Boardroom Conversations Podcast

Welcome to season 2 of Boardroom Conversations. Hosted by Bennett Mason, the series features candid conversations with leading company directors who share their journey to the boardroom, lessons they've learned and strategies for success. Whether you're a seasoned director or starting your governance career, this podcast will give you valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of the modern boardroom.

S2E12 - Kate Jenkins: Becoming the Chair of the Australian Sports Commission, gender targets at sports boards, and progress since the Respect@Work report

Kate Jenkins AO GAICD is the Chair of the Australian Sports Commission and the Creative Workplaces Council. She’s also a former Sex Discrimination Commissioner and led the landmark Respect@Work report. We talk with Kate about: her chair role at the ASC, gender targets for ....Read More

S2E11 - Rebecca McGrath: inside a multi-billion-dollar M&A deal, preparing for meetings with a new board, and learnings from working overseas

Rebecca McGrath FAICD is the Chair of Investa Property Group, plus a director with Macquarie Group and Bank, Djerriwarrh Investments and Melbourne Business School. We talk about: OzMinerals’ multi-billion-dollar acquisition by BHP, learnings from working overseas, and preparing for meetings at a new board. Plus, key ....Read More

S2E10 –  Lisa Chung: Advice for new directors, governance at PwC Australia, and why boards need a sense of humour

Lisa Chung AM FAICD is the chair of Australian Unity and the Front Project. She also has board roles with PwC Australia, AVJennings and the Foundation of the Art Gallery of NSW. We discuss: advice for new directors, governance at PwC Australia and lessons on being ....Read More

S2E9 –  Audette Exel: Social entrepreneurship in action, learning from mistakes, and the board’s role in promoting philanthropy

Audette Exel AO is the Chair of Adara Group and a director at Westpac. She’s also a former board member at Suncorp and ex-Chair of the Bermuda Stock Exchange. We discuss: Adara’s mission & purpose, learning from mistakes, and ....Read More

S2E8 – Jessica Bulger: First Nations perspectives on governance, balancing executive and board roles, benefits of a co-chair model

Jessica Bulger MAICD is the CEO of the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute and the Co-Chair of Outward Bound Australia. We talk about: First Nations peoples’ perspectives on governance, balancing executive and board roles, and the benefits of ....Read More

S2E7 – David Kirk: Investing in Australia’s tech start-ups, what big companies can learn from small ones, and how to prepare for board meetings

David Kirk MAICD is the chair of Bailador Technology Investments, KMD Brands and KiwiHarvest. He’s also a former CEO at Fairfax Limited and captained the All Blacks to their first Rugby World Cup victory. We discuss: investing in Australia’s tech start-ups, what big companies can learn from smaller ones, and tips on ....Read More

S2E6 – Jane Spring: Advice for new board members, lived experience in the disability sector and key questions for management

Jane Spring AM is the chair of the Australian Disability Strategy Advisory Council and the NSW Disability Council. She’s also chair at Sydney University Sport and a board member with Venues NSW. We speak with Jane about: advice for new board members, the importance of lived experience for boards in the ....Read More

S2E5 – Dr Susan Neuhaus: Leadership lessons from the ADF, governance at the Australian War Memorial and transferring skills from the operating theatre to the boardroom

Dr Susan Neuhaus AM CSC FAICD is a Council Member at the Australian War Memorial, plus a director with Aspen Medical, Medical Insurance Group Australia and Defence Health Limited. She’s also a practising surgeon and had a distinguished 20-year career in the Australian Army and Army Reserve. Susan talks with us about ....Read More

S2E4 – Dr Ian Oppermann: AI opportunities, data safeguards, and scientists in the boardroom

Dr Ian Oppermann GAICD is a co-founder of ServiceGen, plus the former Chief Data Scientist for the New South Wales Government. He speak to us about: artificial intelligence opportunities, governance safeguards around the....Read More

S2E3 – Dr Larry Marshall: Net zero challenges, future tech trends and the board’s role in fostering innovation

Dr Larry Marshall FAICD is a director with Fortescue and Nanosonics, plus a former CEO at the CSIRO. We talk about: challenges in the transition to net zero, future technology trends and the ....Read More

S2E2: Virginia Bourke: Lessons from the pandemic, challenges for the NFP sector and conflicts in the boardroom

Virginia Bourke FAICD is the Chair of Mercy Health, Pro-Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University and a director with Catholic Health Australia. She speaks to us about: lessons from the pandemic on crisis management, challenges for....Read More

S2E1: Andrew Penn – Preparing for cyber attacks, effective Chair-CEO relationships and governance issues at the National Gallery of Victoria

