Consulting Groups Sydney

# Tired of dating apps culture and surface-level? This is different. And people often leave surprised by how quickly strangers can feel human, warm, honest, and real again. Free to RSVP, 👉 $59 to confirm your spot [https://consciousconnectionsclub.com/stayconnected](https://consciousconnectionsclub.com/join) Relational Labs is a guided connection experience for singles who want more honest, playful, emotionally intelligent interaction — without performance, pressure, or endless small talk. This is not speed dating. Not networking. Not “pitch yourself to strangers.” It’s a facilitated relational container rooted in psychology, emotional intelligence, attachment work, social dynamics, nervous system awareness, and real-world human connection — made practical enough that you can actually live it instead of reading another 50 books about it. ## What happens • A 2-hour guided online relational experience • Real-time connection exercises designed to create authentic interaction • A format that adapts in real time to whoever is present • Optional participant-led in-person continuation afterward • WhatsApp connection thread after the session ## This may be for you if: • You’re tired of shallow or repetitive social spaces • You want deeper connection without forced intimacy • You enjoy personal growth, psychology, communication, or relational work • You’re open to meeting people in a more intentional way ## Important This experience runs with whoever is present and takes its own shape each time. Sometimes expansive. Sometimes intimate. Both are the real thing.

9 attendees

From EVP & CPO of Walmart US to Advisor for MrBeast: A Chat with Jon Alferness

Tue, Aug 25, 7:30 AM

From LTP Events Sydney

From Tao Te Ching Spiritual Awakening, Cultivation and Network

Some careers shape products. Others shape industries. Join Leading the Product for an exclusive evening with [Jon Alferness](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-alferness-b193a3/) — one of Silicon Valley's most accomplished product leaders, advisor and investor. Jon is a highly experienced technology and product leader with more than 20 years' experience in Silicon Valley and the global retail sector, including recent focus on the food and grocery sector. Across more than two decades, his career has been defined by senior executive roles delivering digital transformation and innovation at some of the world's most influential technology companies, including Google, Pinterest, Lyft and, most recently, as Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Walmart US whilst a Strategic Advisor to MrBeast — a role encompassing eCommerce, Financial Services, Health & Wellness, Merchant Tools, and Last Mile Delivery. Prior to Walmart, Jon spent 13 years at Google, where as Vice President of Product Management, he played a pivotal role in developing Google Ads across Search, Mobile, Shopping, and Travel, driving innovations that shaped the digital advertising landscape. Now, Jon's roles consist of Non Executive Director for Woolworths Group and Advisor/Investor to many companies. Hosted as an intimate Fireside Chat, with Brainmates CEO [Adrienne Tan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriennetan/) driving the fireside chat, this is a rare opportunity for the Australian product community to hear directly from someone who has operated at the highest levels of global product leadership. This will be an open, candid conversation exploring what it really takes to build enduring product organisations, lead through constant technological change, make high-stakes decisions, and develop the next generation of product leaders. We'll dive into topics including: * How product leadership has evolved across the world's biggest technology companies. * What separates exceptional product organisations from merely good ones. * Leading through AI, disruption and constant change. * Building products, teams and cultures that scale. * The lessons, mistakes and experiences that only come from operating at the very highest level. Following the fireside conversation, we'll open the floor for an audience Q&A, giving attendees the chance to ask their own questions and engage directly with one of the industry's most experienced product executives. We'll then continue the conversation over drinks and networking with Sydney's product community. **Evening timeline** 5.30 – 6.15pm: Arrive, grab a drink, and connect 6.15 – 7.15pm: Fireside conversation with Jon Alferness and audience Q&A 7.15 – 8.00pm: Networking, conversation, and connection Whether you're an experienced product leader, an aspiring executive, or simply curious about how the world's best product organisations think and operate, this promises to be an evening of practical insights, honest stories, and unforgettable access. A huge shoutout to Dovetail for their gracious hosting at their Surry Hills office. We'll have light food and drinks covered—all we ask is that you bring your curiosity, your questions, and your perspective. RSVP your spot today.

