How this CEO shook off imposter syndrome

Akubra chief executive Natalie Culina has over 20 years working with some of the most recognised and iconic Australian brands. When managing imposter syndrome she says that "you cannot forget that you have to master a skill in something, have to have a black belt in something. And that's something…

‘One of the worst markets I’ve seen’: Property CEO fears job cuts

Jellis Craig chief executive Andrew McCann has been a real estate agent for almost 30 years, and he reckons "this is one of the worst markets" he's ever seen. "It's very hard for vendors to adjust to price changes, and it's very hard sometimes for agents to pick up the pace of change," he says. "A…

Gilbert + Tobin CEO Sam Nickless reveals what AI means for junior lawyers

When it comes to the rise of artificial intelligence in the workplace, Sam Nickless, the chief executive of law firm Gilbert + Tobin, has some useful advice for lawyers and executives in the early or middle stages of their careers. "The first level of advice is don’t freak out about it, but don’t …

Why Lune boss Kate Reid traded Formula 1 for croissants

Growing up, Kate Reid had always dreamt about working in Formula 1. And in her early 20s, she achieved that dream by joining the Williams team as an aerodynamicist. But this F1 enthusiast quickly realised the job was not all she'd hoped. "I imagined it would be an incredibly dynamic, collaborativ…

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey on property prices, failure and conflict

As a teenager, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey loved federal budget day. “I’m not saying I was popular at high school, but I used to love it when [former Liberal treasurers] Peter Costello and John Howard would hand down the budget,” the self-confessed nerd says. As a 16-year-old, he may not have li…

Climbing the seven summits taught this executive one big lesson

From a young age, Esther Colwill, a former partner at Deloitte and now country head for Australia at Korn Ferry, dreamt of climbing the highest peaks on each of the seven continents, including, of course, Mount Everest. Colwill succeeded, emerging with critical lessons that have helped her in both…

Chris Judd’s formula for high performance – on and off the field

Asked about a pivotal moment in his career, former AFL star Chris Judd is quick to respond: don’t do what everyone else is doing. “[The pivotal moment] was taking complete control over my fitness program,” says Judd. In business, Judd, who is the founder and portfolio manager of Cerutty Macro Fun…

This exec left banking to buy a caravan park. Now he runs an empire

"I had everything on the wire, on the line," says Grant Wilckens, remembering when the global financial crisis hit. The chief executive and founder of G'Day Group had started his holiday parks business in 2004 when Lehman Brothers collapsed. "It was probably the hardest I've ever worked, the most…

How an exercise physiologist designed her ideal workout routine

“I've really changed my relationship with exercise over the past few years”, says Katie Lyndon, the chief executive of Exercise and Sports Science Australia. The exercise physiologist has made a conscious effort to shift her mindset around workout routines from something she has to do to something…

Thomson Reuters CEO on AI bill shock, career risks and his biggest mistake

The president and CEO of Thomson Reuters says the company has had "bill shock this year in the tens of millions of US dollars over and above our budget”. And while Steve Hasker maintains the global technology and information firm, which is valued at $US40 billion ($57 billion), is disciplined fina…