Meet the affirmative team for The Great Debate 2022! These shrewd Women (and Men!) of Influence will be affirmatively interpreting the topic “that financial power is the greatest form of influence”.
Midja Fisher
Midja is a leadership expert, keynote speaker and coach. She is also the Founder of The Legal Leadership Project, a company on a mission to transform great lawyers into great leaders.
Through corporate workshops, online masterclasses and one on one coaching, Midja creates confident, authentic leaders who love what they do. What’s unique about Midja is her infectious energy, coupled with her extensive business and leadership knowledge, as a former lawyer and partner of a national law firm and learning and development specialist.
Midja is the author of three books – Unshakeable Confidence, Great Lawyer to Great Leader and Take Off The Cape and is the host of the podcast ‘Mondays with Midja’ – a podcast all about Life, Love and Leadership.
When not working with clients, Midja can be found soaking up the sun on the GC beaches and sipping champagne whilst sharing worst-date stories with her girlfriends.
Derek Cronin
Derek Cronin is the Founder and Partner of Cronin Litigation Lawyers, a well-known firm on the Gold Coast that specialises in commercial litigation, debt recovery, insolvency and dispute resolution. The Firm employs twelve full-time commercial litigation lawyers, making it one of the largest litigation teams on the Gold Coast.
Derek was one of the first students of Bond University. Today he is a Council member of Bond University and he also sits on the Law Advisory Board of the University.
Derek has been an advocate for Marriage Equality as well as Past President of the Qld Aids Council. His firm also sponsors local organisations including Young Professionals Gold Coast and BMD Northcliffe Surf Club, where he is an honorary solicitor.
He is a keen traveller in his spare time and also likes hitting the local restaurant scene with his husband, Tom Forbes. He is a third-generation Gold Coaster and a strong supporter of local business.
Amelia Evans
Amelia Evans is a Chartered Accountant with 25 years of experience across multiple industries including Aviation, Telecoms, FMCG and Property in Australia, Solomon Islands, London, the United States and the Caribbean.
In previous leadership roles, Amelia has led financial, operational, human resource, procurement, technology and project teams for global organisations including Ernst & Young, British Telecom, IGA, Qantas and currently Queensland Airports Ltd.
In her current role as Chief Financial Officer for Queensland Airports Limited, Amelia has oversight of Strategy, Finance, Treasury, Analytics, People & Culture and Technology.
In addition, Amelia is involved in the Not-for-Profit and Government sector, including her recent role as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for National Trust (Queensland), Board committee member for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Governor-in-Council member and Finance, Resources and Risk Committee member for Griffith University. Amelia is also currently an advisory board member for UNIQ YOU.
Amelia is a passionate advocate for Diversity and Inclusion, Social Change and Mentoring.
