"Technology and the business are almost one and the same." - Peter James
Peter James, Chair of MYOB, Macquarie Technology Group and DroneShield, and former Chair of Nearmap and Ansarada, explains why boards must stop treating technology as separate from business strategy, how to establish frameworks for evaluating major technology investments, and the critical importance of post-implementation reviews to drive continuous improvement.
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"There shouldn't be two lists. There should just be the list of things that need to be done." - Julie Coates
Julie Coates, Director of Wesfarmers and former CEO and Managing Director of CSR, shares practical guidance for managing board actions/matters arising effectively. Drawing from experience on both sides of the boardroom table, Julie explains why action items without context can be unhelpful and how company secretaries can apply disciplined thinking to distinguish between actions that add value and those that don't.
She discusses the importance of post-meeting conversations between the chair, CEO, and company secretary to refine action lists, why management often already has the information boards request, and techniques for dealing with unrealistic or unfocused board requests during meetings.
This episode provides company secretaries and governance professionals with concrete strategies for making board actions more effective whilst maintaining credibility with both boards and management teams.
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"It's simply attract and retain... but once you deconstruct that, it's all about how do you get the right talent, the right incentive, the right people in place." - Greg Ridder
Greg Ridder, Chair of Kogan.com and Life Without Barriers, shares the practical realities of executive remuneration decision making. From navigating proxy advisor resistance to managing shareholder strikes, Greg discusses how boards can maintain fairness principles while handling market pressures.
This episode tackles the challenging balance between attracting top talent, satisfying stakeholders, and creating incentive structures that actually drive value creation.
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"There is enormous risk when you try to metricise the value of a human life." - Audette Exel AO
Audette Exel, Chair and Founder of Adara Group and former Director of Westpac and Suncorp, discusses how boards can transform social impact reporting from a compliance exercise into a strategic governance tool.
She explores why the "S" in ESG lags behind environmental reporting, the dangers of reducing human services delivery to mere metrics, and how to balance data-driven measurement with meaningful storytelling. Audette explains why directors must get out of oak-panelled boardrooms to witness their organisation's impact firsthand, and how to create substantive reporting that moves beyond compliance requirements.
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"You want a Company Secretary that's helping you work out how things can be done, not telling you why they can't be done." - Catherine Livingstone AC
Catherine Livingstone AC, Chancellor of UTS, Chair of Pacific National and Director of The Australian Ballet, reveals what separates exceptional Company Secretaries from competent ones during periods of intense governance pressure.
Drawing on her experience leading organisations through Australia's most challenging governance transformations, including Commonwealth Bank during the Banking Royal Commission, Catherine explains how Company Secretaries must exercise judgement about which processes matter most whilst enabling rapid decision-making.
She discusses the delicate balance between serving the Board and being part of the management team, and reveals why technology literacy has become essential for modern governance roles.
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"Different science choices could have huge downstream impacts on timing, capital, customers, or how big the business might be." - Phil Morle
Main Sequence Ventures Partner Phil Morle shares insights from chairing breakthrough deep tech companies like Samsara Eco and V2 Foods about the governance challenges facing science-based businesses.
Phil explains how boards can bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and commercial success, focusing on practical approaches to oversight when directors may not fully understand the underlying technology.
He discusses the importance of curiosity over expertise, creating forums for productive dialogue between scientific and commercial teams, and establishing metrics that connect scientific progress to business outcomes.
Drawing from real examples including Eden Brew's dairy protein development and engineering decisions at scale-up stage, Phil provides a roadmap for effective deep tech governance.
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"I think it's really a change in mindset... once you've got the basics right, it's then taking a step back and asking yourself, what more could we do to help this organisation or this team being the board to do better, to do things more efficiently?" - Anthony Wright
Join Richard Conway as he interviews Anthony Wright, Chair of Hanlon Industries and Director of CPA Australia, about why governance teams need their own operations revolution. Anthony, who founded and successfully exited legal technology business Lexvoco, argues that whilst legal operations has transformed how legal teams work, governance functions remain largely untouched by similar efficiency methodologies.
In this episode, Anthony explores how governance teams can move beyond "getting the basics right" to become strategic partners focused on efficiency and effectiveness. He introduces practical frameworks for measuring governance performance using time, cost and quality metrics, challenges the perfectionism trap that many governance professionals fall into, and explains why standardisation doesn't mean losing the bespoke service boards deserve.
Drawing on his experience building scalable operations across legal and governance functions, Anthony provides actionable strategies for Company Secretaries wanting to demonstrate value through operational excellence.
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"It is a hundred percent not a silver bullet to anything. It's just another useful tool we need to know how to use." - Mike Gonski
Mike Gonski, Chair of ReachOut Australia and Carriageworks and Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, discusses strategic approaches to AI adoption in governance functions.
