15 Minutes with the Boss

Rob Coombe, executive chairman Generation Life, planned his career moves meticulously and made sure not to trample on colleagues to climb the corporate ladder. Now Coombe is at the top of the corporate tree, he has tools and habits to help him stay there.         

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten joins Coombe to discuss creating a high performance culture, how to sur...

Akubra chief executive Natalie Culina has over 20 years working with some of the most recognised and iconic Australian brands.

When managing imposter syndrome she says that "you cannot forget that you have to master a skill in something, have to have a black belt in something. And that's something that you can always reach down into your core to draw upon". When she did, it faded away.

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patt...

Jellis Craig chief executive Andrew McCann has been a real estate agent for almost 30 years, and he reckons "this is one of the worst markets" he's ever seen.

"It's very hard for vendors to adjust to price changes, and it's very hard sometimes for agents to pick up the pace of change," he says. "And because of that, it's a challenging environment to navigate."

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the...

When it comes to the rise of artificial intelligence in the workplace, Sam Nickless, the chief executive of law firm Gilbert + Tobin, has some useful advice for lawyers and executives in the early or middle stages of their careers.

"The first level of advice is don’t freak out about it, but don’t ignore it either," he says.

"Get really good at using it, but also be very attuned to the things that it doesn’t do and...

Growing up, Kate Reid had always dreamt about working in Formula 1. And in her early 20s, she achieved that dream by joining the Williams team as an aerodynamicist.

But this F1 enthusiast quickly realised the job was not all she'd hoped.

"I imagined it would be an incredibly dynamic, collaborative, exciting job, and all of those things didn't come to fruition for me, and it sent me down a pretty dark path," says Reid.

On this ...

As a teenager, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey loved federal budget day.

“I’m not saying I was popular at high school, but I used to love it when [former Liberal treasurers] Peter Costello and John Howard would hand down the budget,” the self-confessed nerd says.

As a 16-year-old, he may not have liked the Liberal grandees’ politics, but these days Mookhey &ldqu...

From a young age, Esther Colwill, a former partner at Deloitte and now country head for Australia at Korn Ferry, dreamt of climbing the highest peaks on each of the seven continents, including, of course, Mount Everest.

Colwill succeeded, emerging with critical lessons that have helped her in both her private and professional life.

On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out how having a goal outside work spurr...

Asked about a pivotal moment in his career, former AFL star Chris Judd is quick to respond: don’t do what everyone else is doing.

“[The pivotal moment] was taking complete control over my fitness program,” says Judd.

In business, Judd, who is the founder and portfolio manager of Cerutty Macro Fund, a concentrated equities fund that invests primarily in smaller comp...

"I had everything on the wire, on the line," says Grant Wilckens, remembering when the global financial crisis hit.

The chief executive and founder of G'Day Group had started his holiday parks business in 2004 when Lehman Brothers collapsed.

"It was probably the hardest I've ever worked, the most stressed I've ever been."

On this week's episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the former investment banker to find out how he...

“I've really changed my relationship with exercise over the past few years”, says Katie Lyndon, the chief executive of Exercise and Sports Science Australia.

The exercise physiologist has made a conscious effort to shift her mindset around workout routines from something she has to do to something she loves.

On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with Lyndon to find out how she designed a ...

The president and CEO of Thomson Reuters says the company has had "bill shock this year in the tens of millions of US dollars over and above our budget”.

And while Steve Hasker maintains the global technology and information firm, which is valued at $US40 billion ($57 billion), is disciplined financially, the costs are rising.

This week, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with Hasker to find out how the company is naviga...

In 2016, former Opals star player and Olympic medallist Lauren Jackson was forced to retire. She had had 17 knee operations and could not get on top of her injury.

“At that point, I was really aware that my identity as a basketball player was gone,” the now-chief strategy and basketball partnerships officer for the WNBL Australia recalls.

Since then, Jackson’s life...

Oscar Ledlin is just 34 years old, but last year he was ranked number 55 on the Financial Review Young Rich List with a fortune valued at $123 million.

The founder and chief executive of the Ledlin Group started the company after seeing a gap in the market for small commercial properties during the e-commerce boom.

In this episode, the property entrepreneur sits down with BOSS editor Sally Patten and reveals the secrets to his...

Communications expert Louise Mahler has spent years helping leaders gain confidence, presence, and influence in the way they communicate.

However, since the pandemic and the rapid increase of online platforms, Mahler believes people are losing the ability to engage with audiences. But she's hopeful that connection can be restored.

On this week's episode, the former opera singers reveals her top public speaking tips to BOSS edi...

Stuart Gregor has always been a keen storyteller.

From his first job working in journalism as a copy boy to co-founding craft gin brand Four Pillars, this entrepreneur has used his skills to build brands and their narratives.

Now the chief executive of ASX-listed Lark Distillery, the whisky boss is having to tell a new type of story to analysts and fund managers.

In this week's episode, Gregor tells BOSS editor Sally Patten ab...

“We’ve had a number of years when there was a huge emphasis on people’s work-life balance. Now it’s about performance,” says Chris Karagounis.

The managing director at executive search firm Alex Kaar says working in the office allows budding leaders to contribute to the culture and community, and to keep learning.

And if they're not there, then they risk falling behind.

On this week's episode, BOSS edi...

When Sharon Pickering’s husband died, she realised she needed to choose where she directed her energy and focus on what mattered to her.

After years of being a dedicated scholar, the academic made a decision that would set her on a path to becoming the vice chancellor of Monash University.

On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the university boss to find out how a new role shifted Pickering&rsq...

Procter & Gamble’s Australian chief executive, Neal Reed, has been with the global manufacturer for 30 years.

The company behind household brands such as Pampers nappies, Gillette razors and Pantene and Head & Shoulders shampoos has long been committed to finding and developing top talent.

But as the CEO has discovered, the strategy presents a temptation to push high performers too hard. 

On this week’s epi...