92 attendees

Qigong (in person) - Cultivating Inner Peace and Wellbeing

Sun, Aug 30, 5:30 AM

From Sydney Creative Customer Experience (CCX)

**Are you looking for an effective way to manage stress, boost your energy, and improve your overall health?** Explore Qigong, an ancient Chinese practice for health maintenance and longevity. Qigong practice fosters harmony of mind, body, and spirit through meditation, breathing, and gentle movements. **WHY Choose Qigong?** **Holistic Health Benefits** * Improve breathing and circulation * Enhance joint mobility, posture alignment and balance * Calm the mind and reduce stress * Boost immunity and strengthen the body's natural defences * For additional information on the health benefits of Qigong, see details in the link [https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/qigong-what-you-need-to-know] **ACCESSIBLE for All** * Low-impact (no jumping) - suitable for all ages and fitness levels * It can be practised anywhere, at any time * No special equipment required **WHAT to Expect and Experience** *Our Qigong sessions* are designed for beginners, introducing you to the principles of this timeless practice. Experienced practitioners are welcome to share this space as we explore: * **Postural alignment:** Awareness of the body's structural alignment to improve balance and relaxation * **Breathing Techniques**: Regulate the breath to improve lung capacity and energy flow (Qi). * **Gentle Movements:** Perform a series of slow, flowing movements to activate the body's energy pathways and systems. * **Meditative Focus:** Awareness and integration of the body and mind. Cultivate a calm mind. **PROGRAM** 3:30 pm - Welcome \* Introduction and review \* Meditation (Wuji)/ stillness before movement \* Loosening exercise \* Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade) Qigong \* Meditation (Wuji) + compassionate meditation 4:30 pm - Close **Please preview and be familiar with the Ba Duan Jin movements in the video link [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf8bDFrYrRc]** **WHO is the facilitator** * David has practised Tai Chi and Qigong for over 15 years. He is a certified trainer in The Four Pillars of Health Program, a wellness and fall-prevention initiative approved by AUSactive. David has shared the benefits of Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong with hospital patients, staff, and online participants. With a passion for holistic health and a caring teaching style, David will guide you on your journey to well-being. **COST** * Donations appreciated but never expected. Suggestions donation $10 to $20, or according to your circumstances. No one turned away if they are unable to contribute. 100% collected donations will support people experiencing homelessness. **RSVP** * Click “Attend” if you are committed to joining. * If you decide to cancel, click the "Edit attendance" list and change your status to “Not going”. **MEETING POINT:** At the gazebo at Menai War Memorial, Parc Menai. The session will be held on the grass in an open space. If it rains, we can practice under the gazebo. Car parking is available next to Parc Menai or the shopping centre. Public toilets and a cafe shop are conveniently nearby. **Parking location**: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2KLxLqAuJZoPGN367?g_st=ic **PREPARATION**: * **Clothes** \- Wear comfortable\, warm clothes that let you move freely\, closed toe shoes\, hat $if required when sunny$\, pullover or jacket $if weather turn cold$ * **Water -** have a bottle of water for your hydration. **CAUTION: If you have any cold or flu symptoms or are feeling unwell, it is advisable that you stay home, as attending might make your symptoms worse.** **\*\**Disclaimer***\*:If you have any health issues that may impact your attendance, please consult your medical practitioner before attending the class.

2 attendees

Earning Influence: Why Strong Design work doesn't move the room

Tue, Aug 18, 8:00 AM

From Tao Te Ching Spiritual Awakening, Cultivation and Network

Welcome Back CCX Sydney to our events for 2026 from myself, Lydia, Sylvia and James and we are planning a bumper selection of speakers for this year. Our next event on August 18th will feature two unique presentations from Designers Dan Whelan and Ariel Blackman both from Commonwealth Bank. We will be hosting by the Team at Hipages special thanks to Carlos Guedes and Natalia Furtado. Our first Talk from CBA Product Design leader, Dan Whelan: **Earning Influence: Why Strong Design Work Doesn't Move the Room** **About Dan's Talk** You're doing great work. Decisions move on without you anyway. Here's why — and what has to be true before that changes. It's easy to assume that if the work is good enough, it earns its own influence. It doesn't. Design gets described, by default, in process terms — what was explored, tested, shipped — while the room is listening for risk, revenue and consequence, meaning how we describe the work to each other isn't the value our stakeholders want to see. Good work can fail to move a decision, because how it's described isn't connected to the decision's value. This talk covers the two things that usually get in the way of making your work land. First, the translation problem: why the same piece of work, described two different ways, gets two completely different receptions from your non-designer stakeholders. Second, the gap underneath: work that fails to land because it was never linked to key behaviour to start with, it was built around untraceable best practice. This talk covers both, so the next time you do good work, it doesn't get ignored. **About Dan** Dan Whelan is a design leader with 20 years across companies including Intuit and CommBank, and some of Australia's most complex financial products. She writes and speaks on decision quality and behavioural design, helping designers close the gap between doing strong work and having it influence the room. Our second speaker also from CBA will Ariel Blackman, User Experience Designer on Neurodivergent Strategies **About Ariels talk** Neurospicy Awareness, Acceptance & Strategies An honest look at life as a neurodivergent designer. Through personal stories and practical strategies, Ariel shares what she's learned about managing overwhelm, working with her brain instead of against it, and embracing self-acceptance along the way. Expect a mix of lived experience, useful tools, and a healthy dose of neurospicy chaos **About Ariel:** Ariel Blackman is a Product Designer with over 10 years of experience creating digital products and experiences. Alongside her design career, she's spent years learning how to navigate life as a neurodivergent person, developing practical tools and strategies to better understand herself, manage overwhelm, and work with her brain rather than against it. Passionate about sharing lived experiences with honesty, humour, and vulnerability, Ariel enjoys creating spaces where people feel seen, understood, and accepted. She believes that while everyone's experience is different, there is immense value in sharing the strategies and lessons we've learned along the way. Please note that we will be back at Hipages for our August Event so please familiarise yourself with The location and Start Time. We hope to See you in August and are really looking forward to Hearing from both Dan and Ariel.

