Special Episode – Thomson Reuters CEO Steve Hasker: the rise of AI, lessons on private equity, and the future of news
Release Date: 04/06/2025
Holiday Archive - Audette Exel on social entrepreneurship in action, learning from mistakes, and the board’s role in promoting philanthropy
Boardroom Confidential
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...
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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
Boardroom Confidential
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...
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Holiday Archive - Marina Go on how to be an effective chair, tips for starting your director career, and why diversity is critical for boards
Boardroom Confidential
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...
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Holiday Archive - Andy Penn on preparing for cyber attacks, effective Chair-CEO relationships and governance at the National Gallery of Victoria
Boardroom Confidential
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.
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S3E5 – Penny Bingham-Hall: Planning for cyber-attacks, climate governance in action, and building a boardroom portfolio
Boardroom Confidential
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...
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Special Episode - From the Server Room to the Boardroom: AI, Identity and the Cyber Risks Directors Can’t Ignore
Boardroom Confidential
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...
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S3E4 – Tim Trumper: Building AI-ready boards, chair succession done right, and leading through volatility
Boardroom Confidential
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...
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S3E3 – Taryn Williams: Shifting from founder to director, balancing AI opportunities with guardrails, and boards’ growing responsibility for brand and reputation
Boardroom Confidential
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...
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S3E2 – David Gallop: Staying calm in a crisis, lessons from the NRL & Football Australia, and how to make a CEO-Chair relationship work
Boardroom Confidential
David Gallop AM — former CEO of the NRL and Football Australia —share lessons on leadership, crisis, and culture from a career spent in the spotlight. In this conversation, David reflects on two decades at the helm of high-profile sports, the experiences he’s carried into the boardroom, and what makes an effective chair in today’s governance landscape. Now chair of Venues NSW and Step One Clothing, and a director at Tabcorp and Cricket NSW, David gives insights on handling crises, the balance between board and management, and the art of succession planning. Key themes: • ...
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S3E1 – Naomi Simson: Growing Red Balloon Group, small business under threat, and knowing when a founder should step down as CEO
Boardroom Confidential
Naomi Simson is an experienced director, successful entrepreneur, and acclaimed author. She co-founded Big Red Group and helped it grow to become Australia’s largest experience network. In this candid conversation, Naomi reflects on two decades of building and scaling businesses, the lessons learned stepping back from the CEO role, and why small business remains the backbone of Australia’s economy. Naomi also shares her views on the evolving role of boards: how curiosity outperforms expertise, why brand and reputation belong in every risk conversation, and what directors can learn by...
info_outlineSteve Hasker is the CEO and President of Thomson Reuters, plus a director with ASX-listed Appen. He was visiting Australia recently and took part in a special event with the AICD. We talked with Steve about the rise of artificial intelligence, lessons from his experiences with private equity, and the future of news and information.