Today we are talking to Petra Corcoran, Director of Finance & Corporate Services at Emesent. Petra is an accomplished professional with a fascinating background. Strong in her conviction from a young age, we speak about the importance of sticking to your ethical principles, toxic cultures, and what it takes to build a harmonious finance department. We talk about the importance of being patient when starting a new role, finding the right fit with a company to work for, and how to assess the v...
Dec 16, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 35
We have another great guest on the podcast today, Andrew Job, the CEO of PlotLogic. A veteran of the mining industry, Andrew is an accomplished professional, and now a high growth business owner. Andrew talks us through his career in which he got into leadership positions at an age much younger than most. A humble talented individual, Andrew is one of the first guests we have spoken to who has remained in one industry. He shares his insights into what that has meant for him. Jack Ferguson co-hos...
Dec 07, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Today we speak to Andrew Gray, Finance Director of Qtectic. He describes himself as the Accidental Accountant. Starting his career in Audit, he has worked in Mining, Rail, and various infrastructure related companies. Having worked across a number of industries, Andrew is a wealth of knowledge. A sharp business mind, he speaks about how he is always willing to try a new challenge and believes strongly in taking full responsibility for your career. A strong leader, he talks about how you should t...
Nov 30, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Today’s guest is Thomas Sparks, CEO of Infinity 22. It was a pleasure to hear how Thomas built such a successful business at a young age. Having worked locally and overseas in Hong Kong, Thomas’s experience covers many disciplines and countries. Now as he focuses on helping E-Commerce businesses, Thomas speaks about the decision to move his company in that direction, as well as his thoughts on leadership and remote work. Nathan Smith co-hosted this episode. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the B...
Nov 18, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Our guest on today's episode is Jag Olak, MD of Allevi8HQ. With a strong background in Finance and CFO positions, Jag was a wealth of knowledge. He has run his own pizza businesses and introduced us to the concept of a Chief Restructuring Officer. As always, leadership was a popular topic of discussion. Jack Ferguson co-hosted this episode. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If you enjoyed today's episode, take your leadership journey further: 🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your pod...
Nov 11, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Today our guest is Gary Oliver, a Veteran of Finance. We were fortunate to speak to Gary on the day he retired at the end of a 45-year career. Gary takes us through his career that involved working in mining, large corporates, and even discuss what it was like writing a strategic paper with no typewriter and no computer. A gifted storyteller, Gary talks about the challenges of being in the workforce when the GST, Retirement Living Act, and Y2K Bug were coming into play. We even discussed a Polar...
Nov 03, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 30
In this episode we speak to Chris Lowndes, Group CFO of HopgoodGanim Lawyers. What a story. This podcast was a lot of fun! Chris has had a varied career. He talks about working at companies such as Woolworths, Doughnut Time, and his current company, HopgoodGanim. We talk about good and bad leadership. Chris points out that he has learned a lot from poor leaders as well as great leaders. When Chris first decided to become a CFO, he talks about the struggle of moving from the Sydney market to the ...
Oct 23, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Our guest today is Richard Jacobitz, CFO of STG Global. Richard brought a unique perspective to the podcast around data and insight. Often we hear people talking about not having enough data, or enough insight. Richard actually discusses why he thinks too much data and insight is a bad thing and how that can create decision-making problems. A self-described extrovert, Richard talks about the considerations he makes when relating to members of his team who may not operate the same way he does. We...
Oct 13, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In this episode Brisca Managing Director Sumith Dissanayake speaks to Damien Hicks, CFO of Entag Group. It was an enjoyable conversation with a talented individual. We discuss Damien’s early life as a water polo player, and how an unfortunate rugby incident at university affected him. Damien talks about an experience he had in his career where he intended to resign from a job, only to rethink it, retract his resignation, and perform well for time to come. Like most businesses, Damien’s has been ...
Oct 01, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Our guest today is Robert Easton, CFO of Oncore. We discuss Robert’s career all the way from England where he had a short stint selling insurance premiums through to working as a Management Accountant at a Kitchen Manufacturing Business, and for a Cinema business. Robert talks about the difference between Management Accounting and Financial Accounting. This is an important topic that Accounting and Finance Professionals need to know. Robert currently resides in Australia where he is now executin...
