Ashurst Business Agenda Podcast

Our latest Outpacing Change episode takes us to Gotenburg, Sweden and an insightful discussion with Volvo Trucks Director of Environment and Innovation, Lars Martensson, and the innovative world of electric, autonomous and connected freight solutions aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the logistics sector and improve road safety.     Quality, safety and environmental care are three themes that have been synonymous with the Volvo brand since its inception in 1927, and today the company remains razor focused on their importance, “I work with what is fun and what is important. Environment is what is really important, while fun is obviously innovation,” states Volvo Trucks, Director of Environment and Innovation Lars Martensson, “In my role I primarily think about climate and circularity.” Volvo Trucks' commitment to innovation in creating electric, autonomous, and connected trucks, which not only advance the industry but also significantly reduce the environmental impact of freight transport is central to Martensson’s work where his focus on developing sustainable technologies steers the company's dedication to environmental stewardship and its leading role in moving towards a more sustainable future.In the episode, Lars emphasises the concept of circularity as a longstanding practice at Volvo Trucks that is becoming even more pertinent today, while discussing the company's approach to integrating recycled materials into new trucks, ensuring longevity, and enabling the remanufacturing of parts. The synergy between different branches of Volvo, and across the industry, is presented as a critical factor in driving forward these environmental initiatives. The power of partnership and collaboration in achieving rapid change is a strong theme in Outpacing Change episodes and is critical too at Volvo Trucks. Lars mentions the importance of working together with suppliers, customers, transport buyers like Amazon and IKEA, and energy companies to implement new technologies and ensure access to green energy and infrastructure. This collaboration is viewed as essential to meeting climate goals and adhering to the Paris Agreement, and Volvo Trucks positions itself as a leader in fostering these necessary alliances. “Our mantra in a way is that partnership is the new leadership,” Lars concludes.  The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, which forms part of a special Powering Change mini-series, we look at the current energy-from-waste (EfW) market, flag the major opportunities and challenges, and consider what lies ahead. Ashurst's 2024 Powering Change report shows that energy-from-waste is one of the core technologies of the energy transition, with 41% of surveyed G20 energy sector leaders currently investing or planning to invest in EfW. So, in this podcast episode, we pause to consider recent developments and the current state of the market. We discuss how, in the UK’s maturing market, funders are adjusting their risk tolerance levels, and we explore how the Emissions Trading Scheme and other challenges are impacting the sector. We also cast our eyes overseas, to consider opportunities in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. And we discuss how the EfW industry may evolve in the years ahead. This discussion features Ashurst partner Cameron Smith alongside two fellow experts on energy transition and infrastructure: Stefan Barrow and Andrew Howie. Stefan is a director in the infrastructure team at  MUFG ,. Andrew Howie is director of EfW Development at Encyclis. To listen to this episode, and to subscribe to future episodes, search for “Ashurst Business Agenda” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our latest episode of 2032 and Beyond, our podcast mini-series focusing on the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we explain how circular economy models will help government and businesses deliver a climate-positive Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our guests in this episode are Jodie Bricout, who leads Aurecon's dedicated circular economy team, and Andrew McCormack, an Ashurst partner in the Projects and Energy Transition team. Together with Ashurst host Mike Duggan, they unpack Brisbane 2032's contractual commitment to being the first climate-positive Games and the vital role that circular economy models must play. Jodie shares her expertise as a recognised expert in the circular economy and life cycle thinking by emphasising the importance of having suppliers understand the environmental impacts of their products and highlighting the lessons learned from the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London and Paris. Andrew explains how collaboration will be paramount to creating the circular systems that government and businesses require. He describes how legal advisors can help parties feel comfortable sharing data and removing barriers to innovation and outlines the likely contractual impacts for projects that promote the circular economy. This podcast contains general information and does not constitute legal advice. Ashurst is not a sponsor, licensee, or promotional partner of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Olympic movement, nor any Olympic body, event, team, or athlete. Nothing in this podcast is intended to suggest any such sponsorship, licence, or promotional affiliationSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our first episode of our new Future Forces mini-series, Ashurst Australia partner Ratha Nabanidham, who specialises in mergers and acquisitions with particular expertise