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.
Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are our favorite
episodes from our back catalogue, published as frequently as
possible. These are N of 1 conversations with N of 1 people. This
is a replay of Episode 200, originally released in April 2025—
one of our most loved classics.
________
Malcolm Turnbull is one of the most fascinating figures in modern
politics and business. He served as Australia's 29th Prime
Minister (2015–2018), and previously built a career as a Goldman
Sachs partner, successful technology investor, entrepreneur and
lawyer. Earlier in his career as a barrister, he famously
defeated Margaret Thatcher's British government in the landmark
Spycatcher legal battle.
In this uniquely candid conversation, former Australian Prime
Minister Malcolm Turnbull joins Vidit to share his remarkable
journey from a difficult childhood to the highest office in the
country. He reveals how he became the trusted lawyer to
billionaire Kerry Packer at just 28, defeated Margaret Thatcher's
British government in the landmark Spycatcher case, and what
working with powerful figures like Donald Trump and Rupert
Murdoch taught him about standing up to bullies.
They also explore the personal setbacks that nearly broke him,
the lessons from losing political power, why financial
independence mattered more than becoming a billionaire, and how
his relentless curiosity shaped his career across law, business,
technology and politics.
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.
________
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Meet Malcolm Turnbull
01:39 – Life after politics
04:30 – A difficult childhood and school bullies
08:00 – Growing up without his mother
13:45 – The ambition to conquer the world
15:30 – Becoming Kerry Packer's lawyer at 28
20:30 – Standing up to Packer and Trump
24:30 – Does ruthlessness drive success?
27:00 – Mentors and the power of curiosity
30:00 – Why he never chased billions
32:30 – Defeating Margaret Thatcher's government
37:00 – Taking on the British establishment
40:30 – Lessons from his 250,000-word memoir
43:00 – His darkest political setback
45:00 – Bringing innovation into government
47:00 – What Australia gets right and wrong
50:00 – AI, leadership and habits
51:15 – Watching Packer gamble away millions
53:00 – How to become Prime Minister
________
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).
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.