“It’ll be 10 times bigger than the Industrial Revolution - and maybe 10 times faster”: Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping knowledge-based industries in ways that go far beyond the automation of routine tasks. It is beginning to change how professional judgement is developed, exercised and governed - and, in doing so, is forcing a wider conversation about expertise, education, work and society.
The invited speaker for this talk, Kevin Yeoh, is Chief AI Strategist at Pinnacle Investment Management, where he has built the firm’s AI function from the ground up. His work spans organisational change, strategic decision-making, technology evaluation, governance and training, reflecting the reality that AI adoption is not simply a technical project, but a whole-of-organisation transformation. Because the field is moving faster than settled industry practice, many decisions must be made in conditions of uncertainty.
This talk will use that experience as a starting point for a broader discussion of AI’s disruptive potential: for individual employment, for the career pathways through which professional expertise has traditionally been formed and for the structure of knowledge-based industries and society more broadly. As AI takes on more tasks once considered the preserve of skilled professionals, individuals, organisations and communities will need to reconsider what forms of value, education and work should emerge in response.
About the Speaker
Kevin Yeoh is the Chief AI Strategist at Pinnacle Investment Management. From 2015 to 2025, he was an investor at MFS Investment Management. His career is distinguished by a commitment to in-depth, on-the-ground research across diverse global contexts – spanning Asia-Pacific markets to the US and Europe. He has lived and worked in Beijing, Hong Kong and Boston, and brings a nuanced understanding of global markets and cultural dynamics.
Kevin has extensive experience in corporate governance and strategy, having advised numerous listed company Boards. He’s previously worked at J Capital Research, where he provided strategic insights on China-related investments and also ran the finances of One Big Switch, a fast-growing internet startup. At AMP Capital, he was among the first Australian investors to invest directly in China’s A-share market. He began his career at Macquarie Group, focusing on credit and country risk management.
Kevin is also an accomplished pianist with an Associate Diploma in Music (AMusA), and enjoys the works of Rachmaninoff, Ravel and Falla. He is a volunteer surf lifesaver at Dee Why Beach, holding a Silver Medallion.
