Board Level
The Australian Institute of Company Directors
Podcast
Episodes
Listen, download, subscribe
Jillian Broadbent on building your board career
Jillian Broadbent AC FAICD is one of the most experienced directors in Australia. Currently chair of Swiss Re Life and a director of Woolworths, Jillian has also previously held positions on the boards of the Reserve Bank of Australia, the ASX, Coca-Cola Amatil, SBS, Qantas, Westfield Property Trusts and Woodside Petroleum. She has also been on numerous arts boards, including the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and the Sydney Theatre Company. Here Jillian talks about how she built her extraordinary career, the best chairs she has worked with, how she stays across so many sectors, her advice to those starting out on their director journey and what's next for her. Valuable Discussion Points [01:26] How has Jillian managed to successfully navigate various boards responsible for numerous business sectors and industries? Executive experience in the financial sector allowed Jillian to successfully transition into a board career in which she operated on multiple boards with different industry focuses. Jillian also believes finding purpose in each board makes it much easier to distinguish your responsibilities. [02:14] Does Jillian believe she’s bringing a different approach to each board depending on its nature, e.g. listed, government, not for profit? While Jillian acknowledges that she’s always on a learning curve based on the diverse nature of her work, she posits that the governance and responsibility is similar and only requires an appetite for learning about that specific sector to really sustain engagement and interest. [06:02] Does Jillian think it’s smart for a new NED to take on multiple director positions at the beginning of their career? Naturally, at the beginning of a Director’s career they’ll want to be involved in a lot, however, Jillian believes that every individual has a personal mental and physical capacity that will be tested by a NED role. She believes that knowing what this capacity is important in creating a strong balance at the beginning of a career. [06:44] What are some of the advantages of gaining early experience on not for profit boards, especially when you’re considering a career as a NED or Director? Not for profit boards are often used by prospective NED’s to gain valuable experience on the characteristics you must possess to be Director. Jillian believes that unlike traditional executive roles, being a NED requires patience and observation as you become not the one asking the questions but one of many in a collaboration of answering them. Jillian also recognises the importance of knowing how to navigate a board room and its various members, whom often possess different values and experiences to you. [08:43] What distinguishes a ‘good’ Chair? Arguably the most important part of any board dynamic is the Chair. This individual is responsible for maintaining a healthy dynamic of board members and meetings, and Jillian believes this is achieving through valuing your input and view on any given discussion or topic. [09:59] What are some key challenges Jillian has faced when joining a new board? Jillian speaks on her experience of joining the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and within a few months being told by the government that it was going to be abolished. She highlights this ordeal as a time in which she learnt how to navigate adversity on a large scale, and that when you join a board, you’re being brought in to better it and encourage the members to want to excel. [11:08] When considering issues or discussions on a board who do you talk to in order to better understand your approach or thoughts on the topic? Due to the often stagnant nature of the annual board meeting schedule, Jillian believes informal dialogue between board members is crucial in sustaining healthy communication, building rapport and relationships as well as gaining a better understanding of the room’s dynamics [12:43] What are some critical skills you believe would assis
Board Level RSS Feed
