David Gallop AM — former CEO of the NRL and Football Australia —share lessons on leadership, crisis, and culture from a career spent in the spotlight.

In this conversation, David reflects on two decades at the helm of high-profile sports, the experiences he's carried into the boardroom, and what makes an effective chair in today's governance landscape.

Now chair of Venues NSW and Step One Clothing, and a director at Tabcorp and Cricket NSW, David gives insights on handling crises, the balance between board and management, and the art of succession planning.

Key themes:

• Staying calm and focused under scrutiny
• Building trust and boundaries between board and management
• The chair–CEO relationship and what makes it work
• Diversity, gender balance and leadership pipelines
• Culture, communication and respect in times of change

Naomi Simson is an experienced director, successful entrepreneur, and acclaimed author. She co-founded Big Red Group and helped it grow to become Australia's largest experience network. In this candid conversation, Naomi reflects on two decades of building and scaling businesses, the lessons learned stepping back from the CEO role, and why small business remains the backbone of Australia's economy.

Naomi also shares her views on the evolving role of boards: how curiosity outperforms expertise, why brand and reputation belong in every risk conversation, and what directors can learn by "sitting in the customer's shoes."

Key themes:

· Why curiosity can be a director's greatest skill

· The board's role in brand, culture, and customer connection

• Purpose-driven leadership and culture
• Balancing growth with governance
• The human cost of overreliance on AI
• Protecting and empowering small business