The CEO Summit 2027

Katja Forbes is a fearless CX innovator and award-winning leader who consistently challenges the boundaries of customer experience and AI. Named one of Westpac/AFR’s “100 Women of Influence” and ranked among CX Network’s Top 20 CX Leaders in AI and Financial Services, she boldly transforms traditional corporate cultures into dynamic, client-centric powerhouses. As an Executive Director at a Global Financial Services firm, Katja expertly blends human-centered design with cutting-edge technology, establishing her organisation as a global thought leader. An outspoken advocate for women in leadership, her compelling voice, sharp insights, and magnetic on-camera presence make her an industry standout.

Talk title: Machines are Customer Too: The next frontier of CX and business growth

What if your next customer isn’t human? In a world increasingly run by AI, machines are rapidly becoming independent economic actors, making buying decisions without human intervention. In her provocative talk, "Machines Are Customers Too," Katja Forbes challenges businesses to radically rethink their approach to customer experience. She unveils how traditional customer journeys, trust-building, and engagement strategies must evolve to accommodate AI-driven agents and autonomous systems as genuine customers. Leveraging her award-winning expertise in CX innovation and her role as Executive Director at Standard Chartered Bank, Katja delivers a compelling vision of the near future: one where the customer is code, and loyalty is algorithmic. This bold session isn’t just speculative. Katja provides actionable frameworks and a clear roadmap, empowering leaders to adapt, innovate, and harness this shift as a powerful engine for growth. Prepare to rethink everything you know about your customers. The future is here…machines are buying.

Bernie Brookes is a retail veteran with over 40-years experience leading a multi-divisional organisation during significant periods of change and re-engineering. Having worked in three states across all major divisions, he has an excellent grasp of a variety of areas of senior management. He has significant international experience, having undertaken roles in India and China and has also been a Management Director for the Woolworth's Group.

He was CEO of Myer Limited from June 2006 to March 2015, and managed the carving out of Myer from Coles Group and the rebuilding of the Myer business under new owners.

Before that he was a chief engineer of Woolworth's Project Refresh, reducing costs by more than $5 billion over five years, and became Director of Marketing for the Group amongst other roles he held there.

Bernie’s commitment to retail in Australia has been recognised with awards including the Sir Charles McGrath award for marketing excellence and his induction into the Australian Retailers Association Hall of Fame in 2013.

Bernie has also been the recipient of the William Booth Medal by The Salvation Army and the Paul Harris Fellow for Service to the Community for the Rotary Club, Sydney

Ultimately motivated by results, Bernie brings over 40 years of experience and substantial skill in transformational leadership, managing change, organizing people and leading teams with a passion for entrepreneurship and empowerment. When he speaks, he draws on a rich tapestry of stories and successes from some of Australia’s significant retail giants.