POPULARITY
Orica’s CEO says businesses have faced constant crises since COVID, the Vinnies CEO Sleepout marks its 20th year raising awareness of homelessness. Plus, SpaceX shares surge after listing, making it one of the world’s most valuable companies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode #261 features Ameet Bains, CEO of the Western Bulldogs, an AFL club with more than 65,000 members, $100 million in net assets, and a reach spanning elite sport, community programs and one of Australia's fastest-growing regions. Ameet reflects on growing up as the son of Indian migrants, embracing both Australian and Punjabi cultures, and the entrepreneurial sacrifice his parents made to fund his education and future. Vidit and Ameet explore his journey from lawyer at MinterEllison and Toyota to AFL executive, the setbacks and missed opportunities that ultimately shaped his career, and the leadership lessons learned from managing player contracts, building high-performing teams and leading through intense public scrutiny. They also discuss sustaining success in elite sport, balancing ambition with family, the future of AI in organisations, engaging Australia's rapidly growing Indian community, and why humility, service and long-term thinking matter more than headlines. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica), Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear) and more.
Episode #260 features Maxine Minter — Founder and General Partner of the Pre-Seed Venture Capital Fund, Co Ventures. Maxine reflects on growing up between Australia, Japan and Europe, speaking Japanese before English, and raised by a fiercely entrepreneurial single mother. Vidit and Maxine explore her childhood, the influence of her grandparents, executive coaching, the idea of “generative ambition”, and the lessons learned from building companies, backing founders and how and why she started her own VC fund, Co Ventures. They also discuss the specifics of how the best Aussie founders go global, the realities of venture capital, AI, partnership, importance of play, and why the biggest opportunities often come from stepping outside the boxes others expect you to fit into. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica), Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear) and more.
Episode #259 features Ryan Neelam, CEO of the Australian Government's Centre for Australia–India Relations (CAIR). A career diplomat, Ryan has represented Australia at the United Nations, negotiated global development goals, led through the Hong Kong protests and COVID-19, and spent his career helping Australia navigate an increasingly complex world. Ryan shares his journey from migrating to Australia as a child from Malaysia, growing up with Indian and Malaysian Chinese heritage, and accidentally finding his way into diplomacy. He reflects on representing Australia at the UN, negotiating alongside countries with vastly different worldviews, leading through the Hong Kong protests and COVID-19, and why luck plays a bigger role in successful careers than most people admit. Vidit and Ryan explore diplomacy as the art of persuasion, how trust is built across cultures, and why understanding different perspectives has never been more important. They also discuss the rise of India, Australia's biggest opportunities with its fastest-growing diaspora, clean energy, innovation, and the future of one of the world's most consequential relationships. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more. Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. ________ Welcome to the tenth episode in our special series with the Australian Government and their Centre for Australia–India Relations, spotlighting the growing Australia–India relationship across technology, business, media, culture and sport. Previous guests include Renowned Music Composer Tushar Apte, Australia's High Commissioner to India Philip Green, MUFG's CEO Vivek Bhatia, Ex Secretary of Foreign Affairs Peter Varghese, NAB's EGM Sweta Mehra, Deputy Secretary of Australia's Home Affairs Brendan Dowling, Sports Journalist Bharat Sundaresan, Cricket Legend Lisa Sthalekar and Orica's CEO Sanjeev Gandhi, reflecting the breadth of Indian-Australian leaders at the most senior levels.
Episode #258 features Cristina Cordova — employee number 28 at Stripe, an early hire at Notion, former Partner at First Round Capital, and now COO of Linear. This conversation is less about startup tactics and more about ambition, identity and operating inside some of Silicon Valley's most respected companies before they became obvious to everyone else. Cristina reflects on growing up in Los Angeles with a single mother, becoming fiercely independent from a young age, and navigating worlds that initially felt completely foreign to her own. She shares the emotional complexity of spending more than a decade inside elite tech environments, from joining Stripe in its earliest days to helping scale Notion during its breakout years. Vidit and Cristina explore what separates companies that become deeply loved from those that simply grow fast, why some people thrive in ambiguity while others struggle as organisations scale, and how her “run through walls” mentality became both a superpower and a source of tension as companies matured from dozens to thousands of employees. They also discuss partnerships and developer ecosystems at Stripe, community-led growth at Notion, building products with taste and quality, AI and modern software companies, founder psychology, career reinvention, and the challenge of building a meaningful life when work becomes such a large part of who you are. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more.
Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are our favorite episodes from our back catalogue, published as frequently as possible. These are N of 1 conversations with N of 1 people. This is a replay of Episode 217, originally released in July 2025— one of our most loved classics. Elena Verna is one of Silicon Valley's most respected growth operators, whose career has spanned companies including Lovable, SurveyMonkey, Miro and Dropbox. In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Elena reflects on growing up in post-Soviet Russia during the collapse of communism, immigrating to the United States at 14 without speaking English, learning the language through SpongeBob, and going from rejected university applicant to one of tech's most influential voices in growth. She shares the story of obsessively chasing a role at SurveyMonkey that changed her life, lessons from legendary CEO Dave Goldberg, why “not respecting roles and responsibilities” became both her superpower and weakness, and how navigating corporate politics shaped her leadership style. The conversation also explores AI-native companies, the future of growth, why experienced operators may carry “historical baggage”, how Lovable operates with extreme velocity, and what separates companies that scale from those that stall. Elena also dives into hiring, creativity, accountability, solo entrepreneurship, and why she believes victim mentality is one of the most dangerous traits in modern work culture. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more.
Episode #256 features Shernaz Daver, one of Silicon Valley's most respected executive advisors and communications strategists, who has worked alongside leaders including Steve Jobs, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, Khosla Ventures founder Vinod Khosla and Waymo/Udacity founder Sebastian Thrun. In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Shernaz reflects on a remarkable journey shaped across India, Japan and the United States — from growing up between cultures as part of the small Zoroastrian community to navigating the inner circles of Silicon Valley's most influential founders and companies. She shares stories from Motorola, Electronic Arts and Sun Microsystems, the rejection that changed her trajectory, the unforgettable moment Steve Jobs told her she had done a “terrible job” marketing a product, and the lessons she learned working alongside elite founders and operators. The conversation also explores insecurity, ambition, storytelling, AI, burnout, hype versus reality in Silicon Valley, and what separates visionary leaders from merely successful ones. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more.
Mining operations are becoming more complex as underground environments get deeper, more variable, and more selective. In this episode of Mining Now, Orica specialists explore how Orica's 4D™ Underground Bulk Technology is changing the way engineers approach blasting by enabling true in-hole energy control during loading. Instead of relying on a single fixed energy profile, 4D™ allows energy to be adjusted within a blasthole using advanced emulsion chemistry, automated delivery systems, and digital control.
The local market surged for a second straight day, lifting 1% to a two-week high. Sentiment was bolstered by a record lead from Wall Street and fresh optimism for a US-Iran peace deal. With President Trump claiming a truce is "very possible," oil prices tumbled 7% back toward 100 USD, providing broad market relief. Mining stocks led the charge, jumping 3.7%, while Orica rocketed 8% on a narrowed loss and dividend hike. Conversely, Tabcorp cratered 23% following regulatory concerns, and Super Retail Group fell 3.5% after warning that "War Fatigue" and high fuel costs have dented discretionary spending. Steve Daghlian and Laura Besarati are Market Analysts at CommSec. Each episode, they break down the day's market movements and explain what the numbers really mean. The content in this podcast is prepared, approved and distributed in Australia by Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814. The information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the appropriateness of the information before acting and if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode #255 features Andrew Fraser, Chair of Bank of Queensland, Chancellor of Griffith University, President of Motorsport Australia, and former Deputy Premier and Treasurer of the state of Queensland. In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Andrew shares his journey — from entering politics young and rising rapidly to the top of Queensland Government, to the very bitter public loss that ended his political career, becoming a stay-at-home dad in the aftermath, and the reinvention that led him to some of Australia's most significant boardrooms. He breaks down what that period of collapse taught him about ego, judgment and sustainable leadership, how he now thinks through complex strategic decisions, why he uses sport constantly as a metaphor for teams and performance, the importance of “keeping up the chat” as a leader, and the revealing question he asks every new hire to test for self-awareness and honesty. Andrew also unpacks the realities of chairing major institutions, transitioning from operator to governance, and how Australia should think about leadership, sovereignty and long-term competitiveness. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more
Episode #254 features Jeanne DeWitt Grosser, COO at Vercel, and former Chief Business Officer at Stripe, and one of the most respected go-to-market leaders in tech. In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Jeanne shares her journey — from growing up in California with a psychologist mother and tech sales father, to joining Google as an early employee in 2004, to navigating an unplanned career that led her to leadership roles at Stripe and now Vercel. She breaks down how to manage your energy at work and at home, how she learned to influence effectively in engineering-led environments, why “perfect” careers rarely feel that way, and how those lessons shaped her approach to leadership, decision-making, and company building. Jeanne also unpacks how to build credibility with engineers, design modern go-to-market systems, transition from founder-led sales, and rethink sales and marketing in an AI-native world. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more.
