In this episode of Business & Beyond, Bunnings Managing Director Mike Schneider shares what it really takes to lead at scale — and why the best leaders leave ego at the door.​

From a modest upbringing in Sydney to leading one of Australia’s most trusted brands,Mike reflects on the experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy — including moments of failure, tough decisions, and the pressure of leading through uncertainty.​

Topics covered:​

• Why great leaders focus on the work, not the title ​
• How to build high-performing teams grounded in trust and accountability ​
• Lessons from Bunnings’ most challenging periods — and what they revealed ​
• Why culture is a long-term advantage (and easy to get wrong) ​
• Practical advice for the next generation of leaders​

BCG maintains a professional relationship with the company represented by this episode’s guest.

Chapter markers:

00:00:00 Resilience, Setbacks and Fresh Starts​

00:01:19 Upbringing, Family and Early Adversity​

00:06:43 Leadership Philosophy and Tough Conversations​

00:10:39 Humble Starts in Retail and Finding Direction​

00:18:47 From Retail to Banking and Finding the Calling​​

00:28:50 Joining Bunnings and Cultural Alignment​

00:32:24 Becoming CEO During Major Change​

00:37:04 Bunnings UK Lessons and Personal Resilience​

00:41:52 How Bunnings Wins on People​​

00:44:13 Growth Through Categories and Curiosity​

00:46:30 Digital Strategy Before COVID​

00:50:24 Culture, Innovation and Brand Trust​

00:58:10 New Competition and Consumer Reality​

01:09:33 Leadership Advice for the Next Generation

AI is already writing code. The question is no longer what it can do, but how organisations use it.​

In this episode of Business & Beyond, Rohin Wood (Managing Director & Partner, BCG X ANZ) shares a practical view on what’s changing, what’s working, and where most organisations are getting stuck.​

As execution becomes easier, the real challenge shifts to framing problems, redesigning workflows, and applying judgement.​

They explore:​

1. Why many AI initiatives stall at the pilot stage​
2. How to move from use cases to transformation​
3. The rise of agentic systems and what they mean for business​
4. Where organisations are already seeing real value​

Links:​

Scheduling the World’s Largest Fully-Owned and Integrated Iron Ore Supply Chain with Rio Tinto:​

https://www.bcg.com/x/mark-your-moment/how-an-iron-ore-producer-modernized-mining-operations-with-ai​

AI Radar Report: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2026/as-ai-investments-surge-ceos-take-the-lead​

Rohin's PhD Thesis: https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/59390/8/02chapters1-4.pdf

Chapter markers:

0:00 – Abstraction and Leadership in AI

1:18 – From PhD to BCG X

5:32 – Scaling BCG X Globally

7:20 – Algorithms, Neural Networks and GPT Breakthroughs

8:51 – AI Writing Code and Maths

9:15 – The Cost of Work Dropping to Near Zero

10:23 – Agentic Commerce Explained

12:43 – AI as an Operating System

15:25 – From Pilots to Transformation

22:13 – Democratising AI Agents

24:00 – AI Capability Doubling Rapidly

29:08 – Mining, Pharma, Pricing Use Cases

32:31 – Superhuman Engineers Emerging

35:06 – Cyber Risk in AI Era

Richard Lesser reflects on leading BCG through a decade of disruption that saw the firm triple revenues while expanding into digital, advanced analytics and AI.​

He shares why CEOs must balance short-term earnings with long-term vitality, why engagement with governments has shifted from optional to essential, and why complacency is the real threat in an era defined by generative AI, geopolitical tension and declining institutional trust. For Rich, the defining leadership advantage was not prior expertise, but the capacity to learn faster than the world was changing.​

In this episode, Rich also discusses:​

1. How BCG invested early in digital and AI before the generative AI inflection point​
2. The firm’s expansion into climate and sustainability advisory​
3. The rapid scaling of private capital into a multibillion-dollar platform​
4. What the Edelman Trust Barometer signals for CEOs​
5. Whether consulting remains relevant in the age of AI

Chapter Markers:

00:00:00 – The Leadership Lesson He Didn’t See Coming​

00:00:50 – Richard Lesser’s 40-Year BCG Journey​

00:01:57 – Leading in an Age of Disruption: What’s Changed​

00:03:03 – Balancing Short-Term Performance and Long-Term Vitality​

00:04:13 – Why CEOs Must Become Learners, Not Just Experts​

00:05:00 – The CEO as Statesman: Trust, Government and Polarisation​

00:07:26 – Scaling BCG: Digital, AI and Strategic Inflection Points​

00:09:32 – Climate, Sustainability and Private Capital Expansion​

00:11:26 – Stepping Into the CEO Role: Responsibility and TeamBuilding​

00:14:27 – Building Trust Through Authentic Leadership​

00:16:56 – AI, Generative Tools and the Future of Consulting​

00:21:15 – Energy, Sleep and Self-Awareness at the Top​

00:26:21 – Three Career Lessons for the Next Generation