Sep 21, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Our guest today is Scott Richardson, CFO of Burrana. In this episode we discuss what Scott believes makes a CFO effective. We also talk about how Accounting professionals often approach a fork in their career where they have to decide to become a manager of people, or dedicate themselves to becoming an amazing technician. We speak about the portfolio career that is now possible for CFO’s, but also point out that one must be committed to that type of career to make it work. A true professional an...
Sep 10, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Our guest today is Brett McCallum, CEO of Virtech. Having spent just a single day at University, Brett didn’t take the usual path. Now running a global business, Brett credits his success to being able to stay in his lane. We talk about being burned by business partners, dealing with failure, but also dealing with success. A great guest, and a fun discussion, Brett brought a great energy to the podcast. Enjoy! This episode was co-hosted by Amanda Campbell. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Bo...
Aug 29, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Our guest today is Andrew Ritter, the owner of Pleiades Corporate Services. Andrew talks about how difficult it was at the beginning of his career to get a job at an Accounting Firm. Sometimes the perception is that you finish your studies and are guaranteed a job, this isn’t the case. We speak about his background working at a startup company and transitioning from an Accounting Firm to a commercial environment. He also speaks about the importance of delivering bad news first, as well as Cashfl...
Aug 21, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Our guest today is Stephen Lonergan, CFO of Village National. In this episode, we explore a range of topics and get Stephen’s insight into how his career transpired. We talk about leadership, and the importance of leadership pathways when deciding how to treat your staff, negotiating big deals, and team development. We explore Stephen’s philosophies on embracing technology, and hear why his “Integrity isn’t for sale.” This episode was co-hosted by Amanda Campbell. Thanks for tuning in to Books t...
Aug 14, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Today’s guest is Dr Andre van Zyl, Regional Director at The CFO Centre, Queensland. Growing up in South Africa, Dr Andre talks about how the leadership lessons he learned from his time in the military helped shape his career. He then speaks about his move to Australia after having built a career in another country, we speak about the adjustment period that followed. With his work at The CFO Centre, Dr Andre explains how CFO’s can transition into a portfolio career from a corporate career and wha...
Aug 07, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Today’s guest is Jason Atkins, CEO of Cake Equity. Jason speaks about his early life and how a move to London did wonders for his career. A driven individual, it was inspiring to see how confidence and competence can take someone through a successful Accounting career. A strong resume includes a role at Mastercard. Jason then talks about his transition from the world of Accounting to becoming a business owner and leader. He speaks about companies he has started and takes us on the step by step j...
Jul 30, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Today’s guest is Adam Campbell, an accomplished professional who now holds an enviable position as CFO of one of Australia's most iconic brands, Flight Centre. This episode is a great insight into how Flight Centre has been affected by Covid-19. Adam was very forthcoming about how this has affected him personally and how he has responded to such adversity. When talking about his journey to becoming the effective executive he is today, Adam talks extensively about the importance of culture, how i...
Jul 23, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 19
Today’s guest is Zac Zahner, a man who has held many positions in the c-suite and at board level. This episode is a great insight into how competent governance plays a vital role in determining the ultimate success of a company. Zac talks about board experiences he has enjoyed and also those that left him disappointed. Having spent time working as CFO and other positions in the c-suite, Zac was a wealth of knowledge. We think you will really enjoy his candor and good nature. This episode's co-ho...
Jul 16, 2020•56 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Today’s guest is Jason Titman, an accomplished professional who has worked for a variety of companies throughout a varied career. Throughout this episode, we explore the ups and downs of Jason's various business ventures, and what he thinks is integral to a startup or small business to succeed. A true critical thinker, Jason shares his views on how Australia should embrace technology, and what his time spent on various boards has taught him. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If yo...
Jul 09, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Today’s guest is Andrew Rogers, an accomplished professional who has worked in resources, professional services and as an Executive Advisor at QUT Business School. Throughout this episode we explore Andrew’s views on leadership, getting the most out of your staff, how and who to hire, and what important traits an Accountant must possess. Having worked in many positions within the C-Suite, Andrew is a wealth of knowledge and a great storyteller. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If...
