EXECUTIVE CHAIR & FOUNDER, RETAIL DOCTOR GROUP

Myopia Mastery Keynote Speaker

Internationally renowned retail expert speaker Brian Walker understands what it takes to make retailers and brands successful.

He passes this knowledge on in a series of energetic, engaging, and informative retail keynote talks at conferences and events around the world.

Drawing on many years of experience in retail senior management and consulting, Brian has become Australia’s most sought-after headlining retail speaker on all aspects of retail, guiding audiences through tomorrow’s retail today.

Brian has been awarded the International Retail Leadership Award: Asian Retail Congress and won the Australian Institute of Management’s National Scholarship.

He was nominated for the Business Leadership Award: CPA Awards Entrepreneur of the Year Award: Ernst & Young and Telstra Business Awards.

Brian was a finalist for Fastest Growing Start Up Business: BRW & Smart Company.

He hosts a podcast called The Future of Retail to guide retailers through the steps to improve their business fitness as well as provide insights and opportunity and Brian is one of the top 15 Retail  Podcasters  in  Australia.

DIRECTOR, LENS AVENUE

Alison Abdullah Daoud graduated from the University of New South Wales in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science (hons) and a Bachelor of Optometry.

Since graduation, Alison has worked in Manhattan, New York, alongside Ophthalmologists on the Upper East Side, specializing in contact lens fittings, binocular vision disorders, refractive and cataract surgery, oculoplastic assessments, glaucoma treatment & management, and diabetic eye disease management, in addition to general optometry.

An experienced Optometrist with demonstrated experience in the optical industry, she performs diverse roles including medical, business management, sales, and marketing functions, with a passion and focus on preventable blindness, especially with regards to myopia prevention and management.

Alison brings her optometric expertise, as well as New York eyewear fashion inspirations to her own independent practice, Lens Avenue.

ACOD

Chedy began his optical career over twenty years ago, first qualifying as an Orthoptist in 2001 before transitioning into the retail and spectacle sphere of Optical Dispensing. Having worked across both corporate chains and independent practices, his passion for continuous learning led him into education in 2009. Since then, Chedy has taught across a range of institutions throughout Australia and New Zealand, regularly presents at optical conferences across both countries, and is a frequent contributor to the profession through articles published in Insight News and mivision magazine.

Deeply committed to advancing the Optical Dispensing profession, Chedy finds great fulfilment in supporting trainee dispensers as they progress in their careers. This commitment led him, alongside James Gibbins, to co-found the Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD). In addition to his educational leadership, Chedy serves as Director and Secretary of Optical Dispensers Australia (ODA), continuing to play an active role in strengthening and supporting the industry across Australia and New Zealand.

PURPLE KEY CONSULTING

Emma Gillies is well known as an optometrist for her expertise in contact lenses, and has spoken extensively both locally and internationally in her role as professional Affairs Manager with Johnson & Johnson. 

She is passionate about human dynamics and established Purple Key Consulting in 2018 through which she provides business coaching, corporate training and sales and leadership coaching. 

Emma is an accredited NLP practitioner and she works with people and teams to build strong communication skills, help individuals understand their own thinking and behavioural patterns and use this to better understand customers in the optometry practice. 

PRINCIPAL OPTOMETRIST, EYE & I OPTOMETRISTS

Emmy is the Principal Optometrist at Eye & I Optometrists in Melbourne, Victoria. She graduated from University of Melbourne with ocular therapeutics in 2007 and further pursued her interest in paediatric vision care by completing an advanced certificate in Children’s vision.  

 Her passion lies particularly in myopia management, paediatric care and ocular disease management. Emmy is a strong advocate for increasing awareness of eye health within the community. She has presented at national conferences and webinars in collaboration with organisations such as Johnson & Johnson, Diabetes Victoria and the Vision Initiative. She served as the media spokesperson for World Sight Day in 2021. 

CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, ACADEMY OF ADVANCED OPHTHALMIC OPTICS & DIRECTOR, HANNAFORD EYEWEAR

Dr Grant Hannaford is an optical scientist, lens designer and optical practitioner with over three decades of professional experience across clinical practice, education, and industry collaboration. He works closely with optometrists, opticians, optical dispensers, students, and manufacturers in Australia and internationally, and was named the 2022 Silmo IOA International Optician of the Year.

He is Co-Founder and Director of the Academy of Advanced Ophthalmic Optics (AAOO) and Co-Owner of Hannaford Eyewear, an independent optometry practice awarded the 2022 Australian Small Business Champion.

Dr Hannaford holds a Bachelor of Science majoring in physics and pure mathematics from the University of New England and completed specialised training in spectacle lens design with honours in the United Kingdom under Professor Mo Jalie. He is tone of a small group of, formally qualified spectacle lens designer globally. His professional interests include ophthalmic lens design, ocular biometry, emmetropisation, and applied photonics.

He is a Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, an Adjunct Lecturer at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, UNSW and the University of Sydney Save Sight Institute. He has previously served as Chair of the NSW Optical Dispensers Education Trust and Vice President of ADOA (NSW), and continues to consult on international education and best-practice dispensing initiatives.

Dr Hannaford completed his doctoral research at Aston University, Birmingham, investigating emmetropisation and ocular biometric development in children. He is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, is formally recognised by the Australian Government for charitable work in Mongolia and Nepal, and is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers.

PRINCIPAL OPTOMETRIST, CUSTOM EYECARE

Heidi is a principal optometrist at Custom Eyecare, an independent full scope practice in Newcastle NSW with a keen interest in myopia management and specialty contact lenses. 