in the infrastructure, energy and resources sectors, speaks to the Head of Global Infrastructure at QIC, Ross Israel, and Mark Barges, Ashurst partner in our Paris projects practice about the expected extraordinary growth and innovation in the world’s infrastructure sector. In this episode, three infrastructure experts discuss how megatrends, such as the race to net zero and accelerated digitalisation, present incredible infrastructure opportunities for construction, transport and IT companies. They share an overview of how infrastructure investment has changed over the past five years, the outlook of the infrastructure sector and why the infrastructure industry should embrace the concept of "resilience". They also discuss how government and businesses can overcome barriers to build a platform for communities to thrive in the future. For more information on the economic, geopolitical, and social megatrends to watch out for and the capabilities infrastructure businesses require to navigate these trends and tap the opportunities for growth, read the Future Forces Infrastructure report here. To get a flavour of the topics we'll explore in our future episodes, you can check out our Future Forces 2023 Report, which highlights the megatrends that will shape businesses over the next decade. Read it here.  The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A brand new podcast mini-series is coming to Ashurst's Business Agenda. In each episode, we’ll discuss the major forces shaping the future of different industries – and how business leaders can get on the front foot.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this new episode of our Outpacing Change series, Australian futurist Dr Ben Hamer offers a glimpse of the future of work and explains how business leaders can rise to an array of strategic challenges and opportunities. This entertaining conversation between Ben and Andy tackles generative AI, climate change, hybrid working, career planning, and much more. Climate change. Geopolitical conflict. Artificial intelligence. Rising energy costs. The list goes on. “This is arguably the most challenging environment that business leaders have ever had to work through,” reflects Australian futurist Dr Ben Hamer. “A lot of leaders are coming to me asking ‘Where do I start? There's so many things coming at me, where do I focus?’” In this episode of Outpacing Change, Ben provides some strategies to help leaders answer these questions. He discusses how to balance short-term and long-term challenges and, along the way, he explores: Low unemployment and employee value propositions: Why the factors that make people join an organisation are not the same as the factors that make them stay. The next wave of generative AI: How ChatGPT is only the tip of the iceberg, and why organisations will be hiring more AI managers in the years ahead. (“If there was one specific thing that I would encourage people to do after listening to this podcast, it would be to watch a YouTube video on Prompt Engineering.”) Future careers: How professionals need to “hack” their daily routines, to prepare for the multiple careers they will have tomorrow. (“We need to be spending 15% of our working week upskilling and reskilling in order to remain current. Not to get ahead of the game – but just to remain current.”) While acknowledging the many challenges that business leaders will face in the coming years, Ben remains upbeat about the future. “There's a lot of talk at the moment that ‘the robots are coming to take our jobs’. And the thing to really remember with this is most of the jobs that exist today are still going to exist in 10 years’ time. They're just going to look very different because of technology ... I see the exciting potential of technology and automation, and how it help us do our jobs better, rather than necessarily replacing and displacing us.” The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Ashurst's Global Chair Karen Davies is joined by James Harayda, skipper and team principal at the Gentoo Sailing team to discuss the topic of resilience. James will be one of up to forty competitors in November 2024, lining up for the start from Brittany and France for the Vendée Globe race. James and the other competitors will have very little sleep, usually obtaining snatches of 40-90 minutes and contact with the outside world will be by way of text, email and radio exchanges from time to time. It is most noticeable that the closet people to the competitors at times will be astronauts on the International Space Station, as they will be several thousand miles from the nearest land. James discusses the importance of having resilience when it comes to the twenty-four hour, eighty day solo race. Revealing how he relaxes during races and sharing his tips for managing stress, fear and pressure - which are useful for anyone in business. Ashurst are delighted to have partnered with Gentoo Sailing Team whose innovative vision and sustainability ambitions reflect our own. To find out more about our partnership, visit our partnership page. The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Ashurst Partner Cameron Smith is joined by James Harayda, skipper and team principle at the Gentoo Sailing team. Businesses need to be able to adapt in the ever changing political and economic climate, law firms with regulatory changes, clients' evolving needs and risk changes. Failing to adapt brings a whole host of challenges and the same can be said for the world's top sport professionals. As a solo offshore yacht racer, James is the navigator, tactician, helmsman, crew, sail