Mar 11, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Brendt Munro, Director of Altor Capital shares his story with us today. In this episode we talk about the way Accountants should speak to clients to add the most value. Sacred cows are discussed and Brendt emphasises the importance of addressing them for business growth. His thoughts on leadership were interesting and our favourite quote was when he said ‘Leadership is taking people on a journey they want to be on.’ This episode was co-hosted by Amanda Campbell, and Sumith Dissanayake. Thanks fo...
Feb 23, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Ollie Visser, Chief Financial Officer of Videopro Group shares his story with us today. He talks about the choices he made to become the person he is today and shares some interesting theories on how we make the decisions we do. We talk about personal growth, and what he learned from struggling to get a job out of university, all the way through to becoming the CFO he is today. Amanda Campbell co-hosted this episode. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If you enjoyed today's episode...
Feb 05, 2020•47 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Today we are talking to Nicky Lonergan about her career and how she came to be CEO of Archers - The Strata Professionals. Nicky talks us through her story of moving from a career in Finance to end up in a leadership role, her honest assessment of work-life balance, and her views on management. Nicky shares some candid stories about how she moved industries and views her role as CEO now. This episode is co-hosted by BRISCA Managing Director Sumith Dissanayake, and Amanda Campbell. Thanks for tuni...
Jan 21, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Today we are talking to Paul McCartney about his career and how he came to be a Chief Clean Futures Officer. Paul talks us through his story of moving from a traditional accounting path into a leadership role, balancing business purpose with the need to be financially sustainable, and his thoughts on managing staff. Working in clean energy, Paul has some very interesting views on legacy and what he is helping build for future generations. This episode is co-hosted by BRISCA Managing Director Sum...
Jan 14, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Today we are talking to Peter Jamieson about his career that has had him become the CEO of Cox Industries. Peter talks us through his story of working his way up through sporting organisations, to finally land as the CEO of Cox Industries. A fascinating story of grit, determination, creativity, and leadership. This episode is co-hosted by BRISCA Managing Director Sumith Dissanayake, and Amanda Campbell. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If you enjoyed today's episode, take your le...
Dec 08, 2019•57 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Today we are talking to Alan Sparks about his career that has seen him become the CEO of Cellnet. Alan talks us through his remarkable story of changing the fortunes of many companies around while experiencing numerous challenges throughout his career. This episode is co-hosted by BRISCA Managing Director Sumith Dissanayake, and Amanda Campbell. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If you enjoyed today's episode, take your leadership journey further: 🎧 Subscribe wherever you get you...
Nov 24, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Today we are talking to John Knight about his career that involved working his way up from an Accountant to a Managing Director. We talk about what he has learned about managing his staff, a life-changing trip to Mongolia, and what his plans are for the future of his company Business Depot. This episode is co-hosted by BRISCA Managing Director Sumith Dissanayake, and Amanda Campbell. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If you enjoyed today's episode, take your leadership journey fur...
Nov 12, 2019•51 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Ben Mannion speaks to us about his career that involved banking and leading numerous sporting organisations. Now the CEO of Queensland Touch, Ben talks us through his story that got him to this point. It involves many ups but also some difficult periods that were shared with raw honesty. This episode is co-hosted by BRISCA Managing Director Sumith Dissanayake, and Amanda Campbell. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If you enjoyed today's episode, take your leadership journey furthe...
Oct 30, 2019•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 7
Gordon speaks to us about a career that has spanned many professions and roles. Gordon is a strong storyteller as you will hear throughout this episode. A keen business mind, great people skills, and an inquisitive nature all make Gordon the type of guest we love having on this podcast. This episode is co-hosted by BRISCA Managing Director Sumith Dissanayake, and Amanda Campbell. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If you enjoyed today's episode, take your leadership journey further...
Oct 23, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Phil was a fantastic guest, where we explored his thoughts on what is missing in the world of management, how he turns off and enjoys his weekends, and ways in which you can build your influence as you ascend through your career. A very intelligent man who has spent a lot of time behind the microphone made this a pleasure to record. This episode is co-hosted by BRISCA Managing Director Sumith Dissanayake, and Amanda Campbell. Thanks for tuning in to Books to the Boardroom ! If you enjoyed today'...
Oct 14, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 6
