What I learned in business (that didn't kill me!)

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.

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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
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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.

The Australian residential housing market is unaffordable for many. It is being impacted by a perfect storm of a supply demand imbalance, rising construction costs, a fuel crisis, and a planning system which many argue needs wholesale reform.

To hear more, I sit down with Angus Raine, Executive Chairman of Raine & Horne — one of Australia’s oldest and most enduring family businesses to get his perspective on Australia's housing crisis and what it takes to build a sustainable, intergenerational family business.

Founded in 1883 and now in its fourth generation of family ownership, Raine & Horne has navigated more than a century of market cycles — from booms and busts to wars and recessions — and today operates at scale across Australia and international markets.

In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore both the evolution of a multi-generational family enterprise and the realities of Australia’s housing market.

We cover:

• The 140-year journey of Raine & Horne and how succession has been successfully managed across generations.
• How to avoid ego, groupthink and capability gaps in family businesses.
• The current state of Australia’s residential property market.
• The housing affordability crisis — and the key drivers behind it, from supply constraints to migration, tax settings and construction costs.
• Major planning reforms, including recent high-density development changes in Victoria.
• The rise of institutional capital and the build-to-rent sector.
• How technology, data and AI are reshaping the real estate agency model.
• The concept of regional "rentvesting" and how that may make property ownership accessible to a generation of Australians.

This episode is proudly brought to you by the Family Business Association in Australia and New Zealand. Whether you’re an investor, business leader, or part of a family enterprise, this is a practical and insightful discussion on markets, leadership and long-term thinking.

Disclaimer:

This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal or professional advice. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. You should seek appropriate professional advice before making any financial or investment decisions.

Connect with me:

Website: https://jameshstewart.com/

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

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

Geopolitics now sits at the centre of business decision-making.

My guest is Dr Merriden Varrall, one of Australia’s leading geopolitical analysts and China specialists, and the founder and CEO of Vantage Geopol.

Merriden brings a rare combination of academic depth, policy experience, and commercial advisory insight. She has spent nearly a decade living and working in China, held senior roles with the United Nations Development Programme in Beijing, led the East Asia Program at the Lowy Institute, and now advises boards and executives on how global political shifts impact strategy, risk, and long-term investment decisions.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How China actually sees the world — and why Western analysis often gets it wrong
• The evolution of geopolitics from a fringe issue to a top-three boardroom risk
• The impact of leadership and political disruption on global stability
• The fragmentation of the global economic order and the growing importance of energy, climate policy, and critical minerals
• Practical advice for business leaders navigating geopolitical uncertainty

This is a deep and timely discussion on one of the most important forces shaping the global economy — and what it means for decision-makers today.

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

Website: https://jameshstewart.com

The information, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guest and are provided for general informational purposes only. They do not constitute financial, legal, investment, or other professional advice. This podcast is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, decision-making in relation to any investment, business, or strategic matter. Listeners should seek appropriate professional advice tailored to their individual circumstances. While reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented, no representation or warranty is made as to its completeness or reliability, and no liability is accepted for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content.

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What happens when one of the UK’s largest companies collapses—and takes trust in the entire UK audit profession with it?

In this episode, I sit down with Mark Raddan, CEO of Interpath Advisory and former KPMG UK Senior Partner and Board member, to unpack the fallout from the Carillion collapse and how it fundamentally reshaped the UK turnaround and restructuring profession.

Carillion employed more than 40,000 people and delivered critical public infrastructure across the UK. But in 2018, it collapsed under the weight of debt, aggressive accounting, and failing contracts—triggering parliamentary inquiries, regulatory backlash, and record fines for KPMG.

What followed wasn’t just the failure of a company—it was a structural reset of the entire profession in the UK. Regulators moved to address conflicts of interest within the Big Four, ultimately forcing KPMG to sell its restructuring business.

That carve-out became Interpath Advisory—a new, independent firm backed by private equity and now operating as one of the large independent global turnaround and restructuring firms.

Mark was at the centre of that transition.

