The Interview Australia

Peter Freedman AM is the self-made billionaire maverick behind one of Australia’s greatest manufacturing success stories. As the Founder and Chairman of RØDE Microphones, he turned a near-bankrupt family electronics business in 1987 into a global powerhouse—now exporting to over 120 countries, manufacturing everything in Sydney, and used by the world’s leading content creators, filmmakers, musicians, and broadcasters. Bold, driven, and obsessively hands-on, Peter is more than a tech entrepreneur—he’s a fierce advocate for Australian manufacturing, design excellence, and innovation on home soil. He famously reverse-engineered his first microphone in 1990, and never looked back—building vertically integrated factories filled with robots, launching revolutionary products like the VideoMic and RØDECaster, and acquiring global brands like Mackie, Lectrosonics, Aphex and SoundField under the Freedman Group. Awarded Member of the Order of Australia in 2016, and named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014, Peter is as well known for his philanthropy as he is for his products—donating millions to arts, mental health, and design, including a record-breaking purchase of Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged guitar, which he turned into cultural capital for Australia. Blunt, brilliant, and deeply committed to legacy, he’s said: “I’m not a capitalist. I just love winning.” This is a story of grit, reinvention, and building global greatness—out of a suburban factory in Sydney. Founder & Host | Rob Langton #ausbiz #billionaire #richlist #businessnews #businessaustralia #businessau #rode #peterfreedman #rodemicrophones #theinterviewau #theinterview #readymedia

In this exclusive feature profile, we sit down with one of Australia’s most enduring and visionary entrepreneurs — Malcolm Steinberg. Born and raised in Perth in the 1940s, Malcolm’s entrepreneurial journey began at just 18 years old, when he acquired 21 pinball machines from a relative and began placing them in corner stores, milk bars, and pubs across the city. That humble venture marked the beginning of what would become a pioneering career in the world of interactive entertainment. In 1978, Malcolm launched the first Timezone in downtown Perth — a bold move that would ultimately redefine family entertainment across the Asia-Pacific. Over the decades, Timezone grew from a single arcade into a global entertainment powerhouse, with venues in Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Along the way, Malcolm also founded LAI Games, a Perth-based arcade game manufacturer that has produced some of the world’s most iconic and innovative machines — exporting to over 50 countries worldwide. But his legacy doesn’t stop at business. In honour of his grandmother, a Russian immigrant and early inspiration, Malcolm established the Malka Foundation — a philanthropic venture focused on empowering young people and supporting social enterprise across Australia. In this conversation, we explore the full arc of Malcolm’s journey: from his early days in suburban Perth, to building Timezone into a generational brand, to giving back through the Malka Foundation. Along the way, he shares lessons on reinvention, risk, and building businesses that endure. The Interview | Australia's most watched business program. Founder & Host | Rob Langton Produced & distributed exclusively | Ready Media Group. Further Information: https://readymedia.com.au/ https://www.lai.com.au/ #ausbiz #businessnews #richlist #malcolmsteinberg #theinterviewaustralia

In this exclusive profile, Michael Dempsey, Founder of Ezidebit shares his remarkable journey in building & scaling his global payments business prior to selling for $305m in 2014. Michael Dempsey is a prominent Australian entrepreneur and investor, best known for founding Ezidebit, a leading payments processing company that revolutionized the way Australian businesses manage electronic transactions. Starting in 1998, Michael leveraged his engineering background to create a scalable platform that rapidly gained traction in the market. Ezidebit grew to become one of the most trusted names in payment solutions, processing billions of dollars annually. In 2014, the company was acquired by Global Payments, marking a significant milestone in Michael’s career. After his success with Ezidebit, Michael shifted his focus to investment through Pipeline Capital, his family office established to target high-growth industries, particularly fintech. With his entrepreneurial expertise and a deep understanding of both technology and business operations, Michael now invests in innovative companies, helping them scale and thrive in competitive markets. Throughout his career, Michael has shown a keen ability to identify market gaps, develop technology-driven solutions, and lead companies to success. His journey from a tech startup founder to a respected investor demonstrates his vision, leadership, and commitment to fostering innovation in the Australian business landscape. Founder & Host - Rob Langton Produced exclusively by Ready Media Group. https://readymedia.com.au/ https://pipecapital.com/ #ausbiz #businessnews #richlist #theinterviewau #readymedia

