As the Ascend26 program continues to evolve, additional speakers and presenters will be announced in the lead up to Congress. We are delighted to welcome back Keith Cullen, Founder and Managing Director of WT Financial Group, alongside renowned broadcaster and event host Hamish McLachlan, with further keynote and special guest announcements to follow.
Building on the success of previous Congress events featuring inspiring Australians including Olympic gold medallist and Australia’s most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne, and world champion swimmers Cate and Bronte Campbell, Ascend 2026 will once again bring together an exceptional lineup of speakers, storytellers, and industry leaders.
Hosts & Facilitators
Hamish McLachlan
Renowned Sports Commentator, Broadcaster & Event HostHamish McLachlan’s broadcasting journey began in horse sports and polo, where his roles as a player and administrator opened doors to local and international game-calling opportunities. To refine his skills, he spent three summers in Europe, hosting sports and charity events while commentating matches, all in pursuit of a career in Australia.
In 2008, he returned to Australia and secured his breakthrough with Channel 7 as the host of “AFL Game Day,” blending insightful analysis with lighthearted banter. His success on the show led to hosting roles for Spring Racing broadcasts and tennis commentary at the Australian Open.
Recognised as one of Australia’s premier event hosts, Hamish helmed iconic occasions like the Melbourne Cup, Rio 2016 Olympics, Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, PyeongChang Winter Olympics, and the entertainment series “Australian Spartan.” In 2019, he began hosting the prestigious Brownlow Medal Count and Coverage and, in 2020, presented the popular AFL digital series, “The Last Time I Cried.”
Beyond broadcasting, Hamish actively supports causes such as Captain Courageous, where he serves on the board, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, where he is an ambassador. His partnership with AIA Vitality reflects his multifaceted career. Hamish resides in Melbourne with his wife Sophie and their three children and is widely sought after as an entertaining master of ceremonies, having had the privilege of interviewing the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant at an exclusive event.
Keith Cullen
Founder & Managing Director, WT Financial GroupKeith Cullen is the founder and managing director of WT Financial Group Limited and is the largest (non-institutional) shareholder. He has 37 years of experience as a corporate executive and entrepreneur across the broadcast media, technology, and financial services sectors. Keith successfully conceived and implemented the strategy to pivot the group from its previous B2C focus to a primarily B2B focus through the acquisitions of Wealth Today, Sentry Group, Synchron and Millennium3 Financial Services.
Keith is an entrepreneur and problem solver, and a creator and builder of businesses, ideas and careers. He is an empathetic, persuasive, determined and pragmatic businessman who relishes challenges and balances big picture thinking with hard work and detail orientation; and a sense-of-urgency with perseverance and grit. With a track record of success in the recruitment, training, mentoring and motivation of high-performance individuals and teams, he encourages and instils these traits in those around him.
