Very Public Affairs Pod

The Centre for Corporate Public Affairs is a membership-based organisation acknowledged internationally as a thought leader by business leaders, academics and professionals working in the field of corporate public affairs in the Asia-Pacific region. Each episode examines an aspect of best practice in corporate public affairs internationally, providing insight and guidance to public affairs practitioners working in corporations, connecting public affairs practitioners with ideas and practical insights to assist, support and inspire them, and the organisations. This is the podcast show for professionals responsible for corporate reputation, stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, issues management and corporate responsibility.

Corporate public affairs 2023: a year in review

In this episode of Very Public Affairs Cameron Chu, Analyst at the Centre, interviews Centre Director Wayne Burns on the big stories and reputational crises that defined the corporate landscape this year.

12-22
14:56

The state of corporate public affairs in Japan with John Short and Andrew Wheatley

In this episode of the Centre’s Very Public Affairs Podcast, Analyst Cameron Chu interviews John Short, Leader, Communications & Corporate Responsibility at LIXIL, and Andrew Wheatley, Vice President Communications & Public Affairs, Asia Pacific at the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. Together, they discuss the latest in the state of corporate public affairs in Japan.

08-28
16:36

The cybersecurity reputation challenge with Dr Bruce Baer Arnold

In this episode of Very Public Affairs, Luke Botting, Research Assistant at the Centre, interviews Professor Bruce Baer Arnold, who teaches privacy, health, intellectual property, and consumer protection law at the University of Canberra. They discuss how organisations can improve their cybersecurity, the state of cyber legislation in Australia, and ethical issues surrounding data retention, consumer protection, and AI.

07-18
33:48

Understanding the geopolitical state of affairs in the Indo-Pacific with Dr Michael Green

In this episode of the Centre’s Very Public Affairs Podcast, Analyst Cameron Chu interviews Dr Michael Green, CEO of the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre and a former adviser at the US National Security Council, who discusses his analysis of the state of geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific, and offers practical insights for corporate public affairs practitioners.

04-24
15:53

What government relations management functions do when there is change of government: insights from two seasoned corporate heads of government and policy

Government relations teams are often to the fore in corporations when there is a change of government. In this episode Centre Executive Director Wayne Burns talks with George Karagiannakis who spent 18 years as the Executive Manager of government relations at IAG and Daniel Parsons the current Director of public affairs at Bupa on their approach to engaging a new government.

02-01
13:45

Conspiracy-theory proofing Australia's elections - talking global best practice with the Australian Electoral Commission

In this episode of Very Public Affairs, Centre Executive Director Wayne Burns talks with Tom Rogers, Australia's Electoral Commissioner. They discuss the AEC’s strategic operation to tackle 'misinformation' and 'disinformation' in the lead-up to the May 2022 Federal Election, applauded globally as best practice.

10-25
18:16

In the era for social responsibility, corporate brands need a higher purpose with Melanie McMillan

In this episode of Very Public Affairs, The Centre’s Executive Director Wayne Burns talks with the Centre’s Senior Associate and reputation brand doctor, Melanie McMillan about stewarding the corporate brand in an era where this is so much focus on ESG, and how this manifests itself in corporate strategy.

10-04
25:04

Stewarding an international stakeholder brand in a regional or national market with Antonia Sanda and Guy Matthews

In this episode of the Very Public Affairs Podcast, Antonia Sanda, Director, Communications APAC at Deel, and Guy Matthews, Managing Director, Head of Corporate Public Affairs at Citi, are in conversation with the Centre's Executive Director Wayne Burns to discuss the challenges within the corporate public affairs function of international companies in a regional or national market, dealing with global and local issues while away from the mothership and working within an international c...

06-09
25:48

Public integrity and transparency in Australia with Geoffrey Watson SC

In this episode of the Very Public Affairs podcast, Analyst Cameron Chu is joined by Geoffrey Watson SC, Director at the Centre for Public Integrity. Geoffrey discusses issues pertaining to public integrity and transparency in Australia, as well as the reasons and public support for a National Integrity Commission.

04-21
11:39

Very Public Affairs: Top Five Predictions for 2022

In the first episode of Very Public Affairs for 2022, Executive Director Wayne Burns discusses the Centre's top five predictions for the year ahead in the corporate public affairs function, including conversation around the function being an important source of geopolitical analysis as well as how artificial intelligence will impact the function. Click to listen.

