15 Minutes with the Boss is a podcast that gives listeners exclusive access to some of the top CEOs in the country. Each week AFR BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with a prominent leader and asks them to share the invaluable advice and wisdom they have accumulated throughout their careers. For stories of success and failure and everything in-between, search and follow 15 Minutes with the Boss. It’s 15 minutes you can’t afford to miss.
“I've really changed my relationship with exercise over the past few years”, says Katie Lyndon, the chief executive of Exercise and Sports Science Australia. The exercise physiologist has made a conscious effort to shift her mindset around workout routines from something she has to do to something she loves. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with Lyndon to find out how she designed a workout program that provides physical, mental and professional benefits. This podcast was sponsored by Aussie Broadband . Further reading: Inside Ahmed Fahour’s high-performance morning routine The chief executive of Gurner Group and former boss of Australia Post says the way he starts his day has been “transformational”. Morning sun, and eat your vegies first: 19 habits for a healthier life Exercise and nutrition are vital, but which specific habits offer the greatest bang for buck? Five doctors and a physiologist share their top longevity secrets. The 20-minute ‘power’ fix missing from midlife workouts Muscle power helps us perform basic everyday tasks but declines twice as quickly as strength during the ageing process. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The president and CEO of Thomson Reuters says the company has had "bill shock this year in the tens of millions of US dollars over and above our budget”. And while Steve Hasker maintains the global technology and information firm, which is valued at $US40 billion ($57 billion), is disciplined financially, the costs are rising. This week, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with Hasker to find out how the company is navigating these technological advancements and the benefits of making career mistakes. This podcast was sponsored by the City of Parramatta . Further reading: AI bill shock: Corporates revolt against costly models AI usage is paid in tokens that represent how difficult a given task is, but the cost per token varies wildly for different models. Five CEOs reveal the best piece of career advice they’ve ever received The start of a new year is an opportunity to set fresh goals, create new routines and map out work objectives. Five business leaders share their morning routines and tips for getting ahead. Use of AI ‘tech stacks’ driving demand for lawyers The more artificial intelligence is used within a law firm, the more professionals are needed to vet the technology’s outputs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How I Made It is back with host Lauren Sams. Don’t miss season six as we uncover how Australia’s top entrepreneurs built their fortunes and what they learnt along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 2016, former Opals star player and Olympic medallist Lauren Jackson was forced to retire. She had had 17 knee operations and could not get on top of her injury. “At that point, I was really aware that my identity as a basketball player was gone,” the now-chief strategy and basketball partnerships officer for the WNBL Australia recalls. Since then, Jackson’s life on and off the court has taken several turns. In this week's episode, the former basketball player tells BOSS editor Sally Patten about the challenges she faced when she retired for the first and second time, and how she forged a new career path after exiting the sport. This podcast was sponsored by the City of Parramatta . Further reading: Ex-Opals star on the secret weapon transforming women’s sport Lauren Jackson is now leading strategy for the Womenʼs National Basketball League and she has a front-row seat to the money flowing into the game. How this four-time Olympian and CEO handles high-stress situations From injury heartbreak to Earthletica co-founder, Bronte Campbell shares the radical shift in goal-setting that fuelled her transition from elite sport to start-up. Basketball-playing MD: ‘We get hit in the face and we get back up again’ Humanity Health Group’s Dr Kylie Henderson has been playing the sport since primary school. Here’s how the game has shaped her management style. She answers our Time Out Q&A. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oscar Ledlin is just 34 years old, but last year he was ranked number 55 on the Financial Review Young Rich List with a fortune valued at $123 million. The founder and chief executive of the Ledlin Group started the company after seeing a gap in the market for small commercial properties during the e-commerce boom. In this episode, the property entrepreneur sits down with BOSS editor Sally Patten and reveals the secrets to his success, including where his best ideas come from and the piece of advice he almost always ignores. This podcast was sponsored by the City of Parramatta . Further reading: Young property entrepreneur gets set in green concrete start-up Oscar Ledlin, who ranks number 55 on the Young Rich List, has launched a company specialising in sustainable concrete production, with ambitions to IPO. This developer cracked the Young Rich List by making warehouses sexy Oscar Ledlin has tapped into the Instagram generation to build his fast-growing commercial property empire, but there have been stumbles along the way. Billionaire property whisperer Monika Tu spills her secrets Ready to retire at 45, everything changed for this immigrant from humble beginnings when she met her third husband – and discovered her purpose. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Communications expert Louise Mahler has spent years helping leaders gain confidence, presence, and influence in the way they communicate. However, since the pandemic and the rapid increase of online platforms, Mahler believes people are losing the ability to engage with audiences. But she's hopeful that connection can be restored. On this week's episode, the former opera singers reveals her top public speaking tips to BOSS editor Sally Patten. This podcast was sponsored by the City of Parramatta . Further reading: Want to be better at public speaking? NIDA’s CEO shares her tips Chief executive Liz Hughes has a few secrets when she is preparing a speech, such as leaving marks to show the parts that need to be delivered with high energy. The speaking tips these execs use to own the room, and get ahead Female executives suffer from a “gravitas gap” but some are learning to project greater confidence and authority, helping them to move up the corporate ladder. ‘I’d lost my identity.’ How this exec recovered from redundancy A new coach, hypnotist and Hollywood movie helped Allison Rossiter tackle one of her biggest fears. Now, the Novartis president shares how they can help you too. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Stuart Gregor has always been a keen storyteller. From his first job working in journalism as a copy boy to co-founding craft gin brand Four Pillars, this entrepreneur has used his skills to build brands and their narratives. Now the chief executive of ASX-listed Lark Distillery, the whisky boss is having to tell a new type of story to analysts and fund managers. In this week's episode, Gregor tells BOSS editor Sally Patten about the various challenges of speaking to consumers, the industry and now the market. Further reading: Whisky maker Lark hires Four Pillars Gin co-founder as CEO The Tasmanian company’s product will be in 700-millilitre bottles for the first time in 33 years as it tackles global brands such as Johnnie Walker. Four Pillars Gin sold to XXXX’s Japanese owner The brewing giant behind names such as Furphy and Little Creatures has snapped up the other half of the distiller for an estimated $50 million. He may not be a ‘whisky guy’, but Larry Emdur’s single malt is good as gold It began as a bit of birthday fun for the TV personality, but in just two years, The Ben Buckler has become a multi-award-winning brand with an impressive new CEO. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
“We’ve had a number of years when there was a huge emphasis on people’s work-life balance. Now it’s about performance,” says Chris Karagounis. The managing director at executive search firm Alex Kaar says working in the office allows budding leaders to contribute to the culture and community, and to keep learning. And if they're not there, then they risk falling behind. On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out from the corporate headhunter what it takes to be a senior leader today, and how aspiring executives should approach issues such as working from home and artificial intelligence. Further reading: Four steps to land your first board position The step into the boardroom is an important milestone, and something many ambitious professionals dream about. But how do you make it happen? How I convinced Kerry Packer he should hire me Mary Wooldridge, outgoing CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, worked for the media tycoon in the late 1990s. She’s used some of the skills she learnt ever since. Why job seekers looking for $200k-plus roles should be worried After taking a break from her exec role, Diedre Hosking returned to a market offering $100,000 less, as firms swap veterans for cheaper, AI-literate juniors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Sharon Pickering’s husband died, she realised she needed to choose where she directed her energy and focus on what mattered to her. After years of being a dedicated scholar, the academic made a decision that would set her on a path to becoming the vice chancellor of Monash University. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the university boss to find out how a new role shifted Pickering’s career to one of leadership. Further reading: ‘I’d lost my identity.’ How this exec recovered from redundancy A new coach, hypnotist and Hollywood movie helped Allison Rossiter tackle one of her biggest fears. Now, the Novartis president shares how they can help you too. Meet the researchers tackling big problems Combining knowledge and expertise across disciplines is the new face of successful research in the university sector. The move this MD calls ‘extremely hard, but I’ve never looked back’ T2 Tea managing director Christelle Young finds that by cutting out reading, writing and talking first thing in the morning, it sets up her day in the right way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Procter & Gamble’s Australian chief executive, Neal Reed, has been with the global manufacturer for 30 years. The company behind household brands such as Pampers nappies, Gillette razors and Pantene and Head & Shoulders shampoos has long been committed to finding and developing top talent. But as the CEO has discovered, the strategy presents a temptation to push high performers too hard. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out how this P&G boss learnt he was overburdening senior leaders. Further reading: Why this CEO gets his advice from the 20-somethings in the office As Gen Z swells to a third of the workforce, P&G’s Australia-New Zealand CEO Neal Reed says reverse mentorship keeps him connected, skilled up and relevant. ‘I didn’t realise how far gone I was’: How this CEO survived burnout Jess Saxby, chief executive of Banjo’s Bakery Cafes, couldn’t stop. She was always chasing the next thing. Until she couldn’t any more. ‘Do you have five?’: This CEO’s trick for managing staff requests Stefan Leitl, vice president for Australia and New Zealand at Cisco, has to juggle family with fitting into the working hours of the US. Here’s how he does it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
