Monday, 19 October 2020

In the Sunday Feature edition of the Fear and Greed podcast, KordaMentha's co-founder Mark Mentha discusses the current challenges facing Australian businesses.

Access the extended interview with Mark Mentha below, or listen to the daily episode of Fear and Greed by clicking here.
 


 

The 30minute interview covered a range of topics from the current challenges facing businesses to highlights from Mark Mentha’s 40+ year career.  Highlights include:

Challenges facing business

“With the unprecedented shutting of borders, the Government stepped in to prop up the economy to prop up businesses.” 

“Without this government intervention, there is no doubt that we would have had far more insolvencies, far greater unemployment and the economy would have been on its knees. “

Advice for businesses

“Business owners, CEOs, boards, management or even bank managers need to get advice early and be honest with themselves and their advisors about the challenges, about the risks and about the opportunities their businesses face”

Mark Mentha’s career

“When I think back to the early 80s when I did my very first restructuring engagement. It was equally as important as the as the larger engagements today.” 

Leadership

When asked if he prefers the ‘hands-on’ approach or leading through others, Mark responded: 

“I think there is a time and place for both, it is knowing when you have to roll the sleeves up. There is expectation that comes with your name on the door and you're expected to be at the at the scene. No matter what that scene is. The key is knowing when to do that and when to nuance that, but also how you can empower others so you can step back and direct."

“I believe strongly that empowerment builds trust and trust builds a great sense of responsibility and commitment in your people, so that's very much my style. “

Culture

“I think having a great culture is like having a foundation of a home which everything else is built.” 

“If you are walking past behaviours that you can't tolerate, now is the time to step in and shore up your foundations and build resilience in your organization. “

Work life-life balance

“I look at it through the lens of three interacting circles, your body, your mind and your spirit.  And they’re never in balance, rather they differ in size over your career.”

Describing KordaMentha

“KordaMentha is many things. It still very much has the ethos of a family business. We’re a fiercely independent investment and advisory firm, and at its simplest the heart and soul of our brand is the bringing together of our people.”

Mark credits the “great diversity and intellect and abilities” of KordaMentha staff and "the ability to bring those skills from across the firm" which allows KordaMentha to solve the most complex of problems.