From the risks of AI minute-taking creating litigation hazards to building "walled gardens" for safe data handling, Mike shares practical frameworks for boards considering AI implementation whilst maintaining professional responsibilities and stakeholder trust.
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"Give the founder the oxygen to do what they do really well." - Peter James
Experienced technology chair Peter James reveals practical strategies for governing founder-led businesses without stifling innovation. Drawing from his experience at companies like iiNet, Nearmap, Ansarada, Macquarie Technology Group and DroneShielf, he discusses managing the unique dynamics when founders hold significant shareholdings, the importance of constant communication, and red flags that signal trouble ahead.
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"You know if you can secure their backing, that's incredibly empowering." - Alison Watkins
In this candid conversation, seasoned director Alison Watkins pulls back the curtain on boardroom dynamics from both the CEO and director perspectives. Having been CEO at Coca-Cola Amatil, Graincorp, and Berri before transitioning to non-executive positions, Alison reveals the completely different experience of attending the same board meeting depending on your role. She discusses the unique pressures CEOs face, the challenge of measuring impact as a non-executive director, and why former CEOs must be careful not to cross operational boundaries. This episode offers valuable guidance for anyone involved in governance relationships.
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"If you don't have a good working relationship with your CEO, then you should probably not be the chair." - Carol Schwartz
Carol Schwartz, Chair of Equity Trustees and Reserve Bank of Australia board member, reveals how the three-way relationship between Chair, CEO, and Company Secretary drives organisational success. Discover why a strong Chair-CEO partnership is non-negotiable, how to navigate board-management tensions, and what separates exceptional Company Secretaries from merely adequate ones.
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"I would love to see a bit more entrepreneurial thinking in governance circles and in the boardroom."
- Hannah Browne
Hannah Browne, Managing Director of technology consultancy Midnyte City and Director at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, discusses how governance practitioners can apply startup methodologies—simplification, systematisation, and scalability—to navigate increasing complexity while maintaining focus on delivering value.
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"Risk is a finite resource like any other resource, whether it's human capital, financial capital, et cetera, and it needs to be understood and applied accordingly." - Catherine Brenner
Catherine Brenner, Chair of Australian Payments Plus and Director at Scentre Group, Emmi and The George Institute for Global Health, explains how risk appetite statements provide crucial governance guide rails, how they enable strategic risk-taking, and how to successfully implement them across an organisation.
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"I'm actually more interested in understanding the logic than the number." - Christy Boyce
Christy Boyce, experienced director and former partner at Port Jackson Partners and McKinsey, explains how management teams can gain board approval for transformative initiatives by demonstrating comprehensive option analysis, stakeholder consideration, and transparent exploration of what could go wrong.
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"Finance is the lingua franca of business, but judgement is what a director needs." - Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson, Chair of HCF and Director of Metcash, Aurecon and Sydney Airport Corporation, shares insights on transitioning from audit to the boardroom, discussing how finance professionals can leverage their expertise while developing the broader business judgement essential for effective governance.
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“You can be entrepreneurial in everything you do.” - Carol Schwartz AO
Carol Schwartz, Chair of Equity Trustees and Director of the Reserve Bank of Australia, discusses her journey from law, property and entrepreneurship to governance, board leadership, and advocacy for women in leadership. She shares insights on how an entrepreneurial mindset can drive change in business, policy, and philanthropy.
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"Your career is all about earning, learning and having fun." - Penny Winn
Penny Winn, director of Ampol and Super Retail Group and former Director of Group Retail Services at Woolworths, discusses the transition from retail executive to board director, emphasising the importance of P&L experience, customer focus, and developing influence skills for boardroom success._____________
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"Lawyers are highly analytic... but there is an element of risk aversion." - Ilana Atlas
Ilana Atlas, Chair of Scentre Group shares insights on transitioning from legal advisory roles as Managing Partner at Mallesons, to in-house roles including as Group Secretary and General Counsel at Westpac, to board leadership. Ilana highlights the valuable skills lawyers and company secretaries bring to boards whilst acknowledging the mindset shifts required for success. _____________
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"Entrepreneurship and governance make relatively strange bedfellows." - Hannah Browne
Hannah Browne, Founder of Midnyte City and Non-Executive Director at Greenpeace Australia, explores her journey from tech sales to founding Midnyte City to becoming a non-executive director at Greenpeace, sharing insights on balancing startup leadership with board responsibilities. _____________
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"Boards are a social dynamic where you want to not only have a great environment, but also to use every minute wisely." - Catherine Brenner
Catherine Brenner, Chair of Australian Payments Plus and director of Scentre Group, Emmi and The George Institute for Global Health discusses the essential elements of running effective board meetings including pre-meeting preparation, managing meeting flow, handling disruptions, and the value of post-meeting reviews. _____________
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