LGBTQIA+ Executive Fellowship

This unique program delivers transformative leadership growth through an overarching theme of “unlearning, " which challenges traditional managerial wisdom and adapts it to your context and lived experience. 

You will: 

• Develop your personal leadership style with a unique understanding of the influence your LGBTQIA+ identity imparts.
• Unlock your authentic leadership presence and become a more dynamic, impactful and inspiring communicator.
• Leverage the power of a design thinking mindset to unleash creativity in your leadership and strategic thinking.  
• Build a powerful and dynamic network of LGBTQIA+ peers for ongoing support and collaboration.
• Hear from prominent LGBTQIA+ leaders who will share their personal journeys and invaluable leadership lessons.
• Connect with industry leaders and past LGBTQIA+ executive fellows through events including a welcome dinner, closing celebration, and networking sessions.

Over the course of five days, you’ll dive into interactive workshops, live simulations, and real-world case studies that will challenge conventional management thinking and tropes, nudging you out of your comfort zone and toward your growth edge.

The week concludes with a group presentation to demonstrate your learnings to an expert guest panel. Successful completion of this element will qualify you for a digital badge to share on your LinkedIn profile.

You will also leave with a personal action plan to put your new skills into practice for immediate impact.

The program will run from 9 am – 5 pm at our Sydney CBD Campus, with evening events including a welcome dinner, a celebratory dinner to close the program, and hosted networking opportunities to facilitate community building and collaboration and strengthen inter-industry networks.  

• Mid- to senior-level LGBTQIA+ leaders with at least ten years of professional experience and five years of management experience.
• Highly beneficial for those transitioning from technical roles into leadership positions, or those preparing to take on board responsibilities.
• LGBTQIA+ leaders from any size company or institution and any industry, including not-for-profit, and the public sector.
• Allies responsible for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), talent management or leadership development interested in fostering LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

The Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG (he/him) is an international jurist, educator and active advocate for human rights including women, young people and sexual minorities. When Mr Kirby retired from the High Court of Australia in 2009, he was Australia’s longest serving judge. He has served in many international and United Nations positions and is currently a patron of the Pinnacle Foundation.

Paul Zahra is a chief executive officer, non-executive director, board and company advisor, and one of Australia’s most influential diversity advocates. A leading force in the Australian retail industry for over 40 years, Paul’s corporate roles have included chief executive officer and managing director of ASX-listed, David Jones Limited, CEO of the Australian Retailers’ Association, as well as senior leadership roles at Target Australia and Officeworks Superstores. He served as chair of the board of directors of The Pinnacle Foundation from February 2016 until October 2021, after joining the board in June 2015. He is honoured as The Pinnacle Foundation’s founding chair and is a Cornerstone member.

Alan Joyce AC was chief executive officer & managing director of the Qantas Group from 2008 until 2023. He previously served as founding CEO of Jetstar for five years from 2003, establishing its operations in Australia and Asia. Alan was recognised as one of the world’s most influential gay business leaders for two years running in the OUTstanding / Financial Times list of “Top 100 Leading LGBT Executives”. He is a patron and Cornerstone member of The Pinnacle Foundation.

Meg O'Neill is chief executive officer and managing director of Woodside Energy and has 27 years of experience in the global oil and gas industry, working in the USA, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Prior to joining Woodside, Meg held the position of vice president, Africa for ExxonMobil Development Company based in Houston, where she was responsible for ExxonMobil’s major projects across Africa, including Angola, Nigeria, Tanzania and Mozambique. Meg is on the boards of West Australian Symphony Orchestra, APPEA, AMMA, GLX Digital and the University of Western Australia Business School.

Professor Jennifer Westacott AO is a highly accomplished leader with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. She was the longest-serving Chief Executive of the Business Council of Australia, advocating for a stronger, more competitive economy. Her government roles include Director General of the NSW Department of Infrastructure and Planning and Secretary of the Victorian Department of Education and Training. In 2018, she was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for her service to policy development and business. Jennifer serves as a Non-Executive Director at Wesfarmers and ATCO, and as Australia’s Business Champion to Indonesia. She also chairs Future Generational Global, supporting youth mental health research. In 2023, she became Chancellor of Western Sydney University, the first woman to serve in this role.

Places are limited and early application is encouraged. Applications are assessed by our admissions panel and offers are made on a rolling basis to suitable candidates.

Download a customisable letter template (docx, 23KB) to request your company’s support to participate in the LGBTQIA+ fellowship program.

We have a limited number of partial scholarships available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, for more information about these please contact business.execed@sydney.edu.au.

"I was taken outside of my comfort zone. But it was absolutely enthralling and reminded me of the need to challenge myself more and think outside the 'norm'."

Andrew Heinrich,
ALT & Operations | National Co-Sponsor, Australia IRIS Network Herbert Smith Freehills

"The program offered insightful and thought-provoking discussions, inspiring guest speakers, and engaging workshops that allowed me to gain valuable knowledge and insights into the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ leaders community in the corporate world."

Tom Roets,
Executive Director (Technology), Russell Reynolds Associates

• Professor Kevin B. Lowe, 2024 Program Director

Professor Kevin B. Lowe (he/him) is Professor in Leadership in the Business School at the University of Sydney. A recognized leader in the field of leadership, Kevin is on ten editorial boards including The Leadership Quarterly (Associate Editor), Journal of Management, Journal of Organizational Behaviour, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, Leadership, Journal of World Business, and Group and Organization Management.

His research has garnered a number of awards including twice winning the Best Paper of the Year Award from The Leadership Quarterly, the Article of the Decade Award from the Journal of International Business Studies, and the Decennial Influential Article Award from The Leadership Quarterly. In 2017 he received an Emerald Citation of Excellence, recognizing articles of high impact over the most recent three years (2014-2016), for his review and extension of the field of followership.

An enthusiastic teacher Kevin received the Board of Governors Teaching Excellence Award recognizing teaching excellence across the seventeen campus University of North Carolina system and was nominated for a CASE U.S. Professor of the Year Award. He regularly speaks to faculty and doctoral student audiences on the topic of teaching excellence.

Professor Lowe serves on the Board of Directors of the International Leadership Association, the Southern Management Association and the Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management. He serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, is a Fellow of the Centre for Leadership Studies at Lancaster University (UK), and a Fellow of the Southern Management Association.

• Dr Sandra Peter

Dr Sandra Peter (she/her) is the Director of Sydney Executive Plus and Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. Her research and practice focus on engaging with the future in productive ways, and the impact of emerging technologies and AI on business and society. Sandra has led strategic initiatives and worked on executive programs with business, research organisations, Government and Defence. She has published in leading business journals and worked on a wide range of educational research initiatives and programs, including work with UNESCO and the Department of Education. She regularly contributes commentary, interviews and research in national and international media.

Sandra has a PhD. in Social Sciences, MA/MPhil. in Organisation and Strategy, BSc (Hons) in Economics and International Relations.

• Dr Kai Riemer

Dr Kai Riemer (he/him) is Professor of Information Technology and Organisation and the Director of Sydney Executive Plus at the University of Sydney Business School. He has extensive experience with industry-funded research and is the co-director of the Motus Lab, which researches the application of AI-based digital human technologies in business and society. Kai’s expertise spans the fields of artificial intelligence, future of work, emerging technologies, and philosophy of technology. He has published across a range of prestigious scholarly journals. Kai consults for executives and boards and is frequently requested to comment and speak around the future of business and technology.

Kai has a PhD. (Dr habil) in Management, a PhD (Dr rer pol) in Information System, and a postgraduate degree (Dipl-Wirt.Inform) in Business Information Systems from the University of Münster in Germany.

• Professor Betina Szkudlarek

Professor Betina Szkudlarek (she/her) is a Professor in Management at the University of Sydney Business School. She also holds the post of a Strategic Sustainability and Growth Consultant with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). Betina’s core research and consulting expertise lie at the intersection of cross-cultural management, international human resource management, and management of diversity. Betina’s work has been published in top-tier international journals such as Organization Studies, Human Resource Management, and Journal of Business Ethics. She is the recipient of numerous national and international awards and research grants including funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Australian Federal Government.

• Josephine O’Reilly 

Josephine O’Reilly (she/her) has a Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Social Studies from the University of Sydney, and also studied for a diploma of Operatic Art at the NSW Conservatorium of Music. She has substantial global experience in delivering workshops and individual sessions in communication and presentation skills with people in business at all levels. She is a champion improviser and comedy performer, having performed to critical acclaim in New York (‘an undeniable overall talent’ New York Times), London’s West End and international comedy festivals. She is acknowledged as one of Australia’s leading improvisation trainers. 

Jo’s specialty is designing experiential programs where people in business and academia learn relevant performance skills to enhance their impact. She has worked for many years with NIDA’s corporate program, won the Outstanding Facilitator Award at UNSW Sydney and continues to work internationally across multiple industries.