Boardroom Confidential

Australian Institute of Company Directors
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Produced by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Hosted by Bennett Mason, Boardroom Confidential brings you candid conversations with some of Australia's most influential company directors, business leaders, and experts. Together, we explore their paths to the boardroom, lessons from their careers, and the ideas shaping modern governance. Whether you're an experienced director or just starting your governance journey, each episode offers practical insights into leadership, decision-making, culture, risk, and strategy—straight from those who sit at the board table. Tune in for fresh perspectives on what it takes to lead with purpose in today's complex business environment.

  1. Holiday Archive - Audette Exel on social entrepreneurship in action, learning from mistakes, and the board's role in promoting philanthropy

    2D AGO

    Holiday Archive - Audette Exel on social entrepreneurship in action, learning from mistakes, and the board's role in promoting philanthropy

    Over the holidays, we'll be bringing you some earlier episodes of our Boardroom Confidential podcast. This time it's Audette Exel, the founder and chair of Adara Group. She's also a former director with Suncorp and Westpac and previously served as Chair of the Bermuda Stock Exchange. Audette shares the story behind Adara's unique model, which channels profits from corporate advisory work directly into life-saving development programs in some of the world's most remote communities. She reflects candidly on the mistakes she's made along the way, what they taught her, and why boards need to talk more openly about failure. The conversation also explores governance across complex global organisations, the responsibilities of boards in philanthropy and social impact, and how purpose should sit at the centre of corporate decision-making. Audette offers practical insights for directors seeking to use their influence — and their organisations — to create lasting value for society. Key Themes Purpose-led leadership and social entrepreneurship Innovative funding models for not-for-profits Governance, risk and accountability across complex global organisations Learning from failure and embracing mistakes in leadership The role of boards in philanthropy and social licence to operate Diversity of thought and values at the board table

    37 min
  2. Holiday Archive - David Kirk on investing in Australia's tech start-ups, what big companies can learn from small ones, and how to prepare for board meetings

    12/29/2025

    Holiday Archive - David Kirk on investing in Australia's tech start-ups, what big companies can learn from small ones, and how to prepare for board meetings

    Over the holidays, we'll be bringing you some earlier episodes of our Boardroom Confidential podcast. This time it's David Kirk, the co-founder of listed venture capital fund Bailador and chair at a range of organisations including KMD Brands, Forsyth Barr and KiwiHarvest.  David was also the CEO of Fairfax Limited and had an extremely successful career on the sporting field, captaining the mighty All Blacks to victory in the first Rugby World Cup in 1987. David shares what he's learned moving from executive leadership into chair and portfolio roles, including how to stay focused across competing priorities. He unpacks the chair–CEO relationship: how to be a genuine supporter while maintaining clear accountability, and why trust and expectations matter. The conversation also explores what high-performing boards look like in practice — from encouraging healthy disagreement to avoiding unhelpful conflict, and the simple disciplines that improve decision-making. David also reflects on growth-stage investing, founder dynamics, and why not-for-profits benefit from a stronger "social venture" approach. Finally, he draws leadership lessons from elite sport — and explains why governance in sporting organisations can go wrong when it becomes too representative. Key Themes The shift from executive leadership to a portfolio of board roles What makes a strong chair–CEO partnership (and where it can go wrong) How chairs build effective board culture, debate and decision-making Practical board discipline: preparation, focus, and "reading the papers" Growth-stage investing and governance in tech businesses  What business can learn from elite sport—and what sport gets wrong in governance

    40 min
  3. Holiday Archive - Marina Go on how to be an effective chair, tips for starting your director career, and why diversity is critical for boards

    12/22/2025

    Holiday Archive - Marina Go on how to be an effective chair, tips for starting your director career, and why diversity is critical for boards

    Over the holidays, we'll be bringing you some earlier episodes of our Boardroom Confidential podcast. This time it's Marina Go, a board member with Metcash, Southern Cross Media and the AICD itself. She's also been a chair or director with several other organisations including Adore Beauty, Energy Australia, the West Tigers NRL club and Netball Australia. On top of that, Marina was also the GM of magazine company Bauer Media Australia and Private Media. She tells us how her media career prepared her for the boardroom. Plus: advice on being an effective chair, tips for finding your first director position, and lessons from the boardroom of an NRL club.

    41 min
  4. Holiday Archive - Andy Penn on preparing for cyber attacks, effective Chair-CEO relationships and governance at the National Gallery of Victoria

    12/15/2025

    Holiday Archive - Andy Penn on preparing for cyber attacks, effective Chair-CEO relationships and governance at the National Gallery of Victoria

    Over the holidays, we'll be bringing you some earlier episodes of our Boardroom Confidential podcast. This time, it's Andy Penn, a director with Coles and Trustee for the National Gallery of Victoria. He also spent seven years as the CEO of Telstra and previously served as the chair of the federal government's Cyber Security Strategy Expert Advisory Board.  We talk about: lesson for boards on cyber security, advice on effective Chair-CEO relationships, and governance at the National Gallery of Victoria.

