Material Changemakers – Interview Series: Episode 1 – Katja Forbes

Light

post-banner

Katja Forbes always says yes to adventure: “Let’s try it once and see what happens.”

In this conversation with Material’s Ben Mooney, Katja discusses how she’s brought that attitude to her work with AI — how it grew from being an on-demand tutor to help her code in Python to a “thought partner” tool that amplifies her thinking and connections, and how she’s now helping other CX leaders take advantage of AI’s potential while navigating heavily regulated spaces like banking and financial services. Katja and Ben also talk about the rise of machine customers and how organizations need to build the infrastructure to bridge human and machine interactions if they want to be successful in the new age of AI.

Listen to the episode now:

About Katja Forbes

Katja Forbes is a fearless CX innovator and award-winning leader who consistently challenges the boundaries of customer experience and AI. Named one of Westpac/AFR’s “100 Women of Influence” and ranked among CX Network’s Top 20 CX Leaders in AI and Financial Services, she boldly transforms traditional corporate cultures into dynamic, client-centric powerhouses. As an Executive Director at a Global Financial Services firm, Katja expertly blends human-centered design with cutting-edge technology, establishing her organisation as a global thought leader. An outspoken advocate for women in leadership, her compelling voice, sharp insights and magnetic on-camera presence make her an industry standout.

About Ben Mooney

Having lived in multiple countries, led global teams, married and fathered three kids, change is something Ben knows all too well – which gives him the perfect background to explore the topic of change and its impacts around the world. In the Changemakers podcast, Ben, Material’s Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, focuses on illuminating guests’ stories, key moments and navigation points through their change journeys. An experienced interviewer, Ben previously hosted a series called The Business of Transformation.

About Material Changemakers

We all experience change. What we do with that change, though — how we approach it, navigate it, resist it or embrace it — varies wildly. In a global business landscape being transformed by AI, new ways of working and shifting customer expectations, the ability to harness the power of change is a vital advantage for effective business leaders.

Hosted by Material’s managing director for Asia-Pacific, Ben Mooney, Material Changemakers is a new interview series featuring in-depth conversations with global thought leaders from across the industry spectrum about critical moments of change in their lives. From the professional to the personal, listeners will garner insights on navigating life’s challenging inflection points, embracing change as an opportunity for exploration and growth, how to foster a culture of change and innovation and more.

From Pilot to Performance: A Practical Blueprint for Successful AI Projects

Consumer Pulse (August 21, 2025): Normalizing Uncertainty