Andrew Penn AO is a director with Coles Group and a council member at the National Gallery of Victoria. He’s also a former CEO of Telstra and served as the Chair of the federal government’s Expert Advisory Panel on cyber security strategy. We talk about: lessons for boards on cyber security, advice on....Read More

S1E13: Sally-Ann Williams – Diversity in STEM, shared values in the boardroom and governance at start-ups

Sally-Ann Williams GAICD is the CEO of tech incubator Cicada Innovations and the Chair of the Federal Government’s “Diversity in STEM” Review. She’s also a director at Qudos Bank and a member of the CSIRO Data61 Advisory Board. We discuss....Read More

S1E12: Arlene Tansey & Heith Mackay-Cruise – First board positions, shifting from executive to director, and the importance of mentoring

Arlene Tansey FAICD and Heith Mackay-Cruise FAICD are company directors and board members at the AICD. We discuss their first board roles, the shift from an executive career to being a director, and ....Read More

S1E11: Shelley Reys – the Voice to Parliament, how boards can approach reconciliation, and planning for the Brisbane Olympics

Shelley Reys AO MAICD is the CEO of Arrilla Indigenous Consulting, plus a Board Member and Partner and KPMG Australia. She’s also a board member with the organising committee of the Brisbane Olympics and the Chair of the Council for the Order of Australia. We talk about ... Read More

S1E10: Jenn Morris – lessons from a gold medal winner, advice on picking your next CEO, and boards’ developing approach to climate change

Jenn Morris MAICD is a director with Argonaut, Liontown Resources and Sandfire. She also won gold medals for Australia in hockey at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. We discuss ... Read More

S1E09: Bruce Cowley - Advice for your first board role, improvements for the Corporations Act, and the importance of stakeholder engagement

Bruce Cowley FAICD is the Chair of the Queensland Trust for Nature and a board member with the Australian Retirement Trust. He’s also one of the speakers for this year’s AICD Essential Director Update (EDU). We talk about... Read More

S1E08: Jacqueline Chow - CEO succession planning, chemistry in the boardroom, and tips on shifting from executive to board director

Jacqueline Chow GAICD is a director with Boral, Charter Hall, Coles, and nib. She’s also one of the speakers for this year’s AICD Essential Director Update (EDU). We discuss....Read More

S1E07: Alan Duffy – The governance of space, what STEM professionals can add to the board, and the dangers of jargon

Professor Alan Duffy GAICD is an astronomer and scientist. He’s also the Pro Vice-Chancellor of Flagship Initiatives at Swinburne University, plus the co-founder and CEO of mDetect, a muon technology company....Read More

S1E06: Judy Slatyer - Creating safeguards for AI, lessons on avoiding greenwashing, and changing attitudes towards ESG

Judy Slatyer MAICD is the Chair of the NSW Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board, plus Natural Carbon. She’s also a leader of the National AI Centre’s Responsible AI think tank, a Director with WWF Australia and...Read More

S1E05: John M. Green - Artificial intelligence risks, what to ask on cyber security, and lessons from the pandemic

John M. Green is a director at Challenger and board member with the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre. He’s also a former Deputy Chair at insurance giant QBE. John talks about the risks around the increasing use of artificial intelligence, questions for...Read More

S1E04: Graeme Innes - NFP board pay, tips for a successful merger, and the risks of staying on a board for too long

Graeme Innes AM GAICD is the Chancellor of Central Queensland University and a board member with the National Disability Insurance Agency. He’s also a former Disability Discrimination Commissioner and former Human Rights Commissioner. Graeme talks about: why NFP organisations should...Read More

S1E03: Dr Kirstin Ferguson: Why modern leaders use both their head and their heart

S1E02: Andrew Fraser: From the cabinet room to the boardroom, mega mergers in the super sector, and the importance of succession planning

Andrew Fraser is the former Deputy Premier of Queensland and the chair of super fund Australian Retirement Trust. He’s also the chair of NFP Orange Sky, the President of Motorsport Australia, and a director with the Brisbane Broncos. We talk about...Read More

S1E01: Marina Go - How to be an effective chair, tips for starting your director career, and why diversity is critical for boards

Marina Go MAICD is the Chair of Adore Beauty, and a director with Energy Australia, 7-Eleven and Transurban. She tells us how her media career prepared her for the boardroom. Plus: advice on being an effective chair, tips for findi...Read more

Introducing: Boardroom Conversations

Practical advice and fascinating insights from the boardroom! Listen to this exciting new podcast from the AICD.

Stay tuned for more episodes in the coming weeks!