Today, we are privileged to sit down with Karl Morris, the CEO and Managing Director of Ord Minnett, one of Australia’s leading wealth management and financial services firms. With over 30 years of experience in the financial industry, Karl’s leadership has been pivotal in steering Ord Minnett through significant growth and adaptation in an ever-changing market. A proud Brisbane native, Karl’s career path began with a foundation in business and commerce, earning his degree at Griffith University, before joining Ord Minnett in 1990. Over the years, he has held various leadership roles, including State Manager, Branch Manager, and Executive Chairman, before becoming CEO in 2004. Under Karl’s stewardship, Ord Minnett has maintained its reputation for excellence in client service and strategic growth, all while navigating the evolving landscape of financial technology, market trends, and regulatory changes. In this exclusive feature profile, we’ll explore his journey, the evolution of Ord Minnett, and his insights on the future of financial services.

Joining our program on this episode is self-made billionaire Grant Petty - the founder and CEO of Blackmagic Design, the company behind some of the most game-changing technology in the film, television, and live production industries. From cinema cameras to colour grading software to live switchers, Blackmagic has redefined what’s possible—and who gets access to it. What started in Grant’s garage in Melbourne is now powering everything from Hollywood blockbusters to independent YouTube channels. But more than a tech founder, Grant is a filmmaker at heart—driven by a belief that creativity shouldn’t be held back by cost or complexity. In this conversation, we dive into the early days of Blackmagic, how Grant’s rural upbringing influenced his approach to innovation, and why he’s so obsessed with democratising creativity. Founder & Host - Rob Langton

Our guest on today’s episode is investment legend, Morry Waked - the low profile but high-achieving Founding Principal & Managing Director of Vinva Investment Management. Vinva Investment Management is an independent, global investment firm that specialises in managing active equity strategies across Australian & global equity markets, with a remarkable $25bn of funds under management - in 2024, Magellan acquired a minority equity stake in Vinva for a reported $138.5m. Prior to founding Vinva in 2010, Morry’s career encapsulated a diverse range of positions including Global Head & Chief Investment Officer of Barclays Global Investors – BGI for short - (Global Active Equities), Chief Executive Officer of Barclays Global Investors (Australia & New Zealand), Head of Australian Equities at BGI and Head of Quantitative Research at Rothschild Asset Management. In 2023, Morry was inducted into the Australian Fund Manager Hall of Fame as one of only twenty-two fund managers since its inception. He is a Graduate of Macquarie University, having completed both a Masters degree and a Bachelors degree in Economics, majoring in actuarial science and statistics. In this exclusive feature-length profile, Morry shares his journey, from the son of a taxi driver to the pinnacle of financial markets, along the way charting the challenges he encountered, the opportunities he pursued and the lessons he’s learnt from a lifetime in one of the most competitive industries in the World. Founder & Host - Rob Langton https://readymedia.com.au/ https://vinva.com/

In this exclusive feature profile, Perth businessman, investor & rich-lister Ross Norgard shares his business career - from working as a chartered accountant in the halcyon days that was Western Australia in the 1980's, to the high-achieving deal-maker famed for rescuing and listing hundreds of businesses on the ASX over a four plus decade journey. More recently, Ross was the Founding Chairman of NearMap - a business that was acquired by US private equity in a $1.1bn deal and currently invests privately in a number of mining, property & technology ventures. Founder & Host - Rob Langton https://readymedia.com.au/

An exclusive profile of self-made multi-millionaire & entrepreneur, Rory Vassallo - sharing his extraordinary self-made journey in building one of Australia’s most successful childcare businesses, ultimately culminating in a circa $65m deal to sell 22 centres to G8 Education in 2014 before embarking on a number of private ventures including more recently, taking back management control of fourteen centres. In this fascinating discussion, Rory reflects for the very first time on his background, early endeavours, business career and the fundamentals required for overcoming challenges & chasing long-term success. Founder & Host - Rob Langton Produced by Ready Media Group.

