Story Wars: How the Right Narrative Wins Talent, Culture and Markets
Visions Stage
Startups love to talk about vision, but few truly understand the power of narrative — not just as marketing, but as a weapon of alignment. In this candid, behind-the-scenes conversation, Shannon Scott (SVP, Global Head of Product) and Taylor Fox-Smith (Head of Community) lift the hood on how Airwallex built its story from the inside out — and why getting it wrong early on nearly derailed them. From lessons learned at Palantir to navigating Australia’s Tall Poppy Syndrome, they’ll explore the cultural frictions that shape who joins your company, how they behave, and whether they stick around. This is a session for founders who want to attract true believers, build a culture of ownership, and write a story that wins — not just customers, but hearts and minds.
Session Speakers

Taylor Fox-Smith
Taylor Fox-Smith leads community partnerships at Airwallex, where she champions the builder mindset through the Airwallex for Startups program. She creates spaces that supercharge and future-proof today’s innovators.

Shannon Scott
Shannon Scott is SVP, Global Head of Product at Airwallex, leading product strategy across payments, cards, and platform infrastructure. Formerly at Palantir, he built international operations in ANZ and Europe.
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