Economic security has emerged as a defining strategic challenge, with trade, energy, technology, and critical minerals increasingly deployed as instruments of statecraft. Responding to this new era will require sustained collaboration among like-minded countries.
The Economic Security Forum 2026 brings together senior leaders from Australia, the United States, Japan, Korea, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and Southeast Asia to address the most pressing economic security challenges. Discussions will focus on coordinating industrial policy and tariffs, securing critical minerals, navigating the energy transition and strategic technologies.
Confirmed speakers
Jenny Wilkinson PSM
Secretary to the Australian Treasury
Daleep Singh
Former US Deputy National Security Advisor (International Economy), National Security Council
Vina Nadjibulla
Co-Founder and CEO of the Centre for Strategic Statecraft
Dr Brad Jones
Assistant Governor (Financial System), Reserve Bank of Australia and Deputy Chair of the Payments System Board
HE Kazuhiro Suzuki
Ambassador of Japan to Australia
Patricia Holmes
First Assistant Secretary, Trade Law and Economic Security Division and Chief Trade Law Officer at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Noriyuki Kuroda
Director General for Trade and Economic Security, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan
Jonathan Black
Former UK Prime Minister’s Sherpa for the G7 and G20 and Deputy National Security Adviser from 2019 to 2025
Abigail Hunter
Abigail Hunter is Executive Director of the Center for Critical Minerals Strategy at Securing America’s Future Energy
Professor Marco Buti
Former Director-General for Economic and Financial Affairs at the European Commission
Wendy Black
Executive Director of Policy, Business Council of Australia
Dr Takahiro Tsuchiya
Professor at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, Japan and Visiting Senior Researcher, The University of Tokyo
Tracey Winters
Chief Strategy Officer, Santos
Dr Philip Luck
Director, Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Septian Hario Seto
Executive Secretary and Member of National Economic Council, Republic of Indonesia
Belinda Dennett
Chief Executive Officer, Data Centres Australia
Dr Jayant Menon
Visiting Senior Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
Dr John Kunkel
Non-Resident Senior FellowUnited States Studies Centre
Dr Merriden Varrall
Founder and CEO of vantage geopol.
Dr Michael J. Green
Chief Executive OfficerUnited States Studies Centre
Dr Helen Mitchell
Senior Executive, Australian Government
Hayley Channer
Director, Economic SecurityUnited States Studies Centre
Olivia Shen
Director, Strategic TechnologiesUnited States Studies Centre
Dr Naoise McDonagh
Non-Resident Fellow, Economic SecurityUnited States Studies Centre
Dr Darren Lim
Senior Lecturer in the School of Politics and International RelationsAustralian National University
Nicci Smith
Foreign Affairs and Defence Correspondent, Australian Financial Review
Ryan Heath
Launch Editor, POLITICO Australia
Adam Davids
Chief Executive Officer, CareerTrackers
David Fickling
Bloomberg Opinion ColumnistRegister your interest
To express your interest in attending this event, please email sahara.hoff@sydney.edu.au.
Explore the program
Monday, 9 November 2026
Forum: 8.15am-5.00pm AEDT
Networking reception: 5.00pm-6.30pm AEDT
Express your interest
To express your interest in attending this event, please email sahara.hoff@sydney.edu.au.
