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Lea Ea, Executive Director of Australian powerhouse ARROWES Roading Safety, is on a professional mission to save lives through improved road infrastructure and technology. At age 4, Lea's life was upended when the Khmer Rouge came to power in Cambodia. Years later, Lea, her mother, and her 9 siblings fled the brutal regime, landing first in a refugee camp in Thailand, then the haven of a small town in New Zealand, and then in Brisbane just after the GFC.Lea overcame her family's trauma and suffering through community support, hard-work, and self-belief. With great determination, Lea built a portfolio working for leading global technology firms and education not-for-profits in Queensland and overseas.Hear first hand about Lea's experience establishing ARROWES Roading Safety. It is proof of her innovative thinking: a breakthrough company that pioneers automated technology saving road workers from hazards. 'I hope my journey can inspire others, because where we come from should not dictate our future.' Lea EaBe inspired by Lea's riveting story of survival and how it has shaped her charity work in her homeland of Cambodia and her mission to save lives on roads around the world. This conversation will be facilitated by Kat Feeney, presenter, ABC Brisbane.Image: Lea Ea, supplied by ARROWES 2026About Game ChangersGame Changers invites innovation leaders from business, technology, and creative industries to share their insights with aspiring Queensland entrepreneurs. This is your chance to ask how entrepreneurs and business leaders build companies, reinvent themselves, inspire teams, and envision success.Game Changers is a Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame initiative presented by State Library of Queensland and QUT.AccessibilityIf you require accessible seating options please call 3842 9827 or email creativeproduction@slq.qld.gov.auAuslan interpretation has been planned for this event.Photography and videography noticeThis event will be photographed and filmed, and the resulting content may be shared online to promote State Library of Queensland and its partners.By attending, you consent to State Library capturing and using images or videos that may include you.If you prefer not to be photographed or filmed, you are still very welcome to attend. Please contact our Events team in advance at creativeproduction@slq.qld.gov.au or inform a staff member upon arrival, and we will ensure your preferences are respected.Can't join us in person?The conversation will not be live streamed but will be recorded. You will be able to watch the entire conversation after the event here.Subscribe to be the first to know about our future events.We respect your privacy. Personal information we collect is used only for our internal activities and functions (Libraries Act 1988 (Qld)) and will not be disclosed unless required by law. For more information, please read State Library's privacy statement. The views expressed by the speakers are their own and the promotion of products/services is not endorsed by State Library.

The Explainer Series is about exploring the questions we’re all asking.Oil powers our world – from the petrol in our cars to the global economy itself. But as prices rise, conflicts flare, and the push toward renewable energy accelerates, it’s worth asking: how much does oil still control our lives? This Explainer will unpack how oil shapes geopolitics, the cost of living, and the future of energy – and whether we’re really moving beyond it or just learning to depend on it differently.Meet Your SpeakersEllen Fanning is an award-winning public affairs broadcaster and journalist. She spent the first ten years of her career at the ABC where she presented both the AM and PM current affairs radio programs. She also served as the ABC’s Washington correspondent. She was later a reporter on the Nine Network’s 60 Minutes and was the last presenter of Nine’s prestigious Sunday program. She has produced award-winning documentaries, and until 2024, hosted ABC TV's The Drum. After years reporting big national and international stories, Ellen joined ABC Radio Brisbane, back in her home city, where she presents the Drive program weekdays. She dreams of learning to upholster and mastering pickle ball.Professor Christoph Nedopil is a leading expert on the energy transition in the Asia Pacific at The University of Queensland Business School. Outside of wrestling matches with his two children, he unwinds by listening to and playing classical music. At our upcoming Explainer Series event, he’s most excited to discuss why the losers of the energy transition have a lot to gain.The Explainer SeriesThe Explainer Series is a space for thoughtful conversations with people who really know their stuff, sharing insights and context so we can better navigate the big and small questions in our lives.From international law and cryptocurrency to climate change, gut health and space junk, these talks bring ideas, trends and debates into focus, helping us form our own understanding, guided by curiosity and expertise.There’s no spin and no hype, just experts helping us think more clearly about the world around us.The Explainer Series is generously supported by Gina Fairfax AC and Tim Fairfax AC through the Queensland Library Foundation.Subscribe to be the first to know about our future events.Please consult our conditions of entry and Ticketing Terms and Conditions before making your booking. We respect your privacy. Personal information we collect is used only for our internal activities and functions (Libraries Act 1988 (Qld)) and will not be disclosed unless required by law. For more information, please read State Library's privacy statement.The views expressed by the speakers are their own and the promotion of products/services is not endorsed by State Library.