04-05
16:05

Leadership Communications with Alistair Marshall

In this episode of the Very Public Affairs podcast, Centre Executive Director Wayne Burns is joined by Alistair Marshall, Head of Internal Communications at Coles. Alistair discusses the elements of effective internal and leadership communications.

02-02
29:35

In Conversation: Corporate communications, misinformation, and kindness in 2021

In this final episode of In Conversation for 2021, Executive Director of the Centre, Wayne Burns is joined by Julia Quinn, Group Executive at Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and Margaret Stuart, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Nestle Oceania. They discuss the key trends that have developed in corporate communications over the two years into the pandemic: the heightened awareness of the value of the corporate communications function, the increasing manifestatio...

12-15
32:29

Woke Corporations, ESG & the "Business of Business" with Wayne Burns

The Centre's Analyst Cameron Chu is joined by the Centre's Executive Director Wayne Burns to discuss what defines a Woke Corporation, how it relates to the "business of business", and its connection to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. Listen now.

09-08
16:12

In Conversation: The "Woke" Corporation & Corporate Communications

On this episode of In Conversation, Executive Director of the Centre, Wayne Burns is joined by Clare Hesketh, Acting Manager of Media Relations at SA Water, and Darren Pearce, Chief Communications Officer at Tennis Australia. They discuss corporate communications and strategies around the hybrid model of work, the rise of "woke" corporations, businesses providing incentives for their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and the increasing misinformation available on social media...

08-25
32:21

Disruptive Technologies & Hybrid Work Models with Mark Pesce

This edition of Very Public Affairs Podcast focuses on the impact that technology is having on businesses across the world, particularly the role of disruptive technologies, hybrid work models, blockchain, AI, and cybersecurity. The podcast also investigates how these are affecting the practice of corporate public affairs. The Centre's Georgio Platias is joined by Mark Pesce, a futurist, technologist, broadcaster, and educator. Mark is the host of The Next Billion Seconds Podcast, and w...

07-14
32:23

Leading Teams Globally, Remotely, During COVID-19 & Working from Home with BHP's Tony Cudmore and LIXIL's John Short

This episode of Very Public Affairs interrogates the challenges of managing corporate public affairs teams, issues, and crises remotely. Executive Director Wayne Burns is joined by Tony Cudmore, Group Sustainability & Public Policy Officer at BHP, and John Short, Leader, Communications & Corporate Responsibility at LIXL who in their current roles have always led and managed their teams across geographies, time zones, and locations. They share their insights, which can inform how more ...

06-16
29:03

In Conversation: Corporate Activism, Reputation, Trust & Climate Targets

On this episode of In Conversation, Llew Gartrell, Senior Manager Government Relations at Stockland, and Melanie McMillan, Senior Associate at the Centre for Corporate Affairs, join the Centre's Executive Director Wayne Burns to discuss the top news stories from March and April 2021. Listen to this episode as Llew, Melanie, and Wayne discuss the corporate response to Georiga's new voting law, corporate activism, reputation measurement, building stakeholder trust, and corporate climate t...

05-06
26:20

Politics, Leadership, and Public Policy with Peter van Onselen

In this episode of the Very Public Affairs Podcast, academic, journalist, and commentator, Peter van Onselen, sits down with the Centre's research assistant, Georgio Platias, to talk about the big challenges and opportunities facing Australia in the next year. Peter also analyses what 'good' leadership is, as well as what is missing from our current Parliament, and the big issues plaguing our elected representatives. Listen now.

03-30
13:38

In Conversation: Pandemic communication, corporate messaging & social media, and working during a lockdown

In this episode of In Conversation, Executive Director of the Centre, Wayne Burns is joined by Alison Melville, Associate Director, Corporate Affairs Australia-New Zealand at Bristol-Myers Squibb. Alison discusses corporate communication during a pandemic, the role of ‘good’ science communications, curating effective messaging on social media, and what working during lockdowns was like. Listen to this episode to be across some of the most important corporate public affairs topics relati...

03-17
23:13

In Conversation: State of government relations, social media & evidence-based discourse, and corporate reputation

On this episode of In Conversation, Lachlan Rees, Manager Government, Industry & Public Policy Group Corporate Affairs, Suncorp joins the Centre's Executive Director Wayne Burns to discuss the top news stories and developments in early 2021. Listen to this episode as Lachlan and Wayne discuss how government relations has adapted due to COVID, the effects social media is having on democracy, re-installing evidence-based discourse into civil society, and the state of corporate reputa...

02-22
30:00

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