Director Download

As trust in institutions declines and economic pressures remain high, understanding community sentiment has become a critical capability for boards. In this episode of Director Download, Sue Vercoe, Managing Partner at SEC Newgate and Managing Director of its research practice, explains what her firm's "Mood of the Nation" research reveals about the issues shaping public attitudes in Australia.  Sue discusses why shifts in community sentiment can act as a "canary in the coal mine", highlighting emerging concerns before they translate into policy change, regulatory scrutiny or reputational risk.  She also shares practical advice on bringing external perspectives into the boardroom, understanding stakeholder expectations, building trust, and distinguishing long-term trends from short-term noise.  We cover: (02:00) - The current mood of Australians and how financial pressures are changing the issues people care about.  (05:30) - Why it's critical for boards to pay attention to community sentiment  (08:00) - How organisations can communicate their actions in a way that builds trust and cuts through. (13:30) - How boards can develop a more accurate understanding of what different stakeholder groups actually want. (16:30) - How directors can bridge the distance between the boardroom and the community and challenge their own assumptions.    Learn more: AICD's latest stakeholder guide - https://www.aicd.com.au/news-media/research-and-reports/stakeholder-governance-guide.html  SEC Newgate - https://www.secnewgate.com.au/   Connect:  Sue Vercoe on LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/suevercoe  AICD on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/school/australianinstituteofcompanydirectors/ Kulja Coulston on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kulja-coulston/ Bennett Mason on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennett-mason-10517336/  This episode Director Download was produced on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people. We recognise First Nations peoples' cultural and spiritual relationships to the Skies, Land, Waters, and Seas, and their rich contribution to society. 

As the global economy shifts, some of the biggest opportunities for Australian organisations are emerging much closer to home. Across Asia and ASEAN countries, rapid economic and digital transformation is creating new markets, new competitors and new possibilities for growth.  In this episode, David Olsson, International Director at law firm Mallesons, explores what Asia's next chapter means for Australian boards and their organisations. He examines the geopolitical and economic forces reshaping the region, the opportunities emerging in ASEAN and China, and why long-standing calls to build Asia capability have become more relevant than ever. David challenges some of the assumptions that continue to influence boardroom thinking, including the idea that Asia is a single market and that market access alone is enough to succeed. He shares practical insights on how boards can build resilience, develop capability, understand regional dynamics and position their organisations for long-term success in the region.   We cover: (04:00) Why awareness of geopolitical risk is no longer enough, and the importance of board oversight, scenario planning and mapping offshore dependencies. (07:00) Why Australia's relationship with Asia matters more than ever, and the economic transformation underway across the region.  (10:00) Common misconceptions about doing business in Asia, including treating Asia as a single market and confusing market access with capability.  (18:00) How Australian boards can think about the country's economic relationship with China alongside its strategic relationship with the United States.  (20:30) China's economic trajectory and why David believes Australian directors should see the pace of change firsthand.  (23:00) How Australia is viewed across the region and the opportunity to build on existing goodwill and relationships.  Connect:  David Olsson on LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/david-olsson-am-98457923  AICD on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/school/australianinstituteofcompanydirectors/ Kulja Coulston on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kulja-coulston/ Bennett Mason on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennett-mason-10517336/   This episode Director Download was produced on the traditional lands of the Gadigal and Wurundjeri peoples. We recognise First Nations peoples' cultural and spiritual relationships to the Skies, Land, Waters, and Seas, and their rich contribution to society. 