Episode #253 features Andrew Fraser, President at Halter, the fast-scaling agritech company using smart collars, virtual fencing and AI to transform livestock farming. Founded in 2016, Halter has raised over US$400 million, with their most recent Series E led by Founders Fund. In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Andrew shares his journey — from growing up in Auckland with just his mum, to an unexpected detour as a uranium explorer in Ethiopia that nearly cost him his health and his savings, to becoming one of New Zealand's most respected go-to-market leaders. He breaks down how Halter rebuilt its sales motion from the ground up, why he abolished the customer success function in favour of account managers with targets, the revenue operations secret behind his success across Vend, Lightspeed and Halter, and how a tight-territory outbound model beat inbound every time. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more.
Episode #252 features Ethan Choi, Partner at Khosla Ventures (KV), where he leads their Growth Fund. In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Ethan shares his own journey— from growing up in Australia with Korean heritage and often acting as the “mum and dad” in his family, to taking a non-traditional path into investing and earning a seat at one of the world's most respected firms, Khosla Ventures. He breaks down how KV actually makes decisions, how Vinod Khosla operates, his learnings from each of the KV partners, why conviction beats consensus, and what it takes to build a growth investing strategy inside a firm known for backing ideas early — including the early bet on OpenAI, and why it didn't look obvious at the time. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more.
Episode #251 features a LIVE conversation recorded on stage recently at EvokeAG (one of the world's leading agrifood and innovation gatherings) with Ruth Leary (Head of Strategy & Engagement, AgriZeroNZ) and Andi Lucas (Founder, X-Hemp). In discussion with Vidit Agarwal, they unpack the realities of raising capital in ag and climate tech — from the limits of venture capital and the role of grants, to long timelines, regulatory challenges, and what it takes to move innovation into real-world adoption. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. This episode is brought to you in commercial partnership with EvokeAG. Find out more at: https://www.evokeag.com ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries, 250+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more.
Episode #250 features a rare in-depth conversation with Rob Giglio, Chief Customer Officer at Canva, the world's leading visual AI platform serving 200M+ users globally. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Adobe, DocuSign, and HubSpot and more. In conversation with Vidit Agarwal, Rob shares the real story behind his career, including growing up in a military family, navigating setbacks like being laid off, and redefining success beyond titles. He unpacks what it takes to build high-performing teams - hiring top 1–3% talent and balancing performance with genuine care for people, how he's stayed relevant across decades of change from CPG to SaaS to AI, and how he's now scaling Canva's enterprise growth as a visual AI platform. He also shares why he's intentionally chosen impact, customers, and craft over becoming a CEO. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ This episode is sponsored by: → Allens: Trusted advisors to leading companies including Canva. Visit allens.com.au → This episode is part of a special limited series on innovation, supported by the City of Sydney. Explore more at: https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/ ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), David Haber (GP, a16z), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more.
Episode #249 features a rare in-depth conversation with David Haber, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, one of the world's leading venture capital firms (managing $40B+), where he focuses on technology investments in B2B software and financial services. Before that, he founded Bond Street, a fintech startup acquired by Goldman Sachs, where he later worked on strategy, partnerships and new ventures. In discussion with Vidit Agarwal, David reflects on his journey from growing up in a Mexican-Jewish family, sharing deeply personal and professional insights on identity, ambition and belonging. He unpacks what it really takes to build and sell a company from his own lived experience, the emotional comedown after an acquisition, and the shift from founder to operating inside institutions like Goldman Sachs. Hear David's perspective on how to spot competitive compounding advantages in people and businesses, recognising talent early, and whether he'd pick Marc Andreessen or Ben Horowitz for his 5 person learning room. David also compares NYC to SF, and the pros and cons of each city. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, US Tennis), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and more.
This episode #248 features a rare and candid conversation with Vivek Bhatia, Global CEO of MUFG Pension & Market Services, a global provider of shareholder and retirement services with 7,000+ employees serving millions of investors across Australia, the UK, Japan and India. He previously served as CEO & Managing Director of Link Group, CEO of QBE Insurance, and CEO of icare NSW. In discussion with Vidit Agarwal, Vivek reflects on his journey from growing up in India to arriving in Australia as a young migrant working in call centres, before rising to lead some of the country's most complex financial institutions. Along the way, he shares the cultural lessons that shaped him — including his belief that India taught him ambition, while Australia taught him balance. Vivek also reflects on the defining moments that shaped his leadership philosophy, from consulting at McKinsey & Company to leading large-scale transformations at Link Group, QBE and icare. He discusses what the CEO job actually involves day-to-day, how to transform legacy organisations without losing the people inside them, navigating global businesses across cultures and markets, and the opportunity for deeper economic and leadership ties between Australia and India. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. ________ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Vanta, Allens, Macquarie Capital, City of Sydney and more. Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website ________ This is the ninth episode in our special series with the Australian Government and their Centre for Australia–India Relations, spotlighting the growing Australia–India relationship across technology, business, media, culture and sport. Previous guests include Renowned Music Composer Tushar Apte, Australia's High Commissioner to India Philip Green, MUFG's CEO Vivek Bhatia, Ex Secretary of Foreign Affairs Peter Varghese, NAB's EGM Sweta Mehra, Deputy Secretary of Australia's Home Affairs Brendan Dowling, Sports Journalist Bharat Sundaresan, Cricket Legend Lisa Sthalekar and Orica's CEO Sanjeev Gandhi, reflecting the breadth of Indian-Australian leaders at the most senior levels. ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world's most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Anil Sabharwal (Global VP, Product at Google), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Stevie Case (Chief Revenue Officer, Vanta), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Jean-Michel Lemieux (CTO, Shopify + Atlassian), Sweta Mehra (EGM, NAB; ex CMO, ANZ), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (Chief Investment Officer, Hostplus), Craig Tiley (CEO, Tennis Australia), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Niki Scevak (Co-Founder, Blackbird Ventures), Mike Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Trent Cotchin (3x Premiership Winning Captain, Richmond FC), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Matteo Franceschetti (CEO, Eight Sleep) and more.
Wall St overnight saw a very slight pullback after a choppy trading session, as trader remained wary of developments in the ongoing Iran war. The S&P500 dropped 0.2% by close of trade, the Dow Jones dropped 0.1%, and the Nasdaq ended the trading day flat. What to watch today:Looking ahead to today's trade locally, the ASX is expected to build on yesterday's momentum and rise, with the SPI futures suggesting a 0.3% increase at the open. Moving straight to commodities news, Crude Oil has retreated further from its historic surge on Monday, currently trading down around 8.8% to US$86 per barrel. The drop comes after the International Energy Agency or IEA announced they would convene an extraordinary meeting of member countries to discuss the possible release of oil stockpiles to the market to relieve supply constraints. IEA members collectively hold around 1.2 billion barrels of oil in reserve. Meanwhile, precious metals continue to steadily advance off the back of safe haven demand while uncertainty lingers. Gold is trading around 1% up at just under US$5200 per ounce, while silver is trading 1.5% up at US$88 per ounce. Trading ideas:Finally ending on some trading ideas for your consideration today. Bell Potter has upgraded its recommendation on Eagers Automotive (ASX:APE) from a Hold to a Buy, with a 12 month price target of $28.50, which at the current share price of $21.11 implies 335% capital growth over the period. And Bell Potter have maintained their Buy rating on Orica (ASX:ORI), with a 12 month price target of $28.50, after the company provided its first half FY26 update, outlining positive group momentum continuing into the second half of the year.
