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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Paul Grosmann is the CEO of R.M.Williams, the 94-year-old
heritage bootmaker whose handcrafted leather boots have become
one of Australia’s most recognisable cultural exports, worn from
the outback to boardrooms around the world. He is leading the
next phase of growth for the business, which generates hundreds
of millions of dollars in annual revenue, expanding it as a
global premium brand while preserving its manufacturing roots in
Adelaide. Before R.M.Williams, Paul built an unusually
international career across PwC and McKinsey, before leading
strategy and digital growth for Nike in Greater China.
In this rare public conversation, Paul joins Vidit to unpack an
unusually global career, from Sydney to New York and China,
including quitting his job and spending a year learning Mandarin
to earn a role with McKinsey in Shanghai. He shares what he
learned working inside Brett Blundy’s private business group, how
he pitched his way into Nike and helped lead its retail and
digital growth across Greater China, and why decision-making
changes across public companies, private businesses and
founder-led organisations.
They also explore Paul’s return to Australia to lead
R.M.Williams, the 94-year-old heritage brand whose handcrafted
boots have become one of the country’s most recognisable cultural
exports. Paul explains how the company has doubled its production
capacity and created 350 Australian jobs, while expanding online,
attracting younger and female customers, and building an
international retail presence through an unconventional UK
strategy. Along the way, he reflects on cold emails, considered
decision-making, living across cultures, balancing ambition with
family, and the role his wife Sophie has played throughout the
journey.
Please enjoy exploring your curiosity.
_______
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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.
________
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Cold emails
04:32 Growing up in a loud Italian family
07:35 Becoming a global citizen
13:55 Quitting work to learn Mandarin
18:29 Learning to operate in China
20:31 Choosing mentors over promotions
22:11 Paul’s cold-email playbook
23:57 The leadership power of pausing
27:09 Why Paul left McKinsey
28:57 Learning retail from Brett Blundy
34:28 Public versus private companies
40:39 Rising rapidly at Nike China
45:38 Pitching for the R.M.Williams CEO role
47:51 Returning to China during COVID
49:12 The partner behind the career
50:24 Rebuilding an Australian icon
53:53 Taking R.M.Williams global
55:47 Winning younger customers
58:00 Rethinking women’s footwear
01:00:44 The unconventional UK expansion strategy
01:03:30 Rapid-fire lessons and quirks
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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), David
Eckstein (CFO, Legora), Kevin Hartz (Partner, A*; Founder,
Eventbrite), 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).
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