Leadership Summit + Schmoozefest 2025 – Event Recap

The Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC) hosted its flagship Leadership Summit on Saturday 28 June 2025, welcoming more than 250 salon professionals from across the country to the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park for a powerful day of learning, networking, and future-focused conversations.

The Summit brought together salon owners, solo operators, educators, brand leaders and business strategists for an agenda filled with actionable insights, bold ideas, and real-time industry data.

Hosted by MC Richard Kavanagh, the event opened with a State of the Industry presentation by Fiona Beamish, CEO of the AHC. Fiona shared national benchmarking data, findings from the AHC Apprenticeship Survey, and insights from Service & Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA) – the newly appointed Jobs and Skills Council responsible for the first major update to the Hairdressing and Barbering Training Package in over a decade. The presentation drew on key material provided by SaCSA CEO Natalie Turmine, highlighting the need for modern, industry-aligned education and training pathways and the timeline for the new package release.

The Summit’s impressive speaker lineup continued with Sandee Harris from the Department of Education and Workplace Relations (DEWR), who explored new tools and government incentives for employers to build strong, sustainable teams, followed by Stephen Walters, one of Australia’s most respected economists, who delivered a timely overview of the economic outlook for small businesses.

A major highlight was keynote speaker and global demographer Mark McCrindle, whose engaging, data-driven session explored the social and generational trends shaping the future of the hairdressing industry. His talk offered practical advice for salon owners on managing changing consumer behaviours and motivating younger teams in the workplace.

The day concluded with a dynamic Power Panel of industry leaders sharing their real-world approaches to business growth, culture, and innovation. Panellists included:

• Helen Owens – Tigerlamb, Brisbane
• Rocco Petrucci – Zucci Hairdressing, Melbourne
• Kristian Tognini – Tognini’s and liloffthetop
• Faith Williams – Blondee Salon, Gold Coast
• Bianca Panozzo – CEO of Salon Express and Barber Express, WA

Their diverse perspectives and hands-on advice were a standout, with many attendees praising the session as one of the most insightful and practical elements of the day.

To conclude the day, AHC Chair Luca De Lorenzo acknowledged former Chair Clint Piper and Board Member Anthony Gray, who both retired in late 2024 after more than a decade of service to the AHC and industry. The room responded with heartfelt applause for their outstanding contribution and leadership.

To wrap up the event, guests were invited to Schmoozefest, the AHC’s iconic cocktail networking event. With drinks, canapés, and vibrant conversation, it was a perfect end to a high-impact day of learning and connection.

“This Summit was about sharing knowledge and strengthening the ties within our industry,” said Fiona Beamish. “There’s a real sense of momentum right now, and the energy in the room reflected that. Events like this help us not only navigate change but lead it.”

With overwhelmingly positive feedback, many attendees called the 2025 Leadership Summit the best AHC event yet, setting a high benchmark for the future of industry education and collaboration.