maker, electrician, rigger and hydraulics expert. He discusses how he prepares for each race and the importance of adapting throughout it. James also considers what parallels businesses can learn from offshore sailing. Ashurst are delighted to have partnered with Gentoo Sailing Team whose innovative vision and sustainability ambitions reflect our own. To find out more about our partnership, visit our partnership page. The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inspired by nature, Pierre Paslier and his colleagues at Notpla are reinventing food packaging to protect the environment and end single-use plastic packaging. Last year, the world used 139 million tonnes of single-use plastics, up from 133 million tonnes in 2019 – a one kilogram per person increase. Made from oil, these plastics now generate as much greenhouse gas emissions as the United Kingdom, according to recent analysis by the Minderoo Foundation. And many of these plastics will clutter up the earth for hundreds of years before they finally biodegrade. In this episode of our Outpacing Change mini-series, we meet a visionary who is determined to reverse this trend. As co-founder of Notpla, Pierre Paslier, is literally making packaging that disappears. Notpla’s packaging solutions are made from seaweed and plants that is biodegradable and home compostable. This is a conversation that covers the highs and lows Pierre’s journey. From experiments and crowdfunding in his student kitchen in London, to breakthrough products and winning the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for the environment. Along the way, Pierre shares his tips for business leaders who are seeking to introduce radical change, and he reveals a mega trend that could make or break their organisations. This episode is part of Ashurst’s special Outpacing Change mini-series that includes a collection of conversations with innovators and disruptors who have challenged the status-quo and are changing the world around them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Innovator and entrepreneur Wayne Gerard outlines the ambitious sustainability goals of the 2032 Brisbane Games, and the huge potential for businesses and communities to play a part. Our special guest in this episode is Wayne Gerard, founder of tech company Red Eye, the Immediate Past Queensland Chief Entrepreneur, and currently a member of the 2032 Games Legacy Committee. In the latter role, Wayne is taking a holistic view of what the lasting legacy of the Games will be for Queensland – spanning economy, community, the environment, and more. “We're thinking about all of the infrastructure that gets built to enable us to deliver the Games – and how do we make that climate positive?” explains Wayne. “We're thinking about the actual Games themselves and how do we make all of the aspects of the Games – the food, the power, the water, the transportation, the venues, the technology – how do we make all of that climate positive?” Further, Wayne says the Committee is considering how the focus on a climate positive legacy can set up the local economy “to be leaders in products and services that are really environmentally friendly, really responsible from a manufacturing perspective, and how we then go on and position ourselves globally to be a leader in that domain.” In conversation with Ashurst’s Michael Duggan, Wayne explains how the Games is considering procurement, talent, and AI. He also has a call to action for businesses and communities across Queensland: “I think every local government is keen to see how their industries, their economy, their businesses can participate in Brisbane 2032. And I encourage people in those local chambers of commerce and local communities to get together and start talking about what they're best in the world at; what they're known for; and what they could do to put their town, their city, their community on the map for Brisbane 2032.” This podcast contains general information and does not constitute legal advice. Ashurst is not a sponsor, licensee, or promotional partner of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Olympic movement, nor any Olympic body, event, team, or athlete. Nothing in this podcast is intended to suggest any such sponsorship, licence, or promotional affiliation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Ashurst Risk Advisory Director Michael Duggan and Partner in the Project and Energy Transition Team, Andrew McCormack are interviewed by Ashurst’s Global Leader Client Centre of Excellence Kim Wiegand, about their opinions and insights into the sustainable infrastructure themes and measures to come out of the Brisbane 2032 Master Plan and recently released Elevate 2042 consultation paper, including sustainable stadium developments, transport and environmental and social stewardship initiatives. Andrew talks about some of the recent sustainable stadium developments in Australia and overseas that the 2032 Brisbane Games can look to as benchmarks for sustainability (“Suncorp Stadium features energy-efficient lighting, water-efficient fixtures and a rainwater harvesting system for irrigation”). Michael also speaks about what the infrastructure legacy of the Games looks like sharing the four themes of the Elevate 2042 consultation paper, (“The key to the final legacy plan will be in identifying how these four themes are integrated to enable impact.”) This episode is part of Ashurst’s Beyond 2032 podcast mini-series, that examines the range of important issues which touch on the preparations for, delivery of, and legacy flowing from the 2032 