- Posted on 28 May 2026
- 4 min read
UTS Business School has hosted the CEO Summit 2026, welcoming senior leaders, founders and industry experts to campus for two days of strategy, insight and connection focused on scaling and innovation.
Held on 19–20 May 2026 at the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, the Summit drew over 150 attendees, creating an intimate, high-calibre forum for exploring how organisations can grow, innovate and lead in a rapidly changing environment.
A global conversation on growth and leadership
Delivered in partnership with Scaling Up, the CEO Summit brought together leaders from across industry and academia to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing organisations today: how to scale effectively while navigating disruption and complexity.
Across keynote presentations, masterclasses and CEO peer sessions, participants engaged with practical frameworks to sharpen strategy, strengthen organisational performance and unlock long-term value.
World-renowned speakers take the stage
A highlight of the Summit was its exceptional speaker line-up, led by keynote speaker Verne Harnish, founder and CEO of Scaling Up and one of the world’s foremost authorities on business growth.
He was joined by global and local leaders, including Craig Scroggie (NEXTDC), Shuya Gong (IDEO CoLab/Harvard), Flavia Tata Nardini (Fleet Space), John de la Motte (Compass Education)and Mike Langford (Google Cloud), as well as UTS professors Jochen Schweitzer, Natalia Niklova and Blake McLean.
Jason Li (State Member for Strathfield) welcomed participants on behalf of Investment NSW, which supported the event alongside other partner organisations, including Google Cloud, CEO Magazine, Nexia and STS Capital.
Together, the speakers delivered a powerful mix of global perspective and practical insight, reinforcing the Summit’s focus on connecting cutting-edge thinking with real-world application.
Engagement and impact
Designed as an interactive experience, the Summit combined keynote sessions with CEO Mastermind groups, workshops and networking opportunities to facilitate deeper engagement and peer-to-peer learning.
Beyond the formal program, the Summit created space for meaningful exchanges between leaders - from structured networking to informal conversations between peers navigating similar challenges.
These connections are critical for organisations in growth phases, where shared insight and external perspectives can unlock new thinking and accelerate progress.
This approach resonated strongly with participants, which was reflected in an average experience rating of 9.2 out of 10, highlighting the value placed on both the quality of content and the strength of connections formed across the two days.
Reinforcing the UTS approach
For UTS Business School, the CEO Summit reflects a broader commitment to connecting research, education and industry.
Dr Jochen Schweitzer, Director of the UTS Executive MBA, said the event exemplifies this approach:
“The CEO Summit reflects what UTS Business School stands for - bringing together global expertise, cutting-edge research and industry leaders to tackle real-world challenges. By connecting theory with practice, we’re helping organisations build the capability to scale, innovate and lead with impact.”
Looking ahead
The success of CEO Summit 2026 highlights the ongoing demand for forums that combine research, industry insight and practical tools for leadership.
By hosting the Summit, UTS Business School continues to strengthen its role as a hub for innovation and business leadership, supporting organisations to not only respond to change, but to lead it.
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