Our Story

Over 20 Years of EA Excellence

For over two decades, the Corporate PA Summit has been at the forefront of empowering Executive and Personal Assistants across Australia and New Zealand. Since 2005, we have championed the value of the EA role, providing a platform where assistants can learn from world-class speakers, connect with their peers, and gain the skills and confidence to thrive both professionally and personally. 

Throughout our journey, we’ve welcomed over 850 exceptional speakers, delivered more than 1,100 sessions, and created countless moments of inspiration, connection, and growth.

But our purpose has never wavered: to advocate for the profession and help elevate its profile within the broader business community. Over the years, we’ve seen the EA role undergo a remarkable transformation – from being perceived as purely administrative to being recognised as a strategic partner to executives.

We are proud to have played a part in this shift, helping EAs and PAs gain the recognition, influence, and opportunities they deserve.

Some retro photos from the archives

The very first event at the Grand Hyatt, Melbourne in 2005

Chris Bath wowing the audience in 2006

Shelley Craft taking a break from ‘The Great Outdoors’ in 2007

Melissa Doyle at the Sydney event in 2008

Natalie Barr in 2009, the first post-GFC summit

Samantha Armytage in 2010, also joined by Laura Schwartz, assistant to President Bill Clinton

Dr Chris Brown with his down-to-earth blend of humour, insight and inspiration

Carrie Bickmore sharing her extraordinary story in 2012

Mark Bouris in 2013, at the height of his Celebrity Apprentice fame

Red Balloon founder Naomi Simson in 2014

Michelle Bridges headlining the 2015 summit

The incredible Turia Pitt in 2016

Anh Do at the 2018 event in Melbourne

Holly Ransom at the 2018 summit in Sydney. Holly will be returning to Sydney and Melbourne in 2026!

Leigh Sales was a brilliant MC at the 2019 event in Sydney and Melbourne

We were incredibly fortunate to welcome Monica Lewinsky in 2019, who flew in for the event from New York

Some more recent highlights!

You can also view the gallery from the 2025 summit at Pullman Melbourne on the Park here.

Meet the team!

James Matthews

James is the Director of ThinkTank, and is responsible for the development of event strategy, company culture and the smooth running of the business in general.

James loves cooking (and eating!), playing gigs with his band and going on adventures with his two teenagers and Stormy, his samoyed.

Lauren Hindmarsh

Lauren is the Operations Director at ThinkTank, responsible for event logistics, including delegate touchpoints, speaker briefings, travel bookings, as well as venue selection, audio visual arrangements and the smooth running of events.

Lauren is most happy when she is hanging out with her 3 children, strength training and keeping active, seeking new travel destinations and eating Asian fusion with a chilled glass of wine.

Cass Brownlow-Davies

Cass is passionate about her role as Corporate Partnerships Manager. She thrives on fostering mutually beneficial relationships with sponsors, speakers and delegates to enhance the success and growth of our diverse events.

Cass’s passions are travelling the world, engaging in physical pursuits such as running and trekking, as well as spending time with her family and friends – preferably adventures that include all three!

Rhiannon Coen

Rhiannon is our Events Manager and supports the team with marketing, event curation, sponsorship management, as well as event day support and general administration. No two days are the same and that’s the way she likes it!

Rhiannon is also a women’s health naturopath and mum to a cheeky toddler. Her favourite things in life are her family, good food, Taylor Swift, and a strong cup of matcha.