Growth on the Coast: The Leadership Series, is a biannual speaker series hosted by the Matthew Flinders Foundation aimed at bringing together Flinders parents and business leaders for meaningful connection and high-value insight. 

The series features accomplished leaders sharing real-world perspectives on performance, leadership and excellence, creating space for conversation, collaboration and community impact around key areas of interest.

EVENT DATE AND TIME

Thursday, 8 October 2026

5:30pm - 6:30pm - Drinks and Canapes
6:30pm - 8:00pm - Presentation

LOCATION

Matthew Flinders Anglican College - Infinity Centre Gallery 

EVENT SPONSORS

This Matthew Flinders Foundation event is proudly supported by: Rafter Myers and Bridgewise Insurance

TICKETS

Ticket price $30 per person (Drinks and Canapes included)

SPEAKER LINE-UP

Emcee: Richard Thompson, Director, Thompson Legal and host of the Success X Happiness Podcast

Guest Panel:
• Nathaniel Simpson, CEO, Youi Insurance
• Professor Maree Dinan-Thompson, Pro Vice-Chancellor University of the Sunshine Coast
•Tim Forrester, Founder and Managing Director of Aria Property Group

BIOGRAPHIES

Nathaniel Simpson, CEO, Youi Insurance

Nathaniel is Youi’s Chief Executive Officer leading the continued growth at Youi which is one of Australia’s most successful challenger brands in the insurance industry. Before he was appointed CEO in July 2023, he held several executive roles including Chief Product Officer, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Customer & Innovation Officer.

Nathaniel’s career spans roles in the financial services industry in both Australia and South Africa and was part of the start-up team of a direct-to-consumer life insurance unit within OUTsurance, a multinational insurance group.

Professor Maree Dinan-Thompson, Pro Vice-Chancellor University of the Sunshine Coast

Professor Maree Dinan‑Thompson brings more than two decades of leadership experience across early childhood, schooling and higher education, and now executive leadership. She has made significant contributions to national curriculum and assessment development, student success and retention strategies, and the integration of contemporary educational technologies. Her work also focuses on designing inclusive learning environments that support diverse student cohorts.

Tim Forrester, Founder and Managing Director of Aria Property Group

Following his schooling life at Matthew Flinders and after growing up on the Sunshine Coast, Tim moved to Brisbane to commence his entrepreneurial pursuits.

What started with a mobile coffee cart, moved to land deals, then flipping development sites, to then delivering projects and slowly working to where he is today with Aria Property Group, a fully integrated, nationally awarded high-rise apartment development business, with an in-house construction and property sales & management team.

Tim is driven to create places which leave a lasting legacy for families and the community. It is with this vision and goal of pioneering world-class, sustainable, residential developments that he leads Aria. Tim strives to deliver projects that challenge and redefine existing frameworks, with each forthcoming project an improvement on the last. Aria is now Australia’s most awarded developer and has been awarded Best High-Density Development in Australia 7 times (2026, 2025, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018 & 2017.)

EVENT MC: 

Richard Thompson
As a solicitor and former professional athlete, Richard brings a rare blend of legal expertise and elite performance. He has practised across commercial, property and succession law, before spending five years as a full-time ultra triathlete – winning two world titles and setting a world record. Returning to law in 2023, Richard founded Thompson Legal in 2024, specialising in commercial and business law.

Thompson Legal is the fastest growing law firm on the Sunshine Coast and is recognised for their client-focused approach, strong values of integrity and teamwork, and ability to deliver practical, results-driven legal solutions.

About the Matthew Flinders Foundation

The Matthew Flinders Foundation is proud to support the College while engaging the wider community. The Foundation aims to encourage philanthropy to facilitate the ongoing development of facilities, scholarships and educational programs for the long-term benefit of our students - current and future.