.com/getting-started](https://aws.amazon.com/getting-started)

Social Table Tennis Night

## **KEEP THE BALL ROLLING!** 🏓✨ The energy from our first week back was incredible, and we’re just getting started! Whether you missed the first session or you’re already craving more, it’s time to step back up to the table. Let’s make this week even bigger than the last one! **The Details:** * **Where:** Eastwood Community Social Table Tennis * **Who:** Open to all—beginners, pros, and everyone in between! We are especially excited to see our women’s sports community continue to grow—bring a friend and double the fun! From high-speed rallies to friendly chats on the sidelines, there’s no better place to spend your Thursday night. We have spare bats, don't worry about not having one. See you at the table!

How I AI: Show & Tell

Curious about how others are using AI in their learning and design work and to build performance in their roles & companies? Come along for an evening of practical examples, shared experiments and conversation. Four fantastic speakers will show how they’re using AI, sharing ideas and insights you can take back to your own practice. You'll see practical examples, and have time for Q&A after each speaker. Whether you’re already experimenting or wondering where to start, join fellow L&D professionals to explore what’s possible, ask questions and swap experiences. **Meet the speakers** * **[Samantha Ferguson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjferg/)** — A passionate learning leader (who's a designer at heart) with experience across a wide range of roles and industries in learning. sharing insights on how AI is being used to design quality learning for a range of clients. * **[Shawna Murray](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawna-murray-02638283/)** — A forward-thinking Learning & Leadership leader, sharing how she's putting AI into practice meaningfully, to build organisational capability. * **[Travers Owers](https://www.linkedin.com/in/traversowers/)** — A leader in what's possible in learning technology, data & reporting sharing how AI can completely change and improve the way you work. * **[Stanley Yip](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanleyyip/)** —Is the Manager Learning Innovation & Workforce Programs at the Independent Schools NSW, a not-for-profit member organisation. His current role includes designing and delivering teacher professional learning, innovations such as AI, and teacher workforce strategy. His background is in teaching, learning design, and multimedia. He is currently part-way through a PhD on metacognition, the brain, and AI showing how has AI changed our role as learning designers? Stanley will be sharing how AI is used in his team of learning designers and their toolset, skillset, and mindset. There’ll also be time to catch up with familiar faces and meet others in the learning community before & after the talk. We'll also likely head to a local pub to continue the conversation post 7pm. **Agenda** 5pm - 530pm: Register, mingle, have a snack 530pm - 630pm: Hear from our speakers 630pm - 7pm: Mingle, share ideas 7pm onwards: Wander to a nearby pub to keep the ideas flowing. **When and where** Wednesday 14 October 2026 5:00pm–7:00pm Kindly hosted by our friends at **Hays** Level 14, Chifley Tower 2 Chifley Square, Sydney CBD **Tickets and RSVP** Tickets are **$10 per person**, so we can have some light refreshments (and ensure we're not hangry!) We look forward to seeing you there!

IN PERSON | Financial Modelling with Copilot

SYDNEY 🔥 BOSS LADIES Networking Meetup @ Novotel Darling Harbour

**👠 L​assie & Edward Zia host a monthly Boss Ladies Meetup @ Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour!🔥** Join Women in Business for a fun and relaxing Networking Meetup hosted by Lassie & Edward Zia. ​​Our events are about creating a platform for fostering and empowering meaningful connections, getting everyone out of their homes and offices to build a stronger Network within our Communities. **​T​he Event:** ​Our gatherings are free to you and pretty casual, with minimum structure to allow natural flow of conversations. Please make a donation, we really appreciate your support. Come along, grab a cold beverage on arrival, ​introduce yourselves, make new friends, take photos for social media and connect with each other on your phones via Linkedin. Our leaders will give a brief introduction while we purchase our own lunch. Feel free to move around and speak to everyone, and enjoy a coffee afterwards​ too. **Before the event** ​Make sure that you have registered and updated your professional profile and install Linkedin on your phone, our preferred social media platform for high quality professionals and Business Partners. **After the event​:** ​Feel free to stay back for more Networking fun in the afternoon. ​Touch base with those you have met and connect with any you may have missed via the event posts on Linkedin created by Lassie on the day. Schedule a coffee meet and or come along to our next event to re-connect with others. **P​arking:** Wilson Parking available underneath the hotel. They are a top option and better if you book the day before too. **First time with Us?** You're in good hands! We've been running​ networking events in ​since 2015 and beyond. **About Us** Our Meetup Business Community has over 16k members and has become one of Australia's largest Business Networking Meetup groups. We host regular Networking events in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and zooms throughout the year, supporting a network of ever growing businesses. With over 16,000 members in our Business Community, you have the best chance of meeting like-minded people to grow and scale your Network faster. **[Book into our coming events here and donate to support our work here x](https://linktr.ee/edwardzia)**

