The High Flyers Podcast with Vidit Agarwal

This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
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What does it take to spot billion-dollar opportunities before the rest of the world sees them? And what happens when some of your biggest bets fail, even after you've helped build one of Silicon Valley's most successful venture capital firms alongside the legend Vinod Khosla?
Meet Samir Kaul -- one of three Founding Partners and a Managing Director at Khosla Ventures, one of Silicon Valley's most influential venture capital firms, with investments including OpenAI, Rocket Lab, Guardant Health and Impossible Foods. A scientist turned investor, Samir has spent over two decades alongside legendary investor Vinod Khosla, backing unconventional founders and breakthrough technologies across healthcare, energy, space and AI.
In this rare and unusually candid conversation, Samir shares his remarkable journey. From growing up in an Indian immigrant family, getting kicked out of school and nearly abandoning his medical ambitions, to working with genomics pioneer Craig Venter, attending Harvard Business School and stumbling into venture capital.
Vidit explores the extraordinary bets and lessons behind Khosla Ventures, including how a $5 million investment in a little-known startup became Rocket Lab, why manufacturing drugs in space could transform healthcare, and why Samir believes much of today's venture capital industry is chasing the wrong opportunities. He also shares what separates exceptional founders from the rest and where he sees the biggest opportunities emerging.
But the most revealing moments are personal. Samir opens up about losing significant money during the cleantech crash, questioning his abilities and how Vinod's response changed his perspective on failure. He also reflects on the insecurity of working in Vinod's shadow, his relationships with some of Silicon Valley's most influential figures, and the family sacrifices and lessons that have shaped his life.
Please enjoy exploring your curiosity.
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Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com
Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan 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
This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
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TIMESTAMPS
00:02:00 – The unsung hero behind Samir's success
00:05:00 – Growing up Indian-American, family expectations and finding his competitive edge
00:16:00 – From a directionless student to working with genomics pioneer Craig Venter
00:23:00 – Why the best investments are found where nobody else is looking
00:32:00 – His unlikely journey to Venture Capital
00:40:00 – Losing millions, questioning his abilities and Vinod Khosla's surprising response
00:45:00 – Why Samir wouldn't invest a penny in specialist VC funds and the dangers of chasing hype
00:54:00 – What separates exceptional founders and why Samir never forgets the rejections he faced himself
01:00:00 – Inside Khosla Ventures: disagreeing with Vinod, making bold bets and operating behind the scenes
01:07:00 – Finding his own idendity
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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), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart) David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), 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) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
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What does it take to go from building a robot in your university bedroom during COVID to creating a $100 million robotics company at just 26? And what if the future of robotics isn't about what machines can do, but how they make us feel?
Grace Brown is the CEO and Co-Founder of Andromeda Robotics, building a future where robots don't just work for humans, they connect with them. What began as a university project to tackle loneliness is today a $100 million robotics company, backed by leading investors including Silicon Valley's Forerunner Ventures. Its flagship humanoid robot, Abi, is already bringing AI-powered companionship to aged-care residents, with ambitions to scale globally.
In this unusually personal conversation, Grace takes us behind the headlines. From growing up between Australia and China and paying her own rent at 17, to finding inspiration in Disney and Pixar, dropping her engineering degree and turning a A$10,000 competition win into the beginnings of Andromeda.
Vidit explores the challenges behind the company's rise: the early investor rejections, moving to San Francisco, raising millions in venture capital and learning to lead executives twice her age. Grace also shares her contrarian belief that social intelligence, not physical intelligence, could be the most valuable part of the robotics revolution.
But perhaps the most revealing part of the conversation is what success hasn't changed. Despite the funding and growth, Grace admits she still feels trapped in survival mode, struggles with difficult conversations and sometimes wonders why she's chosen a path that's far more stressful than a lucrative career as an engineer.
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, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan 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
This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
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TIMESTAMPS
00:05:40 Growing Up with dual identities
00:15:00 Financially Independent at 17
00:19:00 The Moment Entrepreneurship Felt Possible
00:25:00 How COVID Inspired a Humanoid Robot
00:30:00 The $10,000 That Changed Everything
00:34:00 The Best Friend Who Believed in Her
00:36:00 When She Knew Andromeda Could Work
00:40:00 Meet Abi: The Robot Tackling Loneliness
00:42:00 Why Social Intelligence Could Win
00:47:30 Growing From Founder to CEO
00:52:00 Leading Executives Twice Her Age
01:00:00 How Silicon Valley Changed Her Ambition
01:03:00 Why Success Still Feels Like Survival
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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), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart) David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), 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) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
Find out more about the Law Firm Allens and how they can help your company today at Allens.com.au
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What does it take to go from a working-class suburb of Dublin to running one of the world’s most recognisable airlines? And what happens when the decisions you made to save a company become the decisions that define your reputation?
Alan Joyce is the former CEO of Qantas, one of the world’s oldest and most recognised airlines, which he led for 15 years. He was also the founding CEO of Jetstar, building the airline from scratch before steering Qantas through the QF32 engine failure, industrial disputes and a pandemic that brought global aviation to a standstill.
In this unusually candid conversation, Alan goes beyond the familiar headlines. He reflects on his parents’ journey from poverty, growing up gay in conservative Ireland and how an accidental career in aviation led him to become one of the industry’s most polarising leaders.
Vidit also puts some of the hard questions directly to Alan: the mistakes Qantas made, why he stayed through COVID, whether his book is an attempt to reclaim his reputation and what he would do differently. Alan shares the mentors who shaped him, the weaknesses that created problems throughout his career and how life changed when he was no longer Qantas CEO.
