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Yves Veulliet will lead the next generation of businesses for inclusion as the keynote speaker at the Australian Network on Disability’s 11^th Annual ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Conference in Melbourne.

Yves is the Global Disability & Inclusion Leader at IBM, and Chair of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Global Business and Disability Network. His book, Turning Point – The Fall and Rise, explains his experience of acquiring disability as a result of an accident.

Travelling from his home base in Belgium, Yves will visit Australia for the first time to share his experiences at IBM and global insights on disability and inclusion at work.

“I am honoured and thrilled to be offered this opportunity to share with a diverse and passionate audience how IBM maximises the often-untapped potential that people with disabilities bring to the workplace. And, I look forward to learning from so many experts in Disability Inclusion how, together, we walk the talk of embracing people of all different abilities,” he said.

“The theme of the conference, ‘Positive Forces for Change’, particularly resonates with my own philosophy: I have always believed that the most important asset of a company is its people. Every one of us has the power to influence change and every one of us should experience the many benefits of a workforce that includes people with disabilities.”

As Chair of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network, Yves is at the forefront of a unique employer-led initiative that promotes and strengthens inclusion of people with disability in workplaces around the world.

Joining Yves as a popular drawcard in this year’s line-up of speakers is Australian celebrity Kurt Fearnley. A highly-decorated athlete, sports icon and champion for the rights of people with disability, he was named New South Wales Australian of the Year for 2019. Kurt will draw on his incredible experiences to facilitate a panel discussion on personal leadership as a positive force for change.

The Conference will be held at the RACV City Club in Melbourne on Tuesday 14 May. It offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn tested and pioneering strategies for employment, retention and inclusion of people with disability. A sell-out in previous years, the event will attract more than 200 delegates, including CEOs, senior managers, diversity practitioners, human resources professionals and workplace health and safety advisors, from the public, private and for-purpose sectors.