The Banking Royal Commission was the reset needed for the Australian banking industry and demanded by the community.

Sally Bruce's first hand experience at Macquarie Bank, National Australia Bank, AMP bank, gave her a unique insight into some of Australia's largest financial institutions, the important role than they play in the community and what can go wrong when the institution gets in its own way.

From rural Queensland, Sally is a straight shooter who calls it as she sees it and gives a unique insight into some of the more turbulent times in Australian banking. Her career pivot to technology scale up, Culture Amp, reframed her thinking around business and opened her eyes into a world of global technology and workplace culture.

Sal is also a dedicated believer in the power of social impact, both personally and in business, and has been involved in community organisations for decades, including opening her home to refugees from around the globe.

Over a career spanning more than three decades, Sally:

• Ran her first P&L at just 21 years of age
• Led major corporate workouts and restructurings
• Helped transform Australia’s mortgage landscape
• Served as CEO during the turmoil of the Banking Royal Commission
• Pivoted from traditional banking into global technology leadership
• Sat on boards spanning banking, the arts, and women’s leadership
• Opened her family home to skilled refugees rebuilding their lives in Australia

In this candid and deeply personal conversation, Sally shares:

• How growing up in rural Queensland shaped her leadership philosophy
• What Macquarie Bank taught her about performance under pressure
• How customer-first thinking transformed mortgage banking at National Australia Bank
• Her unfiltered reflections on the Australian Banking Royal Commission
• What she learned moving from old-economy banking to high-growth tech at Culture Amp
• Why she believes social mobility, education and opportunity matter more than ever

This is a conversation about ambition, reinvention, resilience, humility — and what truly matters when the titles no longer define you.

This podcast is intended for general information, education and entertainment purposes only. The views, opinions and recollections expressed by the host and guest are their own, based on personal experience and publicly available information at the time of recording, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any past or present employer, board, shareholder, government agency, regulator, client or affiliated organisation. Nothing discussed in this episode constitutes financial, investment, banking, legal, tax, governance, employment or other professional advice. Listeners should obtain independent professional advice before acting on any information discussed.

This episode may include discussion of historical events, organisations, regulatory processes, personal experiences and leadership decisions which are discussed in good faith for educational and commentary purposes. Any references to third parties are made on the basis of publicly available information or personal recollection and should not be taken as findings of fact or criticism of any individual or organisation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A former F18 fighter pilot, a former leader of the Australian aerobatic flying team the Roulettes, a Senior Advisor to the Australian Defence industry and someone who literally jumps off tall building (or cliffs) in a single bound.

That's what you get when you chat with Peter Robinson.

In this high-impact episode, James Stewart sits down with Peter Robinson, CEO of NWE Strategic to discuss the current and future state of Australia's Defence capability.

Peter is a former leader of KPMG's Defence practice and has operated at the sharp end of aviation, leadership and strategic risk — and now advises organisations across defence, logistics, mining and energy.

This conversation moves from the cockpit to the boardroom… and from Batwing jumps to billion-dollar defence decisions.

• Peter’s journey into the RAAF and life as a fighter pilot
• Leading the Roulettes and managing risk in high-performance environments
• Why he took up Base Jumping in a Bat Suit
• Whether Australia is spending enough on defence
• Are we getting value for money from defence budgets?
• Does Defence have a bureaucracy or systems problem?
• Has the dual leadership model inside Defence worked?
• Why AUKUS matters — and whether it is worth the cost
• How warfare is changing through drones, missiles and low-cost technology
• Where Australia may be most exposed if conflict came sooner than expected
• What leaders in business can learn from military decision-making under pressure
• 
  

This is a fascinating discussion about preparedness, leadership, execution risk and what large systems must do when the stakes are high.

Website: jameshstewart.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-h-stewart-gaicd-83b46a9/

This podcast is for general informational and entertainment purposes only. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or any organisation mentioned. Nothing in this episode constitutes financial, investment, legal, defence, political, strategic or other professional advice. Discussion of defence capability, geopolitics and public policy includes opinion, interpretation and forward-looking commentary which may change over time. Listeners should undertake their own independent research and seek appropriate professional advice before acting on any matters discussed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harvey Weinstein and Brittany Higgins have one thing in common. They were at the heart of a movement to reform workplace safety and workplace culture and right at the centre of that process, was Kate Jenkins AO, one of Australia’s most prominent voices on workplace safety, sexual discrimination and culture.

Kate is the former Sex Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission and has led some of the most significant reviews and inquiries in Australia, including the landmark Respect@Work report into workplace sexual harassment, the independent review into culture inside Federal Parliament, and major cultural reviews across sport, government and business.

Kate was also the Commissioner of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and is currently the Chair of the Australian, Sports Commission, Chair of Creative Workplaces Australia and President of the Australian Red Cross among other roles.

This conversation goes beyond headlines and policy settings, to explore what really happens inside organisations when systems fail, power is misused, and people do not feel safe to speak up.

James and Kate discuss:

• Why culture failures are rarely sudden — they often develop gradually over time

• The warning signs boards and executives frequently miss

• Why complaint systems can fail the people they are designed to protect

• The challenge of balancing performance, fairness and accountability

• What meaningful reform looks like after crisis or misconduct

• Lessons from reviews across Parliament, sport and major institutions

• Why workplace culture should be treated as a core governance and business risk

Kate also reflects on the human stories behind her work and what leaders can do to create safer, stronger and more respectful workplaces.

An essential episode for directors, executives, founders, HR leaders and anyone responsible for leading people.

Follow the show for more conversations with leaders who have learned through challenge, crisis and experience.

Website: https://jameshstewart.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-h-stewart-gaicd-83b46a9

Important Disclaimer: This podcast is provided strictly for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, regulatory, governance, employment, HR, financial or professional advice of any kind, and must not be relied upon as a substitute for obtaining advice specific to your circumstances. The views, opinions and recollections expressed by guests are their own, based on their personal experiences at the time of recording, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or any organisation past or present. References to individuals, institutions, events or reforms are general in nature and may be incomplete or subject to change.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.