Michael Rodrigues - NSW inaugural 24 Hour economy Commissioner

Mike believes in the inspirational power of cities and spends a good amount of time encouraging anyone in his orbit to get out of the house, to know their city and to have more fun.

While working as a lawyer in the Middle East, he spotted an opportunity to launch global lifestyle brand Time Out in Sydney in 2007 to achieve these aims. In 15 years at the helm of Time Out Australia he has grew the brand across print, digital, event and social channels, which now reaches 1,000,000 Australians monthly. He also co-founded the Time Out Bar Awards and the Time Out Food Awards. Time Out’s contribution to our cities was recently recognised in 2020 when Time Out was awarded the Mumbrella Publish Awards Publishing Company of the Year, and Mike himself was awarded Publish Leader of the Year.

Since 2017 and prompted by the challenges facing Sydney's night time economy, Mike has focussed his efforts on aligning and empowering industry to actively engage in the political process in order to effect change. This saw him take a leading role in launching an independent bars association for Sydney in May 2018, followed by the launch of a Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) in November 2018 of which he was the inaugural Chair. The NTIA was at the forefront of the development of the NSW Government strategy for a 24-Hour Economy, and in February Mike was announced as the State of NSW’s first 24 Hour Economy Commissioner, a role that commenced formally on 29 March 2021.

Mike is also co-host of leading hospitality podcast Back of House, a board member of UNSW Art & Design’s advisory council and a board member of Torrens University Hospitality advisory council.

Soren Trampedach - Founder, Work Club Global

A thought-leader on innovation and the new work culture, Soren Trampedach has an impressive 20-year career in leadership positions around the globe. Founding Work Club in 2013, he continues to provide consultancy on workplace optimisation to industry leaders such as Google, Deloitte, NAB, Standard Chartered Bank and Facebook.

Alison Page - Entrepreneur, artist, author and film & television producer, Member, Creative Economy Taskforce, Director, National Australia Day Council, Author, 'Design, Building on Country'

Alison Page is a Walbanga and Wadi Wadi woman and is an award-winning designer and film producer whose career, which began at the NSW Government Architects Office in late nineties links indigenous stories and traditional knowledge with contemporary design. She appeared for eight years as a regular panelist on the ABC TV show, The New Inventors and in 2015, was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia's Hall of Fame. She is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Technology's Design School and the founder of the National Aboriginal Design Agency.

Member, Creative Economy Taskforce, Director of the National Australia Day Council (NADC).

Nick Dunstone - Co-Founder, Light ADL, Adelaide - a new home for creativity in performance, arts and hospitality

Nick returned to Adelaide in 2018 with his partner Sophie and their four children after 20 years.

Nick Dunstone is a lawyer and corporate restructuring professional. He has been a partner of 2 leading international law firms, and for the last 10 years has been a partner in an investment fund based in Hong Kong that specialises in corporate restructuring. The international travel embargo resulting from Covid has meant Nick and Sophie have been able to focus on a new creative philanthropic opportunity in Australia that they hope will be transformative to Australia’s performing arts culture and pave the way for emerging creatives to engage with a new performance canvas.

Nick and Sophie have directed significant capital to establish Light Cultural Foundation to provide artists and tech creatives with the opportunity to harness immersive technologies to connect with audiences in new and meaningful ways (www.lightadl.com.au). To house Light’s cultural and hospitality activities, they purchased and restored a four-storey heritage building at Light Square in the Adelaide CBD in July 2020.

In 2021 Nick and Sophie were awarded the Emerging Philanthropy Leadership Award presented by Creative Partnership Australia.

Light also has an exclusive partnership with the ABC in relation to the use of Light’s virtual production facilities.

Selina Short - EY Oceania Market Segment Leader, Built Environment & Resources

Selina is EY’s Oceania Real Estate & Construction Leader and a member of EY's Oceania Executive Leadership Team with managerial responsibility for the Resources, Energy and Real Estate portfolio.

Selina is also part of EY’s Global Real Estate and Construction Leadership Team with responsibility for innovation and leads EY’s knowledge alliance with Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Real Estate Innovation Lab. Selina is a Director on the Landcom Board and a member of the Building 4.0 CRC Industry Advisory Committee. She is member of the Property Council of Australia’s National Cities Roundtable and the Property Champions of Change.

Selina focuses on technological and societal influences that have the power to shape and be shaped by the built environment. She is a vocal champion of placemaking and its role fueling economic prosperity, livability and sustainability. A firm believer in seizing the upside of disruption and the power of innovation, Selina is committed to driving debate on the role of the built environment in creating equitable and prosperous communities to deliver a better working world.