Mallesons Podcasts

Force majeure and the power of business relationships: View from Asia

What does increasing geopolitical and supply chain uncertainty mean for the contracts and commercial relationships businesses rely on? In this episode of View from Asia, Amanda Lees, Mallesons partner in Singapore, and International Director David Olsson AM explore why force majeure is back in the spotlight as businesses navigate disruption. They consider how force majeure clauses apply in practice, how businesses should approach long-term and cross-border contracts, and when other contractual protections may be needed. They also examine the role of trusted relationships and local knowledge across Asia, and the practical questions boards and executives should be asking to build resilience before disruption occurs. Prefer to read? Here’s our written summary of the episode: http://www.mallesons.com/au/en/insights/latest-thinking/view-from-asia-force-majeure-and-the-power-of-business-relationships.html Articles referenced: Asia capability under pressure: lessons from the Hormuz disruption Building Asia capability as a resilience strategy: what boards need to ask What's next for Australian businesses in Southeast Asia? Stay up to date Subscribe to View from Asia for the latest insights on the issues shaping business across Asia.

Quantum and Australia’s advantage: Capturing value in the next tech revolution

Quantum technology is rapidly shifting from scientific theory to commercial reality, and Australia has a unique opportunity to turn its research strengths into global economic leadership. In this opening keynote for the Mallesons Digital Future Summit 2026, Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM - Australia’s former Chief Scientist and a leading voice in quantum innovation - outlines what it takes to transform breakthroughs into commercial advantage. This session goes beyond the hype to bring clarity on where meaningful growth and competitive edge may emerge over the next decade. Speakers: • Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM, Executive Chair, Sydney Quantum Academy, former Chief Scientist of Australia • Rachael Lewis, Partner, Mallesons Resources: Mallesons Digital Future Summit Mallesons Data and Tech insights Sydney Quantum Academy McKinsey Quantum Technology Monitor 2026 Planning for post-quantum cryptography State of Australian Quantum Report 2024

The ACCC’s digital enforcement agenda

ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward shares his perspective on competition and consumer issues arising in the digital landscape, and how the ACCC proposes to tackle them. Against a background of fast-paced change as well as new features in the enforcement toolkit, the discussion will examine where the ACCC is focusing its attention and what these shifts mean for businesses that operate online. Speakers: • Commissioner Luke Woodward, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission • Tamara Hunter, Partner, Mallesons • Jennifer Barron, Partner, Mallesons Resources: Mallesons Digital Future Summit Mallesons Data and Tech insights Regulation, rigor and responsibility - The ACCC's expectation in 2026 ACL Compliance is not a nap: Takeaways from the Emma Sleep penalty and unfair trading reform Unpacking the Scams Prevention Framework: what you need to know ACCC Digital Platform Services Inquiry 2020-25

Online safety and accountability: What businesses need to know

Online safety has become a mainstream business issue. As digital platforms and connected services play a larger role in everyday life, regulatory expectations around safety, trust and accountability continue to develop and have significant implications for an ever-expanding range of digital businesses. In this session, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant talks about the next phase of online safety regulation and what it means for organisations operating in a more highly scrutinised digital environment. The discussion will touch on Australia’s world-first minimum age requirements for social media platforms, the implementation of new online safety codes, the government’s commitment to legislate for a broad digital duty of care, safety risks associated with emerging technologies, and the growing importance of social license in online operations. Gain a clear understanding of relevant regulatory priorities in this area and how to design online safety compliance systems in a way that is likely to align with regulatory expectations. Speakers: • Julie Inman Grant PSM, eSafety Commissioner • Michael Swinson, Partner, Mallesons • Bryony Evans, Partner, Mallesons Resources: Mallesons Digital Future Summit Mallesons Data and Tech insights eSafety tech trends and challenges Social Media Minimum Age Bill Introduced

