Success Stories From Catherine Robson

Clare Payne specialises in the field of ethics in banking and finance and is the CEO of the Banking and Finance Oath. She is also a true endurance athlete. Clare joins Catherine this week to discuss, why sport is good for your career, how to set yourself a solid financial foundation, the value of insurance and what it was like to complete the 28.5 Mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim.

Bronwyn Fagan joins Catherine for a fun and informative interview. Bronwyn is a former winter Olympic athlete who went with the shadow team to Torino. As a lawyer she has taken new opportunities, building on her background in sport, she worked for ASADA. She talks single motherhood and how to eat like an athlete.

Anne O'Donnell has made the successful transition from CEO to full time non executive director and sits on the board of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Equity Trustees and is chairman of Beyond Bank. She joins Catherine to discuss preparing for AGM season, how she keeps her energy levels high and tips on preparing for a role on a board.

Launa Inman built a successful career after emigrating to Australia from South Africa. Launa led several of Australia's most iconic companies through difficult transitions. She shares with Catherine about losing her father, her love of all things retail and the advice she passed along to her two daughters.

Boost Juice founder, Janine Allis, speaks with Catherine about her start on celebrity yachts, what you need to be prepared to risk to make your business a success and how working makes her a better mother to her four children.

Meegan Sullivan is the Managing Director for RPS' Infrastructure Solutions, she shares how she used her urban planning degree to launch her career. Meegan talks on investing in infrastructure, private companies and wine, her happiest investment of all, plus her love of The Bard.

Kate Carnell is the former minister of the the ACT and is now the Small Business and and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. She has had to tackle very public challenges, not only with poise, but a strong ethical core with a commitment to making a difference and doing her best.

Mary Delahunty was a Gold Walkley award winning journalist before commencing a high profile career in Victorian politics. Over a number of years she was the minister of education, the arts, planning and women's affairs. In 2002 while a government minister she lost her husband of 22 years. Since leaving politics, Mary has continued her commitment to civic participation and is a non-executive director of the Melbourne Recital Centre and the National Library of Australia.

Lynne Thornton is a serial entrepreneur - the Californian native launched her first start up straight out of business school in the dot com era, then built a successful global funds management firm in Scotland before migrating to Australia. Surprised by the risk averse culture here, she has poured her energies into growing businesses and introducing women to angel investing through an innovative network called SCALE.

Doctors are notoriously bad with money - they are known to care for others but fail to look after themselves financial. However, ask Dr Jane Thompson what she worries about, and the first thing she concedes is that she never worries about money. This is because in addition to her clinical work, she has instilled rigorous business disciplines into her medical practice and constantly seeks out opportunities to grow her skills as an investor. She might be the only medical doctor in Australia who reads the Taxation Examiner for fun.

Dr Rebecca Shiels has built a fascinating market research company, The Beddoes Institute, named for the father of evidence based medicine, Thomas Beddoes. The institute focuses exclusively on financial services, using data and psychological analysis to assist planners and insurers to better meet the true needs of their clients. Rebecca's interest in psychology had a very personal genesis - a desire to help her brother when he was diagnosed with a challenging form of schizophrenia.

Chair and Non Executive Director involved in the governance of listed, unlisted and mutual companies including Transurban Group, MBF, Just Group, Programmed Group, Coffey International and Simonds Homes, Susan is a FAICD, a 2013 100 Women of Influence and a recipient of the Prime Ministers Centenary medal for services to business. She co-founded and chairs SCALE Investors - an innovative email focused angel investing group in Australia.

Director of ASX listed company AusNet Services, Director of Meridian Energy Limited and a founding Director of Farrier Swier Consulting. Past directorships include Manidis Roberts, Hydro Tasmania and Western Power. Ms Farrier has also served as a National Water Commissioner and as a member of the Victorian Water Trust Advisory Council.

Chief Operating Officer of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and non executive director of Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Melbourne, Rowing Australia, the Mary Jane Lewis Trust and advisory council member of The Global Foundation. Sally was the first female director of the Collingwood Football Club and first woman to hold the post of Agent-General for the state of Victoria in the United Kingdom, Europe and Israel.

Carolyn has been the Dean of the Melbourne Law School since 2011 and she also holds the role of Honorary Secretary to the Victorian Rhodes Scholarships Selection Committee. Carolyn was awarded a Fulbright Senior Scholarship to allow her to travel as a Visiting Fellow at American and Emory Universities. She is the author or editor of six books on human rights as well as numerous articles and chapters in other publications.

Carmel Arthur by The Constant Investor

Catherine Robson speaks with Alice Williams. As a director on a number of boards, she's helped to steer Melbourne Ports to greater productivity, and advised the Treasury on foreign investment in Australia.

Sneak Peak of the Success Stories podcast. Each week Catherine Robson will speak with people at the pinnacle of their careers to find out how they got there.