    33 min
  5. S3E5 – Penny Bingham-Hall: Planning for cyber-attacks, climate governance in action, and building a boardroom portfolio

    12/08/2025

    S3E5 – Penny Bingham-Hall: Planning for cyber-attacks, climate governance in action, and building a boardroom portfolio

    Co-chair of Supply Nation and Fortescue director Penny Bingham-Hall joins Boardroom Confidential to unpack some of the major issues facing today's boards: harnessing AI's predictive power, overseeing cyber risk in a "when, not if" world, and lifting climate governance from compliance to capability.   We also explore the craft of a high-performing board (diverse, collegiate, agenda-sharp), how to build a deliberate portfolio career, and why First Nations procurement is a powerful, practical lever for impact.   Key Themes:   AI readiness starts with data — know what data you hold, who owns it, and whether your architecture can use it. When cyber hits: plan, then get out of the way — management runs the incident; the chair streamlines comms. Climate governance in action — treat year one of mandatory reporting as a learning year; close data gaps early. Board craft — diverse yet collegiate boards, agenda discipline, safe debate Portfolio building — define your value proposition, test culture and values fit, and be deliberate about mix. Procurement for impact — First Nations supplier engagement as a practical pathway to Reconciliation. Click here for video versions of our podcasts on YouTube

    35 min
  6. Special Episode - From the Server Room to the Boardroom: AI, Identity and the Cyber Risks Directors Can't Ignore

    12/03/2025

    Special Episode - From the Server Room to the Boardroom: AI, Identity and the Cyber Risks Directors Can't Ignore

    Presented by Okta   Cyber security has become a core governance issue, not just an IT problem. In this episode, Mathew Graham, Chief Security Officer for Asia–Pac at Okta, explains why identity is now the front line of security — and what that means for directors. He outlines how cyber risk has shifted from firewalls to cloud systems, remote work and interconnected supply chains, where most breaches now begin with compromised credentials.   Mathew clarifies the board's role in setting risk appetite, shaping a culture of security, and holding management accountable through clear, risk‑focused reporting. He challenges common misconceptions ("compliant = secure") and highlights the danger of relying on a single tech provider.   He also explores AI's dual edge — accelerating attacks and strengthening defence — and why non‑human identities like bots and AI agents must be secured. Finally, Mathew shares practical steps: stronger MFA, regular simulations and one big question every board should ask — who has access to our most critical data?   Key Takeaways:   ·       From tech issue to business risk — why cyber has moved from the server room to the boardroom, with identity now the critical perimeter. ·       Board vs management roles — the board sets the "what" and "why" (risk appetite, culture of security); management owns the "how". ·       Good cyber reporting — concise, risk-focused dashboards over jargon-heavy reports; red flags when leaders can't answer "who has access to what?". ·       SMEs and NFPs — how resource-constrained organisations can use ACSC guidance, baseline controls and targeted investment to lift their posture. ·       AI as accelerator — attackers using AI for better phishing, faster vulnerability discovery and malware, while defenders use AI for anomaly detection. ·       Non-human identities & supply chain risk — bots and AI agents as new identities to secure, and why many major breaches now start with a third party.

    34 min
  7. S3E4 – Tim Trumper: Building AI-ready boards, chair succession done right, and leading through volatility

    12/01/2025

    S3E4 – Tim Trumper: Building AI-ready boards, chair succession done right, and leading through volatility

    Former NRMA Chair Tim Trumper joins Boardroom Confidential to talk about AI in the boardroom, data-led transformations, and the craft of modern chairing. Drawing on his book AI: Game On, Tim explores one of the central governance questions of our time — "who or what decides?" — and how directors can set guardrails that protect customers while still unleashing innovation.   Tim shares practical playbooks from the NRMA's reinvention journey, why whole-of-board learning beats delegating AI to a single expert, and how great chairs keep the "silent voice of the customer" present in every discussion. Plus: chair succession that actually works, and leading through an era where volatility is the constant.   Key Themes:   ·       AI in the boardroom — deciding who or what decides, setting boundaries, and avoiding inaction ·       Guardrails without brake lights — a "data/AI Hippocratic oath" to do no harm while innovating ·       Leaders must use the tools — boards should get hands-on with AI, not delegate it to one expert ·       Customer-first data — using insight to solve problems in real time and define "what good looks like" ·       Chair craft — curiosity, empathy, and the "silent voice of the customer" in every meeting ·       Chair succession — start early, plan for fit not just skills, and communicate openly ·       Boards in a VUCA world — adapt fast, think creatively, and stay flexible amid uncertainty Click here to watch a video version of the podcast on YouTube

    36 min
  8. S3E3 – Taryn Williams: Shifting from founder to director, balancing AI opportunities with guardrails, and boards' growing responsibility for brand and reputation

    11/24/2025

    S3E3 – Taryn Williams: Shifting from founder to director, balancing AI opportunities with guardrails, and boards' growing responsibility for brand and reputation

    From founding her first company at 21 to building and exiting multiple tech ventures, Taryn Williams has spent her career at the intersection of talent, media and innovation. In this episode, the award-winning entrepreneur and director reflects on the mindset behind scaling fast-growing businesses, the challenge of stepping back as a founder, and how she's navigating the next wave of disruption through AI and digital transformation. Now serving on several boards across technology and creative industries, Taryn shares her perspective on how boards can better engage with brand and reputation — and why curiosity and emotional intelligence are fast becoming some of the most valuable skills in the boardroom. Key Themes: ·       From founder to director: shifting from execution to oversight ·       Building strong teams, mentors and advisory boards ·       Boards' growing responsibility for brand and reputation ·       Balancing AI opportunity with governance and guardrails ·       The future skills boards will need — and why EQ matters most Click here for the video version of the podcast on YouTube

    37 min
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About

Produced by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Hosted by Bennett Mason, Boardroom Confidential brings you candid conversations with some of Australia's most influential company directors, business leaders, and experts. Together, we explore their paths to the boardroom, lessons from their careers, and the ideas shaping modern governance. Whether you're an experienced director or just starting your governance journey, each episode offers practical insights into leadership, decision-making, culture, risk, and strategy—straight from those who sit at the board table. Tune in for fresh perspectives on what it takes to lead with purpose in today's complex business environment.

Information

  • Creator
    Australian Institute of Company Directors
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023
  • Show Website
    Boardroom Confidential

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