The role of leadership is evolving faster than ever. Today’s leaders aren’t just signing off on tech budgets - they're setting digital strategy, driving AI and data innovations, and reimagining how organisations think, work and grow. But this shift isn’t only about executives at the top. From emerging leaders to seasoned directors, every role has a part to play in building a culture where digital-first thinking and innovation thrive.
In this discussion, we sit down with Michael Titshall (CEO, APAC & Global Head of AI Products at R/GA), Brooke Roberts (Co-founder and CEO of Sharesies) and Sarah Rogers (Partner at Deloitte) - three leaders who are redefining what it means to lead in a digital-first world. They’ll share candid stories, bold insights and practical lessons from the frontlines of transformation.
We will explore:
Whether you’re a senior executive, department head, or early in your career and driving digital initiatives, this session provides real-world examples, actionable lessons, and inspiration for leading with impact in the digital age.
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:17:05
Speaker 1
So I think we're ready to get things officially underway. Hello, everyone, and thank you so much for joining our session today on leading in the digital Age. I'm Natasya Rallios and I'm the industry partnerships specialist at RMIT online. I'll be your host for today's session.
00:00:17:07 - 00:00:53:17
Speaker 1
Now before we get started, I'd like to recognize and acknowledge that I'm hosting this webinar from Melbourne, which is the country of the Woi Wurring and Boon Wurrung language groups of the Eastern Kulin Nation I respectfully acknowledge their ancestors elders, past and present. So welcome everyone to day three of our RMIT Online Future Skills Fest. We've had a fantastic start to the week with insightful discussions on bridging generations in the age of AI and the role of CX and digital strategy in capturing audience attention.
00:00:53:19 - 00:01:19:13
Speaker 1
For the remainder of the week, we're hosting free online events where you will have the chance to hear from inspiring leaders about the skills that are reshaping work today. So now I know you've all been waiting eagerly for this. We are super excited, so we're going to dive into today's session, where we'll explore the shift from traditional management to meeting the needs and expectations of a new generation of workers.
00:01:19:15 - 00:01:46:12
Speaker 1
As you all know, the definition of leadership is changing fast. Every leader at every level has a role to play in driving innovation and transformation. And with that in mind, I'm excited to introduce three leaders who are absolutely driving real change within their organizations. I'll kick us off with Michael Titshall CEO of Apac and Global Head of AI products at RGA.
00:01:46:14 - 00:02:10:24
Speaker 1
Welcome, Michael. Next we have Brooke Roberts, co-founder, co-CEO and director at sharesies, Brooks joining us from New Zealand. Welcome, Brooke. And finally, we have Sarah Rogers, partner at Deloitte Consulting. It's absolutely amazing to have you all here. Thank you so much for joining this session. And I'm super excited to get into the conversation that we're going to have today.
00:02:11:01 - 00:02:31:15
Speaker 1
Before we start, just a really quick heads up that we want this session to be as interactive as possible, so please feel free to use the Q&A function throughout the whole session. We're going to allow about ten minutes at the end of this session for you to ask some questions, and we can direct those to our amazing panelists.
00:02:31:17 - 00:02:54:02
Speaker 1
All right. So let's get started. I'm going to start with a really big question. This one is for the whole panel. But I might start with you, Sarah, if that's okay. The question is leadership has always been about navigating change, but the pace of disruption feels faster than ever. What helps you personally stay grounded and decisive when everything around you is shifting?
00:02:54:04 - 00:03:18:18
Speaker 2
Yeah, it's such a good question. It feels absolutely nuts at the moment. Certainly in our own profession at Deloitte, but also in the clients that we're working with, we're just seeing so much change and so much disruption. So I think in terms of what I do is constantly trying to learn things, trying to, challenge my own mindset around what I know and what I need to know and the way that I'm doing things and really anchoring in.
00:03:18:18 - 00:03:19:20
Speaker 1
Purpose and.
00:03:19:20 - 00:03:39:22
Speaker 2
What it is that I'm actually trying to deliver in the longer term, and I think that's, important for the team that I'm working with, the teams that I work with as well. So that we're building a culture that feels really kind of impactful and what we're doing is really valuable. So we can sort of, you know, swim through all of the choppy seas as we get there.
00:03:39:24 - 00:03:58:11
Speaker 1
And so I remember in one of our recent chats, you know, we had a really good discussion around how there's so much reading that is involved in all of this. Yeah. To remain top on top of the game. Do you set aside specific time to do a reading day to day, or is this just something that you naturally do throughout your role at Deloitte?
00:03:58:13 - 00:04:18:10
Speaker 2
I should set aside more time. I do try to, try to read rather than scroll at the end of the day, but that's sometimes a challenge. I spend a bit of time in the car, so I often listen to podcasts. I also when I get like massive big things that I need to read, I use things like notebook LLM to turn it into a podcast for me, which is really helpful.
00:04:18:15 - 00:04:22:15
Speaker 2
So I like I like to consume a lot of, information like that.
00:04:22:17 - 00:04:46:23
Speaker 1
Yeah. Awesome. I want to go back to your point on the continuous learning now Brooke, i know When we first spoke, you spoke about how how great it is to have a growth mindset, and it's been something that's helped you tremendously throughout your career. Do you feel the same way in terms of constantly learning? Is it something that you know is part of your day to day that you do both in your role and outside of work as well?
00:04:47:00 - 00:05:05:22
Speaker 2
Yeah, I mean, it's it's so great to be here and then see how many people have come to learn to. I think, you know, everyone on this call as a growth has had got a growth mindset. So, probably don't even have to labor that point to match. It seems like, you know, you're all here and eager to learn and, and, you know, see what you can get from us, but also from each other.