Privacy, cyber & the courtroom: What's next for Australian business

Major cyber and data incidents now trigger a widening set of consequences, including regulator action, complex litigation including class actions, and reputational fallout. Organisations are increasingly judged on how well they anticipate and respond. Our panel unpacks the fast-evolving disputes landscape at the intersection of privacy, cyber incidents, regulatory enforcement, and class actions. Her Honour Justice Kate Richardson, barrister Nicholas De Young KC and Mallesons litigators explore: • where claims are developing, and what new claims are expected to emerge from recent law reform • what is driving regulator action and plaintiff activity in Australia, and • the practical steps organisations can take before, during and after a significant privacy incident to prepare for and manage anticipated litigation. A timely session for in-house lawyers, boards and senior executives, offering a clear view of where privacy risk is heading and how privacy incidents can develop into complex material litigation with a long tail. Speakers: • The Honourable Justice Kate Richardson, Supreme Court of New South Wales • Nicholas De Young KC, Barrister • Peta Stevenson, Partner, Mallesons • James Russell, Partner, Mallesons Resources: Mallesons Digital Future Summit Mallesons Data and Privacy insights 'Data wars' insight series Privacy Law Annual Update

AI and complex decision-making: The next shift in business

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how businesses understand and prepare for rapidly evolving local and international events an increasingly complex operating environment. Drawing on Anthea Roberts’ work on AI complex decision-making and the future shape of professional services, the discussion will examine the interaction between technology, strategy, business models, and the enduring role of professional judgment. We unpack practical examples of how AI is being used to achieve clarity and cut through for complex decision making within a business. An insightful session for leaders thinking beyond short-term and singular-lens scenario planning who are grappling with how to capitalise on AI to bring broad & unique perspectives to complex decision-making scenarios. Speakers: • Anthea Roberts, Founder and CEO, Dragonfly Thinking; Professor, School of Regulation and Global Governance, Australian National University • Bryony Evans, Partner, Mallesons Resources: Mallesons Digital Future Summit Mallesons AI insights Governance in the age of agentic AI

Smarter machines, wiser leaders: Navigating the next decade of work

AI is moving from experimentation to embedded workflow. But with new opportunities for productivity and innovation, come important questions about workforce design, governance, skills, safety, employee wellbeing and the role of human judgment. In this fireside chat, Scientia Professor Toby Walsh will explore how AI is likely to reshape workplaces and the broader economy. Drawing on his work on the intersection of AI, industry and public policy, you will learn how leaders can harness AI responsibly, build workplace capability and create sustainable value. This session brings practical insights into how organisations can adapt with confidence while keeping people at the centre of change. Speakers: • Scientia Professor Toby Walsh, Chief Scientist, UNSW.ai; Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence, UNSW Sydney • Cilla Robinson, Partner, Mallesons Resources: Mallesons Digital Future Summit Mallesons AI insights God AI: Boom or Doom? What to expect when machines outsmart us

Competing in a fragmented world: Building resilience and capturing value in the AI era

The next wave of AI and emerging technology promises productivity gains but the conditions for realising them are becoming more complex. In a more contested and constrained global environment, technology strategy can no longer be separated from geopolitics or policy settings. This session brings together leading economic and geopolitical perspectives to unpack: • where risks are rising • where opportunities remain and are emerging, and • how organisations can build resilience and advantage in a more fragmented digital world. Dr Stephen King (Productivity Commission), Dr Merriden Varrall (VantageGeopol) and Cameron Mitchell (ANZ) examine how AI, data, industrial policy and global instability are reshaping the way technology is developed, accessed and commercialised and the implications. A high-value discussion for organisations confronting the reality that capturing value from AI is now as much about operating context as it is about capability. Speakers: • Dr Stephen King, Commissioner, Productivity Commission • Dr Merriden Varrall, CEO, Vantage Geopol • Cameron Mitchell, Head of Geopolitical Risk, ANZ • Annabel Griffin, Partner, Mallesons Resources: Mallesons Digital Future Summit Mallesons AI insights Productivity Commission releases final report into Harnessing Data and Digital Technologies

