How grief powered this executive’s move into leadership

When Sharon Pickering’s husband died, she realised she needed to choose where she directed her energy and focus on what mattered to her. After years of being a dedicated scholar, the academic made a decision that would set her on a path to becoming the vice chancellor of Monash University. On thi…

How this CEO changed his leadership style for the sake of top performers

Procter & Gamble’s Australian chief executive, Neal Reed, has been with the global manufacturer for 30 years. The company behind household brands such as Pampers nappies, Gillette razors and Pantene and Head & Shoulders shampoos has long been committed to finding and developing top talent. But as…

Neil Perry opens up about the high cost of overspending

He’s one of Australia’s most influential chefs and restaurateurs. But when Neil Perry was faced with the closure of his restaurant, Song Bird, he realised he’d broken his most important rule. “You've always got to be prepared to walk away," Perry says. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally P…

Why this smartphone boss called time on saying yes to everything

Praveena Raman, the head of Motorola in Australia and New Zealand, is a self-described yes person.  At the start of her career as an engineer, the “say yes to everything” mindset opened doors to pivotal opportunities that would set her on the path to becoming an executive. But a crucial piece of …

What this CEO of a drinks company learnt from the tech industry

One of Anubha Sahasrabuddhe’s proudest moments was getting Chinese consumers to drink Coca-Cola – and lots of it. Earlier in her career, Sahasrabuddhe, now the chief executive of brewing giant Lion, was asked to go to China in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics and take on the competition, Pepsi. …

What this executive learnt from working for Kerry Packer

Mary Wooldridge, the outgoing chief executive of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, worked for the media tycoon in the late 1990s.  While her time at Kerry Packer's company, Consolidated Press Holdings, taught her some invaluable skills, Wooldridge found it unmotivating. On this week’s episode…

This exec was terrified of public speaking, but now she loves it

When Allison Rossiter was offered a dream job, she had just one hesitation: she was terrified of public speaking. But not wanting to walk away from the opportunity, the budding executive asked for a public speaking coach. On this week’s episode, the president for Novartis in Australia and New Zea…

Why Vivid’s festival director won’t be reading any reviews

For any arts production, reviews are a crucial metric of success. But for Brett Sheehy, what the critics have to say means very little. For him, it’s all about the audience. On this week’s episode, Vivid Sydney's festival director tells BOSS editor Sally Patten how he's determined his own way of …

Don't ask about WFH: This top exec’s guide to job interviews

As the managing director of Franklin Templeton in Australia and New Zealand, Felicity Walsh has done her fair share of job interviews. In that time, the local head of the global asset manager has figured out what candidates should – and should not – do during the process. This week, BOSS editor S…

Inside Ahmed Fahour’s high-performance morning routine

The chief executive of Gurner Group and former boss of Australia Post says his morning routine has been transformational. Ahmed Fahour says he now thinks more clearly, has lost 13 kilograms over the past two years and has discovered the best productivity hack: sleep. On this week's episode, the t…