Marie Cullen is Head of Procurement at Fluence Energy where her team is responsible for the sourcing and supplier relationship management across Battery Energy Storage Projects in Australia. Marie is passionate about Energy and has over 10 years within the Energy sector in Australia in AusNet and Jemena. She believes procurement can make the world a better place, it can take the stress out of buying for our internal stakeholders and can enable businesses foster strategic long term relationships with their suppliers allowing them to grow and innovate together. Marie is a Research Council member for World Commerce and Contracting and is a qualified Irish solicitor.

Sharon is a passionate advocate for driving shared values and positive change in the world. She recognises the advancement of the capabilities of our commercial, procurement, contracting, supply chain, and legal professionals as integral to building a better future for people, prosperity, and the planet.

As the Group Regional Head of APAC at WorldCC, Sharon spearheads the association's activities throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Her commitment extends to supporting the WorldCC Foundation, where she actively champions sustainable and inclusive contracting practices.

With over two decades of executive experience in Australia and internationally, particularly in the non-profit membership space, Sharon has played a pivotal role in advancing global procurement and supply chain expertise, while ensuring diversity and inclusion are top of mind. Whether as the Director of Global Programs at Procurious or as General Manager for the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, Sharon has consistently aimed to elevate the capabilities and profile of the procurement and supply chain profession across the region.

Sharon is dedicated to driving positive change in the world—one contract at a time!

Sarah joined HSV in March 2025 as Chief Procurement Officer, leading a team of procurement professionals partnering with Victoria’s public health services and suppliers to deliver goods and services to support better value. 

She has over 25 years experience in the procurement of fast-moving consumer goods and services, including a decade working in retail.

Her core competencies include change management, complex negotiation, project management, risk mitigation and category sourcing strategy development.

Sarah has a proven track record of balancing strategic imperatives and delivering results, effectively facing challenges to quickly assess situations and implement action plans that drive profitable financial performance. She has global expertise in procurement, working in complex domestic and offshore corporations.  

Sarah’s mission is to drive HSV’s procurement strategy and vision to support our health service partners, leveraging her end-to-end procurement expertise to deliver better patient outcomes.

In addition to Diploma and Bachelor studies from Massey University and an Executive Education at Harvard Business School, Sarah is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

George Papanikolopoulos is a qualified CPA with more than 25 years of experience across domestic and international financial institutions, and over a decade in finance, commercial, and procurement roles within ASX-listed companies and not-for-profit organisations. He has a strong track record in driving business growth, managing risk, improving processes, and leading transformational change.

With broad exposure to diverse industries and operating environments, George excels in tackling complex challenges and delivering practical, effective solutions. His expertise spans risk management, financial reporting, commercial negotiations, contract and vendor management, credit assessment, financial analysis, business case development, and IT systems implementation.

George is also a committed people leader who has managed teams of up to 20 onshore and offshore staff. Many of his team members have progressed into leadership roles under his mentorship, reflecting his belief that success is achieved through empowering and developing others.

Renowned for his clear and purposeful communication style, George engages effectively with stakeholders at all levels, from boards to frontline teams, ensuring alignment, clarity, and shared understanding in every interaction.