Stewards on the Couch with Damien Walker
About this Event
IPAA Queensland invites the public purpose community to attend our next instalment of our Stewards on the Couch series for 2025.
This event will see Damien Walker take to the couch to have a conversation about his leadership, his journey, and vision as the leading public servant in Queensland.
During this conversation, attendees can expect to hear more about his distinguished public sector career, which spans more than two decades of senior leadership roles across multiple jurisdictions with a strong focus on strategy, industry and public policy.
This event is a must attend for anyone keen to understand more about the career journey of one of Queensland’s top public leaders and connect with others in the sector.
Format
Stewards on the Couch follows a casual, ‘in conversation’ style format where the interviewer, and the interviewee take to the couch to conduct an informative, engaging and interactive discussion.
The audience are invited to participate in a short Q&A opportunity after approximately one hour of conversation. After event content has been conducted, there is a short but engaging networking session afterwards over refreshments.
DATE & LOCATION
Date: Wednesday 26 March 2025
Time: 4.15pm for a 4:30pm start with networking refreshments after
Location: Multifunction Rooms 1 & 2, 1 William Street, Brisbane Q 4000
In person Pricing: free for individual (full financial) members, $35 for organisational members, $65 for non-members.
Livestream Pricing: free for individual (full financial) members, $20 for organisational members, $35 for non-members.
Accessibility – IPAA Queensland is committed to ensuring our events are accessible to everyone. Please contact us prior to the event to discuss any adjustments required. This may include (but not be limited to) use of a hearing loop, accessible seating or support with entering the building and accessing the event space.
Photography – By attending an event or a course, you acknowledge that your photo might be taken, and you consent to the taking and use (including in any publication or production) of any such photo by us in whole or in part, and in conjunction with any words or drawings, in electronic or print form.
Privacy – please refer to our Privacy Statement.
Registration terms – please refer to our Terms of Supply of Services.
ABOUT damien Walker
Mr Damien Walker was appointed the Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in late 2024.
Most recently Damien was the former Chief Executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in South Australia, a role held since early 2022.
His distinguished public sector career spans more than two decades of senior leadership roles across multiple jurisdictions with a focus on strategy, industry and public policy.
He was formerly Director-General of the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, in the Queensland Government. In his various Director-General roles, he drove economic growth and job creation and successfully led Queensland’s delivery of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
His background also includes senior executive roles in the South Australian Government in infrastructure planning and delivery, investment facilitation, contract management and reform implementation.
Damien has also served on a number of boards in the areas of economic development, trade and investment.
Above all, Damien is passionate about gender equity in the workplace and the prevention of domestic and family violence. He is also driven to deliver initiatives to create opportunities for First Nations people.
Damien holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Planning, and further academic qualifications in property and planning.
ABOUT THE STEWARDS ON THE COUCH SERIES
Stewards on the Couch is a regular and highly popular feature of IPAA’s annual event program, where one or more chief executives is joined by a respected journalist or facilitator ‘on the couch’ for an informal, conversation-style interview.
These events provide the IPAA community an opportunity to learn more about the influences, priorities, and core values of stewards leading public purpose work along with the key challenges and opportunities facing their organisation and/or sector. Guests are invited to stay for networking and refreshments after the interview.