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Keynote 01 · Human Connection · Kirryn Zerna
The
Connect Effect
Trust → Tribe → Thrive
A keynote on the human side of AI and business
Recently booked by
WellaSoftwareOneNutrimeticsRSM AustraliaREIWA
Why this matters now
AI changes what’s possible.
People decide what happens.
As technology accelerates and almost every advantage becomes easier to copy, the experience people have with your leaders, your culture and your brand becomes more valuable — not less.
A futurist can show you what is coming. Kirryn Zerna shows you the invisible human dynamics that will determine whether your people and your business thrive when it arrives. Drawing on more than 20 years across corporate communications, brand, customer experience and the boardroom, she connects what happens inside an organisation with what customers experience outside it.
What happens in the room
The latest thinking.
Current research on AI, trust and how work is changing, translated into what it means for the people in your room.
A room that takes part.
Interactive moments that get people talking, laughing and recognising themselves, so the ideas stick long after the session ends.
Stories from their world.
Case studies and examples tailored to your industry, so every person sees their own team, clients and customers in the story.
Something to take home.
Shared language for the rest of the event, and One Human Move each person commits to before they leave.
What your audience takes away
Trust → Tribe → Thrive
Through The Connect Effect, audiences discover how to:
Move together.
Create the rhythms, rituals and shared identity that help people belong, contribute and move together.
Keep connection strong.
Navigate pressure, friction and change without losing the trust of your people or customers.
One Human Move
Every person leaves with a personal action that creates momentum in their team, their client relationships or their organisation.
Trusted by organisations that rebook
One forum.
Six more cities.
After Kirryn spoke at the Wella RED Forum in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she was invited back for a six-city national roadshow.
“These insights are invaluable for nurturing the kind of customer loyalty that keeps people coming back. Not to mention going the extra mile and visiting Wella salons prior to the events.”
Senior Marketing Manager, Wella
Read Wella’s full feedback
“Your keynote presentation, The Connect Effect — Trust, Tribe, Thrive, had an amazing impact. The way you demonstrated how salon owners can strengthen team harmony, sharpen service rhythms, and foster those unmistakable “this is who we are” moments resonated deeply with everyone. These insights are invaluable for nurturing the kind of customer loyalty that keeps people coming back. Not to mention going the extra mile and visiting Wella salons prior to the events.”
Wella · RED Forum + six-city national roadshow
Check availabilityCase studies across industries.
Your world. In the room.
Case study · Nutrimetics
Stand out.
Start with connection.
Nutrimetics’ Beyond the Level conference brought together Consultants whose business is built on relationships. The brief: help them build genuine connection and stand out in a distracted world.
Kirryn opened Day Two with The Connect Effect, focusing on the trust and everyday conversations behind customer relationships, from a one-to-one chat to a workshop or an online presence.
“Loved it. Practical, inspiring, and gave us language to use!”
CEO · Nutrimetics
Case study · SoftwareOne
Two organisations.
One room.
With two organisations recently merged, SoftwareOne’s Springboard 2026 sales kick-off needed teams from different locations, functions and sales styles to move forward as one.
Kirryn opened the event with Trust → Tribe → Thrive, connecting the “We Are One” message to how people work together, and building real connection in the room.
“I really appreciated the energy you brought to the room with your keynote at SoftwareOne Springboard 2026 — and the way you helped lift the entire event.”
General Manager, Australia and New Zealand · SoftwareOne
Built for the whole conference.
Major conference plenaries, leadership summits, industry and association conferences, and organisations exploring the human future of business.
Length: 60–90 minute keynote, or a half-day or full-day workshop.
Business outcomes this keynote supports
- Stronger leadership and culture
- Greater employee and customer trust
- Increased loyalty, retention and referral
- Shared language that keeps working after the event
Why Kirryn
Connection from every altitude.
Kirryn Zerna is a Sydney-based international keynote speaker on trust, leadership and customer experience, and the creator of The Connect Effect.
Kirryn has advised CEOs and led engagement for more than 40,000 employees. Today, she serves on two boards and chairs a People & Culture Committee — connecting the realities of the front line with the decisions made in the boardroom.
A Certified Speaking Professional, she has delivered keynotes across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Argentina.
Planning your event
A few useful answers.
Will this work for a mixed conference audience?
Yes. The Connect Effect brings leadership, culture and customer experience into one keynote, giving people across roles a shared language and a personal action to take away. Kirryn tailors the examples to the audience, so everyone can see the part they play.
Can it sit alongside a futurist or technology speaker?
Yes. A futurist can show your audience what is coming. Kirryn explores the human dynamics that influence how people lead, collaborate and serve customers as that future arrives.
How is the keynote tailored to our audience?
Kirryn works with you to understand who is in the room, your organisation’s priorities and the outcomes you want. Examples and practical applications are shaped around that context, using The Connect Effect framework.
How long is the keynote, and are workshops available?
The Connect Effect is available as a 60–90 minute keynote or a half-day or full-day workshop.
What preparation is included?
Pre-conference preparation includes briefing sessions to understand your audience and priorities, plus a pre-event technical check-in and run-through. An event promotion social post can also be included if required.
Explore the other keynotes
One framework. Your audience’s world.
Bring The Connect Effect to your event
Who’s in the room?
What needs to shift?
Let’s shape a keynote around your people and their world. Still deciding? Ask to talk through your event with Kirryn.