In this conversation, we cover:

• The Carillion collapse and the consequences that followed.
• The impact on KPMG UK and the wider profession
• Why the Big Four were forced to rethink their business models
• The creation and rapid growth of Interpath Advisory
• How private equity is reshaping the professional services model
• The future of restructuring, advisory, and the impact of AI

This is a rare, insider perspective on how crisis, regulation and capital combined to create an entirely new competitive landscape in global advisory.

This podcast is for information and general discussion purposes only.

The views expressed by guests are their own and do not constitute financial, legal, investment or professional advice. Nothing in this episode should be relied upon as a recommendation or advice to make any business, financial or investment decision. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the content is based on publicly available information and personal perspectives, which may be incomplete or subject to change. Listeners should seek their own independent professional advice before acting on any matters discussed.

Follow the podcast for more conversations on business, leadership, crisis and recovery.

Connect with me on LinkedIn:

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

or at my website:

👉 https://jameshstewart.com

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What is customer loyalty — really?

Is it points? Discounts? Retention metrics? Or is it something deeper?

In this episode of What I Learned in Business (That Didn’t Kill Me!), I sit down with Adam Posner, founder of The Point of Loyalty, host of the What’s the Point of Loyalty? podcast, and author of For Love or Money™ — one of Australia’s longest-running loyalty research studies, spanning nearly two decades and 18 editions.

But before Adam became a loyalty strategist, his life gave him a very different education. Growing up in Johannesburg during apartheid, living through conscription into national service, surviving a terrorist car bomb explosion, and emigrating to Australia to start again from scratch — Adam’s worldview was shaped long before he ever designed a loyalty program.

From walking the streets delivering scratch-and-save cards into letterboxes, to building a direct marketing agency and ultimately pivoting into customer research and loyalty strategy, Adam has spent nearly 20 years asking a deceptively simple question:

What actually makes customers stay?

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why loyalty is about Behaviour, Belief and Belonging
• The importance of retail response when the customer experience disappoints loyalty
• Why customer loyalty and trust are closely connected
• Why the world needs a “Pandemic of Joy” — and what Adam calls Joyalty
• How AI and agentic technology may redefine brand–customer relationships

This episode is a masterclass in what Adam calls “the finance of feelings” — the commercial power of emotion in a data-driven world.

If you lead a brand, manage customer strategy, sit on a board, or simply care about how businesses build trust — this one is for you.

The views expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guest and host and do not constitute financial, legal, investment, marketing or professional advice.

This podcast is intended for general informational and educational purposes only. Any discussion of brands, loyalty programs, corporate events or data breaches reflects publicly available information and personal opinion at the time of recording. Listeners should conduct their own independent enquiries and seek appropriate professional advice before making any commercial or strategic decisions.

This episode is not a promotional platform and no endorsement of any organisation or product is intended or implied.

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

Everyone talks about sustainable retail products and saving the planet, but who really cares? Retailers? Customers? Government?

The global retail sourcing & supply chain is invisible to most consumers, yet it is one of the most complex, highly integrated and culturally nuanced business ecosystems in the world.

James H Stewart sits down with Anne-Laure Descours, one of the world’s most senior and respected leaders in global sourcing and sustainable manufacturing in the footwear and apparel industry.

Anne-Laure spent more than three decades in the engine room of global retail — living and working across China, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Hong Kong — and ultimately serving as Chief Sourcing Officer of PUMA, overseeing the manufacturing and supply-chain operations that power an €8+ billion global brand.

Before PUMA, she held senior leadership roles at Li & Fung, the legendary Hong Kong-based sourcing powerhouse that helped shape modern global manufacturing.

Since leaving PUMA in 2025, Anne-Laure has continued her work in responsible supply chains, joining the board of Gildan Activewear (owner of American Apparel) and serving as an advisor and board member to Haelixa, a Swiss innovator in DNA-based traceability solutions for fashion and textiles.

In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore:

• What global supply chains actually look like behind the scenes
• The realities of sustainable sourcing across Asia
• Cultural intelligence and leadership under pressure
• The role of government and regulation in driving changes to sourcing models and sustainability reporting
• Why end of life products are the biggest unsolved hurdle for sustainable manufacturing - and this goes to the heart of consumer demand.
• How DNA tracing is reshaping sourcing transparency
• What three decades in high-stakes global operations teaches you about resilience and trust

This is a rare, inside-the-system perspective from someone who has led through crisis, transformation and geopolitical disruption — at scale.