00:05:06:03 - 00:05:31:05
Speaker 2
But, yeah, I think, those lessons can come in. So many different forms from I love watching how people interact, like, you know, whether it be at a cafe or at the airport and just seeing how, how people communicate to each other, I think is really fascinating. To and just being alive in those moments and seeing how people show up for each other to then, you know, it's so similar to what Sarah was saying.
00:05:31:05 - 00:05:59:06
Speaker 2
I think the ability to, just constantly go, oh, what does it mean? Or, what could that mean? If these two dots connected and I think, you know, I am using, I talk a lot. I think with my, I listen a lot to what my friends or peers or, have to say along with, you know, some great podcasts and, you know, I'm again, like an audio audio visual kind of consumer to, like, sit down and read and, you know, my mind wander.
00:05:59:08 - 00:06:18:16
Speaker 2
But sometimes I get really into it and then I'm like, right on track. But yeah, I think that growth mindset or the ability to I it does come from this fundamental optimism of going, you know, how can how can I take control of the future. For me and for, the purpose that I have around creating, creating financial empowerment for more and more people.
00:06:18:18 - 00:06:39:00
Speaker 2
And, I feel like this relentless urgency to make that happen. So constantly talking to our customers or potential customers to see how we can better support them over time. And then I think the underpinning of being able to have a really be able to digest that information and be able to act on it is like nailing the basics.
00:06:39:00 - 00:06:55:11
Speaker 2
And it's something I've had to learn over this eight year journey, starting Sharesies But, you know, sleep, nutrition, exercise, relationships, they really matter. Because when they're healthy, you know, I feel like I've got a healthier brain to really absorb, and be present with others.
00:06:55:11 - 00:07:17:21
Speaker 1
So yeah, I love that. And it's like, it sounds like curiosity is so important as well. So yeah, definitely good tips in terms of having that work life balance as well. But I'd love to go to you, Michael. In a different lens. Can you share a moment with us, in your role at R/GA where tech significantly changed how you led a project or a team?
00:07:17:23 - 00:07:39:21
Speaker 3
Yeah, I think it was probably about a decade ago. We were working with, cochlear, the hearing implant. And we had this insight that people with gradual hearing loss, I would slowly disconnect themselves from relationships and from society without realizing that had a problem. So our challenge was to make sure they saw that they had a problem.
00:07:39:21 - 00:08:05:04
Speaker 3
Throughout the audition process, we accidentally stumbled across the fact that through sound design technology, we could create a film that would be a love story to some one with, good hearing, but would be a tragic, sad story for someone without good hearing. And so what we created was just a really powerful film. That was a hearing test in disguise, which was really effective because people didn't know, that they had a problem.
00:08:05:04 - 00:08:27:20
Speaker 3
And for me, that kind of blew my mind that technology is not just an executional component. It's integral to the strategy and the idea at creation itself. And so that's really changed the way that I've approached projects to make sure we've got across decent cross functional thinking, from the very beginning to the very end of a project.
00:08:27:20 - 00:08:37:17
Speaker 3
I think it helps you get to more unexpected outcomes, considers different angles, but also helps the team skill up, and sort of teach each other as well.
00:08:37:19 - 00:08:59:14
Speaker 1
Yeah, great. That sounds like a really rewarding project to have worked on. But you work with so many clients that at R/GA I guess, what does it take for a brand to not just survive, but to thrive in today's disruptive environment? Like there's so much change at the moment that we're seeing and how do brands, you know, adapt to all of that?
00:08:59:16 - 00:09:23:16
Speaker 3
I think being really clear in terms of what you want the business outcome to be, how you want to connect your brand with customers is really critical. I think there's so much hype and jargon around tech and AI, you can get lost amongst all of that to being clear with that, the outcome you want and being driven by that is critical.
00:09:23:18 - 00:10:05:05
Speaker 3
I think and then sort of just mobilizing teams around that, making sure communication is really, really clear as well is critical. Don't assume anything with new technology, everyone has different levels of understanding and interprets things in different ways. So those two things are really important in terms of all the clients we work with. And we found with them as well, like celebrating, the wins is really important in more innovative spaces, measurement frameworks, a key, one so you can celebrate and motivate the team on that, but also so you can share it back with wider stakeholders and to be honest, to continue to get funding on these types of projects moving forward.
00:10:05:07 - 00:10:25:09
Speaker 1
Yeah, that that makes a lot of sense. And like, I know the AI is a really big one for brands at the moment, like wanting to adopt. But I remember one of our chats on this, yeah, quite a while ago was just around a lot of brands. You know, there's so much AI out there and it's, you know, there's also a feeling of being a little bit overwhelmed as well with everything that's kind of happening.
00:10:25:09 - 00:10:46:03
Speaker 1
And it's like, what do I do next as a client, you know, to keep, to keep ahead and to remain on top of the game. So yeah, that sounds like it'd be something really important for clients to really focus on. But on the topic of AI, Brooke i had a question for you around leveraging data. So how do you leverage data and AI to inform your strategic decisions within your organization?
00:10:46:05 - 00:11:06:17
Speaker 2
Yeah. Cool I'll first touch on AI and then feel free to pop off on the, chat if you've heard of, human centered AI before. But, you know, at Sharesies where a Bcorp which means, you know, we really care about having a positive impact on, community, our customers and our environment. Yay.
00:11:06:19 - 00:11:28:24
Speaker 2
Noelene So human centered AI is an approach to artificial intelligence that prioritizes people, their needs, values, and well-being. Through the design, development, and deployment of AI systems. So how we think about implementing AI and it's actually it comes back to this saying we've had ever since we started Sharesies was computers doing computer work. And humans doing human work.
