Conference Speaking

Australia's Emotional Intelligence experts

Where inspiration meets action and uncapping potential begins!

Powerful storytelling with impact.

Marnie Brokenshire and Nicole Mathers combine powerful storytelling with real world leadership insights to deliver keynotes that energise, challenge, and equip audiences with practical insights and tools - all with an emotional intelligence angle.

With lessons, strategies, and humour drawn from decades of experience in the trenches, their keynotes leave people inspired, motivated, and ready to take action.

Marnie Brokenshire

Marnie brings over 30 years of executive, consulting, and leadership experience to the stage, but it’s her energy, authenticity, and relatability that keep audiences leaning in.

Her keynotes aren’t theory heavy lectures rather high energy sessions packed with real stories, practical strategies, and insights that challenge people to think and act differently. The topic is always underpinned by the power of emotional intelligence as a competitive advantage. Audiences walk away with tools they can immediately apply in their careers and personal lives, while being entertained along the way.

With qualifications in law, HR, strategy, and change management, and as a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Marnie has built and led high performing cultures and teams in industries where women were often the exception, not the rule. She knows first hand what it takes to influence at the top, inspire change and deliver strategy under pressure.

Marnie’s style is candid, funny, and unfiltered. She brings a “nothing off limits” approach to the stage, weaving in real stories from decades in the trenches, and family life raising three boys. Her mix of honesty, and hard won lessons, makes her insights both relatable and unforgettable.

Nicole Mathers

Nicole Mathers is a dynamic and highly respected HR and leadership expert known for her pragmatic and commercially driven approach. With a career dedicated to developing leaders who drive real business outcomes, Nicole has built a reputation for saying it how it is—cutting through the noise to deliver clear, actionable insights.

She understands that successful leadership isn’t about theory; it’s about making smart, strategic decisions that create impact. Her ability to balance business acumen with the principles of emotional intelligence sets her apart, making her a sought-after speaker for organisations looking to cultivate high-performing teams.

A passionate advocate for leadership done right, particularly for the practice of HR, Nicole has guided countless professionals to step up, own their space, and lead with confidence. She believes in the power of direct, purposeful conversations that challenge and inspire growth.

Whether she’s addressing executives, HR professionals, or emerging leaders, Nicole brings a wealth of lived experience, sharp commercial insight, and a refreshingly honest perspective. Her keynotes leave audiences not just informed but equipped to take action—transforming the way they lead, influence, and shape the future of their businesses.

Recent Keynote Speaking Engagements

Drawing from personal experiences, industry anecdotes, and candid reflections, Marnie sheds light on the complexities, highs and lows of leadership, decision-making, culture change and interpersonal dynamics. Every keynote is not a speech, or a lecture, but a catalyst for different thinking and inspiration for change.

In workplaces navigating constant change and rising regulatory expectations, we explore why psychosocial safety is now a core performance driver, not a compliance exercise. This keynote unpacks how emotionally intelligent leadership creates the trust, clarity, and behavioural norms that keep people safe, engaged, and able to perform at their best.
In an environment where boards focus heavily on financial and operational risk, we shine a light on the leadership behaviours that quietly shape organisational success or failure. This keynote highlights why leadership capability is a critical risk category and offers a practical lens for strengthening governance, culture, and performance outcomes.
In organisations where frustration with HR is common, this keynote unpacks the real reasons the function so often misses the mark. This keynote goes beyond clichés to expose the structural, behavioural, and capability gaps that erode trust and impact. More importantly, it offers a clear, future focused pathway for transforming HR into a commercial, emotionally intelligent, high performance engine that drives value.
Amid competing priorities and increasing complexity, we reframe emotional intelligence as the essential differentiator for modern leaders and competitive advantage. This keynote guides attendees to recognise EI as a strategic capability - powering better decisions, stronger relationships, and a culture where teams thrive and deliver consistently higher performance.
In a landscape where business moves faster than ever, this keynote challenges the outdated practices holding HR back from true strategic impact. In a poke at our own profession, we call out HR leaders to evolve and to stop being, well, so “hrey”! Highlighting how we have always done it differently, embracing commercial insight, emotional intelligence, and contemporary practice to drive leaders, capability, and performance in a way that changes the game.
As psychosocial risk rises on executive and board agendas, we cut through the noise to show leaders how their behaviour is the strongest protective factor - or the greatest exposure. This keynote reframes psychosocial safety as a leadership capability and a competitive advantage, guiding attendees to adopt risk responsive habits that build trust, reduce harm, and create the conditions for high performance across the organisation.
From the wisdom of boomers, the pragmatism of Gen Xers to the tech savvy now or never millennials, we take a light hearted look at the diverse tapestry of the generations as well as pointing out some of the value to be had in the nuances. Greater understanding leads to greater results.
With reference to the fundamentals of human motivation, this keynote discusses individual and team strategies for fostering a culture of engagement, motivation, and teamwork, to revitalise audiences to reconnect, engage and find purpose in their work and ultimately, drive collective success.
In a world driven by targets and performance metrics, we challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding goal setting as a practice. This thought-provoking keynote invites attendees to question the traditional approach to goal setting and explores alternative perspectives that foster lasting and fulfilling achievement.
…what they forgot to teach us at business school!
Explore the invaluable lessons, practical wisdom, and real-world realities essential for navigating the complex landscape of modern business. This compelling keynote takes a candid look at the gaps between textbook theories and the dynamic realities of the business world.
Through a compelling narrative woven with personal stories, historical examples, and practical insights, attendees will embark on a journey that explores how emotional intelligence provides the transformative power in leadership and life, and how we embrace mistakes as our powerful source of learning.