Impact Economy Forum 2025 (and 10 year anniversary celebration)
Event description
By 2050, what kind of Western Australia will we live in?
That future - where nature counts, prosperity is shared, and Indigenous voices lead is closer than we think. WA’s Impact Economy Forum (IEF) brings together 200+ changemakers— investors, corporates, government, funders, community leaders and First Nations and non-Indigenous enterprises— for one powerful day to decide how WA’s impact economy will grow.
With 20+ national and local speakers, WA’s first Impact Capital Report, panels and workshops, the Forum distils vision into action in a single day. You’ll get sharp insights on big shifts, practical tools from breakouts, and real-time solutions tested in the Solve-a-thon:
How do we shift capital, procurement, and policy to create business value and real impact?
What makes enterprises both commercially strong and socially impactful and where do corporates fit?
What roles do purpose, ESG and impact play to make this vision a reality?
How do we turn ambition into commitments that last?
If you care about how money moves, what gets built, and who benefits, this is the room you need to be in.
This year also marks 10 years of Impact Seed. To celebrate, join our anniversary sundowner at Fraser’s an evening to reflect, reconnect and raise a glass with Kylie, Sven and the team (optional with your ticket).
Last year we welcomed:
Government – DPIRD, JTSI, Finance
Corporates – Rio Tinto, JB Were, S32, RAC, Hesperia
Funders – Minderoo, FRRR, Lotterywest, PRF
First Nations Enteprises – Yawuru, NYFL, FISH, Wunan
Social Enterprises – Loop, Mettle, Redrawn, Dismantle
TICKETS ON SALE NOW - DON'T MISS OUT!
Speakers and special guests - The 2025 Impact Economy Forum will feature over 20 speakers and guests. Stay tuned for more speaker announcements over the coming weeks. The Forum is proudly hosted by Impact Seed, WA's leading impact advisory:
David Hetherington - David is the CEO of Impact Investing Australia. He was previously the CEO of the Public Education Foundation and the founding Executive Director of the progressive think tank Per Capita. He has also worked at the UK’s Institute for Public Policy Research and with LEK Consulting in Sydney, Munich and Auckland. David has authored over 100 reports, book chapters and opinion pieces on a wide range of economic and social policy issues. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Economist, The Sydney Morning Herald, AFR and The Australian, and was a regular commentator on ABC TV’s The Drum. David holds an MPA with Distinction from the London School of Economics and a BA with First Class Honours from UNSW. In 2022, he was named in Pro Bono’s Impact 25 list as one of Australia’s 25 most influential non-profit leaders.
Kia Dowell - a Gija woman from Warmun Community (Turkey Creek) in the East Kimberley of Western Australia, and in her keynote she will reflect on her experience driving impact in WA's remote and regional communities through her current role as Chair of Gelganyem, her former role as Head of Strategy and Impact at Indigenous Business Australia, and over 15 years experience with organisations such as Rio Tinto, Australian Human Rights Commission, Curtin University, Tourism WA, and as founder of Codeswitch.
She is also a past participant of the Global Ambassadors Program, finalist in the 2016 AIMWA and The West Australian’s West Business Pinnacle Awards for Emerging Business Excellence, a 2015 Business News 40under40 Award Winner and holds an MBA in International Business from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to identify and implement transformational and sustainable initiatives that deliver shared value.
Kia has previously spent time with school, community and corporate audiences in the US, Vanuatu, Turkey, Mexico and across Australia sharing her experiences of the power of business, cultural identity, resilience and the power of female leadership. Her most ambitious and important role is as mum to her two daughters, Lila and Naiyah.
Tara Anderson - Tara is CEO of national certifying and social procurement body, Social Traders. She has led an extensive career in the for-purpose sector, exploring different models for building a fairer and more equitable world. With international experience across social enterprise, charities, social innovation and for-purpose intermediaries in the UK, Europe and Australia, Tara's career has spanned strategy, business development, innovation, marketing, impact and cross-sector collaboration at executive and Board level.
