The next generation of the Whitsundays workforce will take centre stage at the 2026 Whitsunday Business Conference, with four outstanding local young professionals joining the inaugural Rising Stars Panel.
Representing a diverse range of industries are (pictured clockwise):
Soumya Santosh (Site Manager (Hatcheries) at Tassal Proserpine Prawn Farm)
Sam McKay (Apprentice Mechanic with Hamilton Island Enterprises)
Giulian Grasso (Junior Solicitor at Whitsunday Law)
Dean Leslie (Head Agave Distiller at Australian Agave Co.)
will share their perspectives on what attracts young people to the Whitsundays, what helps them thrive at work, and how businesses can build workplaces that attract and retain future talent.
The interactive panel will explore four key themes:
- What attracts young people to a workplace, and what makes them stay.
- Leadership that help employees perform at their best.
- One piece of advice for local businesses to strengthen the Whitsundays workplace.
- Their vision for the Whitsundays in 2046+ and the role business can play in shaping the region’s future.
The Rising Stars Panel opens the Conference on Thursday 27 August, giving business owners a unique opportunity to hear directly from the future workforce and gain practical insights they can apply in their own workplaces.
Conference Details
What: The 2026 Whitsunday Business Conference
When: 8:30am-3:00pm Thursday 27 August 2026
Where: Club Whitsunday and PCYC Whitsundays, Airlie Beach
Meet the Speakers