Astute Leadership Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Anderson PSM, Director and CEO of the Australian War Memorial and one of Australia's most distinguished public servants. With a career spanning a decade in the Australian Defence Force, 25 years in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and now as only the 13th Director in the War Memorial's history, Matt shares what it truly means to lead wit...

In this episode, Gary Browne sits down with Peter Switzer, one of Australia’s most recognised business and financial commentators and founder of the Switzer Group. Peter shares how his journey from schoolteacher to media entrepreneur was guided by a simple principle: stay curious and act with integrity. He talks about recognising your competitive advantage, why values must always come before value...

In this episode, we’re joined by Tim Trumper, a seasoned business leader who recently served as Chair of NRMA and currently advises Australia's leading data and analytics firm, Quantium. Tim talks about how authenticity can unintentionally build a powerful personal brand, why consistently showing up as your true self strengthens trust, and the crucial role empathy plays in successful leadersh...

In this episode, we’re joined by Victor Dominello, former NSW Government Minister, legal professional, and global pioneer in digital service transformation. Recognised as one of Australia’s Top 100 Innovators, Victor led groundbreaking reforms in digital government, customer service, and data transparency during his 12 years in cabinet.  He spearheaded initiatives like Service NSW, the Department...

Today, we are joined by Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO, former Australian Ambassador to the United States, Cabinet Minister, and a respected authority in public policy, economic strategy, and global affairs. Arthur has built a career defined by trust, resilience, and strategic leadership, serving at the highest levels of government and diplomacy.  Now, as Partner and Chair of The Asia Group’s Australian...

Today, we are joined by Hagai Segal, a multi-award-winning academic and internationally renowned consultant, commentator, and keynote speaker. Hagai is a leading authority on geopolitical issues, strategic risks, the Middle East, and counter-terrorism known for his ability to explain and contextualise evolving global political events and crises.  In this episode, Hagai shares the story of how he d...

Today, we are joined by Shane Fitzsimmons, a prominent figure in emergency services and community resilience and currently the Managing Director of SAF Leading Advisory. Shane is not only the former Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service, but his leadership during the devastating 2019-20 bushfire season also made him a notable face across the country. In this episode, we talk about Shane'...

Today, we are joined by Gemma Tognini, a well-respected figure in the business and media sectors and founder of GT Communications.  With a career spanning over three decades, Gemma is not only an award-winning entrepreneur, recognised by the Telstra Business Women's Awards, but also a seasoned journalist, having worked with the Seven Network.  Her corporate advising and media commentary exper...

In this episode, we revisit the best of last year's conversations with our incredible guests who have appeared on the show, including the likes of Sir Peter Cosgrove, Craig Foster, Tony Nash and Caroline Gurney to name a few. Coming from all walks of life, these snippets from 2023 hold evergreen advice, stories and lessons that will help the audience build a relatable, authentic, and values-d...

Today, we sit down with Peter Baines, a former New South Wales Police forensic expert turned distinguished humanitarian leader and keynote speaker. With a remarkable 22-year tenure in forensic crime scene investigations, Peter's life took a transformative turn following his work after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Thailand. His profound experiences led him to establish the charity "Hand...

Today, we are joined by Hugh Riminton, a highly esteemed Australian journalist known to millions through his roles at Network 10, CNN, Channel Nine, and ABC Radio National.  Hugh receives numerous accolades, including two Walkleys and a Logie, reflecting his commitment to impactful journalism and advocacy for human rights.  On top of his media pursuits, he has significantly contributed to various...

Today, we are joined by Dr Judy Friedlander, founder and CEO of the non-for-profit organisation PlantingSeeds, whose flagship project, the B&B Highway, has grown from one B&B to over 120 in three years, with the regenerative corridors now in three Australian states. Before founding the organisation, Dr Friedlander had an impressive media and journalism career. She worked as a newspaper edi...