Damien Parriman - Damien is the CEO of KRED Enterprises and Arma Legal. A a proud Yawuru and Jabirr Jabirr man, Damian has over 20 years of experience in Native Title in leadership roles across numerous Aboriginal corporations and organisations and is committed to empowering Kimberley Aboriginal people and ensuring social, cultural and biodiversity values continue to thrive. He has a wealth of experience, formerly serving CEO of Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation, Senior Business Manager in the Kimberley Land Council's Land and Sea Management Unit, and as CEO of Aarnja,
Heidi Mippy - Heidi is the Founder & CEO of Impact Dreaming. A Noongar & Thiin-Mah-Warriyangka woman, she was born in Carnarvon and in a career spanning over 25 years has worked across Western Australia including in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne and the South-West with organisations such as the Kimberley Land Council, South West Aboriginal Land & Sea Council, WA Police, Dept Child Protection, DFES, AIME, Wunan Foundation and Noongar Land Enterprise Group. Beyond Impact Dreaming, she also works as Indigenous Liaison Manager with Curtin University, and with ARC Training Centre for Healing Country. Heidi holds various boards roles including with RRR (Rural, Regional, Remote Women's Network of WA) and Forestry Stewardship Council. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Adult Education & Community Management from the University of Technology Sydney and Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (Leadership, Strategy and Innovation) and an Executive Masters in Leadership, Strategy and Innovation from Murdoch University.
James Lush (MC and opening panel moderator) - James is a BBC and ABC Perth presenter with over 25 years media experience in both presentation and production. James is the owner and founder of Lush – the content agency , the largest Content Marketing Agency in Perth. He is a consultant and advisor with some of the biggest names and companies in the Western Australia. James is a professional speaker on the subject and works around the country as a host/facilitator of major events.
Simon O'Connor - Simon has operated at the intersection of economics, finance and sustainability for over two decades. As CEO of RIAA (Responsible Investment Association Australia) from 2013-2023 he oversaw the growth and development of the sector together with RIAA’s 500 member organisations, representing over US$29 trillion in assets, with the goal of aligning capital with achieving a healthy and sustainable society, environment and economy. He is currently a Non Excutive Director at Bank Australia and formerly the inaugural chair of the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative, chair of the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance, member of the National Advisory Board on Impact Investing in New Zealand and a member of the Australian Minister for the Environment's Nature Finance Council.
Jenna Dodge - Jenna serves as the Director Grants Development and Stewardship at Lotterywest since January 2024, bringing expertise in project management and strategic development. Prior to this role, Jenna held the position of Principal Project Officer at Pilbara Development Commission from March 2022 to December 2023, where significant contributions were made to various projects. Previously, Jenna also worked as a Senior Project Officer at the same commission, solidifying a strong background in project oversight and implementation within the development sector.
Matt Knopp - Matt is a senior advisor to Impact Seed and nationally recognised social impact leader across Australia and the UK specialising in field-building, social enterprise, and philanthropy. Over the past 5 years Matt drove the design and management of a $100M employment-focused portfolio at he Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF), including $60M invested into work-integrated social enterprises between 2022–2024. This work has supported organisations employing people with lived experience of incarceration, disability, and economic exclusion—shaping a funding approach that centres learning, partnership, and systems change. Prior to his work at PRF he supported a number of Australian impact investment ecosystem builders. In the UK he co-founded Eastside People, a leading intermediary, building national programs supporting investment readiness, entrepreneurship, and mergers in the for-purpose sector.
Natalie Egleton - Natalie is the CEO of FRRR (Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal) and has 25-years experience in the non-profit and philanthropic sector in consulting, fundraising and partnerships, and organisation development roles. She is passionate about facilitating effective and enduring responses to issues facing rural communities and since joining FRRR in 2015, has facilitated over $80m in funding to remote, rural, and regional communities through hundreds of partnerships and collaborations. Before joining FRRR, Natalie supported numerous organisations in an evaluation, research, financial, strategic and business planning capacity. She has also held inhouse roles at Evolve (Typo Station) and at ANZ Banking Group, implementing projects that made a tangible difference to the lives of people living in rural, regional and remote Australia.
