World's leading festival for business and creativity.

Pause Fest

This event is part of Melbourne Design Week

Join Pause Fest and LCI for an inspiring panel discussion on the critical role of creativity in business, driving meaningful change, and fostering a sustainable future.

The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs report 2023 lists creativity and associated skills as 7 of the top 10 most desirable now and into the foreseeable future.

Creativity will be key to driving paradigm shifts to meet the needs of climate change, energy transition, circular economy, ageing population, housing shortages, and more. 

In this discussion, we’ll explore how creativity in business extends beyond traditional boundaries, and how our speakers integrate ethical considerations and ecological sustainability into their core business strategies by design.

Fabio Oliveira, Head of Innovation and Service Design, Kmart and Target Australia 

Fabio Oliveira, Head of Innovation and Service Design at Kmart and Target Australia, excels at pioneering innovation within major companies. Known for building and leading multidisciplinary teams, Oliveira has spearheaded transformative strategies at iconic brands like Kmart and WorkSafe Victoria, driving significant industry advancements.

Andy Fallshaw is a product designer, engineer and brand shepherd with a global conscience. As the Co-CEO and Co-Founder at Bellroy, and Co-Founder of Carryology, he aims to inspire better ways to ‘carry’ our everyday things. With a background heading up two major divisions of global surf-wear brand Rip Curl, starting an investment group, and design consulting in Europe, Andy’s experience is woven from design, engineering, brand management and business.

Katy Barfield (OAM) is an award-winning entrepreneur and food waste veteran. Before starting Yume, Katy was the founding CEO of one of Australia's largest food rescue organisations, SecondBite. As the Founder & CEO of Yume, Katy leads a team of passionate food waste fighters to put an end to commercial food waste through innovative technology, which has redistributed over 8 million kilograms of food to businesses and charities across Australia and returned over $22M back to businesses. In 2023, Katy was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.

Grant Petty, founder of Blackmagic Design, has revolutionised the video technology industry. His company specialises in innovative products for film, television, and broadcast professionals. Known for democratising high-end film equipment, Petty's vision has made professional-grade tools accessible and affordable to creators worldwide.

Fiona Nixon, Chief Strategy Officer, Think HQ

Fiona Nixon is a dynamic Chief Strategy Officer at Think HQ and a passionate sustainability consultant. With extensive experience in strategic growth and transformation across financial, consultancy, and non-profit sectors, she specialises in corporate social responsibility and brand management. Fiona's career highlights include leading Bank Australia’s B Corp accreditation and implementing its first Responsible Banking Policy. She holds an Executive MBA with Distinction and serves on the Australia Committee for Human Rights Watch.

LCI Melbourne is different by design. A premier tertiary educator offering innovative degree courses in Design Arts and Entrepreneurship. Known for its industry-focused education, LCI nurtures creativity through a progressive curriculum and state-of-the-art facilities, preparing students for meaningful careers in creative industries. LCI Melbourne is part of a global network of 23 campuses across 5 continents.

Pause Fest is celebrated as the world’s leading festival for business and creativity. It brings together industry leaders, innovators, and creatives annually to explore new ideas, technologies and collaborations. Through workshops, talks, and networking experiences, Pause Fest fosters innovation and inspiration among professionals and future explorers.

The future of business is CREATIVE