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Boardroom Confidential

Boardroom Confidential

By: Australian Institute of Company Directors
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Produced by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Hosted by Bennett Mason, Boardroom Confidential brings you candid conversations with some of Australia's most influential company directors, business leaders, and experts. Together, we explore their paths to the boardroom, lessons from their careers, and the ideas shaping modern governance. Whether you're an experienced director or just starting your governance journey, each episode offers practical insights into leadership, decision-making, culture, risk, and strategy—straight from those who sit at the board table. Tune in for fresh perspectives on what it takes to lead with purpose in today's complex business environment.2023 Career Success Economics
Episodes
  • Dr Eileen Doyle & Tim Bednall Take Us Inside the First Wave of Climate Reporting

    Dr Eileen Doyle & Tim Bednall Take Us Inside the First Wave of Climate Reporting
    Jun 5 2026
    This is an episode from the AICD's new weekly podcast series, Director Download. Each episode features conversations with policy experts and leading directors to unpack complex governance challenges and deliver practical insights that can be applied in the boardroom. You can listen by searching 'Director Download' in your podcast player, or by clicking the links below: Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033f7mHnHstKVIekaBMT2YListen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/director-download/id1896576074 More about this episode: Australia's mandatory climate reporting regime has now completed its first cycle, marking one of the most significant changes to corporate reporting in a generation. For boards, the first wave of reports has provided valuable insights into the practical realities of implementation. Although still in its early stages, the regime is designed to improve the consistency and comparability of climate-related disclosures for investors and other stakeholders. Many entities have encountered challenges around data, governance, capability and cost, highlighting the scale of effort involved in meeting the new requirements. Joining us to discuss the lessons emerging from year one are Tim Bednall, Partner and Head of the Governance practice at Mallesons, and Dr Eileen Doyle, a non-executive director with several organisations, including Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure, one of the entities captured in the first group of reporters. This conversation explores what boards can learn from the first group of reporters, where many underestimated the scale and complexity of the task, and what those experiences reveal for the organisations that will come within the regime in the years ahead. We cover: (02:00) Has mandatory climate reporting lived up to expectations? (02:50) What stood out from the first wave of climate disclosures (03:40) Why some boards underestimated the scale of the reporting task (05:30) Has mandatory reporting helped improve decision-making? (15:00) The key areas of uncertainty still causing confusion for directors (18:00) Practical advice for Group 2 and Group 3 organisations Learn more: AICD insights into the early lessons from the first wave of reporters: https://www.aicd.com.au/news-media/research-and-reports/board-insights-australias-first-mandatory-climate-disclosures.html Practical guidance for directors overseeing their organisations' disclosures under Australia's mandatory climate reporting laws, by AICD, Deloitte and MinterEllison: https://www.aicd.com.au/risk-management/framework/climate/a-directors-guide-to-mandatory-climate-reporting.html Join us at the Climate Governance Forum 2026 to explore sustainability reporting and other emerging climate governance issues in greater depth. Connect: Dr Eileen Doyle on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileen-doyle-9389841a/ Tim Bednall on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-bednall-b458181b/ AICD on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/school/australianinstituteofcompanydirectors/ Kulja Coulston on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kulja-coulston/ Bennett Mason on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennett-mason-10517336/ This episode Director Download was produced on Gadigal land. We recognise First Nations peoples' cultural and spiritual relationships to the Skies, Land, Waters, and Seas, and their rich contribution to society.
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    26 mins
  • A New Podcast From the AICD

    A New Podcast From the AICD
    May 26 2026

    The AICD is proud to announce the launch of a brand new podcast offering - Director Download.

    Director Download is a weekly podcast series that keeps directors and senior leaders ahead of evolving governance obligations.

    Each episode features conversations with policy experts and leading directors to unpack complex governance challenges and deliver practical insights that can be applied in the boardroom.

    You can listen by searching 'Director Download' in your podcast player, or by clicking the links below:

    • Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033f7mHnHstKVIekaBMT2Y
    • Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/director-download/id1896576074
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    1 min
  • Special Episode - Boards, AI Agents and the Next Wave of Cyber Risk

    Special Episode - Boards, AI Agents and the Next Wave of Cyber Risk
    May 18 2026

    Presented by Okta

    Artificial intelligence is transforming organisations at extraordinary speed. But as businesses adopt AI agents and autonomous systems, new governance and cyber security risks are emerging just as quickly.

    In this episode, Mathew Graham, Chief Security Officer for Okta Asia-Pacific, explains why boards need to rethink cyber security in an AI-driven world. He explores the rise of "non-human identities", how AI agents are changing the workforce, and why governance is shifting from controlling access to governing behaviour.

    Mathew discusses the risks created by autonomous systems operating at scale, the importance of visibility and accountability, and why some leaders still lack a clear understanding of what AI tools are doing inside their organisations. He also outlines practical steps boards can take to build effective AI governance frameworks without becoming a handbrake on innovation.

    The conversation covers AI-enabled cyber attacks, supply chain vulnerabilities, organisational culture, regulatory change and the growing importance of identity management. Mathew also shares why curiosity, experimentation and strong governance will be essential capabilities for directors as AI continues to reshape business and risk over the decade ahead.

    Key Takeaways:

    The rise of non-human identities — how AI agents are becoming part of the workforce and reshaping organisational risk.
    Governance in an AI era — why boards need visibility, accountability and oversight of autonomous systems.
    Speed and scale of AI risk — how misconfigured AI agents can create rapid downstream impacts across organisations.
    Innovation versus control — balancing experimentation and productivity gains with governance and guardrails.
    Third-party and supply chain risk — managing exposure created by external AI tools and platforms.
    AI as a defensive tool — using AI to detect threats, analyse data and improve cyber resilience.
    Board capability and curiosity — why directors need to stay informed, experiment with AI tools and understand their implications.
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    28 mins
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