Menzies Leadership Forum

Leaders today confront an unprecedented level of complexity across various fronts. From rapidly changing market dynamics to emerging technologies, the spectrum of challenges is vast and multifaceted.The World Economic Forum’s recent reporthighlights a plethora of global risks, including climate action failure, biodiversity loss, and infectious diseases, underscoring the urgency for effective leadership in the face of complexity.

In this episode, Liz Gillies, CEO Menzies Foundation and newly appointed Menzies Senior Research Fellow, Leadership and Complexity, Dr Aiden M. A. Thornton explore the recent appointment, and the relationship between purpose and the capability required to lead in complexity; all with the understanding that these are essential elements if we are to drive positive change for the greater ‘good’.

The Menzies Foundation is delighted to welcome back to the Menzies Leadership Forum; Cindy Mitchell, a remarkable individual who joined us several years ago as a Menzies PhD scholar.

Cindy plays a crucial role in our Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship initiative, focusing on empowering Indigenous Women and as an industry PhD fellow, she has not only contributed significantly to the Maganda Makers program but also serves as the storyteller shaping the narrative at the core of our mission.

In this episode, we delve into her transformative journey over the past few years and discover the profound insights and knowledge her PhD has unearthed and how it continues to shape and inform our ongoing work.

We are excited to celebrate Cindy's extraordinary contributions and explore the impact of her work on Maganda Makers and beyond.

"So, there's the thing about the pushback around this is just too difficult and complex, and it's just like, "Well, get over it, because the challenges we face are difficult, and complex, and we need to evolve different ways of working to meet them." So I'm not particularly sympathetic to that response. And I also note that I think there's a common sense of people's of urgency and frustration is, "I want to do action, I want to be involved in action." And then I quite often hear in the next sentence, "We're really bad at collaborating with others." And it's like, "Well, this is the point, and these two things actually aren't mutually exclusive." This is about investing in ways of organising to enable more joined up ways of acting. And the fact that we're not doing it at the moment, and we have to shift our mindsets, and our skillsets, and ways of working towards it is just a challenge. But it's better than the alternatives".

Join Alex Hannant and Menzies Foundation CEO, Liz Gillies as they explore catalytic philanthropy, systems transformation and uncover the conditions we need to accelerate regenerative and distributive futures.

Alex Hannant is Executive in Residence, Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation and Director, Pocketknife

"Australia is still critical, indigenous is the heartbeat of everything we do, mentoring is still our bread and butter and our nerve and everything else, and we create experiences that uplift humanity to remember who they are". 

Join AIME Co-CEO's; Parul Punjabi and Suzie Winkelman togther with Menzies Foundation CEO, Liz Gillies as they explore purpose and leadership, the collaborative journey and the patterns that humans hold with each other and the world around us

"So I would just invite everyone to, and it's different for everybody, but to consider our own personal relationships and what leadership looks like in those relationships. And to broaden the concept of leadership, which is something that we've spoken about a lot, beyond the title of someone with a certain stature or status. And to see leadership as a form of stewarding relationships to people in place every single day and that's something that we all are part of".

Join Al Jeffery and Menzies Foundation CEO, Liz Gillies as they explore purpose and leadership in what is an increasingly complex, polarized, tribal and challenging world.

Al Jeffery is an internationally renowned community-designer, group-facilitator, author and leadership expert in service to our hyperconnected-yet-deeply-fragmented world. As Co-Founder and Director at The Base Between (formerly Base Commons), Al explores the themes of disconnection prevalent today, designs and facilitates spaces for re-connection in communities, leadership and the lives of individuals. With his creative career starting at just 12 years old, Al has been listed in Australia’s Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30 twice in a row and nominated for Young Australian of the Year.

Menzies Foundation is delighted to be collaborating with Regen Melbourne, a mission-led network exploring a more regenerative future for the city, piloting the implementation of a ‘leadership movement for the ‘greater good’ that explores the barriers and impediments, and most importantly, opportunities to scaffold every citizen’s capacity to act for the ‘greater good’.

Take a moment to join Liz Gillies, Menzies Foundation CEO and Strategy Lead, Regen Melbourne, Kaj Löfgren as they unpack purpose and leadership.

Kaj is also the Entrepreneur in Residence at Small Giants Academy where he collaborates on the Academy’s education and storytelling initiatives, including the Impact Safari program and the Mastery of Business and Empathy.

Foundation Board member and Alumni representative, Matt is an extraordinary example of somebody who deeply thinks about their leadership capability, pivots to purpose and contributes to the greater good.

Jesuit Social Services works to build a just society where all people can reach their potential and flourish as human beings. A just society is a safe society where everyone can have healthy, fulfilling relationships built on respect. 

Through the Ninian Stephen Law Program: New Legal Thinking for Emerging Technologies, the Menzies Foundation are building capacity in the legal profession to provide effective responses to the challenges of emerging technology. It brings together leaders from the legal profession and business, along with engineers, computer scientists and technology specialists, from both the private and public sectors in a program of research, collaboration, dissemination, teaching and engagement.

This initiative is supported by an outstanding advisory board, comprised of Australian experts in the law, technology and ethics. And today I'm absolutely delighted to welcome Cam Whitfield, our very esteemed chair of the advisory board. Cam is a partner at help at Herbert Smith Freehills, specializing in digital law, cyber security and emerging technologies, and an honorary senior fellow and lecture at the Melbourne Law school. Prior to going back to private practices this year, Cam was a partner at PWC, focusing on digital and technology, cyber security and digital trust.

Indigenous women have a VOICE and it is time that those voices are heard more in organisations, businesses, corporations and in places of government locally, regionally and nationally.

Born and raised in the East Kimberley, Natasha is passionate about positive social change and righting injustices. Aware of the challenges within the Kimberley region, she is solutions-focused and positive about the future.

Together we strive to highlight the importance of building platforms focused on women’s economic empowerment to support these women to help themselves, support their families and communities, connect to markets and access financial services.

Leadership, opportunity, philanthropy, resilience, fashion and wine - join me for the inside word on one of Australia's most progressive leadership organisations, and hear from the CEO, Liz Gillies, as we talk purpose, entrepreneurship and building the next industrial age.