What I learned in business (that didn't kill me!)

Everyone talks about sustainable retail products and saving the planet, but who really cares? Retailers? Customers? Government?The global retail sourcing & supply chain is invisible to most consumers, yet it is one of the most complex, highly integrated and culturally nuanced business ecosystems in the world.James H Stewart sits down with Anne-Laure Descours, one of the world’s most senior and respected leaders in global sourcing and sustainable manufacturing in the footwear and apparel industry.Anne-Laure spent more than three decades in the engine room of global retail — living and working across China, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Hong Kong — and ultimately serving as Chief Sourcing Officer of PUMA, overseeing the manufacturing and supply-chain operations that power an €8+ billion global brand.Before PUMA, she held senior leadership roles at Li & Fung, the legendary Hong Kong-based sourcing powerhouse that helped shape modern global manufacturing.Since leaving PUMA in 2025, Anne-Laure has continued her work in responsible supply chains, joining the board of Gildan Activewear (owner of American Apparel) and serving as an advisor and board member to Haelixa, a Swiss innovator in DNA-based traceability solutions for fashion and textiles.In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore:What global supply chains actually look like behind the scenesThe realities of sustainable sourcing across AsiaCultural intelligence and leadership under pressureThe role of government and regulation in driving changes to sourcing models and sustainability reportingWhy end of life products are the biggest unsolved hurdle for sustainable manufacturing - and this goes to the heart of consumer demand.How DNA tracing is reshaping sourcing transparencyWhat three decades in high-stakes global operations teaches you about resilience and trustThis is a rare, inside-the-system perspective from someone who has led through crisis, transformation and geopolitical disruption — at scale.🔎 ConnectJames H Stewart is a former KPMG restructuring partner and Australian Board member who interviews global leaders about the hard lessons they’ve learned in business — and survived.Connect with James:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshstewart/Website: https://jameshstewart.com⚠️ DisclaimerThis podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of their past or present employers, affiliated organisations, or the host. Nothing discussed in this episode constitutes financial, investment, legal, regulatory or professional advice. Listeners should seek appropriate independent advice before making any commercial or investment decisions. All commentary is based on publicly available information and personal experience at the time of recording.

Ian Robson is one of the most experienced and battle-tested sports administrators in Australia.At just 32 years old, with no prior CEO experience, Ian was appointed Chief Executive of the New Zealand Warriors, building the club ahead of its entry into top-tier rugby league.From there, his career spans:CEO of Hawthorn Football Club during its rebuild and 2008 premiershipCEO of Essendon Football Club during the supplements sagaCEO of Melbourne Victory during A-League successCEO of Rowing Australia, navigating Olympic sport, funding pressures and global competitionLeadership roles in UK sport, including CEO of Sport ScotlandToday, Ian is CEO of the iconic Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, long associated with the Australian Open.Across rugby league, AFL, soccer, Olympic sport and government-funded systems, Ian has seen the intersection of culture, governance, pressure and public accountability at the highest levels.What we cover in this episodeBuilding a professional sports club from scratch in New ZealandThe Hawthorn rebuild and the 2008 AFL premiershipThe Essendon supplements saga — what happened, how it unfolded, and the lessons learnedGovernance failures, salary cap breaches and the cost of cutting cornersDrugs in professional sport — performance enhancing and recreationalGambling, match fixing and player welfareRacism, tribalism and sexual diversity in elite sportThe difference between running a football club and leading a taxpayer-funded Olympic sportThis is not a highlight reel. It’s a serious conversation about leadership when the stakes are public and the consequences are generational.DisclaimerThis podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the participants at the time of recording and do not constitute legal, financial, medical or professional advice. Discussions about historical events, investigations and sporting matters are based on publicly available information. Listeners should form their own views and seek independent advice where appropriate.If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate and share the podcast.You can connect with me, James H. Stewart (GAICD), via LinkedIn or at www.jameshstewart.com.

