The Cairn: Leadership Conversations Shaping the Future

A conversation with Sanel Tomlinson about trust: how you build it, why it's so hard to earn, and what that means for AI. New Zealanders are some of the most sceptical people in the world about AI, and yet we use it constantly. Sanel has spent a career closing exactly this kind of gap, first in financial reporting, then as one of the architects of New Zealand's world-first climate disclosur...

A conversation with Angela Davis about the craft of strategy, what it actually takes to build one that works, and whether AI can do the heavy lifting. Angela is a strategy consultant who has spent 20-plus years helping organisations find direction. She's also an emerging governance leader, an endurance walker, and someone who thinks deeply about what makes teams and organisations tick. This episod...

A conversation with Scott Arrol about what it really takes to build trust and collaboration across a complex health ecosystem. Scott's career spans more than two decades across health, disability, community services, and technology. He moved from business ownership into health leadership at Radius Health Group and Kindercare, spent five years running community services at Healthcare of New Zea...

This episode explores how the health workforce is navigating the collision of a finite, slow-to-train workforce with rapidly advancing AI tools that promise to reshape primary care delivery. Damon Campbell brings a unique vantage point as someone leading digital and operational strategy across Otago and Southland's primary care network, from rural sole-GP practices to large multi-site operations....

We're living through the biggest career disruption since the digital revolution. New Zealand is facing a historic brain drain (127,800 people left in 2024–2025), yet the story isn't just about people running away, it's about professionals pivoting intentionally toward different futures. This conversation explores what strategic pivoting looks like, how professionals skill up and naviga...

When Darryl Munro got his ADHD diagnosis at 52 after decades in senior technology leadership, it wasn't a crisis. It was a revelation. It reframed his approach to how he leads teams, designs systems, and thinks about technology adoption. Today, as Head of Architecture at Silver Fern Farms, he's building technology organisations where neurodivergent minds don't just survive, they thrive...

An authentic exploration of human leadership and communication in a world awash with AI-generated content. Gabrielle Dolan ("Ral") brings decades of global experience in strategic storytelling to challenge how leaders and teams stay real, build trust, and use new technology to enhance, not erode their stories.

A thoughtful exploration of AI adoption in New Zealand tertiary education, examining the journey from initial exploration through to responsible implementation. The conversation will explore the balance between innovation and governance, the role of human judgement alongside AI tools, and practical wisdom for institutions navigating digital transformation. Today's guest is: Andy Crossman - Dig...