00:11:28:24 - 00:11:51:20
Speaker 2
And I think that is, that is the most important part of, how we use this technology to to really level up and help humans be even more human. So we see AI has a real amazing opportunities in terms of personalization at scale. You know, when you're, got your wealth in a company like ours, you know, we do get insights on you and we should be able to share that back to you.
00:11:51:20 - 00:12:14:19
Speaker 2
So you have those insights and can make informed choices. So we can help make sure you got a really personalized experience in the cases act so that, every single one of you, get that feeling of like, I'm growing my wealth with my own goals, beliefs and behaviors, being taken into account. And then, you know, for our team and how we leverage data is it's pretty incredible.
00:12:14:19 - 00:12:32:03
Speaker 2
Now, way back when I started working as a SQL analyst. So I would go and query databases to help us determine, you know, and make decisions. And, you know, if I wanted a certain insight, you know, I'd have to go in there and code it up and then, you know, then check that I'd got it right and then get it up to the higher ups.
00:12:32:03 - 00:12:54:11
Speaker 2
And, and that was fun. But now we've got this incredible tool because we've been able to, create all our own technology at Sharesies in order for us to make sure there was more financial empowerment for everyone. We, have then created really clean databases, which means we've got this incredible opportunity. Now we just have this AI interface and we can ask our database anything.
00:12:54:15 - 00:13:11:10
Speaker 2
It's not obviously personal information, but you know how much money is sitting in wallets? How many people have invested in this thing? You know what? What's activities we've noticed today, whatever it might be. And then our team can make really informed decisions of that, you know, what are the what are the customer queries? What are the top things that customers are worried about right now?
00:13:11:10 - 00:13:34:24
Speaker 2
Today? And we've like, oh, there's something there. We connect on that. So access to that data is so much more at, you know, team's fingertips and what I've ever seen in my career, which means that they can show up and solve human problems right there and then, and in a real human way. And one other element of that is, you know, we, we started in investing where a lot of people didn't feel like they could be an investor.
00:13:34:24 - 00:13:53:19
Speaker 2
or didn't really know much about investing. And so we spent a lot of time building our educational content. And, whether it be through blogs or our help centers or whatever, we could say, right, and really help people and increasing knowledge around investing. And little did we know that that would be incredibly powerful. for being able to support people, even better.
00:13:53:19 - 00:14:12:03
Speaker 2
So we we've got this then AI that takes all of that information that we've and ways that we've been answering customers queries to date and make sure that we can meet them, in their moment. So if they ask a query, typically they get their response in an accurate, speedy response, which I think is the most lovable experience you can give someone.
00:14:12:05 - 00:14:29:05
Speaker 2
But then always being able to talk to us, is important. So we don't hide behind that. So that now solves you know, got over 500,000 queries within a year. And that now solves over 90% of them. So it's it's it's an incredible, ways that we can now how our team really help people on the real gnarly stuff.
00:14:29:05 - 00:14:32:02
Speaker 2
That takes a little more time. And I think that's awesome.
00:14:32:04 - 00:15:01:17
Speaker 1
That's amazing. And I know that your platform serves clients across a huge range, like from from really young to up to 97 years old. So to be able to adopt and have that AI technology where you can really cater to those different audiences is so important. That's huge. On your point around, that specific platform and how you can really leverage that data, I want to throw back to Michael because, Michael, I know when we spoke, you mentioned a platform that R/GA had had designed around how you can help brands.
00:15:01:19 - 00:15:09:07
Speaker 1
And yeah, I just love to throw it over to you now, as you can share a little bit more about that tool that you mentioned to me, a few days ago when we caught up.
00:15:09:08 - 00:15:34:23
Speaker 3
Yeah, sure. There's a few I think you're talking about. The one about, analyzing how your brand appears in different AI engines and how you can influence it. So, yeah. Yeah, I think we saw that, you know, search behavior was changing quite, quickly. People were opting out of traditional Google search and using things like ChatGPT and these kinds of things to not just search for brands, but get recommendations and learn about them.
00:15:35:00 - 00:15:52:06
Speaker 3
So we created a tool that, Links in to there API's. And, you could sort of track how your brand appears, how often it appears and the kind of sentiment that appears around that. So we can help clients, adjust how they influence those platforms and, and appear in a more positive way.
00:15:52:08 - 00:16:15:17
Speaker 1
Yeah. So good, so helpful as well for brands to be able to have that insight into how they show up within the AI space too That's great. Now, Sarah, I've got a question for you around digital transformation. So digital transformation often stalls not because of tech but because of communication. And what like what strategies have you used to really bridge the gap between leadership and tech teams?
00:16:15:19 - 00:16:39:16
Speaker 2
Yeah, that's such a good question. And I think both Michael and Brooke have sort of touched on some of these in their answers as well. But I think initially it's really about understanding that transformation is not about technology. It's about humans and it's about what are we actually doing and what's the impact of that of that transformation. So we know that, you know, digital transformation tends to fail when people just talk tech.
00:16:39:18 - 00:17:02:02
Speaker 2
But it succeeds when they talk about impact. And impact is typically felt at the human level. And one of the ways that we've been looking at this is, really understanding what it means for work and changes to work. We've got a tool called work Analyzer that can understand what's the impact on different tasks of AI and different kinds of AI, so that organizations can plan really carefully.
00:17:02:07 - 00:17:19:22
Speaker 2
How are they going to start thinking about their change efforts? How are they going to target and tailor their communications for different groups that are going to be impacted? How do they actually change the work or redesign the work in different parts of the business? Or how might how might they actually change the workforce profile, like the size or shape of their workforce and and the skills that people have.