MasterChef finalist, television host and food entrepreneur Simon Toohey, is this week's guest.Many Australians know Simon from MasterChef Australia (Season 11 and “Back to Win”) or from his SBS series Freshly Picked. But behind the television profile is a far more layered story — one that spans cocktail bars in London, a Masters in Gastronomy in Edinburgh, plant-forward food innovation, pop-up smokehouses, consulting internationally, and now launching the fast-growing Geelong City Market, attracting thousands of visitors every Saturday.We discuss:Growing up in a food-loving family and learning to cook when independence forced itWorking in London hospitality, including at globally recognised bar Callooh CallayWhy he chose plant-forward cooking as his point of differenceThe reality of competing on MasterChef — the pressure, structure and exposureBuilding a media brand through Freshly Picked on SBSLaunching the Geelong City Market — vision, business case, government support, and startup challengesWhat he has learned about entrepreneurship in the food industryThe hard days, the pivots, and the principles he anchors toThis is a conversation about food — but also about reinvention, resilience, public profile, sustainability, and backing yourself when you see a gap in the market.If you are interested in food systems, food startups, media, or building a purpose-driven career, this episode is for you.About the ShowWhat I Learned in Business (That Didn’t Kill Me!) explores the real stories behind business leaders, founders and professionals — the successes, the setbacks, and the lessons learned along the way.DisclaimerThe views expressed by guests are their own and are shared for general informational purposes only. This podcast does not constitute financial, legal, investment or professional advice. Listeners should seek appropriate independent advice before making business or financial decisions.If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show and share it with someone who might find value in it.You can connect with me via:LinkedIn: James H Stewart GAICDWebsite: www.jameshstewart.com

The collapse of Rothwells Bank in late 1988 signalled the beginning of the end for WA inc.In this episode, James H Stewart sits down with Andrew J Love, one of Australia’s most experienced former restructuring advisers and non-executive directors, for a deep dive on the collapse of Rothwells Bank and the beginning of the end for WA Inc in the late 1980's.Andrew spent nearly three decades as a senior partner at Ferrier Hodgson, and at just 34 years old, found himself advising the Western Australian Premier, Peter Dowding during one of the most politically charged and financially catastrophic episodes of the WA Inc era.Rothwells, was a merchant bank controlled by Laurie Connell, was authorised to take deposits from the public and ultimately collapsed owing enormous sums to creditors — many of them everyday “mum and dad” investors. The failure became a defining moment in Australian corporate and political history, and a formative experience for Andrew’s approach to risk, governance and transparency.The discussion traces how that baptism of fire shaped Andrew’s career — from leading mining restructurings, to stepping into boardrooms across mining, oil and gas, property, aged care and infrastructure.Andrew also reflects on his time as Director of multiple companies in the ming sector through volatile commodity cycles, offering candid insights into why boards fail, how cycles repeat, and what experienced directors learn to watch for.The conversation also takes an unexpected but revealing turn into the world of modern art. Andrew shares how he and his wife Amanda became deeply involved in the contemporary art community, including his time as Chair of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, and how the diversity of the modern art community help shape his thinking in the boardroom.This episode is a masterclass in lived experience — from advising governments in moments of crisis, to navigating boardrooms through boom and bust, and understanding why humility, scepticism and independence of thought matter more than ever in business.⚠️ Important DisclaimerThis podcast is provided for general information and discussion purposes only. The views expressed by the host and guest are personal in nature and reflect individual experiences at the time. Nothing in this episode constitutes, or should be relied upon as, legal, financial, investment, accounting or professional advice. Listeners should seek their own independent advice before making any decisions based on matters discussed in this podcast.Any references to historical events, companies or individuals are based on publicly available information and personal recollections, and are shared for educational purposes only.