When Sanjeev Gandhi was called into the office of German chemical company BASF’s managing director, the young salesman was “tentative and concerned”. It was a meeting that would go on to change the course of his career. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the CEO of mining services giant Orica to find out how an unexpected opportunity paved the way to executive leadership. This week’s episode was sponsored by Aussie Broadband.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sangeet Paul Choudhary is the bestselling co-author of Platform Revolution, founder of Platformation Labs, senior fellow at UC Berkeley, and author of Reshuffle, exploring how AI fundamentally reorganizes value creation architecture.Episode Sponsor: Fiscal AI is a modern data terminal that gives investors instant access to twenty years of financials, earnings transcripts, and extensive segment and KPI data—use my link for a two-week free trial plus 15% off: https://fiscal.ai/talkingbillions/3:00 - Sangeet describes growing up in an industrial town where everyone's father worked at the steel plant, creating a homogeneous, "straight-jacketed" environment. Digital technologies opened new career possibilities beyond this rigid path.5:45 - The Intelligence Distraction: Sangeet challenges the dominant narrative of AI benchmarked by intelligence metrics. "AI is not an alternative to human thought. It could be an alternative to human-performed knowledge work, but it's not an alternative to human thought."8:30 - The GPS metaphor: AI's real impact comes from reorganizing systems, not raw intelligence. Like GPS restructures traffic flow by coordinating unconnected drivers, AI reorganizes economic activity by creating shared representations of complex spaces.15:00 - Travel industry transformation: Dreaming on Instagram, planning on Google Flights, booking through fragmented systems. AI could create unified representations connecting desire to action seamlessly.28:00 - Piracy as market research: "Piracy is a form of market research showing unmet demand." When illegal activity fills gaps, it reveals where legitimate systems fail to serve users.35:00 - Platform economics: Network effects create winner-take-all dynamics. Once critical mass is achieved, platforms become nearly impossible to displace.42:00 - Solution vs. execution: Professional services charging for billing hours face commoditization. The future belongs to those charging for outcomes and results, not execution time.48:00 - Orica example: Mining explosives company stopped selling products, started selling blast outcomes. Shifted from commodity provider to results-aligned partner, capturing more value and developing superior expertise.52:00 - Don't need AI strategy, need strategy for AI world: "What is our strategy given the conditions that AI creates?" AI dissolves industry boundaries by making previously siloed knowledge accessible across sectors.54:30 - Value migration: Ask where value sat before, where it moves with AI, then position to capture that shifted value.Podcast Program – Disclosure StatementBlue Infinitas Capital, LLC is a registered investment adviser and the opinions expressed by the Firm's employees and podcast guests on this show are their own and do not reflect the opinions of Blue Infinitas Capital, LLC. All statements and opinions expressed are based upon information considered reliable although it should not be relied upon as such. Any statements or opinions are subject to change without notice.Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed.
The ASX200 closed down 0.4% for a second straight session, led by energy off 2.3% and tech off 2.5% for a seventh day. DroneShield surged 22% after winning a €50 million European contract, while Orica rose 2.5% on strong explosives demand. Investors look ahead to US retail, jobs, manufacturing and inflation data, plus upcoming dividend payouts. The content in this podcast is prepared, approved and distributed in Australia by Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814. The information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the appropriateness of the information before acting and if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How do you maintain your strategic focus in such a volatile global market? Sanjeev Gandhi, Orica's managing director and CEO, shares his insightful views on this and much more. Gandhi and CPA Australia CEO Chris Freeland chatted on stage at the recent ECTA (Economic Trade and Agreement) Unleashed event – a one-day conference held in Sydney between CPA Australia and the Australian (Sydney) chapter of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. The event connected CPA Australia members, community leaders, business, and government agencies to deliver practical insights and technical information on both the Australian and Indian markets. This episode is a recording of that insightful conversation. Gandhi outlines the realities of operating in more than 130 jurisdictions and explains why the last five years have marked the most unpredictable period of his career. This conversation also covers issues such as: Navigating global volatility Opportunities created by geopolitical shifts The Australia-India partnership Productivity and policy challenges in Australia Shifts from globalisation to localisation Listen in now. Host: Chris Freeland AM, CEO, CPA Australia Guest: Sanjeev Gandhi, Managing Director and CEO, Orica Head to Orica's website and LinkedIn for more information. And you can learn about this event at its CPA Australia page. Loving this episode? Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
John speaks with Michelle Manook about the realities of Australia's energy system, the misconceptions driving policy, and the widening gap between ideology and practical national interest. Manook explains why technological advances in sustainable coal production, including Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and High Efficiency Low Emissions (HELE) power plants, make coal a legitimate energy option for our future. The discussion urges Australians to re-examine the assumptions embedded in net zero narratives, the economic risks posed by unreliable power, and the strategic necessity of maintaining a diverse and resilient energy mix. This is a grounded, forward-looking discussion about how nations sustain prosperity and stability in an increasingly uncertain world. Michelle Manook is Chief Executive of FutureCoal. Previously, she was Head of Strategy, Government and Communications for Europe, Asia and Africa for the multinational company Orica, based in Perth, Australia.
