RMIT FORWARD

We’re in a world where five-year plans don’t last five months, market dynamics shift overnight and AI rewrites the rules weekly. Traditional strategy-making is cracking under pressure. The question isn’t whether we need strategy, but how to make it resilient, dynamic, and alive. What if strategy wasn’t a static document, but an ongoing practice of adaptation, sensemaking, and navigation? I’m joine...

In this episode of Hot Takes, Peter Thomas from RMIT Forward leads a discussion on the challenges and solutions in scaling reskilling programs. He is joined by experts Josie Gibson, founder of Catalyst; Alex Young, Head of Innovation at Lifeblood; and Mish Eastman, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Vocational Education at RMIT University. They explore earn and learn models, the necessity for policy and f...

In this episode of Hot Takes, Peter Thomas from RMIT Forward, discusses the intricacies of trust in distributed work. The conversation features insights from FORWARD Fellows Jerry Michalski, founder of Open Global Mind, and Matt Collier, an innovation leader in leadership strategy and transformation. They explore how trust, traditionally built through proximity and visibility in the workplace, nee...

In this episode of Hot Takes, Peter Thomas discusses AI assistants and their impact on human attention with RMIT FORWARD Industry Fellows Sam Spurlin, an organization design strategist from The Ready, and Aaron McEwan, a workplace futurist at Gartner. We tak about the benefits and potential pitfalls of AI assistants, from enhancing focus during meetings to the risk of increased cognitive overload...

Design fiction invites us to prototype the future - not through predictions, but through artefacts and provocations. It helps organisations rehearse what could be, challenge their assumptions, and expand the boundaries of what they think is possible. And it’s showing up in real places: in policy labs, boardrooms, learning environments, and innovation teams. Peter Thomas talks to Patrick Pittman, w...

In this episode of Hot Takes, host Peter Thomas, director of RMIT FORWARD, is joined by digital sociologist and ethicist Lisa Talia Moretti and Andrew Spence, author of the Work 3 Substack newsletter, to talk about the integration of AI into daily workflows and the implications for work culture and productivity. The conversation delves into whether AI is supporting or reshaping the workforce, the...

In this episode of Hot Takes, Peter Thomas talks to RMIT's Professor Chris Speed about regenerative futures. Moving beyond traditional sustainability, regenerative futures focuses on not just minimizing harm but actively repairing and strengthening systems. Chris talks about careers, organizations, and economies that leave positive impacts on people, communities, and ecosystems, how to teach and i...

In this episode of RMIT University FORWARD Hot Takes, Peter Thomas talks to RMIT Industry Fellows Serafina Maiorano, global leadership strategist and founder of Our Global Table, and Stowe Boyd, work ecologist and founder of Work Futures, about what happens when the centre of opportunity for skilled work shifts—not just away from traditional industries, but away from the West entirely. For decades...

In this episode of RMIT University FORWARD Hot Takes, we explore narrative intelligence, a crucial leadership capability that extends beyond communication. In an era marked by disruption, complexity, and rapid change, facts alone aren't sufficient for effective leadership. While data informs decisions, it's stories that inspire action. Peter Thomas talks to RMIT FORWARD Fellow Cass Spong of Entheo...

We're exploring one of the biggest opportunities and challenges of the future workplace: how we can reclaim human agency in the age of AI. As AI advances and automation transforms how work gets done, the potential grows for humans to move beyond routine tasks and focus on judgment, creativity, and strategy. But are we designing organisations that truly empower people—or are we still clinging to co...

We're focusing on a sector facing intense and sustained pressure: community services. Community service organisations play a vital role in supporting the health, safety, inclusion, and wellbeing of individuals and communities, particularly those experiencing disadvantage, and are essential to the social and economic fabric of society. From workforce shortages and rising demand, to tightening budge...

We’re tackling a critical question: Can companies keep up with employee expectations? From hybrid work to leadership transparency, workers are demanding more from their employers than ever before. But are organisations evolving fast enough to meet these shifting expectations? With Megan Davies, specialist in storytelling and Founder of Spendlove and Lamb, Josie Gibson, founder of The Catalyst Netw...

