In Part 2, Dave continues the conversation with David Griffin, CEO of 5B, diving deeper into leadership, resilience, and the future of the energy transition.

David shares how he builds high-performing teams in complex, high-pressure environments, the role of intelligence and psychometric testing, and what it takes to lead highly technical teams with clarity and trust.

We cover:

⚡ What makes a high-performing team in energy and infrastructure
⚡ Using psychometric testing to build diversity of thought
⚡ Leading technical experts without being the technical expert
⚡ Managing pressure, resilience, and mental wellbeing as a CEO
⚡ Why ex-military talent transitions so well into corporate careers
⚡ The policy, network, and innovation challenges shaping the next phase of the energy transition

🎧 Episode – Part 2 out now!

Episode 015 - Part 1 - David Griffin, CEO of 5B | Powering Your Career

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, David Smith sits down with David Griffin, CEO of 5B, to explore the foundations of an extraordinary and deeply non-linear career in the energy sector.

David shares his early life and formative years in the Australian Army, reflecting on how military leadership, resilience, mateship, and exposure to complex systems shaped his confidence to take risks and build businesses beyond traditional career paths. He opens up about the decision to leave the Army after 13 years, and the mindset shift required to step into the commercial world with no clear roadmap.

The conversation traces David’s early move into carbon trading and Japanese investment markets, a challenging first foray into clean energy that required persistence, relationship-building, and personal financial risk. From there, David recounts the pivot into wind farm development, including the hands-on realities of Australia’s early renewable projects and how dramatically planning, approvals, and costs have changed over time.

David walks through the development of some of Australia’s earliest wind and solar projects, offering candid insights into the evolution of the renewable energy market, the growing complexity of network connections, and the increasing impact of policy and bureaucracy on development timelines. He contrasts the speed and simplicity of early approvals with today’s environment, highlighting why these challenges now represent one of the biggest constraints on the energy transition.

The episode culminates in the origin story of Sun Cable, including the moment the idea crystallised, the scale of ambition behind exporting renewable electricity from Australia to Singapore, and the immense technical, economic, and political complexity involved. David explains how the project became a vast optimisation challenge, requiring world-class expertise across engineering, economics, finance, and government engagement.

This episode offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how large-scale energy ideas are born, the courage required to pursue them, and the mindset needed to operate at the frontier of global energy transformation.

EP014: Petrea Bradford, Group Executive Operations, APA Group

Petrea Bradford joins David Smith to discuss her three decade career across energy and aviation, the leadership lessons she gained guiding Qantas through COVID, and what drew her back to the energy sector. Petrea shares insights on leading a national workforce, building a strong safety culture, taking calculated career risks, and the skills needed for the future energy transition. A grounded, practical conversation on leadership, balance, and purpose in a fast changing industry.

In this episode, Dave chats with Anna Collyer — Executive Chair of the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) and one of Australia’s most respected voices on regulation, leadership, and the energy transition.

Anna shares her journey from corporate law to shaping the rules that guide Australia’s evolving energy market. We cover:

⚡ The moment a chance project during Victoria’s privatisation sparked a lifelong passion for energy
⚡ Breaking barriers as a young female partner and driving early diversity and inclusion reform
⚡ What the AEMC really does — and how its work shapes Australia’s energy future
⚡ The pace, complexity and opportunity of the transition to net zero
⚡ Why social licence, equity and innovation are vital to progress
⚡ Leadership lessons, family balance, and finding joy through sport and music

🎧 Episode 013 – out now!

In this episode, Dave chat with Andy McCarthy — author of Here Comes the Sun, founder and former CEO of Gippsland Solar, and a straight-talking advocate for purpose, people, and the energy transition.

Andy shares a candid journey from leaving school at 15 to building a nationally recognised solar brand in coal country, selling to RACV, and rebuilding after burnout. We cover:

⚡ The moment a single solar panel sparked a 25-year mission
⚡ Starting up in the Latrobe Valley and winning trust as “Andy from Gippsland Solar”
⚡ Scaling fast, selling to RACV, and the cost of carrying it all
⚡ Mental health, vulnerability, and building your “wolf pack”
⚡ Why jobs, skills and community buy-in matter more than slogans
⚡ Networking as a superpower for non-linear careers

⚡⚡ Episode 011 – Jack Curtis ⚡⚡

In this episode, David chats with Jack Curtis, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Neara, about navigating high-stakes career moves, building a global energy tech business, and the power of backing yourself. Jack shares his path from law to investment banking, scaling one of the world’s largest solar companies, and now leading an Australian tech startup that solves critical infrastructure challenges.

In this episode:

• From corporate law to global clean energy leadership
• How to manage risk, imposter syndrome and bold career moves
• The mindset behind scaling a startup in the energy space
• Thoughts on the future of energy, tech, and AI
• Spinning the plates—how Jack balances leadership, family, and wellness

In this episode, David sits down with Jennifer Hughes, Executive General Manager of Delivery at Transgrid, to unpack her diverse career journey through the energy sector. Jen shares how she navigated non-linear career moves, why she’s passionate about leadership and diversity, and what excites her most about Australia’s energy transformation.

In this episode:
🚀How a love for problem-solving led Jen into engineering

🚀The role of mentors, risk-taking and resilience in career growth
🚀Leading a 1000-strong team through change and innovation
🚀Mental health, balance, and building a culture of care

🚀Why inclusion and collaboration are essential to the energy transition

In this episode, David chats with Kane Thornton, CEO of the Clean Energy Council, about his career journey from IT into clean energy🍃💨, and the role of purpose in navigating career shifts. Kane shares what sparked his passion for renewables, the lessons from 15 years at the helm of Australia’s peak clean energy body, and why looking after your mental health matters - especially in leadership.

🎧In this episode:
⚡Making a career shift into the energy industry
⚡Leadership lessons from 15 years at the Clean Energy Council
⚡The power of purpose and doing work that matters
⚡Thoughts on diversity, inclusion, and culture change
⚡Mental health and staying grounded as a leader