Manly Business Networking - 15th October

MOVED TO THIRD THURSDAY IN OCTOBER DUE TO SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. Same great networking just under new management! Casual Business Networking in Manly focused on bringing business owners and professionals together to build your business network. Join us at the **Hotel Steyne** for a Business Networking event focused on bringing small to medium business owners and leaders together where we can mingle, support and grow our businesses together! This event is designed to facilitate meaningful connections and collaborations within the business community that can lead to mutual success. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this is a great opportunity to expand your network and explore potential partnerships. No fluff. No hard sells. Just genuine conversations with people who get it. **A quick note from me:** We are honoured to be taking over as hosts of Manly Business Network from Genine. We’d like to sincerely thank her for the incredible work she has done building this community and creating a welcoming environment where local business owners can connect, collaborate and support one another. The success of this event is a testament to the energy, commitment and care she has invested over the years. Our goal is to build on the strong foundation Genine has created and continue providing a space where genuine business relationships can flourish and opportunities can grow naturally. Thank you, Genine, for everything you’ve done for the Manly business community. Reserve your spot now, mark it in your calendar, and we look forward to welcoming you on the day! Andy Sephton, Creative Kiwi Animations & Jonathan Sharp, Team Fun!

The Next-Gen Marketer: The AI Talent Playbook & How to Grow Your Career (PAID)

**🚨 IMPORTANT TICKETING NOTE:** This is a **PAID** event and tickets are REQUIRED for entry. RSVPing on Meetup does NOT reserve your seat or grant entry at the door. You must purchase your ticket in advance **via Eventbrite Registration:** https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-next-gen-marketer-the-ai-talent-playbook-how-to-grow-your-career-tickets-1999265448776 **Join Women in SEO & Digital Marketing (WiSDM) for our 2026 panel night finale! ✨** An executive summit for marketing and tech leaders and ambitious practitioners navigating the AI era. In an era where AI is transforming marketing operations overnight, staying ahead requires two critical capability stacks: mastering AI tools and workflows to stand out as individual talent, and knowing how to navigate your career trajectory into executive leadership. 🔥 **The Dual Playbooks for Next-Gen Success:** • **Panel 1 \| The AI Talent Playbook: Building & Upskilling AI\-Ready Teams** A tactical discussion with recruitment experts, talent strategists, and enterprise leaders on how top organisations are reshaping job roles, integrating AI across workflows, and how practitioners can upskill themselves to become in-demand talent. • **Panel 2 \| The CMO & CTO Playbook: Navigating Career Growth & Strategy in the Age of AI** A candid, high-level conversation with top CMOs, CTOs, and executive leaders sharing their personal career trajectories, how they evaluate AI investments, and honest advice for advancing your career today. 👥 **Host & Panellists:** • Georgia Tan \(Host & Moderator\) – Founder of WiSDM \| Co\-Founder at Switch Key Digital • Sofie Pellegatti — Data & AI Lead, IBM • Bupe Kasengele — Senior Account Director, LinkedIn & Founder, The Weekly Work Edit • Dominique Powis — Chief Technology Officer, Infomedix • Maziya Sarangpurwala — Centre of Excellence Lead – AI Policy, Risk and Governance, Commonwealth Bank • Malini Sietaram — Founder & Fractional CMO, Argyle Rocks • Tim Lillyman — Head of Marketing & AI Automation, XPON Technologies Group (...plus more brilliant panellists to be announced soon!) 🗓️ **Event Details:** • Date: Thursday, 15 October 2026 • Time: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM AEST (Doors open at 5:30 PM for welcome drinks & canapés) • Venue: Level 7, Australia Square, 264 George St, Sydney CBD • Produced & Powered by: Switch Key Digital • In Partnership with: u&u recruitment & Taco Technologies ⚡ General Admission Tickets are Live! As this is our last formal panel event of 2026, spots are strictly limited. Secure your ticket today via Eventbrite Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-next-gen-marketer-the-ai-talent-playbook-how-to-grow-your-career-tickets-1999265448776