Christo Van Egmond — Inside the Business of Live MusicACDC is one of the worlds biggest rock bands.So what does it really take to bring the world’s biggest artists to Australia?In this episode James Stewart goes inside the live-entertainment industry with Christo Van Egmond, Managing Director of TEG Van Egmond, one of Australia’s most influential concert promoters.Christo quite literally grew up in the music business — selling merchandise for the Moscow Circus at eight years old, spending time around global artists such as Dire Straits and INXS as a child, and learning the craft alongside his father, the late Garry Van Egmond, a legendary promoter who helped shape modern touring in Australia.Christo lifts the curtain on an industry most of us only ever experience from the audience — revealing the commercial realities, financial risks and leadership judgement required to make live entertainment work at scale.In this episode, we explore:How the live-entertainment business actually works — promoters, agents, artists and venuesWhy promoters are often “betting the house” before a single ticket is soldThe impact of private-equity ownership on live entertainmentHow technology, data and AI are reshaping touring and audience engagementArtist anecdotes, industry insights and the risks that paid offThe leadership lessons Christo has learned along the way — including what he’d tell his younger self⚠️ DisclaimerThis podcast is for general information and discussion purposes only.The views and opinions expressed by the host and guest are their own and do not constitute financial, legal, investment or professional advice. Any references to companies, transactions, artists, tours or commercial arrangements are illustrative only and should not be relied upon as advice. Listeners should seek independent professional advice before making any decisions based on the content of this episode.🔗 Connect with the showIf you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate and share What I Learned in Business (That Didn’t Kill Me).To connect with James Stewart, visit:🔹 LinkedIn: James H Stewart GAICD🔹 Website: www.jameshstewart.com

In this episode of What I Learned in Business (That Didn’t Kill Me!), James Stewart explores one of the most important and misunderstood challenges facing leaders, employers, marketers and boards today: how to understand and engage the next generations of consumers and workers—Gen Z and Gen Alpha.James is joined by Anastasia Pelot, founder of House of Context and a youth-culture strategist who helps organisations decode how young people think, behave, buy and communicate. Raised across Kenya, Greece, Germany, Syria and Lebanon before moving to the United States at 15, Anastasia brings a rare global and cultural lens to the question of identity, belonging and generational change.The conversation begins with Anastasia’s extraordinary upbringing as a Third Culture Kid (TCK), the cultural shock of settling in the US as a teenager, and how those experiences shaped her sensitivity to identity formation, emotional safety and belonging—themes that sit at the heart of her work today.James and Anastasia then dive deep into the real differences—and overlaps—between Gen Z and Gen Alpha, cutting through stereotypes and simplistic labels. Anastasia explains why she views youth not as a “segment” but as a signal—an early indicator of where culture, leadership, work and consumer behaviour are heading next.Key themes explored include:Why dividing young people strictly into Gen Z versus Gen Alpha can obscure deeper behavioural patternsGen Z as the first generation to experience “public adolescence” online, and the self-protective instincts that emerged as a resultGen Alpha as a more AI-native, immersive and sensory-driven cohortHow young people form identity, relationships and belonging in an algorithmic worldThe headwinds and tailwinds shaping youth development today, from mental health pressures to economic uncertaintyFrom there, the discussion shifts to a business and consumer lens, examining what authenticity really means to younger generations, how brands succeed—or fail—when engaging them, and why traditional measures of loyalty often miss what actually matters: community, participation, advocacy and influence.The episode also looks forward, exploring how emerging technologies such as AI, augmented and virtual reality, digital avatars and immersive platforms are reshaping expectations—and what businesses should be doing now to remain relevant.Finally, James and Anastasia discuss Australia’s new laws restricting access to social media for under-16s from December 2025, the potential cultural consequences, and how Gen Alpha in particular may adapt to a more regulated digital environment.This is a wide-ranging, practical and thought-provoking conversation for anyone trying to understand the future of leadership, marketing, culture and commerce—and the generations who will define it.⚠️ DisclaimerThis podcast is provided for general information and discussion purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by the host and guest are their own and do not constitute financial, legal, investment, regulatory or professional advice. Listeners should not rely on the information discussed in this episode as a substitute for independent advice tailored to their specific circumstances. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy at the time of recording, no representations are made as to the completeness or ongoing accuracy of the information.🔗 Connect with the ShowTo learn more about the podcast, access episode notes, or explore upcoming guests, visit jameshstewart.com. You can also connect with James on LinkedIn at James H Stewart GAICD.