2025 Economic and Global Outlook - Opportunities for Business - SYDNEY

With news headlines warning of a sluggish productivity, ongoing uncertainty for inflation and the value of the Australian dollar, declining commodity demand from China coupled with increased trade tariff uncertainty, how can Australian business leaders plan for the year ahead? 

Join Ric Deverell, Chief Economist and Head of Net Zero at Macquarie Group who will share their insights into the latest national and global economic forecast, the potential policy changes expected from the federal election, and the challenges and opportunities which will shape 2025.

OUR GUEST PANEL SPEAKERS

Ric Deverell, Chief Economist and Head of Net Zero, Macquarie Group, has more than 30 years’ experience analysing the global economy and financial markets. He joined Macquarie in 2017 from Credit Suisse in New York, where he was Managing Director and Global Head of Fixed Income and Economic Research.

During the 2000s, Ric worked at the Reserve Bank of Australia, where he held several senior positions, including Deputy Head of the Economic Analysis department and Chief Manager of International Markets and Relations. He spent the 1990s working in government, first with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and then with the Australian Treasury, heading Treasury’s Asia section during the Asian Financial Crisis.

Hervé Lemahieu, Director of Research at the Lowy Institute, manages the institute’s globally recognised team, focusing on China, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands, with expertise in economic, security, and development issues.

In 2018, Hervé developed the Asia Power Index, which is an annual data-driven assessment that maps the changing distribution of power in the region. He oversees other innovative multi-year research projects including the Global Diplomacy Index, the Southeast Asia and Pacific Aid Maps, and the Lowy Institute Poll.

He provides commentary in international media, advises at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and conducts strategic dialogues. Hervé, a dual citizen of Australia and Belgium, holds an MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy and an MA in International Relations and Modern History. Prior to joining the Lowy Institute, he worked at IISS and Oxford Analytica, contributing to geopolitical risk analysis in Asia.

Rocky Scopelliti is a world-renowned futurologist dedicated to his purpose: creating confidence in our future. His groundbreaking behavioral economics research at the intersection of demographic change and digital technology has profoundly shaped how we envision our social, cultural, economic, and technological landscapes.

A best-selling author, Rocky's The Conscious Code delves into the transformative implications of artificial consciousness. His acclaimed Disruptive Decarbonisation: Australia’s Technological Race to Net Zero Carbon Emissions is the first major study of its kind, offering a roadmap for Australian industries, leaders, and organisations to thrive in the face of accelerating climate change. His other celebrated works include Australia 2030! - Where the Bloody Hell Are We?, which explores Australian professionals’ outlook on the decade ahead, and Youthquake 4.0: A Whole Generation and the New Industrial Revolution, published in Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Korean.

Rocky’s insights are sought after globally. As a media commentator, his expertise has been featured on platforms like Sky Business News, The Australian Financial Review, ABC Radio National, The Economist, Forbes, and Bloomberg. An accomplished keynote speaker, he has captivated audiences across Asia-Pacific, the USA, and Europe, including at the prestigious Mobile World Congress. Each year, over 150 boards and leadership teams—including Fortune 100 corporations—rely on his strategic counsel to navigate the future of emerging technologies.

As a distinguished thought leader, Rocky has authored over 25 internationally recognised research publications, earning recognition from esteemed organisations such as the World Economic Forum.

In his executive role, Rocky serves as Chief Scientist for Government at Optus Enterprise, where he leads innovative thought leadership to guide the 4th Industrial Revolution. In his non-executive capacity, he is an Adjunct Professor (Industry) at the University of Technology Sydney Business School, a director on the board of Community First Bank, and formerly a technology advisor for REST Super, Wake by Reach Foundation, and a board member of the Australian Payments Council.

Educated at Sydney and Stanford Universities, Rocky holds a Graduate Diploma in Corporate Management and an MBA. He is also a graduate and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, embodying a blend of academic rigor and visionary leadership that shapes his unparalleled contributions to the future.

Nadine Blayney is co-founder, anchor, and head of content at ausbiz, Australia’s only dedicated business and markets streaming service. Nadine has deep experience covering Australian business and finance news having been part of the founding team of Sky News Business in 2007, and Your Money in 2018.  

Nadine speaks regularly with CEOs, business leaders, economists, policy influencers, fund managers, analysts, and finance experts. She thoroughly enjoys asking the questions market participants of all stripes are keen to know. asking the questions to help inform investors of all stripes.