With more than two decades of executive experience across nbn Australia and Telstra, including leadership roles spanning Telstra InfraCo, Telstra Wholesale and Telstra Business, Will brought a perspective shaped by some of the sector’s most significant infrastructure, governance and transformation challenges. The discussion was direct, grounded and wide-ranging.

The session focused on two core themes.

The first explored the relationship between Boards and executive teams. Will shared practical observations on how leaders can strengthen the quality of Board engagement through clearer framing, stronger context and more honest risk calibration. Discussion touched on stakeholder complexity, strategic judgement and the role emotional intelligence plays in effective senior leadership.

The second focused on the future economics of telecommunications infrastructure. The group explored competitiveness, network resilience and the implications of emerging technologies including LEO satellite networks and 6G, set against a backdrop of declining pricing power, rising capital demands and evolving customer expectations.

The Adaptive Leadership Collective is intentionally designed to remain small and high trust. The quality of this session reflected that. Experienced leaders engaged openly, challenged assumptions and worked through the realities shaping the sector without the constraints of a traditional conference environment.

Thank you to Will Irving and everyone who joined us for contributing to such a thoughtful and valuable discussion.