The Caring CEO. For leaders who want to grow teams who are more caring, fun filled and productive. For leaders who care.

Nick Orchard, Performance Coach, shares his powerful journey from near-burnout to meaningful transformation. Drawing on his experience across government, leadership, and creative industries, Nick reveals practical strategies to overcome burnout, build sustainable momentum, and break free from self-limiting beliefs. This conversation offers actionable insights for leaders, creatives, and professionals seeking to perform at their best without sacrificing wellbeing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katrina Troughton, Managing Director of Adobe ANZ, shares how true leadership care goes beyond policy to build cultures of trust, flexibility, and genuine support. From navigating uncertainty to empowering teams and embracing discomfort, Katrina’s standout message is simple yet powerful: start with yes—and work out what it takes to make it happen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Liu, ex Chairman & Global Partner at Kearney, shares insights from his bestselling book Joy Works on building psychologically safe and high-performing teams. In this episode, Alex reveals why care is the key differentiator that gets you hired or not, alongside competence and confidence, offering invaluable leadership lessons for today’s fast-paced world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tara James, Founder of Small and Mighty, shares why care in leadership is a strategic advantage, not a soft skill, and how psychological safety drives performance. She explains why 2026 will demand clarity over urgency, encouraging leaders to “hurry up slowly” and lead with self-awareness, humility, and purpose. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Veronica Papacosta, former CEO of Seafood Industry Australia, reflects on growing up in her family’s fish shop and how early responsibility shaped her approach to leadership. In conversation with Graeme, she explores family legacy, resilience, and the values formed long before the boardroom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Casey Beros, author of Next of Kin, shares her deeply personal experience of caring for her father during the final two years of his life and the lessons it taught her about leadership, care, and impact. It’s a moving conversation about compassion at work, supporting carers, and what truly matters when life and leadership collide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna Feringa, workplace mental health expert, and Melo Calarco, author of 'Beating Burnout, Finding Balance' join Graeme for a panel discussion looking at the challenges that many of us face in the lead up to Christmas and the holiday season. They look at ways to navigate spending time with people who drain us, managing the stress of overspending and dealing with grief as we remember loved ones who are no longer with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kyle McDowell, bestselling author of Begin With We and former Fortune 10 executive, reshapes leadership with his powerful framework, The 10 WEs. Drawing on nearly three decades of experience leading tens of thousands of employees, Kyle shares how shifting from “I” to “WE” can dismantle dysfunction, reignite purpose, and transform organisational culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brendan Maher is the CEO of St John Ambulance Australia. With nearly 20 years of leadership across Lifeline, R U OK?, and Movember, Brendan shares powerful insights on community care, mental health, and building stronger, more connected societies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Davis is the Former Head of Boston Consulting Group North America. In this episode, we explore leading with purpose, equity, and long-term impact. Joe shares insights from his 37-year career at BCG, his work in inclusion and transformation, and the principles behind his book The Generous Leader: 7 Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone’s Gain (April 2024). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melissa Reynolds is the CEO of State Trustees. Her extensive leadership in financial services and utilities is driven by a passion for client-focused transformation and inclusive, high-performing teams. With a career spanning AGL, NAB, Westpac, and more, Melissa shares valuable insights on leading with empathy and purpose. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Award-winning speaker and author Amanda Stevens shares how valuing employees is key to delivering exceptional customer experiences, drawing on powerful examples from her book Radical Customer Obsession. From her leadership insights with Richard Branson to her personal journey of resilience, Amanda reveals how curiosity, care, and culture can drive meaningful business transformation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Barnett, was the CEO of Pearson Asia Pacific for over 20 years and is current chair of several e-learning initiatives. He reflects on his journey transforming education from textbooks to digital learning and the defining question that reshaped his leadership. David shares heartfelt stories about building a culture of care, the lessons he's learned from his son with learning difficulties, and how music continues to connect him to empathy and human-centred leadership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael McQueen is currently ranked 12th among the world’s top futurists. He is a globally renowned speaker, futurist, and author of Mindstuck: Mastering the Art of Changing Minds. Michael joins us for a powerful conversation on self-leadership, personal loss, and the influence of his father’s legacy. We also dive into the societal impact of AI and explore why Australia ranks as the least optimistic country about its future, according to recent research. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melissa Dinwiddie, is a Juilliard-trained dancer turned creativity coach who helps teams at companies like Google and Salesforce unlock innovation through play, experimentation, and imperfection. Drawing from her rich background as an artist, jazz musician, and improviser, Melissa shares how embracing creativity can transform leadership and collaboration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pam Buchannan, former Managing Director at NASDAQ, spent nearly 15 years working with leaders like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Despite her success, she realised true fulfillment required more than physical and mental health—it called for what she now calls Soul Health, connected to spirit and life force. As founder of Quantum Sense, she now helps high-achievers find deeper meaning and purpose beyond material success. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Boele, Chief Purpose Officer at KPMG, has an incredible journey shaped by purpose. At 21, he found himself in Tibet during a brutal crackdown, igniting his lifelong commitment to human rights. Richard stepped into his current role, helping individuals and teams connect their personal purpose to organizational impact. Richard’s passion shines through as he talks about KPMG’s “Purpose Weeks” and the power of aligning personal, team, and company purpose. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gemma Sisia is the Founder of St. Jude’s School in Tanzania which she founded over 20 years ago with just three students. She has now grown the school to 1,500 students. And What Gemma has built is just quite extraordinary. Gemma has practices in place for continual improvement. Gemma fosters a culture of respect, responsibility, honesty, and kindness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Damien Mu is the CEO of AIA Insurance, one of Australia’s leading life insurers with over 2,000 employees. Damien’s journey is one of resilience and determination. His leadership is deeply rooted in purpose and care. Not just for his team and customers, but for the broader Australian community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wayne Turmel was a pioneer in long-distance and virtual leadership over 18 years ago —long before remote work became the norm. Wayne has dedicated his career to mastering effective communication in virtual environments. Wayne has worked with Fortune 500 companies worldwide, and leadership legend Marshall Goldsmith calls him "one of the most unique voices in leadership today." Wayne brings a lot of wisdom to the table. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Todd Harper AM, CEO of Cancer Council, Victoria, shares valuable ideas with his leadership team in which they decided to prioritise three core values: kindness, connection, and gratitude.This initiative encouraged everyone in the organisation to embrace these values in their own unique ways, fostering a culture of support and positivity throughout our community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christy Pretzinger, the CEO of WG Content, a company that creates specialized content for the healthcare industry in the U.S., puts emphasis on kindness as a fundamental value of her organisation, which fits perfectly with the theme of The Caring CEO Podcast. She shares some practical ways that she and her team incorporate this value into their daily, weekly, and biannual routines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. John Demartini, a world-leading human behavioral specialist, author, and global educator, has lived an extraordinary life aboard a ship, traveling the world and delivering programs to tens of thousands of people, both in person and remotely. For 37 years, Dr. Demartini has diligently maintained a gratitude journal, showcasing the transformative power of this practice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Passionate about building mental fitness and helping us navigate life's challenges, James Wright, CEO of Havas Creative Group Australia and the Chair of Gus Worland's Gotcha for Life Foundation, encourages all of us to build our mental fitness so we can better cope with life's ups and downs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sandra Martinez's lifelong connection with Nestle began at the age of seven, when she met a man from the company who sparked her passion to work for them, and this encounter shaped her journey and led her to become the CEO of Nestle Oceania.Sandra's diverse career started in her native Ecuador and took her to various countries around the world. Now, her international experiences have shaped her leadership approach and contributed to her success. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Cummings, the Group CEO of Wellbeing at Work, firmly believes that wellbeing goes beyond wellness initiatives. It involves a fundamental rethinking of work, leadership, and culture. Chris and his team are passionate about encouraging organisations to prioritise wellbeing as a strategic initiative — focusing on community, connection, and knowledge.Chris and his team at Wellbeing at Work have been delivering trusted and independent content from global experts. Their aim is to empower clients to create successful initiatives that yield proven results. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda Cattermole is the CEO of Australian Digital Health Agency. She believes that a safe workplace is key in allowing our people to thrive and feel valued. A place that truly cares is fueled by passion and commitment. For Amanda, it's essential to view most things as fixable. Reflecting on her own experiences, she found that the moments that initially felt overwhelming were often retrievable in some way. She shares how this has worked for her in the past, and reflects on the value of a positive mindset even on a bad day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tareef Jafferi is the CEO and Founder of Happily.ai, an organisation that has created a platform to provide real time feedback for managers and employees to learn how to work better together. Tareef discusses his evolving perspective on care, emphasising the importance of allowing individuals to express their true selves and offering support rather than trying to solve every problem. He also underlines the importance of creating psychological safety in nurturing a genuinely caring work environment where employees can contribute effectively. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Martin McNamara takes a very structured approach to building a culture of care across their not-for-profit organisation focussed on using evidence to develop policies to improve health and wellbeing. A recent engagement survey shows they are on the right track with 86% of staff saying they know what they need to do to be successful in their role and 91% say they are proud to work for the Institute. Martin believes that these high scores come from active listening and encouraging all to share their ideas and opinions. Martin shares what they have done to keep those scores high in the new world of hybrid work. Martin is also the Chief Investigator for the 45 and Up Study, one of the largest studies in the world, tracking the health and wellbeing of over 267,000 people in NSW. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kylie Green is the Managing Director APAC for Reward Gateway, who provide technology for organisations to embed a reward and recognition culture. Kylie gives us many examples of how small recognition and rewards lift motivation and productivity. She highlights the findings from the Workplace Engagement Index for 2024, revealing that a staggering 83% of employees feel more motivated and productive when they have a caring manager. It's a testament to the undeniable connection between empathy and efficiency in the workplace. Kylie also offers timeless wisdom on balancing empathy and productivity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Jurcec, Co-founder and CEO, OneKloudX, was kicked out of home when he was 18. He made his way out of this crisis through education, and now celebrates every success and encourages a recognition culture where people describe Robert as kind, thoughtful, and supportive. Now committed to building a culture of trust and wellbeing, Robert attributes his success to asking lots of questions to understand people’s individuality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Van Schie, Founder and Managing Director of FlourishDX, which uses technology to measure and assess the psychological health and safety of organisations, is passionate about providing practical tools and information for leadership to better understand this topic and is also the co-host of the Psych Health and Safety Podcast.We had a wide-ranging discussion about the new laws that make psychological health and safety just as important as physical. We delve into Jason’s valuable insights on the psychosocial risk of a workplace. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Moir, Founder and CEO of The Moir Group, a recruitment organisation specialising in senior leaders in finance, emphasises that beyond technical finance skills, the ability to exert influence across the company is crucial.Passionate about the environment, Stephen and his wife Carolyn founded the ‘Professionals Advocating for Climate Action’ network dedicated to practical actions. Stephen believes that work significantly shapes our lives, and a satisfying job is essential for a good life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olivia Carr, Founder and CEO of Shhh Silk, a global brand that sells silk pillow cases in 50+ countries, shares her remarkable journey, including a marketing coup involving Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner.Despite a very challenging childhood and lacking tertiary qualifications, she built a successful multi-million-dollar business. In her new book "Self-Made." Olivia has now created a blueprint that has helped hundreds of women to develop and build their own businesses. Olivia's resilience and innovative approach have transformed her life, making her a true self-made entrepreneur. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucas Patchett, the CEO of Orange Sky, co-founded this charity that is dedicated to a simple service, which provides an opportunity for Australians doing it tough to connect through regular laundry and shower services.Although still in his 20’s, Lucas has achieved more in life than many 60 year olds.As you will hear – it hasn’t always been easy – and they have needed lots of resilience to try – fail – learn and grow. Lucas also outlines a simple thing we can all do when we encounter a homeless person on the street. He has achieved a huge amount after being in the workforce for less than 10 years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Darren Black, the CEO of SuperFriend, is an innovative and pragmatic leader who strives every day to create a culture of care.As a former Army Officer, UN Peacekeeper, and now sitting on the Board of Suicide Prevention Australia and The Australian Men’s Health Forum, he has worked with a number of NFP that have focused on improving the wellbeing of Australians, as he is passionate about improving mental health and suicide prevention. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Victoria Butt, established the recruitment company Parity Consulting, in 2012 when she was just 29. She is passionate about hiring the best employees who also share Parity’s values.As an authentic leader who is prepared to be vulnerable and admit mistakes, she has championed rapidly growing work issues such as mental health and how the workplace can be more understanding and helpful to women going through menopause. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Owen, the CEO and Pastor of the Wayside Chapel in Sydney, is proud of their continuing mission of creating a community of no ‘us and them’. In his role as CEO, he leads a team of 110 employees and 800 volunteers.Jon is passionate about how the community can play a role in everyone having a better life. He cares deeply about the people he serves and is a passionate communicator. He is not afraid to take on big challenges.Jon has a great sense of humour and has a real spirit for service. His story is inspiring, however he is very humble. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlotte Lockhart, is the Co-founder and MD of 4 Day Week Global, advocating for a productivity-focused, reduced-hour workplace.Charlotte is also a Board member of Oxford University's Wellbeing Research Centre and co-founder of the World Wellbeing Movement.Her company has helped oversee 4 Day Week trials in UK, US, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.Charlotte gives us some fascinating insight into the findings of the trials. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amy Edmondson, is a Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business school, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society.Her area of expertise is showing leaders how to increase team psychological safety which is a critical foundation of great teams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew O'Keeffee has a fascinating background which has taken him from his origins in Broken Hill to studying indigenous groups in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Amazon and North America. This was via a career in mining, manufacturing, in industrial relations and senior HR roles.Andrew's shares great insights for leaders into how how we structure organisations, select and appoint leaders, motivate followers, and influence culture based on his research into indigenous cultures which began when he met with Maasai elders on a trip to Kenya.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simone Allan and Graeme worked together at Morgan and Banks (now Hudson). After leaving Morgan and Banks, Simone went on to establish her own company Mondo Search.She grew that company into one of the top 40 search firms worldwide. Having experienced the benefits of mentoring herself, she then went on to establish Mondo Mentoring.After suffering a career crisis at the age of 43 which left her burnt out and overwhelmed, Simone took some time to undertake deep self-flection. With the covid pandemic devastating the recruitment industry so completely,Simone used her new found sense of purpose to establish the Women's Resilience Centre, a haven for women and children that were experiencing domestic violence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olivier Dubuisson has the intriguing title of – Head of Future of Working for the global pharmaceutical company Novartis. He is also the Chairman and Co-Founder of Rythmik, a global consulting firm, based in Switzerland, specialising in the future of working and employee experience.  Olivier stresses that when it comes to workplace flexibility, we need to spend less time worrying about when and where our employees work, and more time on how they work. He refers to this as moving from Hybrid 1.0 to Hybrid 2.0.Our discussion also delves into the Metaverse, and using virtual reality goggles and other technology to foster collaboration and belonging in a virtual world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Turner is the ultimate entrepreneur. He is a specialist in market disruption, having founded four successful companies in Australia across four completely different industries. He has multiple awards including EY’s South Australian Entrepreneur of the year and 4th fastest growing company by BRW magazine, and is also the entrepreneur in residence for the University of South Australia.Today, Richard is fiercely passionate about helping people successfully start and scale companies – setting out the essential rules to give first time entrepreneurs the best chance of success. He has learnt many lessons in the last 40 years of business and shares some of them here with us. He has also recently published a book called The Essential Entrepreneur" explaining how to start, scale and ultimately sell a business. It is a book that contains all of the wisdom he wishes he had read when he was starting out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce Watson, CEO of WorkCover QLD, has always been inspired by the life of Nelson Mandela.He admired his unwavering belief in a better South Africa, fierce focus and determination – coupled with huge empathy and humility – he has been a powerful guide in Bruce’s life.One of his life’s highlights was meeting him in person whilst on a mission to help improve the safety in South African mines. Not surprisingly he describes the lasting impressions from that meeting.For Bruce, care has been a driving force his whole life. Losing his Dad at the age of 17 taught Bruce the value in making the best of everyday, and making a positive difference, and care is an integral part of that. It became his life's purpose and his work purpose. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Kirstin Ferguson AM, our first guest for 2023, is the author of the newly released book, HEAD & HEART: The Art of Modern Leadership. Pip Marlow, CEO of Salesforce Asia Pacific – said this – “HEAD & HEART will be joining my favourite leadership books on my bedside table.”Leading with your head and your heart is a concept that is very much aligned with our belief that a caring CEO strives for a culture of care and a culture of high performance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suzanne (Suz) Steele, was the VP and MD for Adobe's ANZ operations before moving back to the UK to take up the same role for the UK and Ireland operations, which is one of Adobe's largest markets globally.She has risen to this position from humble working class beginnings in Northern Ireland, in which attending university was not an option in her family.In fact, she left school at 16.This worked against her in her early days until she landed a role in a start-up with a manager who saw her "street fighter" and "make it happen" qualities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olivia Jenkins is an absolute dynamo. She has three children under six years of age, her husband is both a farmer and a builder, and she runs her own business empowering female entrepreneurs in the health, beauty, fashion and lifestyle industries to become household names. In just 3 years, she’s served over 100+ clients, and boasts $33 million in revenue generated between them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Ramirez has always been an entrepreneur. As a very young boy, he found himself needing to contribute financially to the family after they immigrated to Australia from the Philippines and couldn't find work. At the age of 21 he stated his first IT business, then went on to co-found Wiise, a tech company which he sold to KPMG in 2018. He was also awarded the Young Entrepreneur of Year Award for his region.Joel recognises that while a business has to make money and reach goals, it also needs to look after its employees whole being, and he breaks this down into four pillars for us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women's Community Shelters, works with local communities to establish crisis accommodation shelters for women and children who are homeless or leaving domestic and family violence. As the CEO of this organisation, Annabelle Daniel OAM, faces tough challenges daily. For every vacancy they have at a shelter, there are three women in urgent need of care, and Annabelle and her team have to make a very difficult decision on which woman is accepted. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.