Spark Club Podcast Ep 63 -21st Nov 2025 Hosted by Grant McDowell and guest this week, Tim Buckley Highlights BESS deployments booming Batteries are the biggest disruptive force in global energy markets in 2025. Australia becomes world's third-largest utility battery market. Rho Motion reports Grid-scale BESS market saw 12.7GWh of new capacity enter operations globally in October 2025, +29% y-o-y. Meanwhile, global YTD deployments have reached 156GWh, +38% yoy. China led new operational capacity with 8.8GWh of utility scale BESS added in the Oct 2025 month – double what Australia will do this year – including one giga-scale vanadium flow battery. Powering Past Coal Alliance South Korea announces Powering Past Coal Alliance at COP30 in Brazil. Has consequences for Australia's future coal exports. Lowlights China RE capacity installs slow significantly China ended a major VRE incentive program in May 2025, which saw a massive pull forward of solar and wind installs, with a world record month of >90GW installed just in the month of May 2025, meaning ytd installs were double in 5MCY2025. Fast forward the following 5 months, and new RE installs have been running at just 12GW per month (still a monthly run rate double what Australia will do this year). The silver lining is that national emissions in China are still 10 months into 2025 down yoy, having possibly peaked back in March 2024. Steel and cement production in the month of Oct'2025 was down 5-10% yoy, so despite strong electricity demand driving thermal power generation +5% yoy, emissions overall for the month of Oct 2025 were down yoy. Tomago Closure Threats Rio Tinto is threatening to close Tomago aluminium smelter due to their inability to access cheap coal power beyond 2028. It is great to hear that the Federal Govt. is closely evaluating a financial intervention that provides a permanent decarbonisation solution that is globally cost competitive – but will, if delivered, represent a major shift away from the "free markets" doctrine of Australia over the last few decades that has guttered our manufacturing and value-add sectors. COP31 goes to Türkiye. What does it mean for Bowen and Adelaide. Main Story – Whyalla steel works CEF released our new report A Strategy for Whyalla: Enabling the Transformation and Decarbonisation of the Steelworks Leveraging targeted industry and climate policy to support a first-of-a-kind Australian capital deployment into firmed RE to produce GH2 & then green iron. Our report discusses the challenges facing SA in terms of energy supply pathways – there is a fork in the road ahead, methane lock-in or going the higher cost, higher risk GH2 route that aligns with the global need to drive decarbonisation and hence in building a commercial deployment to show how this can be done. This comes with all the risks of very slow GH2 deployments globally to-date and the still very high capital costs, and FOAK risks. So we would suggest a cautious evaluation of this, whilst pursuing policies of no regrets now. We recommend the SA Govt: Build magnetite mining capacities – high quality, low impurity Build the enabling RE firming and grid infrastructure ahead of demand Build a green steel EAF Build downstream steel fabrication capacities for domestic market needs Underwrite FOAF semi-commercial technology deployments in the Australian context – Calix ZESTY was one of our picks, but they are going to Kwinana WA thanks to a major new deal this week with Rio Tinto, Element Zero and DryFlow? Prepare the ground work for a GH2 powered DRI value-add plant as phase 2 to say reach FID in 5 years time Meanwhile, keep putting bandaids on the end of life steel works to elk out another few years. All of this gives clarity to the workforce and communities that they wont be left behind, but avoids locking in unproven GH2 till smaller FOAK deployments are proven up e.g. Also, news on Orica's 50MW at Newcastle here in NSW. What's coming up? Next WED Tim is in Canberra joining ATSE for a diesel fuel rebate conference in Canberra. In early December Tim is joining the NSW Government delegation for a battery forum in Guangdong China – this is a sister state arrangement going for 46 years now. End
Explosives and chemicals manufacturer Orica has reported its strongest results in 13 years thanks to surging demand from the mining sector for its products. Plus, shares in accounting software maker Xero have plunged on the market today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose to new heights on Wednesday, extending its gains from the previous session, as Wall Street looked ahead to a potential end to the record-breaking U.S. government shutdown.The 30-stock Dow was last up 334 points, or 0.7%, and hit a fresh intraday high in the session. The S&P 500 traded around the flatline, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.3%. SPI up 11 - Australia's October labour force report is due at 11.30am. Results expected on Thursday from Graincorp, Orica, Xero, Catapult Sports and Infratil.Companies scheduled to host annual meetings include Arena REIT, AUB Group, Computershare, Catalyst Metals, Greatland Resources, Guzman Y Gomez, Ingenia Communities Group, Inghams Group, Nextdc, Pexa Group, SGH, Superloop, Servcorp and Strike Energy.Want to invest with Marcus Today? Our MT20 portfolio is designed for investors seeking exposure to our strategy while we do the hard work for you. If you're looking for personal financial advice, our friends at Clime Investment Management can help. Their team of licensed advisers operates across most states, offering tailored financial planning services. Why not sign up for a free trial? Gain access to expert insights, research, and analysis to become a better investor.
Wall Street closed higher on Friday and for the week as investors welcomed the Fed's rate cut decision on Thursday last week. The Nasdaq rose 0.72%, the S&P500 rallied 0.5% and the Dow Jones gained 0.37% to hit a fresh record at the close. For the week, the Nasdaq added 2.2% while the Dow and S&P500 gained 1% and 1.2% respectively.Apple shares led the gains on Friday with a 3.2% spike after the company's latest iPhone went on sale.In Europe on Friday markets closed lower as investors focused on trade and the state of the European economy. The STOXX600 fell 0.04%, Germany's DAX lost 0.15%, the French CAC declined just 0.01%, and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day down 0.12%.Across the Asia region on Friday markets closed lower after the Bank of Japan held rates steady amid concerns of external volatility impacting Japan's inflation journey. Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed flat, India's Nifty 50 declined 0.55%, and Japan's Nikkei fell 0.57%.Locally on Friday the ASX200 posted a positive end to the week amid fresh records on Wall St on Thursday and a healthcare rally locally fuelling a 0.3% gain at the closing bell.For the week, the key index lost 1.03% as a sharp sell off in energy stocks weighed down the key index.Telix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:TLX) did much of the heavy lifting in the healthcare sector on Friday with a 7.5% rally after Citi initiated coverage of the commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with a buy rating, indicating its prostate cancer drug candidate has the potential to become a ‘blockbuster drug'.Pro Medicus (ASX:PME) also benefited from Citi's expanded coverage with a rally of 5.5% after Citi named PME among its favourite stock picks for the healthcare sector.What to watch today:Gold miners locally extended their run on Friday as the recent gold spot price rally continued with the price of gold topping US$3659 on Friday. Northern Star Resources added 0.9% on Friday while Evolution Mining ended the day up 1.52%.On the commodities front this morning oil is trading 1.34% lower at US$62.72/barrel, gold is up 1.12% at US$3684.75/ounce and iron ore is up 0.2% at US$105.44/tonne.The Aussie dollar has slightly weakened against the greenback to buy 65.96 U.S. cents, 97.63 Japanese yen, 48.85 British pence and 1 New Zealand dollar and 12 cents.Ahead of Monday's trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day up 0.27% tracking Wall Street's gains on Friday. Trading ideas:Bell Potter has initiated coverage of Orica (ASX:ORI) with a buy rating and a 12-month price target of $23.00 as the analyst sees Orica is well-positioned for strong near-term earnings growth across its diversified segments, driven by high-margin products, favourable pricing, and operational improvements. Additionally, the company is on track for de-leveraging and increasing shareholder returns, making it an attractive investment opportunity.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on ResMed (ASX:RMD) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 19-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $41.21 to the range of $45.30 to $46.20 according to standard principles of technical analysis.
Orica Digital Solutions' Axis Mining Technology is transforming drilling with it's next-generation survey tools. From gyro systems to integrated data platforms, their solutions are setting a new standard for accuracy, efficiency, and safety in mining.
Wall Street closed lower on Friday as investor fears of a slowing economy rose after key U.S. non-farm payrolls data came in much weaker than expected. The Dow lost 0.5%, the Nasdaq declined 0.03% and the S&P 500 ended the day down 0.32%.For the month of August nonfarm payrolls increased by only 22,000 jobs, significantly lower than the 75,000 jobs economists were expecting to be added. U.S. unemployment rate also rose to 4.3% for the month, up from 4.2% signalling a weakening labour market.While a rate cut out of the Fed is almost certain now, investors are more concerned over the long-term impact of a slowing economy, and fears of a recession continue to rise.In Europe on Friday markets closed lower as investors in the region also assessed the weakening economic condition of the U.S. following a weaker than expected jobs reading out on Friday. The STOXX 600 fell 0.2%, Germany's DAX lost 0.73%, the French CAC declined 0.31%, and in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day down 0.09%.Across the Asia region on Friday markets closed mostly higher after President Trump formalised lower tariffs on Japanese auto tariffs with a baseline tariff of 15% across all Japanese imports. Japan's Nikkei rose 1.03%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.71% and South Korea's Kospi index added 0.13%.Locally on Friday the ASX200 posted a 0.51% rise on Friday as real estate and discretionary stocks rose 1.37% and 1.33% respectively.Gold stocks gained further ground on Friday amid the record price of the precious commodity as investors once again flocked to safe-haven assets in the wake of further global uncertainty.Qantas (ASX:QAN) shares rose 1.5% on Friday on news that chief executive Vanessa Hudson's bonus would be docked over the airline's recent cybersecurity breach, while Orica shares added over 1% after the company signalled positive momentum is driving higher underlying earnings across its business for H2 ending September 30. What to watch today:On the commodities front this morning oil is trading 2.38% lower at US$61.97/barrel, gold is up 1.3% at US$3592.50/ounce, and iron ore is down 0.04% at US$104.49/tonne.The Aussie dollar has strengthened against the greenback to buy 65.57 U.S. cents, 97.10 Japanese yen, 48.53 British pence, and 1 New Zealand dollar and 11 cents.Ahead of the first session of the new trading week the SPI futures are anticipating the market will open the day down 0.2%.Trading ideas:Bell Potter has increased the rating on Technology One (ASX:TNE) from a sell to a hold and have maintained the 12-month price target on the company at $35.75/share, amid changes in forecasting for the company with Bell Potter's analyst and the market anticipating a beat in November. At a stock specific level, we do not see much risk of any disappointment or negative catalyst and, as mentioned, we already expect the company to exceed its guidance when it reports in November.And Bell Potter has also reduced the rating on Curvebeam AI (ASX:CVB) from a spec buy to a hold and have a 15cps price target on the company following the release of the company's FY25 results including revenues and gross profit of $12.1m and $6.7m respectively. The reason for the downgrade to a hold comes from lack of guidance, Hi rise device sales continuing to be constrained by the Mako validation matter and the hybrid of capitalised earnings.
