At this incredible RGER Live, we welcomed over 1,000 HR and business leaders from across Australia and New Zealand, both in-person and online, for a day of thought leadership, innovative people strategies, and invaluable networking. With an incredible lineup of speakers and engaging discussions, the event provided fresh perspectives on the evolving world of work, leadership, wellbeing, and employee experience.
Below you’ll find a session-by-session roundup of the biggest ideas, practical takeaways, and where to go to revisit each conversation. All available recordings and slides are in the RGER Live Content Hub.
Hey, I'm Bel, Head of Consultancy, APAC here at Reward Gateway | Edenred, and it was my absolute pleasure to host RGER Live alongside my colleague Sean Lonergan at the iconic Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Sydney.
In this recap, I’ll take you through the 11 powerhouse sessions from RGER Live: Adapt, Align, Evolve, highlighting the insights and themes that shaped the day.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, whether in person or virtually. The energy was truly electric and your enthusiasm and commitment to creating better workplaces made this event very special. If you’d like to continue the conversation on how to bring these strategies to life in your organisation, our team would love to chat. Reach out to us here.
Adapting to Thrive: Insights from 2025
We opened the day with APAC Managing Director Kylie Green and Director of Consultancy Kylie Terrell who revealed exclusive findings from our upcoming Adaptability Pulse Report, building on the The Workplace Engagement Index and The Appreciation Index.
RGER Live was the first exclusive look at the data. And the research highlights adaptability as a core driver of productivity and shows how recognition empowers employees to feel safe, supported, and ready for change.
This was an incredible session full of insights and stats that set the scene for the rest of the day and exactly why we need to adapt, align and evolve in a fast changing world.
Watch this session and download the slides here.
Growth Happens When People Connect to Strategy
I was so excited to be moderating the first inspiring panel of the day and was joined by Matthew Kershaw, General Manager: Learning, Organisational Development, Talent & Culture at Auto & General Australia, Michelle Meldrum, Global Talent Acquisition CoE at Fujitsu, and Michelle Chong, Manager Performance and Reward at NBN Co. Together, we explored how to bridge the gap between strategy and the everyday employee experience.
Key takeaways include:
- Building stronger links between people strategy and business goals
- Igniting purpose through recognition and culture-first approaches
- Strengthening employer brand through authentic connection
You can watch this panel discussion here.
Leading AI Change – What Frontier Firms Do Differently
Next up, Katherine Boiciuc (KB), EY’s Regional Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Oceania, shared what sets “frontier firms” apart when it comes to adopting AI and driving competitive advantage.
This session unpacks:
- How best-in-class organisations are winning with AI
- The leadership traits that fuel innovation, adaptability, and trust
- Cultural shifts needed to thrive during rapid tech transformation
Watch the Leading AI Change session by clicking here.
Building Great Leaders One Block at a Time
Best-selling authors Debra Corey and Ken Corey introduced the Great Boss Building Block™ model—a practical, hands-on framework for developing more human, future-ready leaders.
This session includes:
- What makes a truly people-first leader today
- How to apply the model in everyday leadership development
- Behaviours that build trust, connection, and performance
View the recording here.
Fuelling Culture: Recognition as a Unifier
Neha Patel, Manager - Performance, Recognition & Benefits at Suncorp and Melissa Jeyaraj, Client Success Manager at Reward Gateway, took to the stage to share the story of “Shine”, Suncorp's recognition program that connected 11,000+ employees across 11 business areas.
Neha shared how their benefits platform has saved Suncorp employees over $500,000 in just one year. What an incredible success story!
This session includes:
- Designing recognition that connects people to purpose
- Rolling out programs successfully in complex organisations
- Sustaining engagement at scale
Watch this session here.
Our Economy and the Impact on Households
Following Suncorp, Effie Zahos, Money Editor & Author and 9News, delivered a timely keynote on the state of Australia’s economy and its effect on households.
For the live attendees, Effie unpacked:
- Key economic trends impacting employees today
- Practical tips for supporting financial wellbeing in the workplace
- How employers can help their people navigate cost-of-living pressures
Note: This session is not available for post-event viewing
Driving Value Through Smarter Savings
In this panel, Dean Gorey, Employee Benefits Manager APAC at Rio Tinto joined Daniele Iezzi, Group Retail Director at Reward Gateway, and Phoebe Hutton Employee Engagement Consultant at Reward Gateway discussed how to support financial wellbeing in a cost-conscious climate.
Highlights include:
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Understanding employee spending habits in 2025
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Creative ways to support everyday financial wellbeing
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What makes a savings and benefits strategy stand out
View the recording here.
Evolving Recognition: Leading Trends in Reward Frameworks
Kylie Terrell, Director of Consultancy at Reward Gateway, took the stage to unpack the latest trends transforming how organisations approach reward and recognition. With employee expectations shifting and workplace dynamics evolving at pace, Kylie challenged HR leaders to rethink their frameworks, ensuring they remain relevant, values-driven, and capable of driving real impact.
This keynote explores:
- Key shifts shaping employee expectations
- How to keep frameworks relevant, values-aligned, and impactful
- Practical ideas to embed recognition into everyday culture
View the recording here.
Launching Employee Engagement from the Ground Up
Luke Greenwood Manager Learning & Organisational Development at Covalent Lithium and Scott Thomson, Client Success Manager at Reward Gateway shared how Covalent built an engagement program from scratch.
Key takeaways:
- Where to start when building an engagement strategy
- What matters most to employees in a growing business
- How to create lasting impact with limited resources
Watch this session here.
Learning That Sticks: From Compliance to Inspiration
In a fireside chat, Dave Faulkner, Senior Vice President, Customer at Go1 and Kylie Green Managing Director at Reward Gateway explored how to turn mandatory learning into engaging, behaviour-changing moments.
The discussion covers:
- Why compliance-only learning no longer works
- How to embed learning into daily routines
- Strategies for making learning relevant and impactful
View the recording here.
Thriving in Transformation
We closed the day with an energising and deeply practical keynote from Dr Ben Hamer, Global Future of Work Expert, on how to thrive through ongoing disruption.
In a world where change is constant and employees are battling “change fatigue,” Dr Ben shared tools grounded in neuroscience and wellbeing to help leaders and teams navigate uncertainty with confidence. Live attendees left with:
- Strategies to build resilience and optimism in the face of change
- A future-ready mindset for ongoing transformation
- Practical techniques to inspire adaptability across teams
(Note: This session is not available for post-event viewing)
All available session recordings, slides, and resources from RGER Live: Adapt, Align, Evolve are now in our Content Hub — perfect for revisiting or sharing with your team.
Access the full content hub here.
Want to explore how Reward Gateway | Edenred can help bring these HR strategies to life in your organisation? Get in touch with our team today.