No Limitations Blenheim Partners

In Episode 131 of the No Limitations podcast Meeting in a Telephone Box, Blenheim Partners’ Gregory Robinson speaks to the 45th Premier of Tasmania, The Hon Will Hodgman. Will was the member for Franklin between 2002 and 2020 and is currently the Principal of Hodgman Partners.

In a compelling discussion, Will describes his start in life in a family with an illustrious history in Tasmanian politics. Whilst emphasising the major achievements of his government, including budget repair, an improved tourism industry, better education outcomes, and a stronger economy, he also does not shy away from many of the chronic problems facing Tasmania today. Will depicts himself as a proud and passionate Tasmanian and explains his reasons for resigning as Premier after only six years in office. In addition, Will addresses a number of important topics, including the need for indigenous recognition in the Preamble to the Constitution, his thoughts on four year federal parliamentary terms, and his preference for Australia to become a republic.

Will sheds light on his meaningful and rewarding work outside of Parliament as High Commissioner to Singapore and reflects on the “enormous” opportunity for Australia in South East Asia and its common ground with Singapore as an advanced and first-world democracy. Lastly, Will asserts that Tasmania and Australia should seek a more ambitious reform agenda.

Will started his career at Hobart law firm Wallace Wilkinson & Webster, practising in criminal and personal injury law. Will was then a solicitor for the Wiltshire County Council in the United Kingdom where he appeared in the County Court and the High Court. Will returned to Hobart and continued to practise as a solicitor and as a barrister before he entered Tasmanian Parliament in 2002 in the electorate of Franklin alongside his father who was the member for the neighbouring Denison electorate. Will was re-elected in 2006 and was unanimously voted as leader of the Tasmanian Liberal Party. After a hung parliament in 2010 in which the incumbent Labor Government was returned to power, in 2014, and under Will’s leadership, the Liberal Party formed government. Will served as Premier for six years (including another election victory in 2018) before leaving politics. Thereafter, Will was the Australian High Commissioner to Singapore. He now operates Hodgman Partners, his own consultancy, and acts as an adviser to a range of businesses across the asset management, sustainable energy storage, and technology and artificial intelligence industries.

Please note: this episode was recorded on 21 March 2024.
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In Episode 130 of the No Limitations podcast A Witch That Lived Under My Bed, Blenheim Partners’ Gregory Robinson speaks with Dr Adi Paterson, Principal and Founder of Siyeva Consulting. Adi was formerly Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Australia’s nuclear centre of excellence.

 

In a confronting discussion, Adi recounts his early years in South Africa, amidst the turbulent backdrop of the apartheid era, to becoming a leading figure in nuclear research and innovation. He explores the untapped potential of nuclear technology, while fearlessly addressing misconceptions and advocating for a re-evaluation of Australia's political stance on nuclear power. With a rich blend of scientific expertise and personal anecdotes, he calls for Australians to “wake up” to the grave reality of our energy future and its consequences for our future generations and forgotten Australians. He delves into the complex lifecycle considerations of various energy sources, offering a critical perspective on the true costs of renewable alternatives. Adi challenges us to reconsider our perceptions of nuclear energy, beckoning a dialogue that transcends fear and embraces the transformative potential it holds for a sustainable energy future.

 

Prior to becoming the Chief Executive Officer of ANSTO, Adi served as the General Manager of Business Development and Operations at the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Company in South Africa. Adi was Group Executive of the Department of Science and Technology within the South African Government and Executive Vice-President at the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Adi has contributed to numerous advisory Boards and committees and is currently a Board Member of HB11 Energy and AdvanCell Isotopes.

 

Please note: this episode was recorded on 5 February 2024.
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In Episode 129 of the No Limitations podcast Put It On The Line, Blenheim Partners’ Gregory Robinson speaks with Craig Tiley, Chief Executive Officer of Tennis Australia.

Craig provides an insider’s perspective on the Australian Open and sheds light on the three main groups he and the team are responsible for: over one million patrons in attendance, a global viewership surpassing one billion, and over 800 players from more than 205 countries. Craig explains his new initiatives for the tournament in the next two years and his ambition for the Australian Open to become the best sporting event worldwide with over one billion dollars in revenue. Standing back, Craig explains how he fell in love with tennis in apartheid South Africa and shares with us his view on the “massive logistical exercise” of running the Australian Open as well as some interesting stories and perspectives.