Orica flags strong finish to the year, court blocks Mayfair 101 director for 15 years, Coles reviews staff pay arrangements. Plus, annual growth at strongest pace in 2 years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mining has always relied on wired blasting — a method that slows production, restricts flexibility, and exposes crews to unnecessary risk. Orica's WebGen™ wireless blasting technology changes all of that. In this Mining NOW episode filmed at CIM Connect, host Rory Bamford sits down with Adam Aubin, Head of Technical Solutions North America at Orica, to reveal how WebGen™ is helping mines blast smarter, safer, and faster. Watch the full interview to see how wireless initiation is redefining the future of mining.
Episode #219 features Sanjeev Gandhi, Managing Director and CEO of Orica — a Melbourne-headquartered global leader in mining and infrastructure solutions. Sanjeev spent 26 years with BASF, where he held senior positions including Head of Asia Pacific and member of the Global Board of Directors, becoming the first Indian to serve in these roles. He also contributes his expertise through advisory and leadership positions, including as Chair of the Centre for Australia–India Relations (CAIR) CEO Network.+++This episode is part of a special series in partnership with the Australian Government and their Centre for Australia–India Relations. These episodes highlight the growing ties between Australia and India across tech, business, media, culture, and sport. With around one million people of Indian heritage now in Australia—the fastest growing large diaspora—this series shares the untold stories of change makers shaping both nations' futures.+++To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high→ Get up to 6 months of Notion's Business plan for free with Notion AI included (worth $12K): Go to - https://ntn.so/highflyers & click “Apply Now”If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more. ***CLICK HERE to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!***Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterGet in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly hereContact us via our website to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! ***The High Flyers Podcast is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal on the show from 15+ countries, including The CEO's of multi-billion dollar companies like Bunnings, Australia Post, Woolworths, Airwallex, Eucalyptus etc; Board Members at Macquarie Bank, ANZ, Reserve Bank etc; Former Prime Minister of Australia; Globally renowned Tech CEO's from Google, Microsoft, Xero etc, Successful Venture Capital and Family Office Investors; CIO's at the world's biggest superannuation funds; Leading Entertainers; Olympic Gold Medal Winning Athletes and interesting minds you wouldn't have heard of that are changing the world. Our parent company, Curiosity Centre is your on-demand intelligence hub for knowledge, connections and growth to achieve your potential, everyday. Join 200,000+ Investors, Founders, Functional Leaders, CEOs and Emerging Leaders. Learn with the world's best and be 1% better everyday at https://curiositycentre.com***
How are global mining companies solving the industry's most pressing problems—equipment customization, critical mineral processing, and distribution gaps—while expanding into new markets? In this exclusive Mining NOW panel episode, host Jerrod Downey sits down with industry leaders from Duratray International, Don Kyatt/Terrain Tamer, and Gekko Systems to unpack practical solutions and forward-thinking strategies driving the mining sector forward. This special interview was made possible by Global Victoria, who brought these international innovators together at CIM Connect to share insights on global growth, localized solutions, and mining innovation.
In this Mining NOW episode, host Roy Slack sits down with Scott Martin (Glencore Technology) and Chris Marion (Hudbay Minerals) to explore how collaborative innovation is transforming copper processing. Hudbay's Copper World project is ditching traditional smelting for Glencore's Albion Process, a game-changer that eliminates overseas shipping, slashes carbon emissions, and keeps production local. Discover how this ESG-friendly solution is setting a new standard for sustainable mining.
Underground mining operations are some of the most complex and high-risk environments in the world. Add manual data entry, paper-based systems, and last-minute approvals—and the process of blasting and drilling becomes even more chaotic. In this episode of Mining NOW, host Jerrod Downey talks with Sophie Clayton, Product Manager at Orica Digital Solutions, about how the company is changing that narrative.
Nadia Budihardjo and Claire Tyrrell discuss why WA's commercial building sector has experienced a shake-up in the past 12 months. Plus: Woodside, Hyundai ink LNG collaboration, framework; Outgoing Boral CEO Vik Bansal to join Orica; Wallis Drilling supplies new drill rigs under BHP deal.
Welcome back to The Hydrogen Podcast! I'm Paul Rodden, and today we're diving into three global breakthroughs redefining the future of hydrogen energy:
What if the key to future-proofing your organization… isn't found in strategy decks, but in empathy and integrity? This episode pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to lead through chaos, culture clashes, and constant change. Andrea Ross, team/executive coach & corporate trainer at The Career Establishment sits down with Victor Morales — President & Group Executive for Latin America (LATM) at Orica — whose leadership journey spans six countries, two decades, and some of the world's most complex markets. From navigating geopolitical minefields to restoring trust in fractured communities to learning leadership lessons from survivors of human trafficking in Tanzania… Victor shares the tools, frameworks, and mindset shifts every leader needs in today's unpredictable world.
The market has reversed the recent gains today as it took a breather following yesterdays near record high. Laura and Stevie discuss the session which has seen the week ultimately remain flat, and unpack the sectors with all but materials dropping into the red. A number of stocks have caught attention today including IAG, Mayne Pharma, and Orica and they look at what to expect in the day ahead. The content in this podcast is prepared, approved and distributed in Australia by Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814. The information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the appropriateness of the information before acting and if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by MAAP Guys, the Giro is underway and that can only mean one thing; it's time for me to wheel out that classic old LITP story of the time I rode the Team Time Trial at the 2014 Giro with the Greenedge boys and we only went and bloody won it!...What do you mean I bring it up every year? Seriously, though, this is one of my favourite episodes we've ever made. I know some of you will have heard it before when it was first released during lockdown, but there's a lot of new listeners in the Pelo now who may not have heard me catching up with Orica Greenedge's ‘Class Of ‘14' Giro squad who took the win in the opening TTT in Belfast at the 2014 Giro d'Italia. This is a monster ep, with amazing stories from Svein ‘Sveino' Tuft, ‘Cam-a-carzi' Meyer, Michael ‘Bling' Matthews, Michael ‘Heppy' Hepburn, Pieter ‘Weendog' Weening, Brett ‘Burt' Lancaster, Matt ‘Whitey' White, and - of course - my old mate Luke ‘Durbo' Durbridge. What a line up?! I absolutely loved relistening to this, and reliving the memories from over 10 years ago. This was one of my best days on the bike, surrounded by an amazing group of guys who I'm still good mates with today. It's the first rest day of the 2025 Giro today, so this should keep you excited before the racing kicks off again in Italy tomorrow. Sit back, relax, and enjoy; I hope you love it. Cheers, Mitch
This week we are pleased to bring you one of our most popular episodes of 2024. Please enjoy, and we will be back next week with more insights from the Corruption, Crime, and Compliance podcast.How can companies build trust and drive growth in a region as politically and economically volatile as Latin America? In this episode, Nicolas Garcia - Vice President, Legal, Regional and Compliance Manager for LATAM and Orica - joins Michael Volkov to discuss the complexities of navigating compliance and leadership in LATAM. The conversation highlights how regional dynamics, such as the crisis in Venezuela, influence business operations and how cultural shifts are changing the role of compliance officers. Nicolas provides valuable insights on the evolving compliance landscape, emphasizing the importance of trust, leadership, and a strong compliance culture in driving business success in challenging environments.Listen in as Nicolas and Mike discuss:The ongoing political and economic crisis in Venezuela has led to massive immigration into neighboring countries like Colombia, Chile, and Brazil, creating both economic challenges and opportunities in the region.Guyana is experiencing rapid growth due to foreign investment, particularly in the oil and gas sectors, standing in stark contrast to Venezuela's decline.Nicholas emphasizes the shift from compliance officers being seen as enforcers to becoming strategic business partners. This transition helps companies not only meet regulatory requirements but also drive success.Establishing a trust-based relationship between compliance officers and leadership is essential. When compliance is integrated into the business strategy, it becomes a tool for enabling growth rather than a barrier.Trust in reporting systems is growing in Latin America, though fear of retaliation remains a concern. Anonymous reporting is on the rise, and substantiation rates are increasing as employees gain confidence in the system's integrity.Ensuring that investigations follow due process is critical to maintaining credibility in compliance programs. It also helps improve trust and the success rate in legal outcomes.Resources:Nicolas Garcia on LinkedInNicolas Garcia on Email: Nicolas.Garcia@Orica.comMichael Volkov on LinkedIn | TwitterThe Volkov Law Group
