Juanita Phillips

Juanita Phillips is one of Australia’s most respected and recognisable journalists, and a highly sought-after MC, keynote speaker and panel moderator.

For 21 years, Juanita anchored the ABC’s flagship 7pm News in Sydney, becoming the public broadcaster’s longest-serving female prime-time news presenter. She resigned from the ABC in 2023 after a distinguished career spanning more than four decades across Australian and international media.

Her global broadcasting career includes five years anchoring CNN’s flagship breakfast program in London and presenting for BBC World, making her one of the first Australians to front television news for the BBC. She has also held senior roles with Channel Ten and Sky News, where she was the first newsreader on air when Australia’s first 24-hour news channel launched in 1996.

Beyond television, Juanita is an accomplished writer and author. She has written extensively for major newspapers and magazines including The Bulletin, News Corporation and Fairfax, authored the children’s book series The Newspaper Kids, and wrote the best-selling memoir A Pressure Cooker Saved My Life, a candid and practical account of balancing career, motherhood and personal wellbeing.

For more than a decade, Juanita has applied her interviewing and presenting expertise to the conference and events sector. She is renowned for her ability to extract insight from senior leaders, manage complex panel discussions, and keep high-stakes conferences running seamlessly to time. Her client base spans business and government, including finance, fintech, cyber security, mining, banking, technology, and local and state government.

Juanita has interviewed and shared stages with some of the world’s most influential figures, including Erin Brockovich, Steve Wozniak, Julia Gillard, John Howard and Captain “Sully” Sullenberger.

Her keynote presentations focus on leadership, gender equality, workplace culture, technology, cyber security, economics and public policy. Drawing on over 40 years in the workforce, Juanita delivers insightful, practical and deeply relatable talks—particularly for women navigating complex careers alongside caring responsibilities. She addresses how organisations can better support women, how men can be effective allies, and how more flexible, inclusive workplaces benefit everyone.