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15 Minutes with the Boss

15 Minutes with the Boss

The Australian Financial Review 100 Episodes Jul 22, 2026

15 Minutes with the Boss is a podcast that gives listeners exclusive access to some of the top CEOs in the country. Each week AFR BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with a prominent leader and asks them to share the invaluable advice and wisdom they have accumulated throughout their careers. For stories of success and failure and everything in-between, search and follow 15 Minutes with the Boss. It’s 15 minutes you can’t afford to miss.

Episodes

Trailer: How I Made It returns July 29
Trailer: How I Made It returns July 29 Jul 22, 2026 57 How I Made It is back with host Lauren Sams.  Don’t miss season six as we uncover how Australia’s top entrepreneurs built their fortunes and what they learnt along the way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
‘The phone stopped ringing’: How retirement shock hit this Olympian
‘The phone stopped ringing’: How retirement shock hit this Olympian Jul 20, 2026 1122 In 2016, former Opals star player and Olympic medallist Lauren Jackson was forced to retire. She had had 17 knee operations and could not get on top of her injury. “At that point, I was really aware that my identity as a basketball player was gone,” the now-chief strategy and basketball partnerships officer for the WNBL Australia recalls. Since then, Jackson’s life on and off the
Fasting, coffee and no chores: A Young Rich Lister’s success formula
Fasting, coffee and no chores: A Young Rich Lister’s success formula Jul 13, 2026 1129 Oscar Ledlin is just 34 years old, but last year he was ranked number 55 on the Financial Review Young Rich List with a fortune valued at $123 million. The founder and chief executive of the Ledlin Group started the company after seeing a gap in the market for small commercial properties during the e-commerce boom. In this episode, the property entrepreneur sits down with BOSS editor Sally Pa
Why this expert thinks communication is ‘going down the gurgler’
Why this expert thinks communication is ‘going down the gurgler’ Jul 6, 2026 1110 Communications expert Louise Mahler has spent years helping leaders gain confidence, presence, and influence in the way they communicate. However, since the pandemic and the rapid increase of online platforms, Mahler believes people are losing the ability to engage with audiences. But she's hopeful that connection can be restored. On this week's episode, the former opera singers reveals her top pu
This Four Pillars Gin co-founder is taking on whisky – and the ASX
This Four Pillars Gin co-founder is taking on whisky – and the ASX Jun 29, 2026 1098 Stuart Gregor has always been a keen storyteller. From his first job working in journalism as a copy boy to co-founding craft gin brand Four Pillars, this entrepreneur has used his skills to build brands and their narratives. Now the chief executive of ASX-listed Lark Distillery, the whisky boss is having to tell a new type of story to analysts and fund managers. In this week's episode, Grego
Ask about WFH and you’ll get dropped from shortlist, headhunter warns
Ask about WFH and you’ll get dropped from shortlist, headhunter warns Jun 22, 2026 1048 “We’ve had a number of years when there was a huge emphasis on people’s work-life balance. Now it’s about performance,” says Chris Karagounis. The managing director at executive search firm Alex Kaar says working in the office allows budding leaders to contribute to the culture and community, and to keep learning. And if they're not there, then they risk falling behin
How the death of her husband changed this exec’s career forever
How the death of her husband changed this exec’s career forever Jun 15, 2026 1053 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 this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the university boss to find out h
How this CEO changed his leadership style for the sake of top performers
How this CEO changed his leadership style for the sake of top performers Jun 8, 2026 1189 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 the CEO has discovered, the strategy presents a temptation to push high performers too h
Neil Perry opens up about the high cost of overspending
Neil Perry opens up about the high cost of overspending Jun 1, 2026 1052 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 Patten finds out what went wrong with the Double Bay restaurant, and what h
Why this smartphone boss called time on saying yes to everything
Why this smartphone boss called time on saying yes to everything May 25, 2026 1101 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 advice also made the smartphone boss realise the importance of saying no. On this week
What this CEO of a drinks company learnt from the tech industry
What this CEO of a drinks company learnt from the tech industry May 18, 2026 1182 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. Sahasrabuddhe’s stint was a success, but there were also failures. The experience le
What this executive learnt from working for Kerry Packer
What this executive learnt from working for Kerry Packer May 11, 2026 1261 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, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out why the former politician traded a Packer deal-making r

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