Business & Beyond

In this episode of Business & Beyond, Sanjay Chari sits down with Caryn Katsikogianis, former Chief People Officer at Woolworths, for a conversation on leadership, culture, and the future of work.​Drawing on her decades-long career in people leadership, Caryn reflects on what it takes to build trust, lead with purpose, and navigate change in complex organisations.​The conversation also explores how AI is reshaping the way work gets done — and why the next wave of transformation will depend not just on technology, but on the teams closest to the work.Chapter markers:00:00 Introducing Caryn Katsikogianis​04:24 Leading through challenge and what great leadership lookslike in a crisis​09:14 Can empathy and connection be learned?​10:32 Calling out poor leadership and finding courage​13:48 How business culture has changed​15:40 Why AI is fundamentally changing work​18:47 Building AI confidence across teams​20:58 Why AI needs to start with strategy​22:51 From top-down change to team-led transformation​23:51 Balancing AI speed, risk and governance​24:45 How successful organisations will scale AI​25:40 What AI means for talent and future skills​27:10 Why Caryn is optimistic about the future of work​28:09 Caryn’s next chapter​29:18 Advice for the next generation​30:19 Final reflections

In this episode, Sanjay sits down with Nisha Karna to explore what it really takes to scale brands across markets.​From her early career at BCG to roles in global beauty like Frank Body and Estee Lauder, Amazon-first businesses and now as co-founder of GLOWPATH, Nisha has seen firsthand why international expansion requires more than replicating what worked at home. The conversation also covers Nisha’s career journey from consulting to operating, what she learned building brands in the US, the role of Amazon in reshaping retail, how AI is changing the brand playbook, and how she is navigating entrepreneurship and family life.Topics covered:Differences between the Australian and US marketsThe importance of understanding local customers, channels and operating models Why founders need to be clear on the problem they are solving before pursuing growth offshore.Chapter markers: 00:00 — Introducing Nisha Karna​ 01:28 — Early lessons in retail, pricing and customers​ 04:34 — Finding her way into BCG​ 06:52 — Moving to New York and joining global beauty​ 11:02 — From business school plans to a startup opportunity​ 12:22 — Why international expansion is not copy-paste​ 15:40 — Building a brand in the US from the ground up​ 16:59 — The underestimated challenge of hiring the right team​ 20:06 — Why focus matters in brand building​ 21:39 — Understanding Amazon-first brands and marketplace growth​ 29:12 — How Amazon can level the playing field for challenger brands​ 33:09 — Returning to Australia and launching GLOWPATH​ 38:07 — AI, humanity and the future of brand building​ 41:51 — Launching a business while seven months pregnant