Tom Dawkins - Tom is Co Founder of StartSomeGood, an innovation agency and global social enterprise ecosystem builder, in 2011, and is a Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer of LendForGood, a platform that connects social enterprises with impact investors. Our mission is to grow the business for good movement by deomcratising impact investment, letting everyone invest in their values and unlocking the impact potential in small and emerging businesses globally. He has been a speaker at SXSW, SOCAP, The Social Enterprise World Forum, and Nexus Summit, and is a non-executive director of the Centre for Social Impact.
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STAY TUNED FOR MORE SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!
Impact Economy Forum Program
Note: Registration opens 8am
Time |
| Content |
9.00am |
| Welcome to Country |
9.50am |
| Capital for Change: WA’s Impact Investment Landscape 2025 Join us for the launch of Impact Seed’s 2025 WA Impact Capital Report. The session will unpack key findings and recommendations — from where impact capital is already hitting the ground, to the untapped potential still to be realised. We’ll explore WA’s impact economy, highlight opportunities for growth, and outline what comes next for investors, enterprises, and policymakers. |
10.20am |
| Panel: Funding the Impact Economy Impact investment isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every investor measures impact differently and faces tough trade-offs between profit and purpose. This panel brings philanthropy and private capital to the table to reveal how they navigate those tensions — and what really delivers lasting value. Expect assumptions to be challenged and myths about “feel-good” investing to be busted. |
11.05am |
| Morning tea |
11.30am |
| Title: Stories from the Messy Coal-Face of the Impact Economy Building for impact is messy work—full of trade-offs, setbacks, and surprises. These are human stories from the coal-face: setbacks that test resilience, breakthroughs that restore hope, and the sparks of joy that make it all worthwhile, when meaningful impact takes shape.
|
12.10pm |
| Provocations on the WA Impact Economy |
12.20pm |
| Solve-a-thon What if the biggest challenges in WA’s impact economy could be tackled together, in real time? In this session, three problem holders bring forward live issues and participants work collectively to explore opportunities and spark new solutions. Through open pitching, shared discussion, and collaborative idea-building, the rooms expertise is harnessed to move from problems to actions. Designed to be flexible and fast-paced, everyone is invited to contribute, challenge assumptions, and help shape practical ways forward. |
1:20pm |
| Lunch |
2.10 pm |
| BREAKOUT 1: Panel: Stronger Together: Mapping the Shared Future of WA Social Enterprises What if WA’s social enterprises stopped going it alone? Many face the same hurdles — office or warehouse space, financial and HR expertise, IT systems, and more. By pooling resources and building shared solutions, compatible enterprises could reduce costs, strengthen their foundations, and free up energy for impact. This interactive mapping highlights where collaboration can transform common challenges into collective strength and long-term sustainability. In collaboration with WASEC. BREAKOUT 2: Panel: Unlocking the First Nations Economy The fastest-growing sector of WA’s economy is First Nations business — with nearly 30,000 Aboriginal-led enterprises, up more than 50% since 2016 (IBA, 2024). In this session we’ll unpack what it means to unlock that potential: from renewable energy to a just transition, from cultural strength to community wealth. Together we’ll explore how a First Nations-led economy can drive prosperity, shape WA’s future, and ensure that growth honours both people and Country. |
3.00pm |
| BREAKOUT 1: Buying Better: The Commercial Power of Partnerships Commercial partnerships and buying contracts can fuel growth, deliver shared value, and unlock real impact. In FY24 alone, $257 million was spent with Australian social enterprises — and 80% grew their trading revenue as a result. This session digs into what it takes to land deals and build partnership structures that drive opportunity and scale impact. BREAKOUT 2: Panel: Strategic Partnerships for an Impact Economy: Collaboration, Learning, and Long-Term Change Philanthropic, corporate and public funders are rethinking how they work together — moving beyond short-term project grants toward long-term, systemic collaboration. This session explores how leading funders are building partnerships grounded in shared learning, adaptive impact measurement, and enduring change for people and place. |
3.40pm |
| Afternoon Tea |
4.00pm |
| PLENARY & Closing Comments |
4.30pm |
| IMPACT SEED's 10th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION (SUNDOWNER AT FRASERS) |
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