We’re fortunate to have the opportunity to be joined on today’s episode with Nick Wakim - the self-made Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix Lithium, a pure-play developer embarking on a globally significant journey to become one of the World’s largest producers of lithium. Born in Melbourne to parents of Lebanese heritage, Nick’s upbringing saw him move multiple times across the World from an early age, transitioning variously across Papua New Guinea, Lebanon, England & Chicago. Emulating the entrepreneurial pursuits of his father, Nick’s business career has taken him across the World, from securing landmark deals across the Middle East to acting as a corporate advisor, personal investor & macro strategist to individuals, companies & Governments across a range of industries. Prior to launching Phoenix Lithium in 2009, Nick was involved in the establishment of a number of businesses including Vision Financial Group, a business that provided corporate finance & advisory services, Intercorp Group, an organisation that led joint venture & technology transfers and Phoenix Group, a business through which he advised senior ministers of Australia and Saudi Arabia on trade negotiations. Under Nick’s leadership, Phoenix Lithium is today best known for their remarkable pursuit to create North America’s largest lithium project, with their East Brawley project combining an enormous 23,000 acres of surface & mineral rights through which the company projects to be able extract enough lithium to produce in excess of a million electric vehicles per annum. Alongside his professional commitments, Nick established the Wakim Family Office (WFO), a private investment vehicle through which he deploys capital across residential & commercial real estate, technology ventures & horse- breeding. Owing to personal tragedy, Nick also founded the Farid Wakim Foundation in 2023 through which the family channel their philanthropic endeavours. In this rare & exclusive profile, Nick shares his extraordinary journey in both life & business, filmed on-location at his private residence in Melbourne, Australia. Founder & Host | Rob Langton Proudly produced & distributed exclusively via Ready Media Group. Further Information: https://www.phoenixlithium.com/ https://readymedia.com.au/ Subscribe | www.youtube.com/theinterviewau

Joining our series for his first exclusive, in-depth profile is self-made businessman & healthcare entrepreneur Dennis Bastas - Executive Chairman & CEO of DBG Health, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Arrotex Pharmaceuticals and Chairman of burgeoning consumer health enterprise, VidaCorp. In this exclusive interview, Dennis takes us on a journey throughout his remarkable career, from the pivotal moments that led him into the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, to the growth and evolution of DBG Health - along the way, exploring the key lessons, achievements, challenges, and successes that have led him to become one of Australia’s preeminent businesspeople. Founder & Host | Rob Langton Proudly produced & distributed exclusively via Ready Media Group. Further Information: https://readymedia.com.au/ https://dbghealth.com.au/

Joining our program in this exclusive feature profile is Tony Quinn - Founder of Quinn Family Office. A visionary, pioneer & the man with the Midas touch, Tony’s remarkable business success is a journey across three Countries, wherein his innate corporate nous combined with a relentless work ethic has enabled him to scale to the top of a diverse range of industry sectors including fresh pet food, confectionary, motorsport & commercial real estate investment. Though perhaps best known for his early success as the founder & driving force behind global market leader VIP Petfoods, the business he established from the ground up in 1994 before selling a majority stake to Quadrant Private Equity in a $410m transaction in 2015, Tony’s business achievements extend far beyond the VIP deal & incorporate a number of other triumphs; not least of which being the rapid turnaround & re-structuring of the infamous Darrell Lea Confectionary business, a company he acquired in 2012 for $25m before selling six years later in a $200m deal. Alongside his well popularised feats with both VIP & Darrell Lea Confectionary, The culmination of this financial success over a long period of time led to Tony establishing his own private investment vehicle Quinn Family Office (Quinnfinity Group) in 2015, a company through which he channels his considerable resources & expertise to invest in a broad spectrum of domestic and international businesses, commercial property assets throughout the World & venture opportunities. In this rare & exclusive profile produced and distributed by Ready Media Group, Tony Quinn details his extraordinary life, from growing up in a caravan in Aberdeen, Scotland to becoming one of the World’s most successful self-made business owners & investors - this is Tony Quinn, in his own words, filmed in his adopted hometown on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Australia. Founder & Host - Rob Langton.

Joining our program on this episode is prolific developer, agricultural investor & businessman Gerard O’Brien - Founder & Director of Silverleaf Investments, a privately held commercial real estate investment company. For over three decades, Gerard has been an instrumental figure across Western Australia’s real estate & business communities, playing an integral role particularly throughout Fremantle wherein his award-winning retail, commercial and residential projects have significantly added too & boosted the appeal of the City.

 Alongside his development / re-development projects in Fremantle, Gerard also has extensive commercial holdings throughout Perth & Hobart in addition to a number of private farming interests. In this exclusive profile, Gerard walks us through his background, his approach to real estate investment & development, how the Cities of Fremantle, Perth and Hobart have evolved over recent decades & the types of opportunities he sees on the horizon for sophisticated investors. Founder & Host - Rob Langton Proudly produced & distributed exclusively via Ready Media Group. https://readymedia.com.au/

Joining our program on this episode in what is a unique & exclusive profile is Dan White - a 4th generation, executive member of the venerable White family real estate dynasty who currently serves as Managing Director of Ray White Group & Chairman of White & Partners. Established in 1902, the Ray White Group is Australia’s largest & most successful real estate agency business, encompassing some twelve thousand plus members working across over a thousand agency offices throughout Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong & the Middle East. Now it’s fourth generation of family leadership, Dan White was appointed Managing Director of the Ray White Group in 2015 wherein he leads the businesses diverse global operations, managing turnover that exceeds $35bn per annum, as well as serving as Founder & Chairman of the family’s private investment office, Ray White Capital, a business he established in 2001.