As Chief Executive Officer of Tennis Australia, Craig is also the Tournament Director of the Australian Open. Prior to this, he was the Director of Player Development at Tennis Australia. Earlier, he was Head Coach of the men’s tennis team at the University of Illinois which he led to the longest winning streak in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) history. Craig also served as Captain of the South African Davis Cup Team and was a part of the Professional Tennis Management program at the University of Texas at Tyler while he completed a master’s degree in kinesiology. Earlier in life in South Africa, Craig was a highly ranked amateur tennis player who completed an economics degree at the University of Stellenbosch as well as military service as a Lieutenant in the South African Army. Craig is the Chair of the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports in Australia and is on the Boards of SafetyCulture and arts festival Rising.

Please note: this episode was recorded on 6 December 2023.

 
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In a special unredacted edition of Episode 115 of the No Limitations podcast The Spy Who Didn’t Come Home, Blenheim Partners’ Gregory Robinson speaks with Jack Barsky, a former agent of the KGB, the foreign intelligence and domestic security agency of the Soviet Union.

 

In a fascinating and revealing discussion, Jack shows us both sides of the Iron Curtain as we delve into the world of espionage. We uncover his story from his beginnings as a high-achieving student recruited by the KGB through the East German Stasi, trained in Moscow and eventually inserted into the United States. We hear of his missions, the near misses that risked blowing his cover and the lead up to his fateful encounter with the FBI.

Originally from East Germany, Jack was recruited by the KGB as a university student and later infiltrated the United States where he spent ten years spying for the Soviet Union. He severed his relationship with the KGB in 1988 and pursued a corporate career in information technology. He was eventually discovered by the FBI. Today, Jack is an American citizen who is taking advantage of one last chance to live a normal life.

In 2017, Jack released a book about his experiences Deep Undercover: My Secret Life and Tangled Allegiances as a KGB Spy in America. He is also the subject of a 12-part podcast series The Agent which was released in 2021.

 

Please note: this episode was recorded on 14 April 2023.
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Christmas is a time for giving. Please join the Blenheim Partners Christmas Wish in supporting Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia.

Under Louise’s leadership as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Starlight has been recognised as one of the most trusted children’s charities in the country, with a mission to brighten the lives of seriously ill children and their families at a time when they need happiness the most. Starlight is embedded in the Australian healthcare system as an essential service, now in every Children’s Hospital in Australia, supporting more than 140 indigenous and remote clinics and communities.

Together, we can make a difference. To make a donation to Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia, please visit www.starlight.org.au 

Please note: this episode was recorded on 29 November 2023.
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In Episode 127 of the No Limitations podcast The Dawn of New Thinking, Blenheim Partners’ Gregory Robinson speaks with Dominic Barton BBM, Chair of Rio Tinto and Chair of LeapFrog Investments. He was previously Global Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company.

We are treated to an erudite discussion with Dominic as we delve into the dawn of a new form of capitalism, a re-imagined view of the world going through extraordinary times witnessing the fragmentation of the current international order, the rise of new superpowers, the emergence of new trading blocs, and the greatest re-allocation of capital in human history. As a former Global Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company having met nearly 3,500 Chief Executive Officers over the course of his career, he offers us rare insights into the elements of leadership including the nature of international business, how it intertwines with politics, and the importance of preserving the fabric of goodwill between nations. He shares with us how to have one eye on the telescope and another on the microscope, as Dominic ponders the future and conveys his excitement about many of the new and cutting-edge companies being launched.

From 2019 to 2021, Dominic was the Ambassador of Canada to the People’s Republic of China. He is currently a Senior Advisor and Partner at AI investment firm Radical Ventures, the Chancellor of the University of Waterloo and an Adjunct Professor at Tsinghua University. He was previously Chairman of Teck Resources, Non-Executive Director at the Singtel Group, Non-Executive Director at Investor AB, and an Advisory Board Member of the Olayan Group. Dominic also previously served as Chair of Standard Chartered’s International Advisory Council, Chair of the Canadian Minister of Finance’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth, and Chair of the Seoul International Business Advisory Council. Dominic was a Senior Trustee of the Brookings Institution, a member of the Singapore Economic Development Board’s International Advisory Council and a member of the Boards of Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. He has co-authored four books and received eight honorary doctorates. He also studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Brasenose College, Oxford University.

Please note: this episode was recorded on 26 October 2023.
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