CEO: Behind the Scenes

AI is reshaping industries, yet many leaders still struggle with effective adoption. In this episode of CEO: Behind the Scenes , Optimal Blue CEO Joe Tyrrell explains why AI initiatives often fail in complex, high-stakes environments and what it takes to make them succeed. Tyrrell shares how to overcome operational resistance, why outdated processes cannot simply be automated and how AI can reduce...

Innovative ideas have the power to solve global challenges, yet many never reach the people who could bring them to life. In this episode of CEO: Behind the Scenes , Maximilian Werner, Founder and CEO of INSPIRED, reveals why visibility is often a greater barrier for innovators than funding itself. He explains that transformative solutions routinely disappear long before they have a chance to make...

What happens when a CEO reimagines the dentist’s chair as a powerful gateway to whole-person health? In this episode of CEO: Behind the Scenes , Sarah Chavarria, CEO and President of Delta Dental of California, shares how her bold leadership is reshaping access to care for millions of people. Chavarria reflects on the future of preventative care and the creation of an innovation clinic that...

What does it mean for leaders to truly invest in their people? In this episode of CEO: Behind the Scenes , Finseca CEO Marc Cadin shares how responsibility, mentorship and meaningful relationships shape effective leadership. Cadin breaks down the lessons that guided his leadership journey, the importance of listening and how he unified eight nonprofits into one mission-driven organization. He also...

Most leaders think company culture is about values on walls and team-building events, but what if they're missing the most important element? In this episode, Amaysim Vice President Virinder Nath reveals the single transformation that turns struggling teams into self-managing powerhouses and why execution beats perfect strategy every time. From his journey leading 20,000-plus team members in India...

Great leaders aren’t driven by popularity – they’re defined by purpose, clarity and the courage to stand for something real. In this episode of CEO: Behind the Scenes , Anthony De Fazio, CEO of BankVic, shares how choosing respect over approval reshaped his leadership and strengthened the organization at every level. De Fazio explains how returning to foundational identity transf...

Scaling a business exposes pressures most founders never see coming. In this episode, Marcus Zeltzer, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Yellow Canary, reveals the unfiltered truth about hiring, culture and the tough decisions that ultimately shape a company’s future. Zeltzer shares how Yellow Canary went from early-stage chaos and financial strain to rapid, industry-shaping growth. He open...

When Michelle Aquilina became CEO of MoleMap Australia and New Zealand, the company was in financial distress and lacked a clear identity. Today, it's a global leader in skin cancer detection, combining clinical expertise with proprietary AI technology that achieves 95 percent accuracy. In this episode, Aquilina discusses the boldness required to take the first steps with AI technology, why human...

Most property investors wait for the perfect moment that never comes. In this episode, Lloyd Edge, Founder and Managing Director of Aus Property Professionals, reveals why getting started matters more than perfect timing – and how he built a portfolio that generated passive income equal to his teaching salary in just 10 years. Edge discusses the misconception that you need to be wealthy to i...

As the banking industry grapples with the complexity of a digital, global market, one question remains: do community banks still matter? In this episode, Tim Crane, Wintrust Financial Corporation President and CEO, shares how local banks are quietly fueling America’s economic resilience by keeping relationships at the heart of finance. Crane explains why proximity and trust still give commun...

Is ESG just another corporate buzzword – or the key to long-term success? In this episode, Francesco Di Ciommo, President and CEO of FDC Consulting Digital ESG, reveals how sustainability has evolved from a compliance checkbox into a true driver of profitability and innovation. Di Ciommo shares how he transformed his own company by embedding ESG principles into its business model, proving that res...

Water security is the crisis hiding in plain sight – and most of us don't realize how close we are to the edge. In this episode, Francois Gouws, Managing Director of TRILITY, reveals why major cities are heading into another drought, how 100-year-old underground infrastructure is quietly failing beneath our feet and why the water we take for granted could become our scarcest resource. Gouws discus...

Many believe manufacturing can't compete in high-cost markets like Australia, but Greg Stack, CEO of Nexans, proves otherwise. In this episode, Stack reveals how his company maintains profitable manufacturing operations despite higher labor and energy costs and why the ‘Made in Australia’ advantage is more valuable than ever. Stack discusses the E3 operating model that balances economic, environme...

Most leaders spend their energy defining goals and aligning teams, but Martin U Ripple, Group CEO of ANCA, reveals why the real work begins after that. In this episode, Ripple introduces the DAAD framework and explains why defending your strategy against distractions is where 80 percent of leadership energy should go. Ripple discusses why the best engineers often make poor managers, how to build a...

What if the key to scaling isn’t doing more, but doing less, and doing it better? In this episode, Matthew Wilkins, Founder and CEO of Venergy Solar Australia, reveals how discipline, focus and long-term thinking turned a small solar startup into a national leader in renewable energy. Wilkins shares how battery storage and smart software are reshaping the grid, the hard lessons behind saying no to...

What does it really take to build a business that lasts? In this episode, Verne Harnish, Founder and CEO of Scaling Up, breaks down the truths most founders miss about growth. From pricing power and compensation models to curiosity-led leadership and culture, Harnish shares how great CEOs build companies that scale without losing their soul. He reveals how to identify your company’s true constrain...

What if one of your most effective brand levers isn’t a campaign – it’s what your people wear every day? In this episode, Pamela Jabbour, Founder and CEO of Total Image Group (TIG), breaks down how intentional uniform design boosts confidence, signals values and delivers real ROI.  Jabbour shares the hard lessons behind her ‘no client over five percent’ rule, how B Corp certification reshaped oper...

The journey from founder to true CEO is statistically nearly impossible – 97 percent of businesses fail within 10 years. In this episode, Brandon Dawson, Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman of Cardone Ventures and 10X Health System, reveals what separates the rare few who break through to build nine-figure companies. Dawson discusses the critical distinction between founders and CEOs, the three questions...

Family business succession rarely goes according to plan, but few stories are as dramatic as that of AME Systems. In this episode, Nick Carthew, AME Systems Managing Director, opens up about taking over a company torn apart by family conflict, being given just six months to prove himself and then facing unimaginable challenges that tested everything he'd built. Carthew discusses the falling out th...

What if the key to exceptional leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about how you view the people around you? In this episode, Stefan Vermeulen, Managing Director of Nespresso Oceania, reveals his transformative leadership philosophy and the five-part framework that has guided his 15-year journey with one of the world’s most iconic brands. Vermeulen discusses his “5Cs” leadership mod...

When Craig Kearney became CEO of Vitaco in 2018, he faced a counterintuitive challenge: the company had too many brands. While conventional wisdom says more products equal more revenue, Kearney discovered the opposite was true. In this episode, Kearney reveals how he cut Vitaco’s brand portfolio and watched revenue double. He shares the ruthless decision-making process behind discarding profitable...

Most property investors worldwide are trapped in negative cash flow cycles, watching residential yields drop while mortgage rates climb. In this episode, Scott O'Neill, Founder and CEO of Rethink Group, sits down with Chris Dutton, Founder of The CEO Magazine , to reveal why he abandoned residential property. O'Neill, who achieved financial freedom by 28, explains why commercial tenants pay all yo...

The AI revolution has many leaders questioning whether they still need entry-level workers, but what if they have it backwards? In this episode, David Ellis, Managing Partner of IBM Consulting for Australia, reveals why his company is actually increasing graduate hires during the AI boom and how smart leaders can turn young talent into their competitive advantage. Ellis discusses the 50 percent di...

Healthcare is at a tipping point – growing demand, limited resources and soaring costs are testing the system like never before. In this episode, Mark Middleton, Group CEO of Icon Group, reveals why innovation and authentic leadership are the only ways forward and what it takes to transform care at scale. He discusses the global cancer burden, the cost of resisting change and the technologies rede...

Ambition can open doors, but execution is what keeps them open. In this episode, Kimberley Jonsson, CEO of CHU, shares why delivering in your current role – rather than chasing the next title – is the real driver of career progression and business success.  She unpacks the toughest leadership lessons she’s learned, from building influence without authority to leading with integrity and fostering c...