John Mullen

Send us Fan Mail For our final episode of the season, we’re joined by John Mullen, Chair of Qantas, and one of Australia’s most respected and globally experienced business leaders. With more than two decades spent leading major transport, logistics, and infrastructure companies around the world, John brings a rare mix of boardroom insight, historical perspective, and genuine curiosity to this conversation. John shares his own career journey and we dive into the enduring excitement of flying, how John came to take on the role of Qantas Chair, and the realities of leading an organisation made up of very different personalities — from managers to pilots. We discuss ambitious initiatives like Project Sunrise, reflect on the legacy of Sir Hudson Fysh and early aviation pioneers, and look ahead to what’s next for Qantas in an evolving global industry. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction 00:58 - How Boards Function 04:20 - How Former Board Members Might View Today’s Boards 05:10 - How Boards Communicate Internally 07:04 - John’s Career Journey 13:27 - Interest in Maritime History 17:05 - The Feeling of Underwater Discovery & Adventure 20:00 - Flinders: Can Leaders Still Lead Like They Did Centuries Ago? 22:07 - How Qantas Compares to Other Companies 23:57 - How the Qantas Brand Evokes “Home” and Australian Identity 25:30 - Why Stay Involved in Leading Major Companies? 28:00 - The Importance of the Qantas Founders Museum 28:55 - The DNA of Qantas 30:43 - The Ongoing Excitement of Flying 31:34 - Becoming Qantas Chair: How the Role Came About 34:00 - Managers and Pilots: Navigating Different Personalities 37:20 - The Sunrise Project 40:00 - Sir Hudson Fysh: From Pioneering Aviation to Today 41:57 - What’s Next for Qantas 44:40 - Parallels Between Aviation and the Wine Industry 45:58 - Do People Want the Chairman’s Phone Number? 47:07 - Outro Fly safe and stick with it.