The Elephant In The Room Property Podcast | Inside Australian Real Estate
Melbourne’s property market has been through a lot lately — ups, downs, and now a bit of a bounce. Is this a genuine turnaround, or just a brief shift before more challenges arise? In this episode, we chat with Cate Bakos, a seasoned Melbourne property market specialist who knows the city’s market dynamics better than most. Cate shares what she’s seeing at the coalface — from interstate investors jumping in to locals cautiously testing the waters. We dig into the impact of Melbourne’s massive infrastructure projects, the aftermath of the city’s harsh lockdowns, and why sentiment can sometimes outweigh the raw data. Cate also touches on the challenges investors are facing, like rising land taxes and stricter rental regulations. It’s a complicated picture, and there’s a lot to consider. If you’ve been curious about whether Melbourne’s market has truly found its feet or if this is just a momentary shift, you should listen to this episode. Join us as we unpack what’s really happening on the ground, the signals that may hint at a lasting change, and the realities buyers, sellers, and investors need to navigate. Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 01:05 - Who is Cate Bakos? 02:39 - What’s driving the surge in buyer activity across Melbourne? 09:29 - Has Melbourne’s mojo returned post-COVID? 13:57 - Is the recent investor interest in Melbourne based on solid data—or just market bias? 17:05 - Cate weighs in on the narrative around high listing volumes in Melbourne 21:01 - What does Victoria’s $1 million daily interest bill mean for property? 26:42 - Buyer preferences are shifting again—are we back to wanting proximity over space? 31:20 - Do younger buyers still prefer the same suburbs and homes as older generations? 34:35 - Why some Melbourne apartments are struggling while others hold strong 38:10 - Has land tax made buyers think twice about purchasing a holiday home? 40:34 - What’s driving Melbourne’s tight rental market and rising yields? 45:38 - Are interstate investors replacing locals who’ve sold out of Melbourne? 46:23 - Cate explains who benefits most from Victoria’s Shared Equity scheme 49:41 - What will it take for upgraders and downsizers to re-enter the market? 51:11 - Cate Bakos’ property dumbo About Our Guest: Cate Bakos, with a Chemistry degree from Monash University, transitioned from a successful career in sales and marketing with Orica to becoming an award-winning real estate professional. After purchasing her first property at 21, she moved into Melbourne’s Bayside property market, later founding Cate Bakos Property in 2014. Cate has guided over 2,000 clients through property purchases and strategies, leveraging her expertise in lending policy and cashflow analysis. A regular media commentator, Cate co-hosts “The Property Trio” podcast and authored “Successful Property Investment.” She served as REBAA President from 2019 to 2023 and continues to mentor young industry professionals. Connect with Cate Bakos: Website https://www.catebakos.com.au/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinebakos/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cate_bakos_property/ Resources: Visit our website https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au If you have any questions or would like to be featured on our show, contact us at: The Elephant in the Room Property Podcast questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? https://www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://www.veronicamorgan.com.au Looking for a Mortgage Broker? https://www.alcove.au Work with Chris: chrisbates@alcove.au Enjoyed the podcast? Don't miss out on what's yet to come! Hit that subscription button, spread the word and join us for more insightful discussions in real estate. Your journey starts now! Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719 Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Global markets are in free fall, so should investors be worried or is this a correction that always had to happen? MARKET WRAP: ASX200: down 1.32%, 7,786 AUD: 62.84 US cents GOLD: $2,917 US/oz BITCOIN: $130,167 AUD The Dow Jones finished down another 1.1% overnight, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq both lower as well. The ASX 200 dropped 1.3% Utilities the only sector finishing higher, as eight of the eleven fell by more than 1%. CBA down 1.4%, Westpac down 2%, and NAB & ANZ down 2.1%. Shipbuilder Austal dropped 22% after announcing it had completed an institutional placement to raise $200 million. A share buyback of up to $400 million announced by mining infrastructure group Orica saw shares decline 1.3% to $16.68. Wesfarmers down 2.6%, Breville losing 2.7%, Flight Centre down 3.4%, and Super Retail 3.6% lower. Nickel industries jumped 8.3% to 65 cents a share. Telix Pharmaceuticals gained 1.7% to $27.07 A 2.1% lift for AGL. CURRENCY UPDATE: AUD/USD: 62.84 US cents AUD/GBP: 48.6 pence AUD/EUR: 57 Euro cents AUD/JPY: 93 Japanese yen AUD/NZD: 1.10 NZ dollars See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hopes a glut of tomatoes in South Australia will ease as trade resumes to other Australian states, more Australian wine sold than produced last year, as the industry draws down on stored wine, and fertilizer manufacturer Orica looks to manufacture offshore due to escalating Australian gas and electricity prices.
Consider These Top ESG Stocks! ESG fund ownership offers great insight into the best stocks to own for potential returns. By Ron Robins, MBA Transcript & Links, Episode 143, November 29, 2024 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to this podcast episode 143 published November 29, 2024, titled “Consider These Top ESG Stocks!” It's presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, and I don't receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal any investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the articles and more company and stock information. ------------------------------------------------------------- Consider These Top ESG Stocks! (1) I'm beginning this podcast episode with a great article titled The Top Stocks Widely Owned by ESG Funds. It's by Frances Aufderheide and found on morningstar.com. Here are some quotes from the article. “We found five stocks owned exclusively by large-cap sustainable funds in the industrials, materials, and healthcare sectors. We describe them below, with insight from Morningstar analysts and Sustainalytics. Source: Morningstar Direct. Weights as of Oct. 31, 2024. Data as of Nov. 5, 2024. 1. Ecolab (ECL) Morningstar Rating: 2 Stars Morningstar ESG Risk Rating Assessment: 3 Globes Price/Fair Value: 1.14 Total Return Year to Date (Month-End): 24.75 ‘As the global leader in the cleaning and sanitation industry, Ecolab provides products that help its hospitality, foodservice, and life-sciences customers do laundry, wash dishes, maintain clean manufacturing environments, and ensure regulatory compliance. With unmatched scale and a solid razor-and-blade business model, Ecolab's competitive advantages are firmly in place.' ‘Ecolab's largest growth driver over the next decade will be the water business, which generates the majority of revenue in the industrial segment. During the quarter, water revenue grew 3% versus the prior-year quarter on an organic basis, excluding currency movements.' —Seth Goldstein, Morningstar Strategist 2. Agilent Technologies (A) Morningstar Rating: 4 Stars Morningstar ESG Risk Rating Assessment: 4 Globes Price/Fair Value: 0.91 Total Return Year to Date (Month-End): (5.76) Agilent provides instruments, software and services for laboratories. ‘Agilent offers differentiated technology that is protected by various intangible assets, including patents, copyrights, and trademarks. This portfolio of intellectual property and its innovation prowess in chosen fields keep competitors from directly copying its technology.' —Julie Utterback, Morningstar Senior Equity Analyst 3. Xylem (XYL) Morningstar Rating: 3 Stars Morningstar ESG Risk Rating Assessment: 3 Globes Price/Fair Value: 1.07 Total Return Year to Date (Month-End): 7.43 ‘Xylem is one of the leading water technology companies in the world. Its extensive portfolio spans a wide range of equipment and solutions for the water industry, including the transport, treatment, testing, and efficient use of water for public utilities as well as industrial, commercial, and residential customers. Xylem operates four business segments: water infrastructure, applied water, measurement and control solutions, and water solutions and services.' —Krysztof Smalec, Morningstar Equity Analyst 4. W.W. Grainger (GWW) Morningstar Rating: 1 Star Morningstar ESG Risk Rating Assessment: 4 Globes Price/Fair Value: 1.66 Total Return Year to Date (Month-End): 34.57 W.W. Grainger