To give back and support the profession, Heidi is the current OA NSW/ACT President, as well as the NSW president for CCLSA. 

She is CASA certified, a past clinical supervisor at UNSW, a guest lecturer at University of Newcastle, a writer for Mivision, an optometric speaker on ABC radio and continues to be a mentor to optometry students on clinical placements.

Experience, Accomplishments, Qualifications

Ophthalmic Medicines Prescriber, CASA Credentialed Optometrist, Optometry NSW/ACT President, Cornea and Contact Lens Society of Australia NSW President  

B.Optom (UNSW), Grad Cert Oc Ther (UNSW)  

APAC & CHINA SALES MANAGER, MEDMONT

Jason is currently the APAC & China Sales Manager at Medmont, previously the ANZ Sales Managaer and Territory Manager for NSW, QLD & ACT prior to that.

In 1988 Jason was employed as a lab manager at various laboratories within the OPSM network and went on to spend 13 years as an optical mechanic with OPSM.

HEAD OF PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS, COOPERVISION

Joe is an optometrist who has worked in the contact lens industry in educational and commercial roles in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.  He has given presentations and workshops on contact lens topics internationally as well as owning businesses involved in contact lens distribution and optometry.  A former clinical supervisor at the University of Auckland and QUT, he is also a contributing author to the textbook Contact Lens Practice by Nathan Efron.  Joe is a Fellow of the British Contact Lens Association and is currently Head of Professional Affairs for CooperVision.

MANAGING PRINCIPAL, MALAYA OPTICAL

Ryan Ho is an optometrist, eyewear designer, and Managing Principal of Malaya Optical, an award-winning vision care group recognised for advanced optometry services including myopia control, Ortho-K, and binocular vision care. The group operates multiple flagship practices, including two ZEISS Vision Expert Centres and one Essilor Expert Centre, delivering advanced refraction and lens solutions.

Over the past eight years, Ryan has developed RYAN ADDA, an independent designer eyewear brand built through extensive R&D in fit, materials, and modern styling, and now available across Europe, Asia, and Australasia.

Based in Australia, Ryan is also the Director of Asia Contacts 1, a full-service distributor supporting independent optical practices across Australia and New Zealand. He represents a curated portfolio of designer eyewear brands and is the exclusive distributor of LIPO in Australia and New Zealand. A regular international speaker, Ryan has presented at major optical fairs including HKTDC (Hong Kong) and SIOF (Shanghai), as well as industry events across Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Ryan is passionate about helping independent practices stand out, develop blue ocean strategies, and lead as first movers—while also supporting the next generation through practical solutions for children’s eyewear and myopia management.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Science (USA)
Bachelor of Optometry (Malaysia)

HEAD OF COMMERCIAL ANZ, SAFILO GROUP

Shiva Taghvaei is a senior commercial leader whose career has been dedicated to the Australian optical industry across retail and wholesale. Beginning as a qualified Optical Dispenser in the early 2000’s, she went on to lead national retail operations and now oversees Safilo’s commercial performance across Australia and New Zealand - covering field sales, key accounts, buying-group partnerships, ranging/pricing and in-store execution. 

Previously, she managed a network of over 40 optical locations, bearing full responsibility for turnover, standards, personnel management, and the overall patient experience.

Through her national team and partnerships, she maintains a clear line of sight from strategy to the consulting room - calls on range, price, brand, and margin translate to patient experience, dispenser confidence, sell-through and practice profitability.

She has led national initiatives that elevate visual merchandising standards and team capabilities, keeping independent retailers competitive without eroding value.

FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL OPTOMETRIST, EYECARE KIDS

Soojin Nam is an experienced optometrist, business owner, and passionate advocate for paediatric eye care. She holds both Bachelor and Master degrees in Optometry from UNSW, and an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management. She has completed advanced courses in behavioural optometry and advanced contact lenses. In 2024, SooJin was a finalist at the inaugural MiYOSMART Case Study Contest, held at the 60th International Myopia Conference.

Soojin began her entrepreneurial journey at just 25 after winning the NSW Shell LiveWIRE Business Plan Competition. She is now the owner of 2 and co-owner of 3 optometry practices, including Eyecare Kids, an optometry practice that focuses on paediatric eye care services in Sydney. SooJin and her practices have received multiple business awards

SooJin has served as a children’s vision clinical supervisor at UNSW School of Optometry, Treasurer for NSW/ACT Optometry Australia and Director of the National Eyecare Plus network. She was involved in Optometry Australia’s COPE Paediatric Community of Practice, currently sits on the board Australian Optometric Panel and as a committee member of CCLSA.

Soojin is also a passionate mentor, supporting optometrists, dispensers, and young professionals in their career growth—while also raising two teenage boys of her own.

Qualifications

BOptom, MOptom, MBA (AGSM)

PRINCIPAL, EYE DEFINITION OPTOMETRISTS

Sheila graduated from the University of New South Wales in 2020 with a Master of Clinical Optometry and a Bachelor of Vision Science. She is the principal and co-founder of Eye Definition Optometrists, an independent full-scope practice in Sydney with a focus on myopia management and specialty contact lenses, particularly orthokeratology. She currently serves as Chairperson of Young Optometrists (YO) and is a committee member of CCLSA NSW and Clinical Excellence and Education Consultant at Menicon Australia. She also holds a Diploma in Business Administration.