 In this exclusive interview, Dan discusses the remarkable journey & success behind the Ray White Group, his personal career trajectory & learnings from his time at Arthur Anderson and Macquarie Bank, the opportunities and challenges involved in running a 12,000 person international business and the importance of legacy in maintaining the sustainability of the Ray White Group business for its future custodians. Founder & Host - Rob Langton https://readymedia.com.au/ https://www.raywhite.com/people/dan-white

Joining our program on this episode is Denis Wagner, Co-Founder & Non Executive Chairman of Wagners and Director of Wagner Corporation. With a family association to Queensland’s Darling Downs region that predates an astonishing one-hundred-and-fifty years, Wagners & Wagner Corporation are unquestionably two of Australia’s largest and most successful businesses, with operations across manufacturing, construction, commercial property, aviation and mining services. Tracing its roots back to 1896 when your great grandfather started business in this region, Wagners was officially established in 1989 as a partnership between Denis, his father Henry & siblings John and Neill Wagner. The firm launched with a single concrete plant, added a second in 1996 and by 2010 was operating 19 concrete plants in fixed locations throughout Queensland in addition to expanding it’s construction materials operations both domestically and globally including in composite fibre technologies, bulk haulage, aggregates & earth-friendly concrete. Over the course of the past three decades, Wagners has solidified its reputation with the firm being selected by blue-chip companies throughout Australia to deliver an enviable list of landmark projects - in 2012, Wagners undertook its own Nation-changing project with the construction of the circa $200m Wellcamp Airport, the first commercial airport to be built in Australia since the 1960’s. In less than two years, construction of Toowoomba’s Wellcamp Airport was complete, with seventy-five scheduled flights a week including direct cargo flights into Asia - the precinct now also includes Wellcamp Business Park, a 500 hectare estate that incorporates aviation maintenance & training, manufacturing, factory outlets, transport logistics, warehousing & distribution and commodity processing. Across both the listed entity, Wagners, and the private family business, Wagner Corporation, the Wagner Family now employ some 1,100 personnel with revenues exceeding $500m per annum. In this rare and exclusive profile, Denis discusses the family’s long-held ties to Toowoomba, the launch and evolution of both Wagners and Wagner Corporation, the fundamental lessons & skills required for success that he’s learnt across his career & what the next chapter in the remarkable Wagner family story will look like over the years ahead. Host - Rob Langton Proudly produced by Ready Media Group.

Joining our program on this episode is prolific entrepreneur Jamie Pherous - Founder & Managing Director of Corporate Travel Management. Launched in 1994 as a start-up with just two personnel, Corporate Travel Management (CTM) has since grown to become one of Australia’s largest home-grown business success stories. As of May 2024, the firm boasts a market capitalisation in excess of $2.2bn, revenues exceeding $500m per year and some 3,000 staff stationed across the World including in Europe, North America & Asia. In this exclusive interview, Jamie unpacks his background, the launch and evolution of CTM, the fundamentals required for delivering sustained success & the opportunities and challenges he’s encountered across a corporate career spanning more than three decades. Proudly produced and distributed exclusively by Ready Media Group. Hosted by Rob Langton.

Joining our program on this episode to share what is undoubtedly one of Australia’s most remarkable self-made business success stories is Billionaire Trevor Lee, Founder & Principal of Australian Country Choice Group- the largest & most successful, privately-owned, vertically integrated beef processing company in Australia. In this rare & exclusive profile of one of Australia’s most successful yet private businessman, Trevor charts his incredibly journey, from being told his academic future was limited whilst a student at Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar School, to working the harsh lands of Queensland’s rugged, remote environments, ultimately culminating in the decision to follow his instincts & launch his own a business - a business which has changed not just an industry, but a Nation too, all the while cementing his legacy & the legacy of future generations of the Lee Family for decades to come.