distributes maintenance, repair, and operations products to more than 4.5 million customers. ‘We've raised our fair value estimate for narrow-moat-rated Grainger by 12% to $660 per share as we've become more confident of the firm's ability to maintain long-term operating margin above 14%. Even so, the current stock price remains well above our revised fair value estimate.' ‘Our confidence (of a narrow moat) is rooted in Grainger's ability to fend off competitive pressures from both new and existing players in the maintenance, repair, and operations market.' —Brian Bernard, Morningstar Senior Director 5. Veralto (VLTO) Morningstar Rating: None Morningstar ESG Risk Rating Assessment: 3 Globes Total Return Year to Date (Month-End): 24.56 Veralto provides technology solutions to improve the quality and reliability of water and product innovations through a suite of brands. ‘This tax-free spinoff is just the latest example of Danaher's business pruning.' —Julie Utterback, Morningstar Senior Equity Analyst” End quotes. Also, go to the link on this podcast page to this article for additional research on the “Top 10 widely held in US Sustainable Large-Cap Fund Universe” and “Top 5 Overweight Securities in the US Sustainable Large-Cap Fund Universe”. ------------------------------------------------------------- Consider These Top ESG Stocks! (2) The second article today reviews a company that is an old favorite of ethical and sustainable investors. The article is titled Buy First Solar Stock on the Dip. Solar Energy Will Be Too Good an Opportunity for President-Elect Trump to Pass Up. It's by James Brumley and found on fool.com. Here are a few of his comments on First Solar stock. “First Solar (FSLR) Investors suspect pro-oil President-elect Donald Trump could also prove unsupportive of renewable energy. In fact, most clean energy stocks are down since his Nov. 5 election on this very worry. First Solar has been no exception to the industrywide sell-off. This weakness, however, is also a buying opportunity for anyone interested in owning a piece of the solar panel maker, or in adding exposure to the solar industry as a whole. The solar power movement is too big and too well-developed for Donald Trump to bring to a halt now. First Solar is also well-positioned to sidestep one of the few meaningful actions the president-elect could take to disrupt the solar industry's growth. Solar is just too competitive to stop now Data gathered by Wood Mackenzie and reported by the U.S. Department of Energy indicates that utility-scale solar power is now in line with the cost of natural gas and coal-fired power… The irony? Largely because it's the cheapest means of adding utility-scale power production there, solar is growing like wildfire in several states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas that picked Trump to be president during the recently ended election cycle. To the extent voters picked Trump for economic reasons, they'll certainly appreciate cheaper electricity and its positive impact on the economy. The 2022 passage of the Inflation Reduction Act is admittedly fueling much of this growth, by offering taxpayers a tax credit of up to 30% of the cost of a solar power system. The IRA also incentivizes utility-scale solar power projects as well as the manufacturing of solar panels themselves… But tariffs? While unspecific as well as far from being certain (Trump argues the mere threat of tariffs is enough), First Solar is mostly immune to their impact anyway. Although the company requires some imported materials that may be subject to such tariffs, it's an American manufacturer mostly serving the North American market, where the company believes over 90% of its immediate revenue opportunities await… Data source: StockAnalysis.com. Chart by author. Give at least partial credit for this brewing growth to First Solar's Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic panels. Although they make its design and production processes more complicated and more costly than that of more conventional silicon panels, this technology proves more durable while at the same time delivering more power. Utility-scale buyers are increasingly seeing these high-performance panels as an investment rather than an expense, as they further lower the effective per-kilowatt cost of solar power… The market's overestimating the risk, and underestimating First Solar Now all of a sudden First Solar's stumble since early November and its much bigger 37% pullback from June's peak looks like an entry opportunity. The analyst community agrees, anyway. Undeterred by political rhetoric and handwringing, most of them still consider First Solar stock a strong buy, sporting a consensus price target of $280.79. That's almost 50% above the stock's present price.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Consider These Top ESG Stocks! (3) This next article, though from Australia, might interest many investors outside of that wonderful country. It's titled The Ethical Investor: These three ESG award-winning ASX companies show how it's done. It's by Eddy Sunarto found on ntnews.com.au. Here are some of what Mr. Sunarto says about his picks. “1. Orica (ASX:ORI) was named Australia's most sustainable company in the 2024 Australian Financial Review Sustainability Leaders awards, taking home top honours for its significant environmental impact. The company, a global leader in commercial explosives, was recognised for its groundbreaking emissions abatement project at its Kooragang Island plant near Newcastle, NSW. This project is the largest of its kind in the Australian chemicals sector, reducing emissions by 45% at the site and cutting national chemical industry emissions by 11%... The judges believe Orica's efforts have not only addressed environmental challenges but have also driven economic growth, injecting millions into the local economy while future-proofing critical manufacturing capabilities for industries such as mining, agriculture and healthcare. The company's commitment to sustainability is also reflected in its ambitious climate targets, aiming for net zero emissions by 2050. 2. Sims Metal Management (ASX:SGM) an Australian-based global recycling company with a 106-year history, was named the most sustainable corporation of 2024 by Corporate Knights, topping its Global 100 list. Known for its role in the circular economy, Sims has been integral in reducing carbon emissions by recycling metals like steel, copper, and aluminium – which are crucial in industries like electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels. In 2023 alone, the company's efforts saved 13 million tonnes of CO₂, equivalent to removing nearly three million cars from the road, according to its reports. Sims' approach to sustainability extends beyond recycling, with ambitious goals to transition to renewable energy in its operations by 2025 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050… The company is investing in advanced technologies, like automated sorting systems and AI robots, to improve the efficiency of its recycling processes. Although these innovations may not always attract the same attention as large renewable energy projects, CEO Stephen Mikkelsen said that metal recycling plays a vital role in decarbonising industries and contributing to a sustainable future. 3. Australian Vintage (ASX:AVG) won the 2024 Global Drinks Intel ESG Award for Sustainable Wine Producer, which was announced in September. The award recognised the company's strong commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, despite current challenges within the Australian wine industry. The company had earlier achieved B Corp certification in February, making it one of only three Australian wine companies with this status. Australian Vintage's ESG strategy focuses on three key pillars: 'Thriving People', 'Nurture Nature', and 'Meaningful Growth'. The company said all these are supported by measurable, verifiable performance… The judges praised Australian Vintage for not just making ESG commitments, but for quantifying and achieving real, impactful results.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Additional Articles of Interest 1. Title: The Top 10 Nuclear Energy Companies Shaping Clean Power on vaneck.com. By Coulter Regal. 2. Title: How to Get Fossil Fuels Out of Your Investment Portfolio on nytimes.com. By Tara Siegel Bernard. 3. Title: Raymond James Predicts Up to ~440% Rally for These 2 ‘Strong Buy' Stocks on finance.yahoo.com. By TipRanks. 4. Title: Top 10: Sustainable Brands on sustainabilitymag.com. By Jasmin Jessen. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment These are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips for this podcast “Consider These Top ESG Stocks!” Please click the like and subscribe buttons wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope and prosperity in these troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. Now my next podcast will be December 13th. I'll talk to you then! Bye for now. © 2024 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul
