Culture Capital

This episode of Culture Capital is proudly supported by BlackCard — 60,000 years of history and knowledge, alive in the present. BlackCard is a 100% Aboriginal-owned cultural capability consultancy, co-founded by Mundanara Bayles and Dr Lilla Watson, and grounded in Elder knowledge. Their eLearning platform makes culturally grounded learning accessible to individuals and organisations across Australia. Culture Capital listeners get an exclusive discount on BlackCard's eLearning — use promo code AICD26 at theblackcard.com.au What does it actually take to govern something you can't see? In this episode of Culture Capital, hosts Prabha Nandagopal and Mandanara Bayles sit down with Mark Rigotti — Managing Director and CEO of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), and former Global CEO of Herbert Smith Freehills — for a conversation that is equal parts honest, challenging, and deeply practical. Mark doesn't come with a glossy playbook. He comes with hard-won lessons from leading across 25 countries, navigating cultural complexity in real time, and sitting inside some of Australia's most influential boardrooms. And what he's learned? Culture isn't a standing agenda item. It's everything. Together, they unpack the gap between the culture on the wall and the culture in the room — and what boards, CEOs, and leaders at every level can actually do about it. This is a conversation for anyone who sits on a board, leads a team, or has ever wondered why culture initiatives are always the first thing cut when the numbers get tight — and why that might be the most expensive decision an organisation ever makes. "Whenever there's been a problem, you can almost always find a thick black line back to a problem with the culture." — Mark Rigotti FURTHER READING & RESOURCES About Our Guest 🔗 Mark Rigotti — MD & CEO, AICD: aicd.com.au/about-aicd/authors-speakers/n-t/mark-rigotti.html 🔗 Mark Rigotti on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markrigotti About Your Hosts 🔗 Prabha Nandagopal — Founder, Elevate Consulting Partners & SafeSpace@elevate: linkedin.com/in/prabha-nandagopal 🔗 Mundanara Bayles — MD, BlackCard: linkedin.com/in/mundanara-bayles AICD Programs Mentioned 🔗 AICD Chair's Mentoring Program (now open to First Nations & culturally diverse women): aicd.com.au/courses-and-programs/all-programs/chairs-mentoring-program.html 🔗 AICD First Nations Director Scholarship Program: aicd.com.au/organisational-culture/business-ethics/change/first-nations-director-scholarship-program.html 🔗 AICD Board Diversity resources & Watermark Index: aicd.com.au/about-aicd/governance-and-policy-leadership/board-diversity.html Legislation & Regulation Referenced 🔗 The Positive Duty — Australian Human Rights Commission: humanrights.gov.au/know-your-rights/rights-of-individuals/workplace-rights/positive-duty-sex-discrimination-act 🔗 Respect@Work — the landmark national inquiry that informed the legislation: humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/projects/respectwork-sexual-harassment-national-inquiry If this conversation resonated with you, make sure you follow or subscribe to Culture Capital on your favourite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Share this podcast with colleagues, leaders, and anyone passionate about building stronger workplace cultures. Culture Capital is produced by the BlakCast Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Culture Capital, we sit down with the Honourable Linda Burney, former Australian Minister for Indigenous Australians, to explore what leadership looks like inside one of the country’s most powerful institutions. Drawing on over two decades in politics, Linda reflects on workplace culture within Parliament, the realities of power, and the behaviours that would never be accepted in any other workplace — yet continue to persist. This conversation goes beyond politics. It’s about responsibility, identity, and what it truly means to lead. From challenging inequity and cultural load to redefining leadership as care, connection, and collective vision, Linda shares the lessons that shaped her — and what must change if workplaces are to become safer, fairer, and more accountable for everyone. Further Reading & References The First Australianshttps://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/first-australians Dark Emuhttps://www.magabala.com/products/dark-emu If this conversation resonated with you, make sure you follow or subscribe to Culture Capital on your favourite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Share this podcast with colleagues, leaders, and anyone passionate about building stronger workplace cultures. Culture Capital is produced by the BlakCast Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when leadership is forged in environments where authority is absolute — and later tested in workplaces where culture is far more complex? In this first guest episode of Culture Capital, Mundanara Bayles and Prabha Nandagopal are joined by cybersecurity leader and former military officer Jacqui Kernot. Drawing on nearly three decades across defence, intelligence, technology and government, Jackie shares what she’s learned about power, allyship, high-performance teams and why workplace culture is not a “soft” issue — but a leadership risk with real consequences. Together, they unpack the hidden pressures faced by women in leadership, the uncomfortable work required to build truly inclusive teams, and how emerging technologies like AI are reshaping both risk and opportunity inside organisations. It’s a conversation about courage, clarity and what it really takes to lead when the stakes are high. Resources & Links Females in Information Technology & Telecommunications (FITT)https://fitt.org.au Australian Information Security Association (AISA)https://www.aisa.org.au UNICEF Australiahttps://www.unicef.org.au eSafety Commissioner (Australia)https://www.esafety.gov.au Further Reading — Brené Brown (Leadership & Vulnerability)https://brenebrown.com If this conversation resonated with you, make sure you follow or subscribe to Culture Capital on your favourite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Share this podcast with colleagues, leaders, and anyone passionate about building stronger workplace cultures. Culture Capital is produced by the BlakCast Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What really makes or breaks culture in the workplace? In the very first episode of Culture Capital, hosts Prabha Nandagopal and Mundanara Bayles introduce the ideas, experiences, and leadership moments that will shape this podcast. Together, they explore why culture is not a set of corporate slogans or values on a wall — but something revealed when leadership is tested. Through personal stories, reflections on identity and career, and insights from decades of experience across business, community, media, and governance, Prabha and Mundanara set the tone for honest conversations about what it means to lead with accountability, courage, and clarity. Culture Capital is about real decisions, real consequences, and the people shaping workplaces across Australia — from boardrooms to classrooms and beyond. If this conversation resonated with you, make sure you follow or subscribe to Culture Capital on your favourite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Share this podcast with colleagues, leaders, and anyone passionate about building stronger workplace cultures. Culture Capital is produced by the BlakCast Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where leadership meets lived experience. Prabha Nandagopal & Mundanara Bayles speak with the thinkers shaping the future - political leaders, changemakers, cultural icons and business innovators. Culture Capital explores power, influence and the people moving Australia forward with courage, nuance and deep cultural grounding.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.