13/08/2026
We’re thrilled to reveal that Bernard Salt AM will kick off the IEP Summit Australia 2026 – the “anti-conference” for the employability sector – kindly sponsored by The BUSY Group and Beam!
Bernard is one of Australia’s leading social commentators, most in-demand corporate speakers and a best-selling author. After a 20-year career as a Partner in a global advisory firm, he founded The Demographics Group to advise business on demographic, social and property trends.
His CV is immense:
📚 Author of six best-selling books
📰 Columnist with The Australian for more than 20 years, with a highly regarded column in The Weekend Australian Magazine
📺 Host of “The Next Five Years” on SkyNEWS Business
🎙️ Host of the top-rated podcast “What Happens Next”
🏅 Awarded Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2017 for his services to the Australian people via demography
He’s also the man behind some of Australia’s most talked-about social observations – coining terms like the “goat’s cheese curtain,” and famously popularising the phrase “smashed avocado” 🥑 to the entire world.
On 12 November, Bernard will open the Summit with ‘The Changing Face of a Candidate’, setting the scene on Australia’s shifting workforce before the panel dives into youth pressures, mature-age participation and what genuine workforce inclusion really looks like.
This is the first of many announcements to come. If you work in employability services, policy or strategy, this is one day you don’t want to miss.
📅 12 November 2026 📍 The Promenade Docklands, Melbourne
🎟️ Book your ticket now
You can pay by invoice, or in up to 3 instalments.
Any questions about IEP Summit or IEP Membership? Message us at australia@iemployability.org