2026 Program

‘The Bold City’ is the theme of the 2026 Sydney Summit.

We will be exploring how to turn ambition into action. It’s about leadership that balances vision with pragmatism, and a willingness to make the decisions that shape the next generation of Sydney’s growth.

Morning sessions

Eamon Waterford, CEO, Committee for Sydney

The Hon. Paul Scully MP, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Jordan Baker, Editor, The Sydney Morning Herald  

Presented by BDO

The Hon. Clare O’Neil MP, Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness, Minister for Cities

Exploring how we end scarcity through planning, zoning, and investment with the Hon. Clare O’Neil MP (Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness, Minister for Cities), Tom Gellibrand (Chief Executive, Infrastructure NSW), Kerry Robinson OAM (Chief Executive Officer, Blacktown City Council), Megan Gorrey (Sydney Editor, The Sydney Morning Herald) and Estelle Grech, Policy Manager, Committee for Sydney). 

A crowd sourced, crowd favourite part of the program – this year we are asking To have the future we want, we need to build and invent more of what we need – what does Sydney need to build and invent?

Insights presetned by Matt Levinson, Head of Corporate Affairs, Committee for Sydney and Adira Wiryoatmojo, Senior Research Executive, Ipsos

Afternoon sessions

Kellie Sloane MP, NSW Leader of the Opposition. Followed by a fireside chat with Jordan Baker, Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.

Sydney has great examples of how big visions are turned into reality. What can major projects like the transformation of Parramatta’s CBD, Sydney Metro and the revitalisation of George Street teach us about how we can realise future projects that can benefit all Sydneysiders? Hear from Monica Barone PSM (Chief Executive Officer, City of Sydney), Peter Regan (Chief Executive, Sydney Metro), Larry McGrath (General Manager, NSW & ACT, McConnell Dowell), David Borger (Executive Director, Business Western Sydney), and Sue Weatherley MPIA (Fellow) (PIA NSW President). 

Join Rob Kenna (Chief Executive, TCorp), Deanne Stewart (CEO, Aware Super), Paul Crowe (CEO, Plenary) and Jeremy Gill (Head of Policy, Committee for Sydney) for a fireside on bold financing. 

What enabled us to be bold in the past, and how do we recreate those conditions for the future? We’ll be asking some of our most seasoned leaders for a frank assessment to help inform how we move forward. In a discussion moderated by Eamon Waterford (CEO, Committee for Sydney) with the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull AC (former Prime Minister of Australia), Professor the Hon. Bob Carr (former Premier of NSW), Ms Allegra Spender MP (Member for Wentworth), Aruna Sathanapally (CEO, Grattan Institute) – and additional speakers to be announced – we will explore how governance can enable the big ideas that will shape Sydney’s next era of ambition, vision and leadership.

Michael Rose AM, Chair, Committee for Sydney