Media centre


In this episode of the WA Leaders Podcast, Dr Paula Smith sits down with Nicole Lockwood, strategic advisor, board director, and founder of Lockwood Advisory.

Nicole shares her remarkable journey from environmental law student to Mayor of Karratha, government advisor, board leader, and entrepreneur. Drawing on more than two decades of experience across government, industry, infrastructure, and public policy, she discusses what it takes to navigate complexity, drive meaningful change, and build a business around expertise and purpose. …


In times of disruption, uncertainty becomes the loudest voice in the room. Economic volatility, geopolitical instability, supply chain pressure and shifting community sentiment can all make business decisions feel harder, slower and riskier.

Yet uncertainty does not need to lead to paralysis. With the right process, it can become a catalyst for clearer thinking, stronger leadership and more resilient planning.

In April 2026, with the US/Iran war heating up, Beckon Business brought together clients and contacts from 12 industries and sectors to explore how businesses might prepare for an off-centred world. Using scenario planning processes, participants stepped back from immediate reactions and examined a range of plausible futures. …


How’s the financial year been? Been running hard and fast? Rushing headlong into a more uncertain world? There’s always something new – are we using AI? How might the CGT changes affect me and my business?

We tend to treat the race like it’s a virtue in itself. But sometimes, the greatest superpower in business isn’t the ability to keep running.

It’s the courage to stop. To pause. …


In this high-stakes episode of the WA Leaders podcast, host Charlie Gunningham and Dr Paula Smith sit down with Oliver Wood, founder of PWD, to uncover the raw reality of scaling a digital agency. Oliver began with a backpacker’s "means to an end" in North Beach and grew it into a powerhouse generating $800,000 in monthly revenue. This is more than just a success story. Oliver shares......... …


In recent years, federal budgets have grown progressively leaner on measures affecting personal finances, but this highly anticipated budget is different. Finally, a budget one can get their teeth into. Three of the four tax policies from Labor's controversial 2019 election campaign were revived in this budget – only the abolition of cash refunds for excess franking credits has been left on the shelf. To address intergenerational fairness and housing affordability for working-aged people in the budget, the government has scaled back the CGT discount and limited negative gearing. During the 2025 election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed not to touch negative gearing and capital gains tax. …


In this episode of the WA Leaders podcast, host Charlie Gunningham interviews the "speaking lady" of Perth, Dr. Paula Smith, to discuss her 40-year career in business and the nuances of influential communication in the booming 2026 Western Australian economy. Dr. Smith, founder of the Global Institute of Training and Presenting, shares why many senior executives struggle with public speaking and offers strategic tips such as the rule of primacy and recency and the importance of using frameworks over "death by PowerPoint". …


n fast paced transactional markets, the finance clause remains one of the most failure prone elements of a deal, and often the source of the costliest disputes. A recent WA District Court decision, Wahhab v BMD Nominees, offers timely and practical guidance for anyone working with finance conditional contracts, including agents, brokers, settlement teams and legal advisers. …

Show More

Expression of interest

Learn more about how Western Australian Leaders can help you achieve your business goals.

Express interest Express interest

Western Australian Leaders


0423 674 157


info@waleaders.com.au

LinkedIn  |  Facebook

© 2006–2026 Western Australian Leaders Pty Ltd


Australia | United Kingdom
tag: