From Law Firm to the United Nations - Sally Richardson

"Sitting behind the nameplate and thinking of an extraordinary privilege to represent Australia on that world stage." Today's News: Luella has recently launched new change leadership services - training programs for middle managers and senior leaders, keynote sessions, and a methodology developed through her doctoral research. Find out more here - http://www.thenarratologist.org/services Most people think corporate affairs means writing press releases. Sally Richardson's version of the job means coordinating with state governments during a live incident, running on what she calls the "no surprises doctrine," and keeping 3,500+ staff aligned when a transport network is in the headlines. Her path there wasn't linear. A commercial lawyer who moved to New York for what was meant to be one year and became ten, did a masters at Columbia, then joined Australia's diplomatic mission to the UN - working the campaign that got Australia elected to the Security Council, then serving on it herself. She came home, worked in Victorian state government, then jumped to Tennis Australia just months before COVID, ending up deep in the biosecurity and border coordination that got the Australian Open delivered safely. Corporate affairs at Yarra Trams, then Keolis, followed. In this episode, Sally Richardson, Chief of Corporate Affairs at Keolis, joins Luella to unpack what corporate affairs actually involves, how a "no surprises" relationship with government clients holds up under pressure, and how staying open to unplanned opportunities took her from law to the UN to national transport leadership. In this episode 00:01 - What Corporate Affairs actually covers at a national transport operator 00:13 - Wanting to be a paediatrician, coming from a family of lawyers, and Arts/Law at Monash 00:16 - Starting out as a graduate lawyer 00:17 - Moving to New York for one year and staying ten 00:20 - Joining Australia's Mission to the UN and the Security Council campaign 00:29 - Luella's Aristotle framework on trust, and doing what you say you'll do 00:35 - Joining Tennis Australia weeks before COVID, and delivering the AO through border restrictions 00:48 - The best career advice she's been given: be open to opportunities 00:49 - Her proudest career moment Resources & links: Sally’s LinkedIn -   / sallyweston   New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion episode at the end of the month. We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you would like Luella and Michelle to answer to stories@the-career-library.com. Support this podcast by becoming a member and get access to bonus episodes containing work related advice from Luella, Michelle and expert guests as well as a monthly newsletter with access to tools and guidance from this week's advice episode. Join here - http://www.the-career-library.com/join Connect & Subscribe Subscribe to Career Stories wherever you get your podcasts - https://pod.link/1873863711/episode/M... Follow Career Stories on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.   / careerstoriespodcast     / 111863112   Career Stories is brought to you by The Career Library.