00:17:19:22 - 00:17:44:08
Speaker 2
So I think really bringing it back to like, what's the impact on the human is really important. And that human centered AI, where we're actually really thinking about people at the center and where we're going to get really great benefits from technology is when we actually thinking that way. And we're thinking about what's the essentially human things, that, you know, will not go away and that are absolutely needed in order to get the best out of this technology.
00:17:44:10 - 00:18:02:02
Speaker 2
So being able to sort of grow leaders I guess that can translate a lot of that into the human terms and, and understand what does this mean for employees or customers? What does it mean for the outcomes we need? And trying to get a bit of a shared language across the organization, about the benefits and about the impact.
00:18:02:04 - 00:18:21:23
Speaker 2
You know, then there's other kind of more practical things that you can do, you know, setting up things like, you know, boundary spanning roles. So roles where people, you know, product owners, people in the business that can talk about sort of the technology, but also the business impact and the business outcomes and those sort of translation roles are really important in delivering real value.
00:18:22:00 - 00:18:38:20
Speaker 2
I think building cross-functional teams is really important and really coming at these problems, particularly, you know, in the last year or so where it's been a really AI driven sort of tech transformations, is what we're saying, that that really impacts the core of people's work. And it doesn't some sort of take out entire.
00:18:38:20 - 00:18:39:09
Speaker 1
Processes.
00:18:39:09 - 00:18:44:11
Speaker 2
Necessarily. It can impact parts of people's work. It can give the opportunity to do new and different.
00:18:44:11 - 00:18:46:22
Speaker 1
Kinds of work and services. So having a.
00:18:46:22 - 00:19:04:24
Speaker 2
Cross-functional team that can think about that from a number of perspectives, from what does it mean for our brand? What does it mean for our customers? What does it mean for our ethics and our our governance of data, and what does it mean for our skill set? So thinking about it, from a range of, of points of view I think is really important.
00:19:05:01 - 00:19:29:22
Speaker 2
So I think yeah, having that, having that language really connecting back to the why and like why are we actually doing it? We know that, you know, we did. I, chief technology officer survey recently, and the majority of CTO say that they wish they'd spent more money on the human side of the transformation. You know, you should absolutely be spending as much on the human side of transformation as you are on the technology side of transformation.
00:19:29:22 - 00:19:35:20
Speaker 2
So I think trying to not get too caught up in the, in the tech, and really think about what's the impact of the tech.
00:19:35:22 - 00:20:03:19
Speaker 1
That makes a lot of sense. And I know there's been so many talks just around striking that right balance between like the tech and the human side too. So really interesting to like hear your perspective from it because I know that there's, you know, so many different layers you need to take into consideration as well. But moving to your experience at Deloitte, because I know that, you know, you can you're consulting for so many organizations and, I know that you work with a wide range of professionals that, you know, early to mid career to, to in really senior roles.
00:20:03:21 - 00:20:19:03
Speaker 1
I guess what some of your advice for, you know, your colleagues at Deloitte in terms of like really upskilling like what are some of the critical skills that you're really driving or encouraging them to things to do outside of work to really, you know, better themselves and their careers?
00:20:19:06 - 00:20:41:24
Speaker 2
It's interesting. We've been doing some work looking at ourselves and looking at the future of sort of our own work and how technology is changing the different services that we're going to go to market with, which are obviously extremely diverse across the different, you know, tax, accounting, consulting sort of businesses that we have. And, you know, the specific technical skills that are changing of obviously are really different in different parts of the business.
00:20:41:24 - 00:20:58:13
Speaker 2
But what we're saying consistently is that those skills, such as creativity, collaboration, empathy, being able to communicate with people, being able to bring different people together, influencing skills, those really kind of human skills, across.
00:20:58:13 - 00:20:58:15
Speaker 1
The.
00:20:58:15 - 00:21:17:21
Speaker 2
Board are becoming more and more important, particularly in quite technical roles. We're seeing that that's, you know, increasingly relevant, for success in some of those roles. So that's probably the, the ones that we're focusing on. We're trying to, you know, get people, you know, working together. I think it's been an interesting time in the last few years where we've had a lot of people working from home
00:21:17:23 - 00:21:33:04
Speaker 2
Some people now have got quite used to working on their own or or being in a, you know, being in the bedroom or, you know, on at the kitchen table. We're trying to, you know, get people to come back to the office and have some sort of human connection as well. We think that's that's a really important part of building a really strong culture.
00:21:33:04 - 00:21:35:10
Speaker 2
And also, kind of ongoing learning.
00:21:35:12 - 00:21:55:02
Speaker 1
Yeah, definitely. The connection piece is so important as well. Just to, you know, connect with colleagues, you know, person and have that flexibility of that work life balance. But that's great. Yeah. Thank you so much for that. Thank you so much for sharing that. I remember one of your comments to me actually was just around the modern workforce and how the expectations are of a higher now, compared to years ago.
00:21:55:02 - 00:21:59:20
Speaker 1
So yeah, really interesting to see how that's changed, over the last few years as well.
00:21:59:22 - 00:22:02:01
Speaker 2
Yeah, absolutely. It has changed a lot.
00:22:02:03 - 00:22:15:03
Speaker 1
And so, my next question is to Michael, just around your leadership, Michael. So what leadership lessons have you learned from managing digital disruption and uncertainty during this time?
00:22:15:05 - 00:22:39:03
Speaker 3
That things can go really wrong really quickly and have really big consequences, to be honest. So I think just looking at things incrementally is key. Don't try and do too much at once. Also, I think it just enables you to be a lot more agile and pivot as technology and society changes and business needs change.