This is a different conversation with Alan Joyce: less about relitigating the headlines, and more about understanding how he thinks, why he made the decisions he did and what he has learned from the successes and mistakes.
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, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan 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
This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00:13 Why Alan Joyce divides opinion
00:04:43 His parents’ journey from poverty
00:08:41 Competition, karate and regret
00:12:26 The drive to become CEO
00:16:12 Growing up gay in Ireland
00:20:43 Compartmentalising under pressure
00:31:34 His accidental path into aviation
00:39:26 Early lessons at Aer Lingus
00:49:48 Learning to lead Jetstar
00:53:28 His strengths and blind spots
00:58:06 When Jetstar instincts hurt Qantas
01:03:24 The hardest truth about his exit
01:07:54 Is the book to repair his reputation?
01:13:47 Would he become a CEO again?
01:16:27 Who is Alan without the title?
01:24:42 Rapid-fire questions
01:31:57 Who made Alan Joyce successful?
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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), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart) David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Alan Joyce (CEO, Qantas), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), 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) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
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What does it take to go from an introverted kid obsessed with robotics to building rockets at SpaceX and co-founding a $13 billion energy company? And what happens when an intense, no-BS operator decides to build a company of his own?
Justin Lopas is Co-founder and COO of Base Power, one of America's fastest-growing energy companies, which has raised over US$2 billion since launching in 2023. Previously, he helped build SpaceX's Starbase manufacturing operations in Texas and led manufacturing at Anduril, one of America's leading defence technology companies.
In this unusually candid conversation with Vidit, Justin reveals how volunteering for a job in a town he'd never heard of led him to help build SpaceX's Starbase, the leadership mistakes he made under intense pressure, and why he eventually walked away. He reflects on his childhood, his father's influence, and the lessons from SpaceX and Anduril that shaped his approach to building and leading teams.
They explore how an unlikely partnership with Zach Dell became Base Power, a $13 billion company reimagining America's electricity grid through home batteries and distributed energy infrastructure. Justin shares what it takes to scale manufacturing at extraordinary speed, why he and Zach argue constantly, and the unconventional culture behind Base's rapid growth, from starting all-hands meetings with failures to the infamous "hot potato" rule.
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, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan 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
This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Intense, direct and no-BS
01:30 – How his wife's family ended up cooking for hundreds of Base employees
03:00 – Midwest America childhood and his father's influence
08:15 – Growing up antisocial, obsessed with robotics and uninterested in fitting in
10:00 – The strict routines behind Justin's intense personality
16:00 – Inside SpaceX and what separates its exceptional engineering talent
21:15 – Volunteering to build Starbase
24:00 – SpaceX burnout and leadership mistakes
28:45 – Becoming COO and why titles matter less than execution
31:30 – Making choices and finding his next chapter at Anduril
38:00 – How SpaceX and Anduril hire, develop and challenge exceptional people
41:00 – Building supplier relationships and scaling manufacturing at extraordinary speed
47:15 – Why Base Power is building electricity infrastructure, not just home batteries
48:45 – Meeting his co-founder Zach Dell and the origins of Base Power
51:00 – Why Justin and Zach argue, and how their partnership works
54:00 – Starting all-hands with failures and the “hot potato” rule
55:40 – Why negative feedback motivates Justin and how he adapts his leadership style
58:45 – Navigating America's complicated electricity regulations
1:03:40 – Testing Base's earliest batteries in an investor's home
1:04:15 – Base's next products and expansion plans
1:10:40 – Justin's family life and the person tougher than him
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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), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart) David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), 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) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
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What separates the world's most successful business people from everyone else? Intelligence, charisma, connections, or something less obvious?
Neil Plumridge and Robert Nason are co-founders of RAYN Group and authors of Rainmaker (available here), bringing decades of global leadership experience across Kearney, EY, PwC, KPMG and Telstra. Robert shares his unlikely journey from leaving school at 15 to helping transform Telstra, while Neil reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his international career.
In this conversation with Vidit, they unpack why exceptional performers are made, not born, how major business deals are won long before the pitch, and the five levels of trust that separate good performers from extraordinary ones. From a hair-raising motorbike ride through Mumbai to turning one idea into 14 global consulting engagements, they reveal the hidden habits behind lasting success and why AI could make human relationships more valuable than ever.
Please enjoy exploring your curiosity.
Purchase Robert and Neil's book, Rainmaker: How the Best Consultants Think, Act, and Win in an AI-Accelerated World: https://www.amazon.com.au/Rainmaker-Consultants-Think-AI-Accelerated-World/dp/1394440677
_______
Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com
Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan 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
This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Meet the Rainmakers: Neil Plumridge & Robert Nason
01:40 First jobs and the unsung high flyers
07:45 Robert: From school dropout to global business leader
10:45 Taking on the 'worst corporate job' at Telstra
12:00 Neil's ife-changing US move
14:00 Climbing the ranks at Kearney, EY and PwC
16:15 How a LinkedIn post became the book Rainmaker
19:00 Writing a book together: Harder than expected
28:15 A terrifying Mumbai motorbike ride and a business revelation
31:15 Are rainmakers born or made?
35:00 How the world's biggest consulting deals are won
39:15 The five levels of trust that separate the best
41:15 How one idea became 14 global deals
44:30 The mistakes even top performers make
48:00 Why networking isn't really about networking
50:45 Building RAYN Group and the secret to high performance
54:30 Will AI upend the consulting industry?
57:00 Rapid fire: Burnout, reinvention and life beyond work
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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), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart) David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), 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) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).