The Common Experience

Dana Schulenburg brings a unique Leadership lens to the conversation which darts from Leadership to AI and then connects the two.Dana's ongoing focus is to drive organisational change and help teams deliver with impact. His career experience spans across the US, Australia and the UK providing the full range of People consulting services, and has held leadership roles for global enterprises focusing on; large complex Digital Workforce transformations, alignment of HR strategy and organisation design. He is passionate about building collaborative environments, where people can compete together with various perspectives and deliver outcomes that last the test of time.

Kedar and Graeme wax poetic about the AI journey that organisations are on today, from compliance to utopian future states, this conversation has it all.Graeme and Kedar, the dynamic duo behind EmpEx Consulting thrive on conversations that harken to the future. In this episode of The Common Experience Podcast, Graeme and Kedar deep dive into the world of AI, exploring the ways in which it can (and should) be governed, how it will impact data and how it will inevitably change the way we work. Whether you’re a leader, a teammate, or just curious about where AI might take us, they’re here to share stories, insights, and maybe even a laugh or two.

Tim Whitbourn discusses the complexity of running enterprise Payroll teams amidst the Wage Compliance challenges organisations currently face.Tim has over twenty years experience in the Shared Services, Large Corporates and HR spaces during which time he has been responsible for significant cost reduction, process improvement, and ensuring compliance with legislation. With all of the activity around wage compliance in Australia over the last few years, we are excited to have Tim here to share his insights and experience of navigating this space.

Brett Reid chats to us about the impact of AI in the Not for Profit sector.Brett is an internationally experienced HR Director, with a proven track record delivering organisational change and digital transformations across Australia, Asia, Europe and the Middle East for some of Australia’s biggest businesses.He has won national awards for talent development programs in both the UK and Australia. He is a deeply experienced HR executive who brings an in-depth understanding of change, culture and talent management to his work.

Adam delights us with his varied career journey which has a deep focus on life long learning that he is now using to engage with AI.Adam is currently responsible for people analytics and platforms at Reece Group. Prior to returning to Australia in 2020 he worked internationally delivering advanced people analytics and HR Innovation projects for a variety of organisations drawing upon a multi-disciplinary background in: Psychology, IT, Epidemiology and Finance. Adam is an advocate of asking two questions in his work: 1. So What? and 2. Now What?

Gaelyn Taylor is an innovative, commercial, and versatile Senior HR Leader with significant experience in people operations, implementing technology solutions and continuous improvement programs.As a highly motivated and relentlessly curious systems thinker, she can translate strategy into operational outcomes to sustainably increase business performance and deliver positive stakeholder outcomes by linking people, process, and technology objectives.

Today we are welcoming Meagan Michaels! Working across Australia, Sweden and the UK agency-side and in-house, in industries including media, tech and aviation, Meagan knows a thing or two about adapting to different audiences. It’s come in handy for the talent acquisition space. It helps her to understand people and develop strategic, data-based approaches to attract them to work for businesses across the globe. Meagan’s current role at Bupa as Head of Employer Brand for APAC means she can bring together her passion for employee experience, DEI and creative go-to-market activations with her extensive experience in the tech that underpins it all. Follow Meagan at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meagan-ef-michaels/

Kanella currently holds the position of Global Head of People Data & Analytics at a large Insurer. With more than 17 years of experience in various roles within the financial and health services sector, she has helped organisations mature and uplift their data & analytics strategies and services. Kanella has successfully led global teams in providing valuable insights, establishing global reporting solutions, championing the advanced analytics techniques, and embedding data and AI governance, and right now is deeply involved in Strategic Workforce Planning.

Andrew is a seasoned business and consulting leader, specialising in developing tailored People Systems solutions and Operating Models to meet the unique needs of his clients. He supports organisations in crafting strategies, creating roadmaps, selecting the right systems, and managing transformations. Andrew honed his expertise with leading Australian Corporates before founding People Experience Solutions (PES) seven years ago. Andrew and PES work across both public and private sectors, partnering with organisations of all sizes.

On today’s podcast we welcome Brad De Groot. Brad is an experienced IT and HR Systems professional with a career spanning over two decades. He is the co-founder of SpinifexIT, a global SAP solutions provider. He has a wealth of experience shaping tools and streamlining payroll and HR processes. He has expertise in integrating technology with business strategy, and supporting large Australian and Multi-National enterprises, through their HR transformations.

Graeme and Kedar, the dynamic duo behind EmpEx Consulting, didn’t set out to start a business—they set out to make a difference. Together, they created EmpEx Consulting to help organisations build experiences that actually matter—both for their people and their customers. Now, with The Common Experience Podcast, Graeme and Kedar are taking you behind the scenes of their journey, sharing lessons they’ve learned along the way, and chatting with interesting people they’ve been lucky to meet along the way about how we can all create better workplaces. Whether you’re a leader, a teammate, or just curious about what makes businesses tick, they’re here to share stories, insights, and maybe even a laugh or two.