Joining our series on this episode is Co-Founder & Managing Director of ACFS Port Logistics, Arthur Tzaneros. Alongside his father Terry, Arthur launched ACFS in 2005, growing the business over the course of the past two decades to become Australia’s largest private owned container logistics operator. With National operations across transport, warehousing and freight logistics, ACFS has some 1,500 personnel working across company-owned facilities in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane & Auckland, providing a diverse range of services to its blue-chip customers including Bunnings, Coles, Nestle, Kmart & Super Retail Group. Arthur was born in Sydney & attended The Scots College, graduating in 1995 before working across the logistics sector in New South Wales including as General Manager, NSW for Smith Brothers Trade & Transport and NSW Landside Logistics Manager for P&O Transport Australia. In this exclusive interview, Arthur shares the extraordinary journey of ACFS, the opportunities & challenges he’s encountered throughout his business career & the key learnings that have driven his success.

Joining our series for an exclusive feature profile is Jack Hutchinson - Director & Board Member of Australia's oldest & most successful privately-owned construction firm, Hutchinson Builders. Established in 1912, Hutchinson Builders is one of Australia's preeminent construction firms, having completed a remarkable 7,500 projects with an end value in excess of $35bn. Jack is a qualified quantity surveyor and a licenced builder. He holds an MBA from the London Business School and a Bachelor of Property (QS & CM) from Bond University. Before being appointed as a Director in 2022, Jack worked across various project and operational roles within Hutchies, as well as within other property, construction, and financial firms in both Australia and the United Kingdom. Proudly produced by Ready Media Group. https://readymedia.com.au/ https://www.hutchinsonbuilders.com.au/

Our special guest on this episode is prolific hospitality entrepreneur & commercial property investor, Graham Hardie - Chairman & Founder of Hardie Finance Corporation & principal of Entertainment Enterprises. A stalwart of Perth’s business scene for over four decades, Graham established and led more than thirty venues across the City including renowned names such as Paramount, Arcadia, Underground, Bill’s, Empire Bar, Havana & Tiger Lil’s. Graduating from Wesley College, Graham studied accounting, later attaining his Chartered Accountancy qualification and rising to become a Partner at a leading firm before launching his first hospitality venture, Knightsbridge’s Eagle One Nightclub in 1979. 
 Whilst continuing to pursue his hospitality interests via Entertainment Enterprises, Graham also diversified into commercial property investment, acquiring & developing a number of significant assets across Northbridge, South Perth, Perth City and Lathlain. 

In addition to his commercial property & hospitality interests, Graham has also sat on the board of a number of public and private companies and currently serves as a Non Executive Director of Peel Mining. In the first & only interview of his extensive career, Graham takes us through his background, his professional accounting career, his pivot into hospitality & property and the key lessons he’s learnt in both life & business along the journey.

In a rare & exclusive profile, Founder of Costa Asset Management & high-profile member of the revered Costa Family dynasty, Robert Costa joins our series on this episode to discuss his diverse professional career which extends across wholesaling, retail, commercial property investment & philanthropy. The son of Sicilian migrants who commenced their grocery business with the purchase & evolution of Geelong’s Covent Garden in the mid 1930’s (originally established in 1888), Robert was born in Geelong and attended St Mary’s Primary School & later, Lovely Bank’s Chanel College. Upon graduation, he joined the family’s rapidly expanding Costa Group fresh produce business in the 1970’s alongside his brothers Frank & Anthony, with the company rising to become Australia’s largest horticultural and fresh produce supplier over the course of the next four decades. Following more than thirty years in a variety of management positions within Costa Group that focussed predominantly on managing the firm’s asset base & liquidity position, Robert launched a new venture, Costa Asset Management, in 2011 alongside his brother Anthony. Today, Costa Asset Management (CAM) functions primarily as an investment office with a diverse portfolio of assets across fixed income, private equity, venture capital, commercial property investment, property development & international real estate. In addition to Costa AM, Robert & the late Anthony Costa jointly founded their philanthropic enterprise, The Anthony Costa Foundation in 2011 which seeks to make a positive impact in the communities in which the family operates in through providing grants, strategic advisory & resources to a range of causes including homelessness, food insecurity, opportunity in education and mental health. Outside of his corporate interests, Robert has also variously held a number of professional roles including Mayor of Geelong West, Chair of Monash & RMIT University’s Global Reconciliation bodies, Chair of the Geelong Region Innovation and Investment Fund, Director of the Geelong Performing Arts Centre Trust & Life Governor of the Barwon Health Foundation. In this exclusive, in-depth interview, Robert shares the insights & achievements behind his distinguished four-decade plus career as well as the fundamentals involved to achieve sustained success in both business & life. Produced and distributed exclusively by Ready Media Group. Host - Rob Langton https://readymedia.com.au/