James H Stewart is a former KPMG restructuring partner and Australian Board member who interviews global leaders about the hard lessons they’ve learned in business — and survived.

Connect with James:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshstewart/

Website: https://jameshstewart.com

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of their past or present employers, affiliated organisations, or the host. Nothing discussed in this episode constitutes financial, investment, legal, regulatory or professional advice. Listeners should seek appropriate independent advice before making any commercial or investment decisions. All commentary is based on publicly available information and personal experience at the time of recording.

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

Ian Robson is one of the most experienced and battle-tested sports administrators in Australia.

At just 32 years old, with no prior CEO experience, Ian was appointed Chief Executive of the New Zealand Warriors, building the club ahead of its entry into top-tier rugby league.

From there, his career spans:

• CEO of Hawthorn Football Club during its rebuild and 2008 premiership
• CEO of Essendon Football Club during the supplements saga
• CEO of Melbourne Victory during A-League success
• CEO of Rowing Australia, navigating Olympic sport, funding pressures and global competition
• Leadership roles in UK sport, including CEO of Sport Scotland

Today, Ian is CEO of the iconic Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, long associated with the Australian Open.

Across rugby league, AFL, soccer, Olympic sport and government-funded systems, Ian has seen the intersection of culture, governance, pressure and public accountability at the highest levels.

• Building a professional sports club from scratch in New Zealand
• The Hawthorn rebuild and the 2008 AFL premiership
• The Essendon supplements saga — what happened, how it unfolded, and the lessons learned
• Governance failures, salary cap breaches and the cost of cutting corners
• Drugs in professional sport — performance enhancing and recreational
• Gambling, match fixing and player welfare
• Racism, tribalism and sexual diversity in elite sport
• The difference between running a football club and leading a taxpayer-funded Olympic sport

This is not a highlight reel. It’s a serious conversation about leadership when the stakes are public and the consequences are generational.

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the participants at the time of recording and do not constitute legal, financial, medical or professional advice. Discussions about historical events, investigations and sporting matters are based on publicly available information. Listeners should form their own views and seek independent advice where appropriate.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate and share the podcast.

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MasterChef finalist, television host and food entrepreneur Simon Toohey, is this week's guest.

Many Australians know Simon from MasterChef Australia (Season 11 and “Back to Win”) or from his SBS series Freshly Picked. But behind the television profile is a far more layered story — one that spans cocktail bars in London, a Masters in Gastronomy in Edinburgh, plant-forward food innovation, pop-up smokehouses, consulting internationally, and now launching the fast-growing Geelong City Market, attracting thousands of visitors every Saturday.

We discuss:

• Growing up in a food-loving family and learning to cook when independence forced it
• Working in London hospitality, including at globally recognised bar Callooh Callay
• Why he chose plant-forward cooking as his point of difference
• The reality of competing on MasterChef — the pressure, structure and exposure
• Building a media brand through Freshly Picked on SBS
• Launching the Geelong City Market — vision, business case, government support, and startup challenges
• What he has learned about entrepreneurship in the food industry
• The hard days, the pivots, and the principles he anchors to

This is a conversation about food — but also about reinvention, resilience, public profile, sustainability, and backing yourself when you see a gap in the market.

If you are interested in food systems, food startups, media, or building a purpose-driven career, this episode is for you.

About the Show

What I Learned in Business (That Didn’t Kill Me!) explores the real stories behind business leaders, founders and professionals — the successes, the setbacks, and the lessons learned along the way.

Disclaimer

The views expressed by guests are their own and are shared for general informational purposes only. This podcast does not constitute financial, legal, investment or professional advice. Listeners should seek appropriate independent advice before making business or financial decisions.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show and share it with someone who might find value in it.

You can connect with me via:

LinkedIn: James H Stewart GAICD

Website: www.jameshstewart.com

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