Aged CareBen JacksonThu 27 Aug 26
Meet the People Driving Australia’s Retirement Living Boom
The Urban Developer Retirement and Aged Care Summit is just over a week away.
On Thursday, September 3, more than 200 C-suite professionals will fill The Calile Hotel, Brisbane for a day built around one issue: who is actually delivering for Australia’s ageing population and how?
The answer is on the stage. Here is a closer look at the people speaking and the organisations they lead.
The operators
Stephen Gaitanos | co-founder, The Living Company
Gaitanos co-founded one of the sector’s fastest-growing residential living platforms, the group behind this year’s $3.85 billion acquisition of Aveo.
He closes the day in an extended conversation on how the platform was built and where it goes next.
Kevin McCoy | chief executive, Levande
McCoy runs one of Australia’s largest retirement living providers: 59 villages nationally, serving about 11,000 residents.
He joins the opening panel on how the sector’s major players are approaching the next decade.
Jane Monk | chief executive, Gannon Lifestyle Communities
Monk leads the respected retirement living and land lease developer and operator, with experience spanning strategy and governance across the sector.
She joins McCoy on the Leading Perspectives panel.
Simon Forsyth | chief executive, The Village Retirement Group
Forsyth took the helm of the Queensland operator in October 2024, with a background across property development consulting and senior management.
He completes the major players panel.
The developers
Robert McDonald | chief development and acquisitions officer, RetireAustralia
McDonald brings more than 25 years across property development and corporate real estate after starting his career in valuation.
He joins the panel on underwriting new projects in the current economic environment.
Georgia Willis | executive general manager of property, Regis
Willis oversees the land acquisitions, developments and refurbishments driving the aged care provider’s national growth strategy.
Bryce O’Connor | co-founder and managing director, YPM Group
After more than 20 years in residential property, O’Connor is bringing YPM’s focus to retirement living, working in partnership with Bolton Clarke.
Willis and O’Connor join McDonald on the developer’s panel.
Stephen Abolakian | co-managing director and head of development, Hyecorp
Abolakian chairs the HyeCare board and co-leads the multi-award-winning Sydney property group behind the Hyegrove and HyeCare projects at Willoughby.
He appears twice: on the developer’s panel and in the afternoon project showcase.
Geoff Robinson | head of development, Aveo
Robinson joined Aveo in 2023 after more than 20 years leading residential, retail and urban regeneration projects across Australia and the UK.
He joins the showcase to go inside Bella Vista Haven Stage 1B and its Pool Pavilion.
The data and the design
Bruce Message | director of advisory services for healthcare and retirement living, Colliers
Message opens the day with the keynote on Australia’s ageing nation: the demographic, economic and policy forces reshaping the seniors housing market.
Stuart Hutcheon | head of audit and assurance, Stewart Brown
Hutcheon presents the sector’s benchmark performance report, built on financial and operational data from 85 operators covering more than 600 villages.
Chris Hayton | principal, Rothelowman
Hayton leads the firm’s seniors living practice. His case study draws design lessons from past projects to shape the next generation of retirement communities.
Tickets are on sale now—this event will sell out.
Thursday, September 3 2026 | The Calile Hotel, Brisbane
