1. Collective GeniusCollective Genius
116 travelinsider.qantas.com.au
QBusiness.
AstoldtoDiWebster.Photography:LaurenBamford
H O L LY S AYS
“I MET Sam at Government
House in 2011 on the 100th
anniversary of International
Women’s Day. At 21, I was
probably the youngest person
in the room and Sam was one
of the only men there. It was like
our eyes locked in sympathy
with each other! He introduced
himself as Sam and we had
a long chat. When he gave me
his card at the end, I was like,
‘Oh, you’re that Sam.’ I’m used
to people at his level making
a big deal about themselves.
About six months later, he
offered me a job as a business
analyst at Rio Tinto. His first
question was, ‘Where do you
want to go and what do you want
to do?’ I said, ‘I want to drive
change in the world and one day
be at the helm of a large-scale
organisation that can do that.’ He
said, ‘Whatever we can do to help
you, that’s what we’re here for.’
It was the start of an incredible
relationship and friendship. I’ve
grown enormously from conversations
we’ve had around leadership, decision-
making and resilience. He’s a philosopher
and a deep thinker. His views on the world
have definitely informed my own.
Since I left Rio Tinto in 2013, we’ve met
up all over the world. I stayed with Sam’s
family in London last year and we WhatsApp
each other all the time and send photos.
He’s ridiculous. He’ll send me photos saying,
‘I’m at dinner with the Chinese president’
and I’m going, ‘How good are you!’
He routinely asks, ‘How’s your love life?’
I tell him he needs to keep scouting for me.
The only thing we disagree on is sport, which
I happen to live and breathe and he believes
has to be suffered through.
Sam’s mentoring is the single-biggest
contributor to my growth and development
as a person and as a leader. I’ve come
to understand that leaders like Sam get to
where they are because people helped,
advised and supported them. So whenever
they come across people they genuinely
believe are going to pay it forward, they’re
going to mentor them. I’d encourage
everyone to do it.
He’s made me lift the ceiling on what I’m
capable of. Having someone in your corner
like that changes the game.”
S A M S AYS
“I CALL Holly a human dynamo.
She really pushes herself and
delivers amazing things. Her
intellect, empathy, drive and
energy are endless.
Our ‘mentoring’ discussions
were very broad but it was
a two-way street. She helped
me understand the younger
generation: what they value
and how they operate, the
importance of the internet and
communication, WhatsApp,
texting and everything else.
It’s important for an executive
to understand all the different
subgroups within the business
because all require slightly
different things.
In the past year I’ve spoken
at Harvard Business School,
Tsinghua University in Beijing,
The University of Melbourne
and London Business School.
Holly helps me focus my
comments so they’re relevant
and interesting to those groups.
It’s been very, very helpful.
She does a wonderful job of bridging the
generations but she’s also setting the agenda
for her generation. Being on a show like
[ABC TV’s] Q&A is stepping into the deep
end. Holly thrives on that sort of thing.
When she stayed with my wife, Leanne,
and I in London, we decided to go for a walk
in Hyde Park. As we got to Royal Albert Hall,
we saw three guys who looked lost. I said,
‘Can I help you?’ After I gave them directions,
they said, ‘Oh, you’re Australian; we’re
Australian, too! Oh, and you’re that lady
from Q&A!’ I was expecting them to say,
‘You’re that bloke from Rio Tinto!’
Holly is a driven individual. The best
advice I can give her is to have a plan for
what you’re striving for. You need to manage
your career, have values and ethics and
stand up for what you believe in. Above all,
whatever you’re doing, add value. Don’t be
a caretaker or a maintainer.
I do see a bit of my 25-year-old self in
Holly – the sense of purpose, drive, energy
and intellect. To become a CEO, you have
to be a little different, have a different focus
and believe in yourself. Holly has certainly
got all that, with good reason.
I’ve often said to people, ‘Meet the future
prime minister of Australia.’ If she set her
heart to it, she could achieve it.”
The collaborators
Holly Ransom
& Sam Walsh
What’s the
connection?
Holly Ransom,
CEO of consulting
group Emergent,
non-executive
director of Port
Adelaide Football
Club and co-chair
of the 2014 G20
Youth Summit,
is mentored by
Sam Walsh, newly
retired global CEO
of Rio Tinto Group.
What makes
it work?
She’s young,
smart and
enthusiastic;
he’s wise,
experienced
and generous.