From inclusive leadership to restoring water security in remote communities, IPS will bring practical, on-the-ground insights to Ozwater ’26 through presentations from Sascha Kurz and Toby Chalmers.
IPS will take to the national stage at Ozwater ’26 in Brisbane this week with two presentations highlighting the company’s approach to building resilient communities through both people and infrastructure.
Managing Director Sascha Kurz will be presenting on how inclusive leadership and diverse teams are strengthening outcomes across the water sector.
Sascha said the topic went well beyond workplace culture to encompass the future capability of the industry.
“Infrastructure outcomes are only as strong as the teams delivering them,” she said.
“At IPS, we’ve seen firsthand that when you bring together people with different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds, you unlock better problem-solving, stronger community engagement and more resilient outcomes.”
Sascha’s presentation will draw on IPS’s experience as a diverse and intentionally inclusive consultancy, where targeted recruitment, mentorship and flexible workplace practices help to address industry-wide skills shortages while improving technical delivery.
“Our focus has never been diversity for its own sake,” she said.
“It’s about building teams that reflect the communities we work in and ensuring we have the capability to deliver meaningful, long-term outcomes for those communities.”
Also on Day 1 of Ozwater ’26, IPS General Manager – Engineering, Toby Chalmers, will present on strengthening water security in remote and regional Queensland, drawing on our work with Indigenous communities including Cherbourg and Woorabinda.
Toby said this program highlighted the real-world challenges facing remote communities and the importance of practical and locally embedded solutions.
“In many remote communities, water security is not a future challenge – it is an immediate and ongoing risk,” he said.
“What we’ve focused on is working alongside councils and operators to stabilise systems, build local capability and deliver upgrades that are both effective and sustainable.
“Long-term water security in regional Australia requires partnership, knowledge transfer and solutions that are tailored to the realities of each community.”
Ozwater ’26 will bring together industry leaders, practitioners and innovators from across the country, with IPS proud to contribute to discussions shaping the future of Australia’s water sector.
View all news