55 attendees

Qigong (in person) -> Cultivating Inner Peace and Wellbeing

Sun, Aug 23, 5:30 AM

From Referral Network for Accounting and Finance Business Owners

1 attendee

Beyond Numbers: Business Referral Network for Accountants, Bookkeepers, Planners

Thu, Aug 20, 8:00 AM

From Sydney Databricks User Group

**Beyond Numbers Business Referral Network** for Accountants, Bookkeepers, Planners and Brokers is designed for business owners in the Accounting, Bookkeeping and Financial Services Industry to connect with likeminded finance professionals, build meaningful and authentic relationships in a positive and supportive environment. Business owners in accounting and financial services often struggle to find networking opportunities tailored to their industry. **Beyond Numbers Networking Events** are dedicated to bring together accounting and finance professionals who truly understand their unique challenges and provide a platform for them to build connections, and trusting relationships and explore potential strategic referral partners. At Beyond Numbers Business Referral Network, our primary goal is to foster authentic connections among business owners in the accounting and financial services industry. Our event aims to facilitate the formation of strong relationships based on shared values, interests, and experiences. #### **Who is it for:** * Accountants in practice * Bookkeepers * BAS agents * Tax agents and advisors * Commercial Lawyers * Financial planners and advisors * Mortgage brokers operate over 2 years * Insurance brokers #### **What to expect:** 6:00 pm - Doors open and welcome in to network 6:30 pm - Event start, intro and topic discussion 7:30 pm - Discussion and Q&A 8:00 pm - Event closes (Drinks and finger food will be provided) Please be on time, as there is no late entrance after 6:30pm. #### **Why Join Us?** Being part of an accounting and financial services community means you’re not alone on your journey. You’ll meet potential strategic referral partners who not only understand the unique challenges in the finance industry but also share your drive to grow and succeed. Together, you can exchange valuable insights, build trusted relationships, and uncover new opportunities to expand your client base. This community is designed to foster collaboration, offering peer support and expert connections to thrive in a competitive market. Join us to create meaningful connections, explore collaboration opportunities and secure lasting success for your business and beyond. PS: Participation certification can be issued for you to claim 1.5CPD hours with your industry body, if applicable. ##### **Event Photography Disclaimer** ##### ##### **By attending this event, you acknowledge and consent to being photographed and/or filmed. These images and videos may be used for promotional purposes, including but not limited to social media posts, website content, marketing materials, and future event promotion.** ##### ##### **If you prefer not to be photographed, please inform event organisers upon arrival and we will make every effort to accommodate your request.** ##### ##### **For questions about photo usage or to request removal of your image, please contact the event organisers.**