Can we balance AI-driven innovation with ethical responsibility? Peter Thomas is joined by Daniel Layne, CEO of QV Systems; Sami Mäkeläinen, Founder of Transition Level; and David Cordover, Entrepreneur, Mentor, and Angel Investor. Together we dive into the risks and opportunities as AI reshapes the workplace. To learn more about RMIT FORWARD, and our 50+ global ecosystem of world-class Industry F...

From construction to healthcare to manufacturing, how are these sectors adapting to rapid technological change—and what happens if they don’t? In discussion are Peter Thomas, Alison Worland, Director of Hatchwings, and Sami Mäkeläinen, Founder of Transition Level. We explore the challenges, opportunities, and what leaders need to get right in this transformation. To learn more about RMIT FORWARD,...

In a world dominated by AI and automation, do soft skills still matter? Peter Thomas from RMIT FORWARD, Alex Young, Innovation Manager at Lifeblood, Josie Gibson, Director of The Catalyst Network and Diana Wu David, futurist and CEO of Future Proof Lab unpacking why creativity, empathy, and leadership aren’t just nice to have—they’re essential for the future of work. To learn more about RMIT FORWA...

In this episode of AI Chronicles, Pete Cohen talks with Christian Ulstrup, a founder, product manager, and CEO advisor, about AI adoption in the workplace and its implications for the future of work. Christian introduces a three-level maturity model for AI adoption, progressing from single-player to multiplayer mode. He shares real-world examples of integrating AI into core workflows for clients,...

What is it like trying to introduce AI into a 90 year old organisation? In this episode of AI Chronicles, Pete Cohen chats with Alex Young, who heads Business Growth and Innovation at Lifeblood which is the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. Alex shares his journey with AI, starting with ChatGPT, and how he is fostering interest and progress within his organisation. Alex shares the journey of suc...

The Platform University whitepaper explores transforming universities using Platform Organisation models. It proposes decentralising decision-making, empowering autonomous units, and fostering entrepreneurial culture to address challenges like financial instability and changing student expectations. The paper discusses benefits, inhibitors, and recommendations for implementing this model, drawing...

Is the 'human touch' in business becoming obsolete in the age of AI? This episode of AI Chronicles, features Diana Wu David and Fedhz Mamaril. They collaborate together at Future Proof Lab, providing workshops and courses to help leaders navigate disruptive futures and harness technology trends. Given this podcast is about the applied use of AI on the workplace, it was super interesting to speak w...

Our inaugural guest is Stephen Bartlett who is an accomplished technologist, CTO at the interior designer tool Programa, and founder of Precise - a product used by consultancies to showcase the profiles of their team members Stephen was an early adopter of AI. Shortly after its release in 2020, he incorporated GPT-3 into Precise. By incorporating this capability, he helped solve the “blank page” p...

Peter Thomas talks to Daniel Layne, CEO of UK fintech QV Systems. It's a wide ranging conversation about about his business, about some of the changes in technology that are shaping both business and consumers in finance, the role of technology in the future of work and skills, and especially the impacts and use cases for generative AI. Daniel then looks back at his startup and scaleup experience...

FORWARD Development partner Sally McNamara in conversation with Winitha Bonney, a Thought Leader in Inclusive Organisations and Leadership for People of Colour and recipient of an Order of Australia in 2021 for their extensive work and leadership in inclusion. Winitha helps leaders to build anti-fragile cultures of inclusion where everyone is heard, seen and valued, creating true belonging, equity...

FORWARD Development partner Sally McNamara in conversation with Renee Barnes, Founder of “The People Paradox”, advising companies on how to grow productive and engaged work cultures and importantly for this conversation – a mum of two. At FORWARD, we are interested in exploring skills through many different lenses – and this is one of those more creative conversations. Because sometimes being futu...

FORWARD Development partner Sally McNamara in conversation with Senior Industry Fellow Matt Collier in the first of a two-part discussion on change resilience. Matt is an aerospace engineer by training and has applied his skills in an incredibly diverse range of fields, including co-founding the first design-led innovation lab in the US government Obama administration. Most recently, Matt led a gl...

FORWARD Development partner Sally McNamara in conversation with Senior Industry Fellow Matt Collier in part two of a conversation about the skills of change resilience. Matt is an aerospace engineer by original training and has applied his skills in an incredibly diverse range of fields–including co-founding the first design-led innovation lab in the US government in the Obama administration. Most...