Powering Your Career

In Episode 24 of Powering Your Career, David Smith speaks with Kate Vidgen, Investment Committee Chair and Operating Partner at Macquarie Asset Management Green Investment. Kate’s career has spanned law, investment banking, private equity, asset management and board roles, with extensive experience across traditional energy, renewables, clean fuels, batteries, hydrogen and industrial energy transi...

In Episode 023 of Powering Your Career , David Smith sits down with Anthony Headlam, CEO & Founder of NewVolt , for a deep dive into the future of electrified freight, entrepreneurship, leadership, and the realities of building in an emerging market. Anthony shares the story behind NewVolt and the seven-year journey of developing fast charging infrastructure for electric trucks across Australi...

In Episode 022 of Powering Your Career , David Smith sits down with Amalie Smith for a candid and insightful conversation on leadership, career growth, and navigating the realities of Australia’s rapidly evolving energy sector. As the industry continues to accelerate through large-scale transformation, the expectations placed on professionals are shifting. Technical capability alone is no longer e...

In this episode of Powering Your Career , David Smith sits down with Mike Duffy , CEO at Elexia Communications , to unpack one of the most misunderstood capabilities in leadership, communication. With a career spanning journalism, television, government advisory and senior roles across the energy sector, Mike brings a unique perspective on how leaders and organisations position themselves in an in...

In Episode 020 of Powering Your Career , David Smith sits down with Sally Torgoman, CEO of Ascera Energy, to unpack a career shaped by curiosity, courage and continuous learning. From starting in electrical engineering to adding law, moving across corporate development and stepping into CEO leadership, Sally’s journey is a powerful example of backing yourself and evolving with the industry. In thi...

In this episode of Powering Your Career , David Smith is joined by Mitch Wallis , founder of Heart On My Sleeve and one of Australia’s leading voices on mental health, psychology, and human performance. This episode takes a different lens on leadership, focusing on the capability that will define the future of work, connection. As the energy sector faces unprecedented pressure and transformation,...

Episode 018 | Rakhesh Martyn | Founder & CEO of Hachiko In this episode of Powering Your Career, Dave sits down with Rakhesh Martyn, engineer, startup founder and former stand up comedian turned energy tech CEO. Born in Sri Lanka and trained in the UK, Rakhesh shares his journey from chemical engineering into Australia’s energy sector, and the leap into building a venture backed startup from s...

🎙️ Episode 017 – Guy Chalkley Returns In this special returning guest episode of Powering Your Career , David Smith sits down again with Guy Chalkley , outgoing CEO of Endeavour Energy , for an honest conversation about leadership, timing, succession and what comes next. After six years leading one of Australia’s largest electricity distribution networks, Guy shares why now was the right time to s...

Episode 016 | Werther Esposito, CEO of Potentia Energy In this episode of Powering Your Career, host David Smith sits down with Werther Esposito, CEO of Potentia Energy, to explore a career shaped by global experience, bold decisions, and building energy businesses from the ground up. From growing up in a small town in Italy to working with the United Nations, leading energy developments across Af...

In Part 2, Dave continues the conversation with David Griffin , CEO of 5B , diving deeper into leadership, resilience, and the future of the energy transition. David shares how he builds high-performing teams in complex, high-pressure environments, the role of intelligence and psychometric testing, and what it takes to lead highly technical teams with clarity and trust. We cover: ⚡ What makes a h...

Episode 015 - Part 1 - David Griffin, CEO of 5B | Powering Your Career In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, David Smith sits down with David Griffin, CEO of 5B, to explore the foundations of an extraordinary and deeply non-linear career in the energy sector. David shares his early life and formative years in the Australian Army, reflecting on how military leadership, resilience, mateship, and...

EP014: Petrea Bradford, Group Executive Operations, APA Group Petrea Bradford joins David Smith to discuss her three decade career across energy and aviation, the leadership lessons she gained guiding Qantas through COVID, and what drew her back to the energy sector. Petrea shares insights on leading a national workforce, building a strong safety culture, taking calculated career risks, and the sk...

In this episode, Dave chats with Anna Collyer — Executive Chair of the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) and one of Australia’s most respected voices on regulation, leadership, and the energy transition. Anna shares her journey from corporate law to shaping the rules that guide Australia’s evolving energy market. We cover: ⚡ The moment a chance project during Victoria’s privatisation spa...

In this episode, Dave chat with Andy McCarthy — author of Here Comes the Sun, founder and former CEO of Gippsland Solar , and a straight-talking advocate for purpose, people, and the energy transition. Andy shares a candid journey from leaving school at 15 to building a nationally recognised solar brand in coal country, selling to RACV , and rebuilding after burnout. We cover: ⚡ The moment a sing...

⚡⚡ Episode 011 – Jack Curtis ⚡⚡ In this episode, David chats with Jack Curtis, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Neara, about navigating high-stakes career moves, building a global energy tech business, and the power of backing yourself. Jack shares his path from law to investment banking, scaling one of the world’s largest solar companies, and now leading an Australian tech startup t...