2 attendees

From transaction to insight to agent

Thu, Aug 27, 7:30 AM

4.5

Operational data used to live in one world and analytics in another — separated by brittle ETL, hours of latency, and a copy of your data you couldn't trust. This month we're closing that gap. We've got a hands-on look at Lakebase and the Lakehouse working as one system, a talk from the team at Slalom, and - because the best answers in this group usually come from the room rather than the stage — a proper open round where we crowdsource solutions to whatever people are actually stuck on right now. Slalom are hosting us, and there will be pizza and drinks. Come hungry, come with a problem you'd like to discuss or just help others to brainstorm on theirs! **🎤** **Talk 1 — Closing the operational/analytical gap with Lakebase and Lakehouse** **Speaker: [Vysnavi Mohan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vysnavi-mohan/), Databricks** Operational data used to live in one world and analytics in another — separated by brittle ETL, hours of latency, and a copy of your data you couldn't trust. We close this gap with Lakebase and Lakehouse. We write live application state into Lakebase, Databricks' managed Postgres transactional engine, and watch it sync automatically into Unity Catalog as a governed Delta table — no pipelines to babysit, no reverse-ETL tax. On top of that synced table we've built an analytics view that serves fresh insights the moment a transaction lands. You'll walk away knowing: * Where Lakebase fits next to the Lakehouse, and what it's *not* for * How the managed sync into Unity Catalog actually behaves — and what governance you inherit for free * What it takes to serve analytics off live application state, without a pipeline in the middle **🎤 Talk 2** - **Grounded, Governed, Useful: Enterprise AI Agents on Databricks** **Speaker: [Morty Mahzoon](https://www.linkedin.com/in/morteza-mahzoon/), Slalom.** Morty will share some exciting things Slalom team are working on, including Genie, Omnigent, Knowledge Bases and more! AI agents are easy to prototype, but much harder to make accurate, secure and useful at enterprise scale. This session explores how Databricks capabilities such as Unity AI Gateway, Genie Ontology, knowledge bases and Omnigent can help organisations build governed agents grounded in trusted data and business context. **🧠 Open round** \- what are you actually stuck on? The part we keep hearing people come back for. We go around the room, collect the real problems people are wrestling with this quarter - migration pain, governance sprawl, streaming costs, a model nobody trusts, whatever it is - and put them to the group. Someone here has almost certainly solved your problem already. Bring one problem you'd genuinely like a second opinion on. No slides needed, no need to have it figured out. **Call for speakers** Want to talk at a future meetup? We're always after speakers — 10-minute lightning talks count, and first-timers are very welcome. Comment below or message the organisers!

53 attendees

EUXSyd - August Meetup

Thu, Aug 20, 8:00 AM

From Enterprise UX - Sydney

From Sydney IT Networking Professional Associations Meetup Group

**Excited to have our next EUXSyd kicking off in August with** Snr Product Designer from Nuix, Ermi Mendoza-Isais, speaking on "**Storytelling, Influencing & AI Design."** In this talk, Ermi walks through the three skills she’s discovered has made her standout as a product designer and leader: storytelling that turns data into decisions, influence that moves ideas from Figma (or other no-code tool) to roadmap, and AI fluency that accelerates your craft without ever replacing your judgement. Drawing on real-world experience embedding AI into design practice at scale, you'll come away with practical, actionable ways to sharpen your narrative, build genuine buy-in across teams, and harness AI as a true creative partner. With over 26 years of design experience spanning AI, product, and research, Ermi has driven innovation across fintech, data, retail, and transport, most recently pioneering the integration of AI into design workflows. At Nuix, she championed an AI-first approach — using AI as a genuine design partner to rapidly prototype and validate concepts — while co-leading strategic initiatives, mentoring designers, and partnering across engineering, sales, and marketing to deliver end-to-end product design, research, and branding for SaaS, fintech, and transport products. A regular speaker on design leadership, career growth and AI adoption, Ermi brings a proven track record of leading design transformation and delivering customer-validated outcomes that make a real impact. We are in the process of finalising a venue and will advise you all soon. Networking, drinks and pizzas will start from 6:00 and talk will start at 6:30pm. Look forward to seeing you there!! This event is proudly sponsored by Experience Design "UX" Agency blueegg ([www.blueegg.com.au](www.blueegg.com.au))

64 attendees

Production-Ready AI Agents need a solid Data Foundation

Tue, Sep 1, 1:00 AM

Your AI agents are only as reliable as the data context underneath them. Learn to set up architecture, governance, and operational processes Your AI agents are only as reliable as the data context underneath them. Join us for a hands-on half-day workshop where you'll learn — and practise — the architecture, governance, and operational patterns that separate AI pilots from AI in production. **Is Your AI Ready for Production — Or Just Your Demo?** You've built the agent. You've run the pilot. It works beautifully in the sandbox. Then it hits real enterprise data — and it hallucinate schemas that don't exist, surfaces sensitive customer records it shouldn't touch, and breaks the moment a column changes upstream. Sound familiar? **The problem isn't your model. It's the data foundation underneath it.** AI agents fail in production not because of model quality, but because they lack the context to make trustworthy decisions: they don't know what data exists, what it means, how reliable it is, or what governance rules apply to it. This workshop fixes that. In four focused hours, you'll move from understanding the problem to having hands-on experience with the platform, tools, and patterns that make AI agents production-ready. Please register using the official site at: [https://www.ibm.com/events/reg/flow/ibm/61LZH9MB/landing/page/landing](https://www.ibm.com/events/reg/flow/ibm/61LZH9MB/landing/page/landing)

10 attendees

Welcome to the next 2026 AWS Sydney Well-Architected Meetup!