SYDNEY 🔥 Awesome Business Networking @ Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

**🔥L​assie & Edward Zia's Business Community is hosting a Business Networking Event @ Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour!🔥** **[Book into our coming events + donate to support our work here x](https://linktr.ee/edwardzia)** Join like-minded people in Business for a fun and relaxing Networking Lunch and afternoon of Networking that you won't want to miss!​ Our Business Community includes a diverse range of friendly and supportive Professionals, Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, CEOs, Managing Directors, Boss Ladies, Thought Leaders and Influencers, open and ready to meet like-minded individuals, to connect and grow their Networks! (Not suitable for students) ​​Our events are all about fostering and empowering meaningful connections, getting everyone out of their homes and offices to build a stronger Network within our Communities. **​T​he Event:** ​Our gatherings are free to you and pretty casual, with minimum structure to allow natural flow of conversations. [Please make a donation, we really appreciate your support.](https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ExcellenceAbove) Come along, grab lunch, ​introduce yourselves, make new friends, and connect with each other on your phones via Linkedin. Our leaders will give a brief introduction after lunch, feel free to move around and speak to everyone before and after, and enjoy a coffee and or beverages of your choice throughout​ the event too. **Before the event** ​Make sure that you have registered and updated your professional profile and install the LinkedIn app on your phone, our preferred social media platform for high quality professionals and Business Partners. **After the event​:** ​Touch base with those you have met and connect with any you may have missed on the day. Schedule a coffee meet and or come along to our next event to re-connect with others. **​P​arking:** Located in Darling Harbour, prepaid parking directly beneath Novotel Darling Harbour is available at Wilson Parking, provided that you book online 1 day prior, for $16. **First time with Us?** You're in good hands! We've been running​ networking events in ​since 2015 and beyond **About Us** Our Meetup Business Community has over 16k members and has become one of Australia's largest Business Networking Meetup groups. We host regular Networking events in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and zooms throughout the year, supporting a network of ever-growing businesses. With over 16,000 members in our Business Community, you have the best chance of meeting like-minded people to grow and scale your Network faster. **[View all upcoming ​events here!](https://linktr.ee/edwardzia)** ### Frequently Asked Question​s **What is the dress code?** Smart Business casual and ​be photo ready. **Do many people attend by themselves?** Many of ​our attendees come by themselves​ and friends, colleagues and first timers are always welcomed. **How can I make contact with any questions?** ​Simply direct message [Edward Zia](https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardzia/) with any further questions. We aim to create High Value and the best Business Networking Events available out there! **Meet - Like - Know - Trust** **Your Network is your Networth!** 🌏🌏🌏💙💙💙🔥🔥🔥 If you love our High Quality Business Networking Events, please Sign up to become a Member of the **[Awesome Influencer Vault](https://edwardzia.teachable.com/p/theawesomemarketingvault)** and help us keep them Running! We really appreciate your ongoing support!

Guided Women’s Business Networking

**A monthly networking experience designed differently!** Our structured networking event is for women who want to grow, not just in business, but as individuals. Through meaningful conversations, thought-provoking reflection questions, and guided table rotations, you’ll gain fresh perspectives, build genuine connections, and challenge yourself to think bigger. **📝 How it works** **1\. Arrive & connect** You’ll be welcomed and seated at a table with a reflection prompt to kick-start the conversation. **2\. Dive into meaningful conversations** Each round explores a different question designed to spark honest discussions around business, personal growth, and the challenges that matter most. **3\. Meet someone new every 20 minutes** We guide every table rotation, so you’ll naturally connect with lots of different women throughout the evening, without any awkwardness. By the end of the night, you’ll leave with meaningful new connections, fresh perspectives, and greater clarity on your next steps. **🔎 How to Find Rabbit Bar** Rabbit Bar can be tricky to spot: 1. Go to the ground floor of **The Galeries** 2. Look for **Toastie Smith** 3. Behind it, you’ll see a semi-enclosed area 4. Walk down into that area 5. On your right, you’ll see a doorway. Enter it 6. Then look for another open door immediately to your right. That’s **Rabbit Bar**! 📲 **Got questions?** Feel free to message me here on Meetup. **Looking forward to a room full of real talk. See you there! xx** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Want to learn more about Her Collective Space?** Follow us on Instagram: [@hercollectivespace](http://www.instagram.com/hercollectivespace/)