00:22:39:05 - 00:23:01:13
Speaker 3
So yeah, the biggest lesson is not to wait for like a big bang digital transformation moment. Do those small incremental things. Is is the biggest thing. I mean, as well as size, those three kind of principles I spoke about earlier just around like, really being clear on what you want the outcome to be really over communicating and celebrating those little wins along the way.
00:23:01:15 - 00:23:03:12
Speaker 3
Are key as well.
00:23:03:14 - 00:23:16:04
Speaker 1
And that's something that's really big within R/GA as well with your work, work culture really inspiring your staff to, you know, celebrate those wins and, build that culture internally. It's something that's really important for R/GA Isn't it?
00:23:16:06 - 00:23:32:17
Speaker 3
Yeah. I think, you know, we're in the creative innovation space. So, you know, only a small sample of things that you want to get live actually make it to market. So making sure that you're constantly pushing, for things that haven't been done before is absolutely key to help push our clients brands forward.
00:23:32:19 - 00:23:43:06
Speaker 1
Yeah. For sure. And Brooke to come back to you, how do you build a culture of change and learning? What barriers have you faced in building a digital first culture?
00:23:43:08 - 00:24:04:11
Speaker 2
Yeah. Well, when we, you know, started, people would ask, you know, what's your digital strategy? And it's like “ Ahh we”re digital” and then it's like, you know, what's your sustainability strategy? We'd like, you know, who's the sustainability person, what it was that we, like that's ingrained in how we think and work. But this is the first time where it's like, you know, what's your AI strategy?
00:24:04:11 - 00:24:37:15
Speaker 2
Like? Oh, need one of them? You know, it's a bit different. You know, it has evolved so much over the last eight years, in particular in the last few. So we've really thought about how we help our people. I'm going to focus mostly on AI. Obviously, there's so many other areas of learning and development. And this is like one tool, but, you know, started to recognize and and create language internally like, hey, we're you know, we need to be go from AI aware to AI literate to AI native and move Sharesies to this AI native, world like we're that's, you know, when somebody asks us, you know, what's your AI strategies
00:24:37:15 - 00:24:57:09
Speaker 2
like? We are and I think that, you know, it's ingrained in how we work. And so AI aware is like really supporting our people, building the intuition with, the tools and in particular that even and even their families too It's, it's actually at this point learning where you can't trust it. And I love doing this with my children, actually.
00:24:57:09 - 00:25:13:20
Speaker 2
When the other day they, you know, they asked me a question like, how many whales and dolphins are there in the world and i don’t know lets ask. And then it gave an answer and I was like, do you think that's right? And the answer wasn't wrong was out ten times, you know, but and I guess it's it's all approximations.
00:25:13:20 - 00:25:38:10
Speaker 2
But it was cool to help them think about the critical thinking and, and build it. And I want that, you know, within, the next generation as these tools get smarter and smarter, but also, for our team to build that intuition and then moving to literate is, really embedding it into the way that we work. And when it makes sense, it's like, it's not like AI's a hammer and everything's a nail.
00:25:38:10 - 00:26:09:01
Speaker 2
You know, I mean, I think, you know, there's, some CEO’s, you you know, seem to approach like that, but, you know, it's really like, hey, what are the problems we're solving and what tools should we grab it? And maybe this is one, and then. Yeah. And I think that's, you know, if I'm focusing specifically on learning and growth, it's, it's kind of labeling it and supporting our people and really those champions, those people who are pushing the boundaries and making sure that they're sharing that in their AI corner it up, all team meet where they go, hey, here's what I've learned and here's how it's working, and here's where it failed.
00:26:09:03 - 00:26:16:08
Speaker 2
But that helps, spark insights for other people to go, oh, I could do that. Or what about this? So yeah.
00:26:16:10 - 00:26:33:01
Speaker 1
Super interesting. And I guess this is a question for like all, so, so all of you. So feel free to jump in. But looking 5 to 10 years ahead, how do you think leadership itself will change as digital natives, you know, step into senior roles and you've got that generational difference?
00:26:33:03 - 00:26:56:23
Speaker 2
Yeah, I, I sorry that you go no no no you go I look I was going to say and I think we're saying it already right, that leadership is going to become far less hierarchical and far less about what's your job title. It's going to be about what you do, how you do it, how you bring people with you on a journey and get people excited about the things that you know you want to, you want to do and the impact that you want to make.
00:26:57:00 - 00:27:15:04
Speaker 2
I think to your point, Brooke, you know, that digital fluency, and, you know, literacy and much sort of deeper skills is going to be essential in leaders. And we're already saying currently that, you know, where we've got younger people in the workforce or parts of our workforce that are way ahead on some of this stuff and some other parts of our workforce that are not.
00:27:15:06 - 00:27:25:15
Speaker 2
So I think that's going to be really important. And then I think again, just, you know, those, those really human skills and, bringing those to the floor it's going to be absolutely baseline.
00:27:25:17 - 00:27:25:21
Speaker 3
Not.
00:27:25:21 - 00:27:27:09
Speaker 1
Just on, oh.
00:27:27:12 - 00:27:45:17
Speaker 3
I'll just build on what Sarah was saying there. I think, you know, in 5 to 10 years, these leaders are going to have these, like, AI native people entering the workforce. That's going to blow my mind. But I think what we're going to do there is we're going to have to learn a lot more from new entrants to the workforce.
00:27:45:17 - 00:28:06:15
Speaker 3
They're going to have really fresh perspectives on how to go about things the way they view the world and if we want them, if we want to sort of motivate them to sort of, deliver on a vision and create an environment where they can do their best possible work, there's going to be a lot more kind of learning from them in how businesses evolve.
