Boardroom Confidential

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.

S3E2 – David Gallop: Staying calm in a crisis, lessons from the NRL & Football Australia, and how to make a CEO-Chair relationship work 11/17/2025

S3E1 – Naomi Simson: Growing Red Balloon Group, small business under threat, and knowing when a founder should step down as CEO 11/10/2025

Inside the AICD's Company Directors Course 05/14/2025

Special Episode – Thomson Reuters CEO Steve Hasker: the rise of AI, lessons on private equity, and the future of news 04/06/2025

S2E12 – Kate Jenkins: Becoming the Chair of the Australian Sports Commission, gender targets at sports boards, and progress since the Respect@Work report 10/27/2024

S2E11 – Rebecca McGrath: inside a multi-billion-dollar M&A deal, preparing for meetings with a new board, and learnings from working overseas 10/06/2024

S2E10 – Lisa Chung: Advice for new directors, governance at PwC Australia, and why boards need a sense of humour 09/29/2024

S2E9 – Audette Exel: Social entrepreneurship in action, learning from mistakes, and the board’s role in promoting philanthropy 09/22/2024

S2E8 – Jessica Bulger: First Nations perspectives on governance, balancing executive and board roles, benefits of a co-chair model 09/15/2024

S2E7 – David Kirk: Investing in Australia’s tech start-ups, what big companies can learn from small ones, and how to prepare for board meetings 09/08/2024

S2E6 – Jane Spring: Advice for new board members, lived experience in the disability sector and key questions for management 09/01/2024

S2E5 – Dr Susan Neuhaus: Leadership lessons from the ADF, governance at the Australian War Memorial and transferring skills from the operating theatre to the boardroom 08/26/2024

S2E4 – Dr Ian Oppermann: AI opportunities, data safeguards, and scientists in the boardroom 08/18/2024

S2E3 – Dr Larry Marshall: Net zero challenges, future tech trends and the board’s role in fostering innovation 08/11/2024

S2E2 – Virginia Bourke: Lessons from the pandemic, challenges for the NFP sector and conflicts in the boardroom 08/04/2024

S2E1 - Andrew Penn: Preparing for cyber attacks, effective Chair-CEO relationships and governance issues at the National Gallery of Victoria 07/28/2024

Boardroom Conversations - Season two is coming soon 07/22/2024

Sally-Ann Williams: Diversity in STEM, shared values in the boardroom, and governance at start-ups. 09/18/2023

Arlene Tansey & Heith Mackay-Cruise: First board positions, shifting from executive to director, and the importance of mentoring 09/11/2023

Shelley Reys: the Voice to Parliament, how boards can approach reconciliation, and planning for the Brisbane Olympics 09/03/2023

Jenn Morris: Lessons from a gold medal winner, advice on picking your next CEO, and boards’ developing approach to climate change 08/28/2023

Bruce Cowley: Advice for your first board role, improvements for the Corporations Act, and the importance of stakeholder engagement 08/20/2023

Jacqueline Chow: CEO succession planning, chemistry in the boardroom, and tips on shifting from executive to board director 08/13/2023

Alan Duffy: The governance of space, what STEM professionals can add to the board, and the dangers of jargon 08/07/2023

Judy Slatyer: Creating safeguards for AI, lessons on avoiding greenwashing, and changing attitudes towards ESG 07/31/2023

John M. Green: Artificial intelligence risks, what to ask on cyber security, and lessons from the pandemic 07/24/2023

Graeme Innes: NFP board pay, tips for a successful merger, and the risks of staying on a board for too long 07/16/2023

Dr Kirstin Ferguson: Why modern leaders use both their head and their heart 07/02/2023

Andrew Fraser: From the cabinet room to the boardroom, mega mergers in the super sector, and the importance of succession planning 07/02/2023

Marina Go: How to be an effective chair, tips for starting your director career, and why diversity is critical for boards 07/02/2023