Games. The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life is made up of key moments and for quadruple amputee Cor Hutton, these moments have been significant. In June 2013, Cor nearly lost her life after suffering acute pneumonia and sepsis. Surgeons were forced to amputate both her hands and her legs below the knee. But she didn't let this setback stop her, and the impact that Cor has had since this trauma is truly remarkable. Cor Hutton is the founder of Finding Your Feet a charity that supports families affected by amputation or limb difference. Post amputation, Corr, has broken four world records, has won countless awards and achievements and amazingly has recently had a double hand transplant. In this conversation, Cor shares her lessons and insights into a life that really defines outpacing change and leading from example with courage and compassion. “The difference it makes to me to help other people. It might sound selfless, but it's actually almost selfish, it's me taking my mind off myself. I think that's a huge way of staying grounded and real. I think we could all do that more often, listening to other people, putting yourself in other people's positions, trying to imagine what life might be like in someone else's position. And maybe don't take life too seriously.” Cor Hutton. This episode is part of Ashurst’s special Outpacing Change mini-series that includes a collection of conversations with innovators and disruptors who have challenged the status-quo and are changing the world around them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transport innovator Jeral Poskey reflects on his extraordinary career journey – from rural Texas and Washington DC, to Stanford and Silicon Valley – and explains his passion for better connecting cities and communities. In this episode, Swyft Cities CEO Jeral Poskey explains how he turned his personal passion for transport into a formidable career. While at Google’s real estate division, Jeral began a plan to get people to work conveniently which, in turn, helped the company get the green light to build more office space. “That’s when the light bulb went off for our leadership,” he recalls. “Solving these transportation problems allows you to print more land – and in Silicon Valley, that’s printing money. So now we could come up with all sorts of crazy transportation ideas and [attribute] a return on investment to them.” At that point, transportation became strategic for Google, explains Jeral. “It wasn’t just an employee service any more it was a strategic element in Google’s real estate plans and office plans … The mandate was there to find a [transport] solution, prove a return on investment, and then make it happen.” After a process of testing and learning, Jeral and his colleagues introduced smart gondolas with autonomous cabins that travel on fixed cables – moving passengers at a lower cost per mile with fewer carbon emissions than conventional transport alternatives. Jeral and the core team have since left Google and, with Swyft Cities, they are in the process of bringing their innovative mobility to public and private real estate projects across the globe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Find out how social enterprise entrepreneur Kimberley Abbott blends business savvy, ethical intent and engineering know-how in her ground-breaking FinTech start-up Vested Impact. About this episode How do you solve the world’s biggest problems? That’s what CEO and Founder Kimberley Abbott wrote on her whiteboard one day that set in train the origin story for Vested Impact, a FinTech company whose mission is to redefine what it is to be a millionaire. “The single biggest impact a business leader can have in achieving meaningful change is to pick a solution to a problem that matters. For us it meant redefining what it is to be a millionaire to be a person who impacts millions of lives.” Kimberley Abbott, CEO and Founder of Vested Impact. In this episode, Kimberley discusses how setting up a social enterprise in India as a 21 year old, influenced her decision to want to create scale and make a positive and world changing impact on as many lives as possible. Kim worked for the United Nations on her way to establishing Vested Impact and its unique algorithm that enables people to make decisions on where to invest their money based on where it makes the biggest impact on society. This episode is part of Ashurst’s special Outpacing Change mini-series that includes a collection of conversations with innovators and disruptors who have challenged the status-quo and are changing the world around them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A collection of conversations with innovators and disruptors who have challenged the status-quo and are changing the world around them. Make sure you don't miss our Outpacing Change mini-series, subscribe to Ashurst Business Agenda on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crown Estate's Dan Labbad delves into how placemaking impacts people's land, lives, leisure and learning. Placemaking is about much more than bricks and mortar – it directly affects people’s employment, leisure, education, and communities. In this wide-ranging interview, special guest Dan Labbad joins Richard Vernon to reflect on how placemaking can contribute to social and economic prosperity – and why collaboration and partnerships are more vital now than ever. As CEO of The Crown Estate, Dan certainly has a unique perspective to share on placemaking. His organisation occupies the space between the private and public sector, with a portfolio that includes city and country