Edward Santow, Industry Professor - Responsible Technology, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Ed leads UTS's new initiative on building Australia's capability on ethical artificial intelligence.

From 2016-2021, Ed was Australia's Human Rights Commissioner. He led the Commission’s work on technology and human rights; refugees and migration; human rights issues affecting LGBTI people; counter-terrorism and national security; freedom of expression; and implementing the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT).

Ed’s areas of expertise include human rights, public law and discrimination law. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, a Visiting Professorial Fellow at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Human Rights and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and serves on a number of boards and committees.

In 2009, Ed was presented with an Australian Leadership Award, and in 2017, he was recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

Ed previously served as chief executive of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and was a Senior Lecturer at UNSW Law School, a research director at the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law and a solicitor in private practice.

Mel Birks, General Manager, Advocacy, AIST

Mel started her career in superannuation in the ATO, moving to work with industry super funds in 2004.  Her roles have included senior roles in stakeholder relations, strategy, marketing and communications in Link Group/ Superpartners, HESTA, Hostplus, AUSfund, Industry Fund Services and ME Bank. Prior to joining AIST in September 2019, she was at  ASIC as a Senior Specialist in the Superannuation team.

As General Manager, Advocacy at AIST and works closely with AIST member funds, regulators and government on policy and implementation issues. Mel is passionate about delivering benefits to members, with a particular focus on improving women’s retirement outcomes.

Mel is recently finished a six year stint on the Victorian Committee of Women in Super as Chair and Deputy Chair and joined the Mother’s Day Classic Foundation board in late 2020 as a director. She has been volunteering for the event since 2004.

She has Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma in Educational Psychology from Monash University and a MBA from Deakin University and has successfully completed the Advanced Leadership Program run by Women & Leadership Australia