Today we had the pleasure of hosting Michelle Manook, CEO of FutureCoal, for an insightful discussion on coal from a global perspective – an important yet often overlooked topic. Michelle joined FutureCoal in 2019 and previously held senior roles at Orica, Archer Energy, Brockman Mining, and Woodside. As CEO, she leads FutureCoal's mission to support key players across the coal value chain and advocates for balanced and inclusive international energy policies that respect the sovereign rights of coal-producing and coal-consuming nations. We were delighted to visit with Michelle. We covered a lot of ground in our conversation, beginning with an overview of FutureCoal, the significance of their rebrand from the “World Coal Association,” and Michelle's path to the coal industry, driven by a commitment to the humanitarian aspects of energy access and poverty alleviation as well as a keen drive for a challenge. We discuss technological advancements in coal, including the improved efficiency and emissions control in modern coal plants compared to older facilities, coal's multifaceted role beyond power generation, and the need for balanced energy policies that give coal fair access to technology investment and funding. We explore potential outcomes from COP 29 for coal, the need to expand the definition of abatement to include any emissions reduction efforts, and the impact of High-Efficiency Low-Emissions (HELE) technology and improved energy efficiency as significant contributors to emissions reductions. We cover investment trends in coal, global coal dynamics, Michelle's views on coal's importance for national security and international competitiveness, and the investment case for sustainable coal technologies. Michelle also emphasizes the needs and aspirations of developing nations for equitable energy access. It was a wide-ranging discussion and we can't thank Michelle enough for sharing her time and insights with us. As you'll hear, Michelle references data from a few reports in our conversation. FutureCoal's report entitled “Clean Coal Technology in ASEAN: Balancing Equity, Security & Sustainability” is linked here and FutureCoal's report entitled “Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals in the ASEAN Coal Value Chain” is linked here. Mike Bradley opened the conversation by noting that many markets have rallied since Trump's election as the 47th President of the United States. Since the election, the 10-year bond yield rose from ~4.25% to ~4.45% driven by concerns that Wednesday's CPI report could print hotter than expected and cause the FED to head towards a temporary rate cut pause. Interest rates and the US dollar look to be moving higher on a belief that Trump's trade policies (higher tariffs) and a push towards less regulations will lead to higher real growth and higher US deficits. On the crude oil market front, since the election, WTI has fallen roughly $4/bbl to ~$68/bbl due to optimism that Trump could quickly move towards peace negotiations in the Middle East & Ukraine. He noted that while Trump's slogan of “Drill Baby Drill” proved to be a good campaign slogan, the reality is that US producers are laser focused on capital discipline and shareholder returns and that's unlikely to change. Mike further noted that some believe Trump could move to implement Iranian oil sanctions early in his term, which would be offset by ample OPEC spare capacity. On the broader equity market front, since the election the DJIA, S&P 500 & Nasdaq are all up ~4-5%, the Russell 2000 is up ~7% and Bitcoin is up ~30%. Broader equity markets are technical
How can companies build trust and drive growth in a region as politically and economically volatile as Latin America? In this episode, Nicolas Garcia - Vice President, Legal, Regional and Compliance Manager for LATAM and Orica - joins Michael Volkov to discuss the complexities of navigating compliance and leadership in LATAM. The conversation highlights how regional dynamics, such as the crisis in Venezuela, influence business operations and how cultural shifts are changing the role of compliance officers. Nicolas provides valuable insights on the evolving compliance landscape, emphasizing the importance of trust, leadership, and a strong compliance culture in driving business success in challenging environments.Listen in as Nicolas and Michael discuss:The ongoing political and economic crisis in Venezuela has led to massive immigration into neighboring countries like Colombia, Chile, and Brazil, creating both economic challenges and opportunities in the region.Guyana is experiencing rapid growth due to foreign investment, particularly in the oil and gas sectors, standing in stark contrast to Venezuela's decline.Nicholas emphasizes the shift from compliance officers being seen as enforcers to becoming strategic business partners. This transition helps companies not only meet regulatory requirements but also drive success.Establishing a trust-based relationship between compliance officers and leadership is essential. When compliance is integrated into the business strategy, it becomes a tool for enabling growth rather than a barrier.Trust in reporting systems is growing in Latin America, though fear of retaliation remains a concern. Anonymous reporting is on the rise, and substantiation rates are increasing as employees gain confidence in the system's integrity.Ensuring that investigations follow due process is critical to maintaining credibility in compliance programs. It also helps improve trust and the success rate in legal outcomes.Resources:Nicolas Garcia on LinkedInNicolas Garcia on Email: Nicolas.Garcia@Orica.comMichael Volkov on LinkedIn | TwitterThe Volkov Law Group
Oscar, Alejandro and Setfania talk about the Orica Future Leaders Program which has brought them to Australia. This episode is in Spanish, English translations and English. Thank you to Joakim Carlsson for providing the translations.
Jack Haig is one of only a handful of Australian riders to have stood on a Grand Tour podium. An almost accidental pro who fell into a career on the road whilst surfing and mountain biking back in his home in Australia as a teenager, he has been a constant presence in the biggest stage races in the world since his breakthrough ride, winning the Queen stage of the 2017 Tour of Poland as a second-year pro. While his consistency as a stage racer is pretty standout (he's been fifth at the Dauphiné three times, which is eye-opening when you know how bloody hard that thing is!) his story off the bike is just as - if not more, fascinating. There can be a lot of pressure to conform in professional road cycling but there is something a little bit unique in a lot of pros, and the best ones are the ones who accept that part of their character and embrace it to be a better rider. With Jack, it's been clear since the very early days (when we were teammates at Orica) that he was a rider who did things his own way and didn't feel the need to fit into what was expected. I love getting behind the scenes with characters like Haigy here on the pod. These are the guys, the opinions, and the stories that make the peloton such a fascinating place, and prove that you can do things your own way off the bike whilst being hugely successful on it. As well as the big results, Jack has dealt with some pretty serious setbacks too, crashing out of the Tour in 2021 when in the best form of his life. We talk about how he dealt with this and other setbacks, as well as what keeps him coming back to be in the mix in those super hard week-long stage races that he loves (watch out Dauphiné - he's currently lurking just outside the top ten of this years edition…) It'll hopefully be a big European summer for Jack so chuck the pod on and get to know one of the peloton's true characters! This episode is supported by our friends at HVNM. The team at HVMN have an offer for all Life in the Peloton listeners with a whopping 30% offer for orders when you visit hvmn.com/lifeinthepeloton. Head across to RESTRAP.com to check out all their amazing products, and use the code Pelo10 for a cheeky discount. RESTRAP have now opened an Australian-specific store! For Aussie listeners AU.RESTRAP.COM. Cheers, Mitch
What defines a musical game? Videogames, and RPGs especially, are known for using a musical score to enhance the experience, so what parameters really define "musical games" and make their use of music especially notable? Today, our Rhythm panel is going on a journey to look at a wide variety of music that we feel fits into this category to tease out some of those important factors that mark a truly musical game. A game probably doesn't have to take place in the mind of an ailing composer from our reality and include many facts about his life to be considered a musical game, but it also doesn't hurt. We also consider musical gameplay elements, games with musician characters, and interactive music in games.Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, Wes Iliff, Jono Logan; Edited by Jono LoganLinks for this episode YouTube: EXEC_PAJA/.#Orica extracting (Ar tonelico) - English lyrics YouTube: Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore - Dream☆Catcher music video Tracklist0:11:37 - A Pirate I Was Meant to Be (Michael Land) - The Curse of Monkey Island0:16:08 - The Overture 2 (Pytor Illyich Tchaikovsky) - LOOM: Game Soundtrack0:39:57 - Difficult Love Puzzle (Tenpei Sato, vocal Kaoru Fujino) - Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure0:44:40 - Dream☆Catcher (KOH) - Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE1:00:32 - Train Train (Lynda Carter, John Jarvis & Kerry Marx) - Fallout 41:02:42 - Setting Sail, Coming Home (Darren Korb) - Bastion1:24:06 - Your truth is my false (Motoi Sakuraba) - Eternal Sonata1:27:16 - EXEC_PAJA/.#Orica (comp/arr/vocal Akiko Shikata) - Ar tonelico: Melody of Elemia2:00:16 - Pat's Bonus Track!Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.Get in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: music@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancom