15 Minutes with the Boss

Hosted by The Australian Financial Review

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-AU

About the show

15 Minutes with the Boss is a podcast that gives listeners exclusive access to some of the top CEOs in the country. Each week AFR BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with a prominent leader and asks them to share the invaluable advice and wisdom they have accumulated throughout their careers. For stories of success and failure and everything in-between, search and follow 15 Minutes with the Boss. It’s 15 minutes you can’t afford to miss.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 15, 202617 min

How grief powered this executive’s move into leadership

When Sharon Pickering’s husband died, she realised she needed to choose where she directed her energy and focus on what mattered to her. After years of being a dedicated scholar, the academic made a decision that would set her on a path to becoming the vice chancellor of Monash University. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the university boss to find out how a new role shifted Pickering’s career to one of leadership. Further reading: ‘I’d lost my identity.’ How this exec recovered from redundancy A new coach, hypnotist and Hollywood movie helped Allison Rossiter tackle one of her biggest fears. Now, the Novartis president shares how they can help you too. Meet the researchers tackling big problems Combining knowledge and expertise across disciplines is the new face of successful research in the university sector. The move this MD calls ‘extremely hard, but I’ve never looked back’ T2 Tea managing director Christelle Young finds that by cutting out reading, writing and talking first thing in the morning, it sets up her day in the right way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 8, 202619 min

How this CEO changed his leadership style for the sake of top performers

Procter & Gamble’s Australian chief executive, Neal Reed, has been with the global manufacturer for 30 years. The company behind household brands such as Pampers nappies, Gillette razors and Pantene and Head & Shoulders shampoos has long been committed to finding and developing top talent. But as the CEO has discovered, the strategy presents a temptation to push high performers too hard.  On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out how this P&G boss learnt he was overburdening senior leaders. Further reading: Why this CEO gets his advice from the 20-somethings in the office As Gen Z swells to a third of the workforce, P&G’s Australia-New Zealand CEO Neal Reed says reverse mentorship keeps him connected, skilled up and relevant. ‘I didn’t realise how far gone I was’: How this CEO survived burnout Jess Saxby, chief executive of Banjo’s Bakery Cafes, couldn’t stop. She was always chasing the next thing. Until she couldn’t any more. ‘Do you have five?’: This CEO’s trick for managing staff requests Stefan Leitl, vice president for Australia and New Zealand at Cisco, has to juggle family with fitting into the working hours of the US. Here’s how he does it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 1, 202617 min

Neil Perry opens up about the high cost of overspending

He’s one of Australia’s most influential chefs and restaurateurs. But when Neil Perry was faced with the closure of his restaurant, Song Bird, he realised he’d broken his most important rule. “You've always got to be prepared to walk away," Perry says. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out what went wrong with the Double Bay restaurant, and what he’s learnt as the culinary giant prepares to open Pizzeria Spotto.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 25, 202618 min

Why this smartphone boss called time on saying yes to everything

Praveena Raman, the head of Motorola in Australia and New Zealand, is a self-described yes person.  At the start of her career as an engineer, the “say yes to everything” mindset opened doors to pivotal opportunities that would set her on the path to becoming an executive. But a crucial piece of advice also made the smartphone boss realise the importance of saying no. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the country head of the eighth-largest smartphone manufacturer globally to find out why she decided to shift her mindset.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 18, 202619 min

What this CEO of a drinks company learnt from the tech industry

One of Anubha Sahasrabuddhe’s proudest moments was getting Chinese consumers to drink Coca-Cola – and lots of it. Earlier in her career, Sahasrabuddhe, now the chief executive of brewing giant Lion, was asked to go to China in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics and take on the competition, Pepsi. Sahasrabuddhe’s stint was a success, but there were also failures. The experience led the chief executive to adopt a strategy she says the tech industry has mastered. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the boss of Australia’s second biggest brewing company to find out how past mistakes have shaped future wins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 11, 202621 min

What this executive learnt from working for Kerry Packer

Mary Wooldridge, the outgoing chief executive of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, worked for the media tycoon in the late 1990s.  While her time at Kerry Packer's company, Consolidated Press Holdings, taught her some invaluable skills, Wooldridge found it unmotivating. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten finds out why the former politician traded a Packer deal-making role for public policy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 4, 202620 min

This exec was terrified of public speaking, but now she loves it

When Allison Rossiter was offered a dream job, she had just one hesitation: she was terrified of public speaking. But not wanting to walk away from the opportunity, the budding executive asked for a public speaking coach. On this week’s episode, the president for Novartis in Australia and New Zealand tells BOSS editor Sally Patten how a new coach, a hypnotist and a Hollywood movie helped her tackle one of her biggest fears.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

April 27, 202620 min

Why Vivid’s festival director won’t be reading any reviews

For any arts production, reviews are a crucial metric of success. But for Brett Sheehy, what the critics have to say means very little. For him, it’s all about the audience. On this week’s episode, Vivid Sydney's festival director tells BOSS editor Sally Patten how he's determined his own way of measuring success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

April 20, 202620 min

Don't ask about WFH: This top exec’s guide to job interviews

As the managing director of Franklin Templeton in Australia and New Zealand, Felicity Walsh has done her fair share of job interviews. In that time, the local head of the global asset manager has figured out what candidates should – and should not – do during the process. This week, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the top executive to find out her tips on researching prospective employers and potential interviewees, and when to ask about working from home.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

April 13, 202622 min

Inside Ahmed Fahour’s high-performance morning routine

The chief executive of Gurner Group and former boss of Australia Post says his morning routine has been transformational. Ahmed Fahour says he now thinks more clearly, has lost 13 kilograms over the past two years and has discovered the best productivity hack: sleep. On this week's episode, the top executive tells BOSS editor Sally Patten how a new start to the day has helped drive high performance at work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.