Thu, Aug 20, 7:30 AM

From AWS Sydney Well-Architected User Group

Hi Architects, Welcome to the next 2026 AWS Sydney Well-Architected User Group Meetup! Each month we cover off AWS best-practices across all pillars and give away drones - lots of drones 🥳 **Please also note that AWS Security now requests a company name and company email where it is available. If you are a student, please list your institution and your student email address at that institution 👍** We'll be announcing more speakers on [https://well-architected.me](https://well-architected.me/) and previewing presentations during the coming weeks - our speakers and details this month include: * **Rajesh Krishnan, CEO, Trust4AI** **The AI Trust Equation – Prove that your AI is trustworthy with a measurable framework** In this session, Rajesh will show self-assessment tools to evaluate your AI systems against regulatory requirements, track compliance continuously with real-time monitoring and maintain comprehensive audit trails and documentation for complete oversight. * **Mystery Speaker** **AWS Partner Revenue Management; A New Dawn or... ;-)** Partner Revenue Measurement (PRM) is the biggest change to the AWS Partner Network (APN) and in this session we will dive deep into the details and importance - essential for any AWS partner or customer. This month's menu will include: * Pizzas * Beer: Nastro Azzurro * Wine: Big and red 🤤 So come join us at 5:30 for a 6pm **SHARP** start, followed by beer, wine, pizza and friendly networking after our talks :-) Tired of Linkedin’s "thought leadership”, spam and advertising? Join https://well-architected.me/ , the AWS community built for architects, developers and cloud professionals. * Connect with experienced AWS practitioners * Preview upcoming AWS Meetups and relive past content * Create and review beautiful AWS case studies in minutes * Prepare for AWS certifications with curated quizzes * Show your manager and reports you’re well-architected (Please note that by registering to attend you agree to your details being shared as and where required with Amazon Web Services and AWS Well-Architected User Group partners)

125 attendees

Networking Drinks #30

Fri, Aug 21, 8:00 AM

From UX After Dark

From Architecting for Innovation

Join us once again at **The Art Syndicate**, a unique wine bar and gallery nestled in Surry Hills for a relaxed evening blending local drinks and meaningful conversations which should be perfect for a cold winter night. 🍷 **Event info:** ✅ Come discover some amazing NSW wine, beer and spirits. ✅ Expand your network of designers & make connections that last. ✅ No formal talks or speeches - just great conversations in a relaxed, friendly environment. *Check out my reviews on this page to see what others are saying!* **Venue information:**  You'll find us at this art gallery & wine bar in Surry Hills. They exclusively offer a curated selection of NSW-based wine, beer and spirits! There is even art for sale! **Check them out on socials:** https://www.instagram.com/theartsyndicate.com.au/ **How to find us:**  We are on Bourke Street, a short walk from Oxford Street or Central Station. **Join our What'sApp group:**  Since Meetup has removed the event chat feature, [please join this WhatsApp group](https://tinyurl.com/uxad2026) for the latest event updates! Cheers, Josh

41 attendees

Placeholder with Satya Chunduru #85

Thu, Aug 20, 2:30 AM

4.5

In this Lunch & Learn, **Satya Chunduru** will explore why **AI is the missing link in modern architecture**. Most organisations don’t struggle to build AI pilots — they struggle to **scale them** and turn them into **measurable business value**. Satya’s **3A™ Framework (Adoptive AI Architecture)** was created to bridge that gap. It connects **strategy, data, enterprise knowledge, decisions, operating models, and AI‑enabled actions** into a coherent architecture that delivers real outcomes. The framework acts as both a **reference architecture** and a **thinking model**, designed to complement existing enterprise delivery, governance, and transformation practices. Over the coming weeks, I’ll share more about the thinking behind the framework and the practical components that support **scalable, accountable AI adoption**.

6 attendees

Beyond Numbers: Business Referral Network for Accountants, Bookkeepers, Planners

Thu, Aug 20, 8:00 AM

From Referral Network for Accounting and Finance Business Owners

2 attendees

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