Managing cyber risk in an increasingly uncertain world

Cyber risk is intensifying as organisations navigate a complex and fast-moving threat landscape, shaped by rapid advancements in frontier AI and continuing geopolitical tension. Bringing together government and industry perspectives, this session will explore how threats are evolving and the government's agenda for protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening resilience across the economy. Hear directly from Hamish Hansford, Head of National Security at the Department of Home Affairs, on the Government's Consultation Paper on streamlining and modernising the SOCI Act. Get the clarity and insight needed to navigate frontier AI-driven cyber threats and a tightening regulatory regime that aims to strengthen Australia's cyber resilience against emerging threats. Speakers: • Hamish Hansford, Head of National Security, Department of Home Affairs • Leah Pinto, Director, Cyber Intelligence, CyberCX • Cheng Lim, Head of Cyber Practice and Senior Consultant, Mallesons • Michael Swinson, Partner, Mallesons Resources: Mallesons Digital Future Summit Mallesons cybersecurity insights SOCI Act update: Proposal to significantly extend and enhance the enforcement of the SOCI Act Governance in the Age of Agentic AI CyberCX 2026 Threat Report

Directions 2026: The forces driving Australian business

Mallesons' Directions Report 2026 is your essential guide to what’s top of mind for Australian directors and senior business leaders. Now in its 16th year, co-authors and Corporate M&A Partners Meredith Paynter and Rhys Casey discuss the 2026 findings. Key findings include: Australian businesses are getting on with it, remaining committed to growth and investment despite softer optimism and ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Productivity has emerged as the defining business challenge, sitting at the centre of strategic decision-making and shaping priorities across investment, technology and organisational transformation. There is no AI 'sugar hit': while AI has become the top priority for business, many organisations are still working to convert significant investment into tangible productivity gains and measurable returns. The relationship between business and government is becoming more strained, as leaders call for policy settings that better support investment, innovation, competitiveness and productivity growth. Geopolitical uncertainty is reshaping business strategy, creating an opportunity for Australian businesses to build trust and act as commercially grounded diplomats in an increasingly fractured world.

From AI experiment to impact with Quantium: AI Now Episode 5

What does it take to move from AI experimentation to enterprise-wide impact? In this episode of AI Now, Gideon Ratner from Quantium joins Mallesons partners Bryony Evans and Peta Stevenson to share what Quantium has learned from its own AI transformation, and from working with organisations across sectors including retail, banking, telecommunications and the public sector. The discussion offers practical lessons for business leaders looking to scale AI beyond pilots and proof-of-concepts. Gideon shares real examples of how organisations are using AI to redesign workflows, improve decision-making and turn experimentation into business value.

Gender, Identity at work

Gender-based violence and discrimination don’t stop at the workplace door. Addressing them requires sustained commitment, systemic change and the courage to speak up. In this episode, host Clem Johnson sits down with Fiona McLeay, Victorian Legal Services Board CEO and Commissioner, and co-chair of Equality Australia. Fiona shares what it takes to shift culture in the legal profession, why prevention is harder to fund but essential, and how allyship, standing just behind, ready when needed, can be the most powerful thing a leader does. CREDITS: Host: Clem Johnson Executive Producer & Editor: Pariya Taherzadeh Co-Producers: Clem Johnson, Tania Winlaw & Elise Perry Video Editor: Pariya Taherzadeh This episode is brought to you by Mallesons.

Fewer filings, higher stakes: The Review: Class Actions in Australia 2025/2026

Class action filings fell to their lowest level in almost a decade, while more than $1.65 billion in settlements were approved. To mark the launch of the 14th edition of The Review: Class Actions in Australia 2025/2026, Mallesons Partners Alex Morris and Peta Stevenson discuss the major developments shaping class action risk and what organisations should be watching in the year ahead. Key topics discussed What is behind the fall in class action filings Why settlement values remain high Key developments in shareholder class actions, including Brambles and Worley Growing overlap between class actions and regulatory actions Developments in litigation funding and group costs orders Emerging areas of risk, including AI, cyber and data breaches and ESG-related claims What boards and in-house legal teams should be watching next

D&O policies in Australia and England: Erosion, Allocation, Exclusion and Notification

What happens when multiple insureds are drawing on the same policy? In the latest Mallesons and Stewarts podcast, Peter Yeldham, Mandy Tsang and James Breese unpack the Australian and English approaches to four perennial issues in insurance claims where multiple persons are insured under the same policy: notification, allocation, erosion of policy limits, and insured vs insured exclusions. Read more here: Mallesons Insurance Pocketbook 2026 and Stewarts Policyholder Review 2026

How Microsoft is scaling legal with AI: AI Now Episode 4

How are leading legal teams using AI today - and what might the future legal function look like? In the latest episode of AI Now, Microsoft's Head of Legal for Australia and New Zealand, Ben Gilbert, joins Mallesons Partner Bryony Evans and Head of Cyber Cheng Lim for a practical discussion on how Microsoft is using AI and what he's seeing at other ‘AI frontier’ organisations. They discuss… The transition to agentic workflows Building an AI-powered ‘front door’ to legal advice Scaling through technology before headcount – and prioritising culture The shift from ‘legal as a service’ to ‘legal as a platform’ And more. Keen for more AI content? Join us at the Mallesons Digital Future Summit this August. Hear from Professor Toby Walsh on workplace transformation and Dragonfly Thinking founder Anthea Roberts on using AI to improve strategic decision-making, along with other leading authorities across cyber, privacy, quantum, productivity and more.

From Evidence to Action on Statelessness

What does it mean to belong nowhere? In this episode, host Clem Johnson sits down with Associate Professor Radha Govil and Dr. Jade Roberts from the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness at Melbourne Law School to unpack one of the world's most overlooked human rights crises. They discuss the link between statelessness and refugee displacement, the world's first global statelessness caselaw database - built in partnership with Mallesons, and what it will take to drive systemic change for the 4.5 million+ people who are not recognised as citizens of any country in the world. CREDITS: Host: Clem Johnson Executive Producer & Editor: Pariya Taherzadeh Co-Producers: Clem Johnson, Tania Winlaw & Elise Perry Video Editor: Pariya Taherzadeh

Listening to Children, Strengthening Systems

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of child trauma and suicide. Every year in Australia, hundreds of thousands of concerns are raised about children's safety. In this episode, host Clem Johnson sits down with Dr. Katrina Lines, CEO of Act for Kids, and Emma Costello, Partner at Mallesons, to explore how organisations and law firms can go beyond funding to drive real change for children and families. They discuss trauma-informed care, centring children's voices, early intervention, and what genuine community partnership looks like in practice.

Key drivers of the energy M&A market: Power Perspectives Episode 8

Hosts: Rod Smythe, Jonathan Grant and Lizzie Knight Summary: In this episode, Mallesons partners Rod, Jonathan and Lizzie discuss the current state of the energy M&A market, including deal trends, activity drivers and the regulatory overlay. Key topics discussed: mid-market processes becoming exclusive much earlier the sophisticated mechanisms being used to allocate risk between buyers and sellers how FIRB strategy is becoming a competitive differentiator in energy transactions where regulatory focus is intensifying — and practical approaches participants are taking to manage approval risk

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Responsible AI in practice with SEEK: AI Now Episode 3

What does it take to implement AI responsibly? In this episode of AI Now, host Bryony Evans is joined by Fernando Mourão, Head of Responsible AI at SEEK, alongside Mallesons partner Michael Swinson. Hear lessons from a leading organisation that has been building since 2019, including how to move beyond compliance-driven approaches and put people first in AI transformation. Key topics Moving beyond compliance (6:30) Setting the right pace for AI adoption (11:20) Don’t wait for regulation - focus on your AI systems (15:05) Guidance (including in Singapore and Australia) that can help (17:20) Inside SEEK’s responsible AI journey (18:45) Lifting AI governance maturity and enabling innovation (20:40)

Inside Australia’s East and West Coast Gas Markets: Power Perspectives Episode 7

In this episode of Power Perspectives, we discuss the evolving dynamics of Australia’s gas market across the east and west coasts. With gas playing a critical role in the energy transition—supporting renewables, ensuring system reliability, and underpinning export revenues—our panel explores key market developments, policy, pricing trends, and investment drivers shaping the sector. Key topics: East coast gas market: supply pressures and policy developments West coast gas market: balanced for now, tightening ahead Nationally, Australia faces a tightening gas market toward 2030, requiring sustained investment Domestic gas pricing, investment and project structuring trends

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