Today, we are joined by April Palmerlee, a remarkable woman appointed CEO of AmCham in 2017 after her international career in government, education, and the corporate sector.   In Australia, she has worked for the University of Sydney’s US Studies Centre, the Lowy Institute for International Policy, the Centre for Independent Studies, and Potomac Partners. In the US, she held the rank of Assistant...

Today, we are joined by Ross Greenwood, the current business editor of Sky News, host of the daily program "Business Now," and one of Australia's greatest financial commentators. Ross Greenwood served as the Business Editor at Channel Nine for 17 years, during which he became a regular presence on popular shows like the Today Show and Nine News. He also hosted the widely acclaimed r...

Today, we are joined by Caroline Gurney, CEO of Future Generation, an Australian charitable investment group that stands as the country's pioneering listed company, combining both financial and social returns. Caroline Gurney serves as a member of the Ascham School Council and the Centennial Park & Moore Park Trust while holding a director position at Our Watch, a charity dedicated to pre...

Today, we are joined by Craig Foster, a former Australian captain of the Socceroos, broadcaster, adjunct professor, author, and human rights activist.  He received the 2020 New South Wales Government Humanitarian Award for his work with sports and human rights, became a member of the Order of Australia, and is now an advisor on athlete activism for some of Australia's most prominent sportspeo...

Today, we are joined by Emma Alberici, a principal consultant at Derwent, who brings to her role more than 30 years of experience as a journalist and communications professional. Before joining Derwent, she spent a year advising leadership teams to help them create engaging content and leverage a dynamic media environment. We talked about the experiences and lessons Emma has learned from having a...

Today we are joined by Gina Balarin, a well-renowned keynote speaker and marketing expert passionate about helping people find ways to be prouder of who they are and what they do. She's a director of Verballistics, a specialist communication consultancy that helps software and services companies and their leaders speak right and present more effectively.  We talk about how Gina's brand v...

Today, we are joined by Jaqui Lane, one of Australia's leading business historians, having researched and written books for the Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, EMCOR, Cleanaway, Woolworths, Patrick’s, Peter Lehmann Wines, and the Asia Center Foundation. Her vision is to change the world, one book at a time and she does this by helping business people share their knowledge and insights through wri...

Today, we are joined by Professor Attila Brungs who was the former Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Technology Sydney and the now appointed President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of New South Wales Sydney. He is a senior leader in the higher education industry and a passionate advocate for innovation. He believes that universities not only have a responsibility to prepar...

Today, we are joined by Tony Nash, founder of Booktopia, an online bookstore that sells one book every 3.9 seconds, with an annual turnover of over $220 million a year.  Tony is an entrepreneur, founder and CEO in online retail with a background in recruitment, programming, business development, selling, SEO, and internet marketing. In this episode, we talk about how he started his journey and all...

Today we are joined by Dr Charlie Teo AM, who has been instrumental in the development, dissemination, and acceptance of the concept of keyhole, minimally invasive techniques in neurosurgery.  In keeping with his desire to find cures for recurrent brain tumours, he has raised over $40 million which has been used to fund research and scientists, both in Australia and internationally. We discuss Dr...

Today we are joined by Matt Levy, who was born 15 weeks premature with cerebral palsy and a vision impairment. He has survived 50+ operations, including brain, heart, lung and ears.  Today he is an international swim star, having competed in five consecutive Paralympics - winning three gold, one silver and five bronze medals. He swam at five World Championships and countless nationals and other pr...

Today we are joined by Louise Walsh, the founder and CEO of Walsh Capital, a third-party capital raising business and CEO of the Future Generation companies. Louise and her team grew the ASX listed funds by $1 billion in assets in just six years. She has developed best practice investor and major donor engagement programs throughout her career, and has a substantial ultra-high net worth and high n...

Sir Peter Cosgrove joins us today, who served as the 26th Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. He was knighted at his swearing-in in 2014, following his retirement in 2019. Sir Peter was further honoured as a commander of the Royal Victorian Order by Her Majesty the Queen.  We discuss how his personal brand and values were established and then grew over the years. We look into how ot...