Astute Leadership Podcast

Garry Browne

I’m Garry Browne, Astute Leadership Podcast, and author of 'Brand New Brand You.' In this monthly podcast series, I'll be interviewing a broad selection of people from different walks of life and at different stages of their career, branding, relevance and impact journey, and discussing key themes around the idea of building your personal brand and reputation. If you’re looking to develop better skills around managing your personal brand in order to achieve your career goals and broaden your impact, then this podcast series is for you.

  1. 1d ago

    How to Keep Your Reputation Intact When Your Industry Is Under Fire feat. Paul Nicolaou

    In this episode, we’re joined by Paul Nicolaou, Executive Director of Business Sydney and one of Australia’s most well-known business advocates and community champions.   With a career spanning political fundraising, leading the Australian Hotels Association through the lockout law era, and national advocacy at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Paul brings decades of hard-won experience to every conversation.   During our discussion, we explored what it means to build a personal brand when the roles you hold are controversial, why putting other people first is the most powerful branding strategy of all, and how Paul led businesses through the COVID-19 crisis with 232 Zoom sessions featuring Australia’s most senior political leaders.   Paul also reflects on the values instilled by his parents, the importance of knowing what you’d walk away from, and why Australia — the golden ticket — gives all of us both the privilege and the responsibility to contribute.  This episode is a powerful conversation about purpose-driven leadership, legacy, and what it truly means to love your city and your country. — Connect With Me: Website: https://garrybrowne.com.au/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Garry-Browne-AM-128667246043006  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garry-browne-am-bba118/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClmBLvthjUa7nwrpIIqjbAQ  ---- Connect With Paul Nicolaou: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-nicolaou-131114129/ Business Sydney: https://www.businesssydney.com/

  2. Apr 24

    What a Life of Service Really Teaches You About Leadership feat. Matt Anderson

    In this episode, we sit down with Matt Anderson PSM, Director and CEO of the Australian War Memorial and one of Australia's most distinguished public servants. With a career spanning a decade in the Australian Defence Force, 25 years in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and now as only the 13th Director in the War Memorial's history, Matt shares what it truly means to lead with purpose, decency, and an unshakeable sense of why. We explored what defines a personal brand when the institution you lead is bigger than any individual, why candour and telling the truth are the foundations of good leadership and good decision making, and how Matt navigated one of the most personally challenging moments of his career when his name was weaponised in a national media storm. Matt also reflects on the value of being a generalist in a world that rewards specialists, the mistake of assuming buy-in when you arrive in a new role, and why the bits where you fall short are often the most defining parts of your journey. This episode is a powerful conversation about values-driven leadership, service, legacy, and what it means to be custodian of something far greater than yourself. — Connect With Me: Website: https://garrybrowne.com.au/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Garry-Browne-AM-128667246043006  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garry-browne-am-bba118/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClmBLvthjUa7nwrpIIqjbAQ  Connect With Matt Anderson: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-anderson-awm/

  3. 12/01/2025

    40 Years of Brutally Honest Business & Branding Advice (from Peter Switzer)

    In this episode, Gary Browne sits down with Peter Switzer, one of Australia’s most recognised business and financial commentators and founder of the Switzer Group. Peter shares how his journey from schoolteacher to media entrepreneur was guided by a simple principle: stay curious and act with integrity. He talks about recognising your competitive advantage, why values must always come before value, and how consistency builds credibility that lasts decades. He also reflects on the power of lifelong learning, from insights he’s gained interviewing leaders like Jerry Harvey and Mark Bouris, to lessons from authors such as Jim Collins,  and how mentorship can happen anywhere if you’re willing to learn. Finally, Peter opens up about the personal side of leadership: the influence of family, the discipline learned through sport, and why true legacy is measured not by success alone but by the people you help grow along the way. If you’re interested in building a trusted personal brand and leading with clarity, humility, and purpose, this conversation is not to be missed. — Connect With Me: Website: https://garrybrowne.com.au/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Garry-Browne-AM-128667246043006  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garry-browne-am-bba118/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClmBLvthjUa7nwrpIIqjbAQ  Connect With Peter Swizter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pswitzer/

  4. 05/11/2025

    How One Minister Took Government From Paper to Platform feat. Victor Dominello

    In this episode, we’re joined by Victor Dominello, former NSW Government Minister, legal professional, and global pioneer in digital service transformation. Recognised as one of Australia’s Top 100 Innovators, Victor led groundbreaking reforms in digital government, customer service, and data transparency during his 12 years in cabinet.  He spearheaded initiatives like Service NSW, the Department of Customer Service, and the Digital Restart Fund, earning international recognition for humanising and modernising public services. During our conversation, we explored the mindset shift from citizen to customer, why digital transformation is really about service transformation, and how his personal values shaped his brand as a trusted reformer and servant leader. Victor also reflects on the importance of storytelling, authenticity, and humility in building a leadership legacy, as well as why empowering teams, embracing inclusion, and designing with ethics are critical to earning public trust in the digital age. This episode features a powerful conversation about values-driven leadership, navigating pushback, and building lasting reform. _____ Timestamps: 00:00 - INTRO 02:02 - VICTOR ON BUILDING HIS NAME, REPUTATION, AND BRAND 05:54 - ENVIRONMENT THAT TAUGHT VALUES AND PRINCIPLES 09:10: - THE DATA MONKEY 13:32 - I SEE MYSELF AS A BRAND 16:40 - THE VALUES 18:45 - THE IMPORTANCE OF REPUTATION 23:14 - FOCUS ON THE POLICY AND TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT OUTCOMES 27:18 - TRYING TO MAINTAIN INTEGRITY 32:53 - SPRITE PRINCIPLE 36:40 - A TIME WHEN VICTOR'S VALUES WERE TESTED 38:44 - VICTOR'S LEADERSHIP STYLE 42:01 - VICTOR'S LEADERSHIP VALUES 43:45 - VICTOR'S SKILLS AND TRAITS TO BE AN ASTUTE LEADER 46:13 - MENTORS WHO HELPED VICTOR TO MAKE AN IMPACT 48:20 - OUTRO _____ Connect With Me: Website: https://garrybrowne.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Garry-Browne-AM-128667246043006 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garry-browne-am-bba118/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClmBLvthjUa7nwrpIIqjbAQ  Grab a copy of my book ‘Brand New Brand You’: https://garrybrowne.com.au/books Book me as a speaker for your next conference or event: https://garrybrowne.com.au/contact  Connect With Victor: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victordominello/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHonVictorDominello/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victordominello X: https://x.com/VictorDominello  _____ Produced by Social Wave https://www.socialwave.com.au

About

I’m Garry Browne, Astute Leadership Podcast, and author of 'Brand New Brand You.' In this monthly podcast series, I'll be interviewing a broad selection of people from different walks of life and at different stages of their career, branding, relevance and impact journey, and discussing key themes around the idea of building your personal brand and reputation. If you’re looking to develop better skills around managing your personal brand in order to achieve your career goals and broaden your impact, then this podcast series is for you.