The Artful Argument

Facilitated by Kestrel Stone, CEO of Elemental Projects, the Artful Argument is a unique forum that brings senior leaders, specialists, and academics together for structured, collaborative conversations about the complex issues they face.

In 2026, The Artful Argument will convene an intimate table of ten senior leaders in private dining rooms across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra. Over dinner, particpiants will engage in structured conversations that facilitate open dialogue the candid sharing of different perspectives. 

Upcoming Arguments

• 18 Mar - Brisbane - "When the chips are down, ethics goes out the window."

• 22 Apr - Sydney - "AI amplifies weak data governance."

• 6 May - Melbourne - "Wellbeing drives productivity."

• 27 May - Canberra -  "At some point, Go/No-Go Gates became Go/Go Gates."

 "This is what professional development should look like for senior leaders – nuanced, thought-provoking, and deeply relevant. The Artful Argument is a unique event where leaders can engage with peers about complex and challenging issues - and have a great laugh along the way!” - Leh Simonelli, Executive Director, International Project Management Association (IPMA) Australia.

Join us for an Argument 

Join us for thought-provoking discussions, transformative insights, and meaningful connections.

Dinner and drinks are provided. BYO dissenting view.

Sponsor an Argument 

Contact us about sponsoring an Artful Argument in 2026 and position your organisation at the centre of a conversation that matters. 

Past Arguments

• The age of the expert is dead.
• The biggest problem with project controls is between the keyboard and the seat.
• When it comes to collaboration between government and industry, you have to go slow to go fast.  
• "On time, on budget, on specification” is a poor but necessary measure of project success. 
• In volatile environments, schedules need to be more than merely resilient – they need to be antifragile.
• Some contracts prevent disputes, others precipitate them.
• The true test of government is whether it can mobilise a whole-of-system response to wicked projects.
• Different industries have much to learn from each other about practice, culture, and technology.
• Collaboration is a behaviour; collaborative working is a business discipline.
• Emerging tech in project delivery solves yesterday’s problems while creating tomorrow’s risks.
• With Trump in play, everyone's projects just got more complex. 
• The most crucial thing in projects is also the thing least in your control: culture.
• AI is both a blessing and a curse for PMOs.
• The bigger the project, the bigger the problem with lump-sum contracts.
• Measuring project management maturity is more like a jigsaw puzzle than a 5-step ladder. 
• Without project assurance, board members can’t fulfil their fiduciary duties.
• Crisis and change are the same thing at a different pace.
• Most benefits realisation frameworks yield no benefits.
• The call for “Social Licence” is getting in the way of transitioning to renewables.
• Even collaborative contracts can be weaponised at will.
• Poor project sponsorship is a greater threat than poor project management.
• Delusion and deception are rife in reporting.
• VUCA environments need different leadership capabilities.
• Politics is a blind spot in resource management.
• COVID prepared us for the challenges of climate change.
• Effective project management methodologies enable intelligent disobedience.
• Capability is better bought than built.
• The devil’s in the incentives.
• Portfolio risk reporting is broken.
• No one can make a decision.
• Standing up a PMO requires a data strategy like we've never seen before.
• AI can replace project managers.
• The construction sector is overdue for a digital revolution.
• Rational governance is a contradiction in terms.