00:28:06:17 - 00:28:14:06
Speaker 1
And I think that with with all of that, you have to adapt your leadership style to really cater for that for that generation.
00:28:14:08 - 00:28:33:04
Speaker 3
Yeah, it's kind of, Sarah said. I think it's flatter, right? It's more egalitarian, it's less hierarchical. I think you've got to be respect that curiosity at the very beginning of this, going to be really curious about how people, no matter what level of seniority, can help it, bring different perspectives to help you evolve and be better, moving forward.
00:28:33:06 - 00:28:58:00
Speaker 1
Yeah. Awesome. This is a question for Sarah and Brooke, mainly around females that are in leadership. And I'd really love to know just some of your tips around how we can really encourage more females to, I guess, go for those more senior roles and really create an environment where there's there are more females in those, you know, senior leadership roles that are really driving impact.
00:28:58:02 - 00:28:59:22
Speaker 1
You guys go to you, Sarah.
00:28:59:24 - 00:29:21:24
Speaker 2
Yeah. Cool. Look, I think, as we all know, having people that we can say in those roles is really important and actually encouraging women and, and, you know, sponsoring women into leadership roles is critical. We do a lot of that really consciously at Deloitte, where we, you know, giving, you know, women platform to, you know, to grow their careers, to take on more senior roles.
00:29:22:01 - 00:29:41:06
Speaker 2
So I think, you know, you got to be able to see it to be it. I think that's a really important part of it. I think having a culture that is collaborative, curious, you know, egalitarian is a really important part of that and really sort of, you know, stamping on some of those more, you know, archaic kind of leadership styles, command and control or, you know, someone's better than the other.
00:29:41:06 - 00:29:59:10
Speaker 2
I think that is really important. You know, building inclusivity into your work, you know, the way that you work. And we're seeing a lot more flexibility and inclusivity already. You know, it's almost sort of an expectation now for, for grads coming into our organization that they can sort of choose where they work and when they work and how they work.
00:29:59:10 - 00:30:18:21
Speaker 2
And I think that makes it a lot easier, you know, for women who, you know, often in caregiving roles to be able to participate. Having said that, I think encouraging men to take parental leave and, you know, providing the right environment for that is really important in giving women opportunities as well. So I think it's, you know, it's culture, it's policy.
00:30:18:21 - 00:30:23:03
Speaker 2
It's it's sort of mindset, combination of those sorts of things.
00:30:23:05 - 00:30:34:02
Speaker 1
Yeah. It's really building that culture. So I'll go to you. Brooke, do you agree with some of Sarah's comments just around, you know, how you can really encourage the more female leaders to, you know, go for these roles?
00:30:34:04 - 00:31:03:20
Speaker 2
Yeah. I think, you know, companies do need to change the way they operate, too, like there’s some systemic issues that make it a bit harder for more people to be included. And I think you touched on them, Sarah. And if I was going to like individual actions, you can kind of take is, you know, I think a few things I've noticed, you know, we've got a team of around 200 and, I, you know, as growing this company, I've noticed a few differences, I think, that are, quite interesting.
00:31:03:22 - 00:31:19:08
Speaker 2
One is like, if there's anything like storytelling is so important, I remember someone going to me, you know “ How do I get how do I get my manager?” This wasn't at sharesies this was outside. “How do I get my manager to really take notice?” I was like, “ are you sharing with them what you're up to, how you solved, like, this strategy or the problem?”
00:31:19:08 - 00:31:37:07
Speaker 2
Oh, that's a great idea. So, you know, they started to go, hey, look, this is, you know, let's it feels really weird. But that's the that's what leaders love. They love to be like, oh, that's awesome. Or hey, here's something you should think about. And then you learn something too. So that storytelling and, and building those relationships are really valuable.
00:31:37:09 - 00:31:53:11
Speaker 2
And you can build relationships through asking questions like, I used to do a such awkwards things where I would go to, I would be like, organize these meetings, but the, the big dogs in the bank that I, when I used to work there and I would just have all these questions I was going to ask. Now you got chatgpt you're welcome to get these questions together for you.
00:31:53:13 - 00:32:09:06
Speaker 2
And I'd have my notebook of answer these questions, but, you know, and write it down. But what did I look like? I looked like I cared, i was studious i, you know, all of that, and then I and then they’d ask me questions. And then i was in their mind to then be sponsored into things. And I think so that visibility is important.
00:32:09:08 - 00:32:31:05
Speaker 2
And that's definitely on the company to, to be doing that. But there's, there's steps we can take in terms of that storytelling. And I think, yeah, one other thing I've noticed too, is like linking what you do back to the company strategy and like where it's going and, and the opportunities. You see, I think they're always the people that do that to stand out so much where they can link back what they're doing that really care about the purpose.
00:32:31:05 - 00:32:53:13
Speaker 2
They get into the details like they care about the customers. Like that really does shine in terms of leadership promotion, I think. And yeah, I think, yeah, just advocating for ourselves is a really important part, and it can feel really weird and, and can feel really awkward, you know, to put yourself out there, be like, hey, could I have a meeting with you?
00:32:53:15 - 00:33:06:16
Speaker 2
But, you know, what's the worst thing they say? No, you know, and then, like, is it that bad? You know, but what if they say yes and what could come from that? But yeah, those are some little individual hacks.
00:33:06:18 - 00:33:21:17
Speaker 1
This is like. And this goes back to your point around creating noise, right? Like sometimes it's uncomfortable to do these things, but it sets you apart from the crowd. So those are all really practical tips. And yeah, things that are can really help you within no matter what role you're in and no matter what organization you're in.
00:33:21:19 - 00:33:36:06
Speaker 1
This has made it a great chat i feel like I can sit here and talk for hours on this whole topic, but we've received so many questions that have come through. I honestly, I don't even think I'm just sitting here with my marketing colleague, and I don't even think we're going to get through all these questions because I've just received so many on slack.
00:33:36:06 - 00:33:55:05
Speaker 1
But, you know, we'll we'll try and get through as many as we can. So if we can just keep these, these responses really short so I can try my best to get to all of them. But the first one is and this is for everyone. So feel free to jump in and we'll take, one reply from one speaker, and then we'll move to the next question.
00:33:55:07 - 00:34:04:24
Speaker 1
But the first one is, as a leader, do you think AI will replace all jobs? And what is your perspective about this? I might go to Michael first
00:34:05:01 - 00:34:25:09
Speaker 3
Yeah. I heard a, a quote from the CEO of Forrester. What he tells his kids is that AI won't replace your job a human, will. Who knows how to use AI Well, and so I don't think it's going to replace all jobs. I do think it requires a lot of upskilling and reskilling, which is going to constantly, increase in speed.
00:34:26:05 - 00:34:50:22
Speaker 2
it's not going to change. It's not going to it's not going to get rid of everyone's jobs. But jobs will change. Definitely. Okay. And so, we're calling in on this one. But a saying I really love, which is that you can't, navigate New World with old maps. I think, you know, I remember when I was leaving school and, like, woah the jobs that will be out there going to be so different to what they were out of day, you know, and and that's really been the test of time.
00:34:50:22 - 00:35:11:04
Speaker 2
It's been like that. So it's like we don't even know what the new jobs or, roles will look like in the future, but know that there will be these new maps that we'll be creating together, which is where things like that learning agility, that constant curiosity that, you know, ability to to understand how tech works and, and some of those fundamentals are going to be really important because as you say, those jobs are going to change.
00:35:11:04 - 00:35:17:10
Speaker 2
But if you've got the flexibility and adaptability to be able to shift with them, you’ll be right, people will be right. Yeah.
00:35:17:12 - 00:35:36:23
Speaker 1
And that human element is really important. Back to your point, earlier as well, just around having that human human, and not just a tech focus. Next question. Do you think product management training is a valuable, upskill? For leaders that are leading digital transformation.
00:35:37:00 - 00:35:41:20
Speaker 1
Feel free for anyone to jump jump into that one. And that is quite a bit in it.
00:35:41:22 - 00:36:00:24
Speaker 3
Yeah. I think, that education is really important for stakeholders who aren't necessarily involved or have experience in delivering projects, because decisions can have much greater impact than you realize on the surface. So having that training is important at the right level for the right people.
00:36:01:01 - 00:36:10:07
Speaker 1
Awesome. Thanks for that. The next one, what skills should be in a cross-functional team?
00:36:10:09 - 00:36:13:06
Speaker 1
Apart from AI
00:36:13:08 - 00:36:32:09
Speaker 2
Depends on what the teams trying to do. But, think, you know, people that have got data, data literacy, data governance, ethics, understanding risk, understanding the business, understanding the customer lens. I think, and clearly that sort of how do you bring a team together to change the human impact? I think it depends on what the team is trying to deliver.
00:36:32:09 - 00:36:35:14
Speaker 2
But but there are a few off the top of my head.
00:36:35:16 - 00:36:50:08
Speaker 1
Thanks, Sarah. The next one that we've got is do any of your businesses use AI for internal team development? Particularly for developing leadership skills. And can you please speak to how you're using, you know, some of these?
00:36:50:10 - 00:37:14:02
Speaker 2
Yes, we're we're doing a lot of it at Deloitte Brooke you go, We're actually rolling something out next week where we're it's a bit of an experiment we're doing with our, people leaders, but really want to support people being able to provide, really timely and helpful feedback for their people, in a way. And it's always quite awkward to start those conversations.
00:37:14:04 - 00:37:34:17
Speaker 2
And so how can we help people support, you know, with that and kind of coach them through how to have those conversations and, you know, the sharesies way that's aligned to our values? So we've been, we've got this quite radical at the moment, AI agent. We've been, building up where they can, which our people experience team are building and that pretty excited by it.
00:37:34:17 - 00:37:53:03
Speaker 2
But with our people leaders can go and kind of ask questions or go, hey, there is, you know, situation. How could I go about supporting my team better? But it's like it's really important. I think that that's done within, you know, our cultural, you know, framework and, aligned to our values.
00:37:53:03 - 00:38:05:15
Speaker 2
So getting that information outside of, something that's really trained on our insights is, like often not going to be as good. So this is why we're doing that. And pretty excited to see how roles out. But this is one example.
00:38:05:17 - 00:38:15:12
Speaker 3
I think that's critical. Like it's rare anything off the shelf is perfect for your business. It needs customization and training.
00:38:15:14 - 00:38:17:19
Speaker 1
Do you want to add to that as well? Sarah?
00:38:17:21 - 00:38:26:16
Speaker 2
Yeah. We've got stacks of stuff that we're using. We're using a lot of AI tools in the delivery of our work. We've got a whole AI, academy that we're running. We've got different.
00:38:26:16 - 00:38:27:06
Speaker 1
Pathways.
00:38:27:06 - 00:38:39:22
Speaker 2
For different people in different parts of the business, at different stages of their careers. And we've obviously got training and, content that we deliver to clients as well. So, yeah, there's a there's a lot going on in that space.
00:38:39:24 - 00:38:58:21
Speaker 1
Yeah. Great. It seems like some it's something that a lot of organizations are really, you know, putting forward to help us. Yeah. And such a big one isn't it. All right. Well I've still got so many questions. Yeah. We might we might just get one more question from the audience and then, yeah, we'll wrap up that this has gone by so quickly.
00:38:58:23 - 00:39:19:11
Speaker 1
Once I go, I'll just kind of work through. We've got. What have we got here? So knock on that, we've got is what are the top three challenges that you come across when taking your products or teams to the next level? Happy for anyone to jump into that one. Up the challenge.
00:39:19:13 - 00:39:43:18
Speaker 3
Yeah, I think it's, Well, I think it's just understanding where people's current capability and skill sets and experience are. I think everyone is at such different levels. Being able to make sure that we're providing the right kind of training and right kind of information is kind of the most difficult thing.
00:39:43:20 - 00:39:49:12
Speaker 1
Thanks, Michael. Anyone else want to add to that one or just your own challenges internally?
00:39:49:14 - 00:40:12:04
Speaker 2
I just think I've got Michael saying absolutely. It's about how do you bring people on the journey that are really different levels of maturity or understanding or relevance of this sort of transformation for them. So how do you get really targeted about that? The stories, the shared language, all of that kind of thing is, is really important in getting people aligned around the why and helping them make the change.
00:40:12:06 - 00:40:13:23
Speaker 2
So I agree with Michael.
00:40:14:01 - 00:40:38:17
Speaker 3
Yeah. In terms of our clients businesses, not so much ours, but two other ones are really like security and legal. I think they are both two very conservative kind of remits within organizations. And so skilling them, them up on exactly what you're doing, is really important because they tend to say no before. Yes.
00:40:38:19 - 00:40:51:05
Speaker 1
Last question. This is a really fun one. I'll start with you, Michael, because you're on my screen, that what emoji sums up your digital transformation journey so far.
00:40:51:07 - 00:41:00:11
Speaker 3
can I only pick one I want to say 3 like the headblown emoji, The headblown Emoji? the dancing guy and the crying face all in one. I'm the.
00:41:00:11 - 00:41:01:07
Speaker 1
Crying face.
00:41:01:13 - 00:41:04:08
Speaker 3
Yeah.
00:41:04:10 - 00:41:05:23
Speaker 1
I go to you, Brooke.
00:41:06:00 - 00:41:18:11
Speaker 2
My camera keeps, like, zooming in and out. So apologies if I'm, like, moving for some reason. I, I, I, I had like, well, obviously the pineapple emoji and a rocket ship.
00:41:18:13 - 00:41:26:04
Speaker 1
I mean it's a bit different no crying face for you? And finally Sarah
00:41:26:06 - 00:41:30:03
Speaker 2
I think mine's the excited one. And also the head exploding. Definitely.
00:41:30:05 - 00:41:49:10
Speaker 1
Okay. All right. Yeah. I feel like that's definitely probably a common one that the audience will agree with as well. But I think that's a great place to, you know, hit pause. Thank you so much for the discussion. That concludes day three of our Future Skills Fest week here at RMIT online. So thank you so much for joining and to our wonderful panel for such an engaging discussion.
00:41:49:11 - 00:42:06:22
Speaker 1
Like I said, we could have gone could have gone on for hours. This session has been recorded, so please keep an eye out for it in your emails. One thing that's really important, we'd love for you to share some of your takeaways on LinkedIn. Reason why I say that is because we've got a few free future skills courses that are up for grabs.
00:42:06:22 - 00:42:27:20
Speaker 1
If you tag RMIT online, on LinkedIn, and just a quick reminder that we've got another two sessions scheduled over the next few days, it's it's been so great to bring the community together of lifelong learners and people that are really keen to upskill within their careers. If you also want to learn more about digital leadership, you can check out some of the courses that we've got on our website.
00:42:27:20 - 00:42:46:03
Speaker 1
And, you know, stay tuned for some more incredible events with some inspiring thought leaders. So look, thanks again everyone. It's been a great session. And thanks again to our wonderful speakers. And looking forward to running more events over the next few months. So thank you again and enjoy the rest of your day and hope to see you over the next few days.
The role of leadership is evolving faster than ever. Today’s leaders aren’t just signing off on tech budgets - they're setting digital strategy, driving AI and data innovations, and reimagining how organisations think, work and grow. But this shift isn’t only about executives at the top. From emerging leaders to seasoned directors, every role has a part to play in building a culture where digital-first thinking and innovation thrive.
In this session, we sat down with Michael Titshall (CEO, APAC & Global Head of AI Products at R/GA) and Brooke Roberts (Co-founder and CEO of Sharesies) – three leaders who are redefining what it means to lead in a digital-first world. They share candid stories, bold insights and practical lessons from the frontlines of transformation.
We will explore:
How leaders at all levels leverage technology to make smarter, faster decisions
What it takes to guide teams through constant disruption
Strategies to bridge the gap between leadership and technical teams to accelerate transformation
What Gen Z and future generations really want from their leaders, from purpose and authenticity to flexibility and inclusivity
Practical steps for building a truly digital-first culture that sticks
Whether you’re a senior executive, department head, or early in your career and driving digital initiatives, this session provides real-world examples, actionable lessons, and inspiration for leading with impact in the digital age.
As global expectations for corporate responsibility rise, businesses are under increasing pressure to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.
With the rise of new and wildly popular image generators like Midjourney, Craiyon, and Nightcafe, not to mention platforms like Getty Images and Adobe launching their own tools, graphic designers are understandably feeling the pressure.
The world of work is constantly maturing - and so are the job roles. Professions, even industries, that didn’t exist a decade ago are quickly become highly sought after, leaving professionals scrambling to update their skillset.
In an increasingly digital world, cyber threats are evolving at an unprecedented pace.
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
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RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.
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