Australia's positive duty marked a significant shift in how organisations address workplace sexual harassment and sex discrimination, moving the focus from response to prevention.  For boards, this means overseeing how prevention is embedded across workplace culture, leadership, and risk management. In this episode, Australia's Sex Discrimination Commissioner Dr Anna Cody explains what effective board oversight of the positive duty looks like in practice. She shares the questions directors should be asking management, the workforce data and cultural indicators that may signal emerging risk, and the steps boards can take to help create safer, more respectful workplaces.  Dr Cody also discusses progress towards gender equality in senior leadership and how boards can use WGEA data and reporting to better understand workforce trends and drive accountability. We cover: (04:00) What the positive duty changed for organisations and boards (05:00) What workplace sexual harassment can look like in practice, and why misunderstanding the behaviour itself remains a risk. (11:30) The cultural indicators boards should be paying attention to   (07:00) What directors can do when they suspect their board reporting isn't giving them the full picture. (26:00) The actions Dr Cody wants boards to take now   Learn more:  Human Rights Commission positive duty guidance materials, including the Seven Standards - https://humanrights.gov.au/resource-hub/resources-for-organisations-businesses/guidance-materials  AICD, ACSI and Human Rights Commission research into board preparedness for positive duty – https://www.aicd.com.au/organisational-culture/business-ethics/change/positive-duty-preventing-and-responding-to-workplace-sexual-harassment-insights-from-australian-directors.html  AICD guide to positive duty - https://www.aicd.com.au/organisational-culture/business-ethics/change/a-directors-guide-to-the-positive-duty-to-prevent-workplace-sexual-harassment.html   Connect:  Dr Anna Cody on LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/anna-cody-06095156  AICD on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/school/australianinstituteofcompanydirectors/ Kulja Coulston on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kulja-coulston/ Bennett Mason on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennett-mason-10517336/  This episode Director Download was produced on the traditional lands of the Gadigal and Wurundjeri peoples. We recognise First Nations peoples' cultural and spiritual relationships to the Skies, Land, Waters, and Seas, and their rich contribution to society. 

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is one of the world's most widely used customer metrics. It regularly appears on board dashboards, CEO scorecards and executive incentive schemes. But what does it actually measure, and what doesn't it? In this episode of Director Download, Lyndall Spooner, founder of strategic research consultancy 5D, explores why boards should be cautious about treating NPS as a proxy for customer value, growth or business performance. She unpacks the strengths and limitations of the metric, how reputation and external factors can influence results, and the questions directors should ask to better understand what customer data is really telling them. Lyndall also discusses the broader range of customer measures available to boards, and why relying on a single headline score can obscure important insights about customers and long-term value creation.  We cover: (01:30) Why NPS became one of the world's dominant customer experience metrics (07:00) How reputation and negative headlines can influence NPS without necessarily affecting commercial performance (12:00) Why no single customer metric can provide a complete picture (19:30) The questions directors should ask about the source, quality and representativeness of customer data  (26:00) What a more useful customer dashboard could look like, from market position and customer acquisition through to loyalty Learn more: 5D - https://www.5d.consulting/  Connect:  Lyndall Spooner on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndall-spooner-51a69b20/ AICD on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/school/australianinstituteofcompanydirectors/ Kulja Coulston on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kulja-coulston/ Bennett Mason on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennett-mason-10517336/  This episode Director Download was produced on the traditional lands of the Gadigal and Wurundjeri peoples. We recognise First Nations peoples' cultural and spiritual relationships to the Skies, Land, Waters, and Seas, and their rich contribution to society.

The capabilities boards need are changing quickly. As organisations navigate new technologies, shifting stakeholder expectations and an increasingly complex operating environment, finding the right directors has become more strategic than ever.  In this episode of Director Download, René Johnson, Managing Director of Pacific Search Partners, shares insights from the front line of board recruitment.  He explains why boards are looking beyond traditional networks and how a broader search process can help uncover the skills and perspectives needed for the future.  René explains why succession planning should be shaped by future strategy not just immediate vacancies, and why culture, judgement and curiosity matter as much as technical expertise. He also shares the capabilities boards are increasingly seeking, from technology and cybersecurity to AI.  We cover: (01:40) Why succession planning needs to shift from filling vacancies to preparing the board for future strategy. (03:40) How board recruitment has evolved beyond traditional networks and the value of testing candidates against the broader market. (05:30) Why culture, boardroom dynamics and a director's ability to challenge constructively matter when assessing candidates. (08:30) Building diversity into succession planning and why a broader candidate pool can bring different thinking to the boardroom.  (12:00) The capabilities boards are increasingly looking for, including technology, cybersecurity and AI expertise. (15:30) Building diversity into succession planning and why a broader candidate pool can bring different thinking to the boardroom. (24:00)  Where skills matrices fit in identifying the skills and experience a board needs.  Learn more:  You can find more from Rene in the August issue of Company Director Magazine - www.aicd.com.au  Connect:  Rene Johnson on LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/ren%C3%A9-johnson-6bab663  AICD on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/school/australianinstituteofcompanydirectors/ Kulja Coulston on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kulja-coulston/ Bennett Mason on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennett-mason-10517336/  This episode Director Download was produced on the traditional lands of the Gadigal and Wurundjeri peoples. We recognise First Nations peoples' cultural and spiritual relationships to the Skies, Land, Waters, and Seas, and their rich contribution to society.