He’s one of Australia’s most influential chefs and restaurateurs. But when Neil Perry was faced with the closure of his restaurant, Song Bird, he realised he’d broken his most important rule. “You've always got to be prepared to walk away," Perry says. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out what went wrong with the Double Bay restaurant, and what he’s learnt as the culinary giant prepares to open Pizzeria Spotto. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Praveena Raman, the head of Motorola in Australia and New Zealand, is a self-described yes person. At the start of her career as an engineer, the “say yes to everything” mindset opened doors to pivotal opportunities that would set her on the path to becoming an executive. But a crucial piece of advice also made the smartphone boss realise the importance of saying no. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the country head of the eighth-largest smartphone manufacturer globally to find out why she decided to shift her mindset. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
One of Anubha Sahasrabuddhe’s proudest moments was getting Chinese consumers to drink Coca-Cola – and lots of it. Earlier in her career, Sahasrabuddhe, now the chief executive of brewing giant Lion, was asked to go to China in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics and take on the competition, Pepsi. Sahasrabuddhe’s stint was a success, but there were also failures. The experience led the chief executive to adopt a strategy she says the tech industry has mastered. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the boss of Australia’s second biggest brewing company to find out how past mistakes have shaped future wins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mary Wooldridge, the outgoing chief executive of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, worked for the media tycoon in the late 1990s. While her time at Kerry Packer's company, Consolidated Press Holdings, taught her some invaluable skills, Wooldridge found it unmotivating. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out why the former politician traded a Packer deal-making role for public policy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Allison Rossiter was offered a dream job, she had just one hesitation: she was terrified of public speaking. But not wanting to walk away from the opportunity, the budding executive asked for a public speaking coach. On this week’s episode, the president for Novartis in Australia and New Zealand tells BOSS editor Sally Patten how a new coach, a hypnotist and a Hollywood movie helped her tackle one of her biggest fears. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For any arts production, reviews are a crucial metric of success. But for Brett Sheehy, what the critics have to say means very little. For him, it’s all about the audience. On this week’s episode, Vivid Sydney's festival director tells BOSS editor Sally Patten how he's determined his own way of measuring success. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As the managing director of Franklin Templeton in Australia and New Zealand, Felicity Walsh has done her fair share of job interviews. In that time, the local head of the global asset manager has figured out what candidates should – and should not – do during the process. This week, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the top executive to find out her tips on researching prospective employers and potential interviewees, and when to ask about working from home. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The chief executive of Gurner Group and former boss of Australia Post says his morning routine has been transformational. Ahmed Fahour says he now thinks more clearly, has lost 13 kilograms over the past two years and has discovered the best productivity hack: sleep. On this week's episode, the top executive tells BOSS editor Sally Patten how a new start to the day has helped drive high performance at work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Vikram Pawah has loved cars since he was a child. Or more specifically, engines. From Honda to Harley Davidson and now BMW, the chief executive has worked for some of the biggest car and motorcycle brands in the world. And it was through motorcycle riding that the luxury car company CEO learnt how to avoid making rash decisions: “Sometimes what your reflex is telling you is the wrong thing in motorcycle riding – it might make you crash.” On this week’s episode, the CEO of BMW in Australia and New Zealand sits down with BOSS editor Sally Patten to explain how the “sleep test” helps him make tough decisions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Jess Saxby became the chief executive of Banjo’s Bakery Cafes, she went "hell for leather". Taking over the family business, the new CEO was always chasing the next big thing for the chain. Until she realised she couldn't switch off. On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the bakery boss to find out how Saxby overcame burnout and the boundaries she's put in place since. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