properties across the UK, including a substantial rural holding and Windsor Great Park. It also manages the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland and plays a major role in the UK’s offshore wind sector. In this podcast, Dan talks with Ashurst partner Richard Vernon about how placemaking can rise to the challenges of climate change, threats to the natural world, and social sustainability. And they discuss the need for learning, experimentation and collaboration to enable long-term social mobility. “We’ve got to be careful not to over-corporatise placemaking,” says Dan. “This is ultimately about people, families, and communities.” This episode forms part of Ashurst’s Reimagining Real Estate Campaign, which also includes Richard Vernon’s previous podcast interview with British Land’s David Lockyer. The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Infrastructure leaders Adrian Dwyer  from Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and James Heath  from the UK’s National Infrastructure Commission talk with Ashurst's Harvey Weaver about how their sector can help address some pressing global challenges. Climate change. Supply chain shortages. Cost of living pressures. The list goes on. There’s a dizzying array of challenges facing today’s business and government leaders. Given the right funding, strategy, and creativity, the infrastructure sector could play its part in addressing these challenges, including helping nations like the UK and Australia hit ambitious net zero targets. That’s the message from infrastructure leaders in this episode of Ashurst Business Agenda, who call for greater collaboration and long-term policy settings from governments. “What we’d like to see is governments focus [on intervention] where there is genuine market failure,” says Adrian Dwyer from Infrastructure Partnerships Australia. “But those interventions should be first and foremost by setting the rules of the game not playing the game... because [getting directly involved] inevitably begins to distort the incentives which begets more intervention.” James Heath, from the UK’s National Infrastructure Commission, adds that the UK government has set positive climate goals in many areas. For those to be achieved, he says, the government needs to provide consistent, long-term policy to give investors greater confidence. This podcast conversation reflects on issues raised at the McKinsey Global infrastructure Initiative Summit, recently held in Tokyo. The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this second episode of our mini-series on psychosocial risk you'll hear how organisation’s can get ahead of the curve and crucially, what to start or stop doing to achieve the productivity and strategic benefits that comes from having a mentally healthy and safe workplace. You’ll hear about the regulatory complexity across Australia and the importance of organisation’s to look inwards and be authentic to ensure that the actions taken to respond to psychosocial risk truly drive the values and behaviors of the business. For leaders it’s all about asking the right questions. Do you have the right information to be able to address the risk? And what tools do you need to ensure you get it right? The episode features four experts on psychosocial risk, Trent Sebbens, Employment and Safety Partner at Ashurst, Anthony Gibbs, CEO of Sentis, Tony Morris, Partner at Ashurst Risk Advisory, and Amy Hawkes, a leading psychologist from Sentis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psychosocial risk has shot up corporate agendas in the past 12 months becoming a critical feature for an organisations safety landscape. Leaders and organisations must not only come to grips with what psychosocial risk is, and why it's so vital to operations, but also what needs to happen to address it. In this first episode, Ashurst announces its partnership with cultural transformation specialists Sentis who support a range of businesses through safety and cultural diagnostics to discuss what psychosocial risk is, why it's a hot topic, and the trends developing across the market. Importantly, the episode shares genuine insights and practical considerations in order to manage the risk and what the partnership with Sentis means for Ashurst clients. The episode features four eminent authorities on psychosocial risk, Trent Sebbens, Employment and Safety Partner at Ashurst, Anthony Gibbs, CEO of Sentis, Tony Morris, Partner at Ashurst Risk Advisory, and Amy Hawkes, a leading psychologist from Sentis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Brisbane 2032 Games promises to be a game changer to the way we view global events. As the world's first climate-positive Olympic games, the Brisbane games is set to be the catalyst for some of Australia’s largest infrastructural, cultural, and technological projects. Ashurst has extensive experience in the delivery of global games, including creating mandates for the Olympics in Sydney, London, and Tokyo, and currently in the delivery of the Melbourne 2026 Commonwealth Games. Throughout the 2032 and Beyond series, experts at Ashurst will showcase the common challenges and themes for the incoming Brisbane 2032 Games. In this episode, Ashurst Global Lead for the Client Centre of Excellence, Kim Wiegand, speaks to Transport and Infrastructure partner, Andrew McCormack, and Ashurst Risk Advisory business director, Mike Duggan, who specialises in strategy and sustainability, on the key concepts in the planning for the 2032 Games; legacy and climate-positivity.  This not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.