Hearts & Mines

Not just another mining podcast... Hearts & Mines won’t be reporting on share prices, production guidances or the latest advances in mining technologies. Instead, we’ll be showcasing the achievements, practices and insights of company directors and executives who are passionate about improving the human experience within the industry. Join us as we explore this often underrated but critical aspect of mining. Our guests will share personal stories and experiences that are rich in substance and instructive for our own development. These are the captivating stories of mining people who understand the value of leadership in engaging stakeholders and improving workplace culture. With your hosts Alana Bray–White & David Beilby, stay tuned for insightful discussions and inspiring stories! Also if you would like to tell your story and join the conversation, please contact us at info@ivyandgecko.com.au to register your interest.Hearts & Mines is recorded at Hush Connective studios in PerthE

Hearts & Mines is a business podcast hosted by ivy & gecko, with 46 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

ivy & gecko hosts Hearts & Mines, a business show with 46 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #46

  Introverts, Interest Rates & Inspiration: Sara Prendergast's View on Authentic Leadership

  Aug 16, 202635 min

  In this episode of Hearts & Minds, David is joined by Sara Prendergast, Chief Financial Officer of ASX-listed gold producer St Barbara. Sara's finance career has spanned Gold Fields, Xstrata, BHP Billiton, Glencore and Orica, taking her through remote mining towns across Western Australia and Queensland before landing her at the top of St Barbara's finance function, where she's steered the company through a major restructure, selling its Leonora asset to Genesis Minerals and refocusing on projects in Papua New Guinea and Nova Scotia. This is a candid conversation about the formative experiences that shaped Sara as a leader, from a challenging childhood in regional Victoria to a dyslexia diagnosis at university that changed the trajectory of her academic and professional life. Sara talks openly about leading through ambiguity, why authenticity matters more than natural charisma for introverted leaders, how she screens for resilience when hiring, and what the mining industry needs to do to inspire the next generation into a career in resources. Sara was named an Exceptional Woman in Mining by the Minerals Council of Australia and one of the Top 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining. David Beilby https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/ Alana Bray-White https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/ ivy & gecko https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko Timecodes: (00:00) Cold open (00:50) Welcome to Hearts & Minds (01:45) Growing up in Gippsland (02:50) Family hardship and early responsibility (03:45) Diagnosed with dyslexia at university (04:55) Managing dyslexia as an executive (06:25) Why she chose a career in mining (07:15) Life in remote mining towns (08:15) Family life and how she recharges (09:05) Her sons' path into mining (09:40) What leadership means to her (12:00) Leading as an introvert (14:00) Challenges as CFO of St Barbara (16:30) Attracting talent to a company in transition (18:25) Screening for resilience under VUCA conditions (19:50) The value of battle scars and failure (21:15) The biggest challenges facing Australian mining (23:05) Inspiring the next generation into mining (26:05) Rapid fire questions (34:00) Closing thoughts Follow Hearts & Mines LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only. #HeartsAndMinds #MiningPodcast #StBarbara #ASX #WomenInMining #AustralianMining #GoldMining #MiningLeadership #ResourcesSector

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  Episode #45

  Risk, Resolve & Reinvention: Alex Rovira's View on Mining Leadership

  Aug 2, 202641 min

  In this episode of Hearts & Minds, David is joined by Alex Rovira, Managing Director of Brightstar Resources. A former professional rugby player and investment banker at Canaccord, Alex made the leap from advising mining companies to running one, and in just three and a half years has grown Brightstar from a handful of employees to a company with a resource base of roughly four million gold ounces, on track to become a mid-tier producer. This is a wide-ranging conversation about the courage required to build a business from near-nothing, the value of vulnerability and self-awareness at the top, and why "no cowards ever make history." Alex opens up on Brightstar's five core values, how the company competes for talent against the majors, using AI responsibly in a fast-moving business, and the toughest issues facing Australian mining today. David and Alex also swap notes on the art of assessing character when hiring, and Alex turns the tables to ask David how he reads people in a search process. David Beilby https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/ Alana Bray-White https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/ ivy & gecko https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko Timecodes: (00:00) Cold open: "No cowards ever make history" (00:55) Welcome & rugby banter with David (01:30) From investment banking to MD of Brightstar Resources (02:10) Growing up in Perth, family & Hale School (04:00) Life outside work: family, surfing & flying (04:48) What leadership means to Alex (06:32) Selling the vision: courage & risky M&A decisions (08:00) How an investment banking background shapes a mining exec (09:24) Vulnerability, trust & self-awareness in leadership (11:08) Key challenges at Brightstar: the war for talent (12:10) The pitch: juniors vs. majors for top executives (14:45) Incentivising people: STIs, LTIs & alignment (16:52) Defining workplace culture & Brightstar's five values (19:22) Deciding under volatility and uncertainty (20:18) The biggest challenge facing Australian mining (22:52) How Brightstar is adopting AI (25:00) Alex turns the tables: recruiting for senior mining roles (29:43) Rapid fire: hope, ambition & advice (39:24) Final advice to his 20-year-old self Follow Hearts & Mines LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only. #HeartsAndMinds #BrightstarResources #AustralianMining #GoldMining #WAMining #MiningLeadership #MiningPodcast #JuniorExplorer #ASX #GoldPrice #MiningExecutive #Leadership #CorporateCulture #InvestmentBanking #Perth #WesternAustralia #MiningIndustry #ExecutiveLeadership #MidTierProducer #MiningTalent

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  Episode #44

  Taxes, Falling Rankings and the Blue-Banded Bee - Tania Constable's View on Mining Policy - Special

  Jul 20, 202642 min

  Recorded in Canberra, this special edition of Hearts & Mines features ivy & gecko's Managing Director Alana Bray-White and co-Founder David Beilby, in conversation with Tania Constable, CEO of the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) — our nation's peak body representing the mining industry on federal policy, taxation and regulatory matters. Returning to the Hearts & Mines platform following her 2025 appearance, Tania provides a timely update on key policy and investment issues shaping the future of Australia's resources sector. The discussion explores the MCA's Hands Off Our Fuel campaign, proposed capital gains tax changes and their potential impact on junior explorers, industrial action in the Pilbara, and Australia's declining competitiveness as a destination for global mining investment. Alana, David and Tania also examine the industry's evolving relationship with Traditional Owners, the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across exploration, operations and regulatory approvals, and the policy settings needed to rebuild investor confidence and strengthen Australia's position as a leading global mining jurisdiction. A thoughtful policy-driven discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing Australia's most important industry, featuring insights from one of mining's most respected policy leaders with contributions from the Founders of ivy & gecko, Australia's #1 firm for mining executive and board search. David Beilby https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/ Alana Bray-White https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/ ivy & gecko https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko Timecodes: (00:00) Cold Open – Australia's Falling Investment Rankings (00:45) Welcome to a Special Edition, with Tania Constable (01:26) Tania's Role as CEO of the Minerals Council of Australia (02:38) Mining as the Backbone of the Australian Economy (05:12) The Hidden Impact of Mining on Regional Communities (06:58) The "Hands Off Our Fuel" Campaign Explained (09:26) Fuel Tax Credits vs the Renewables Transition (16:52) Three Policy Changes to Rebuild Investor Confidence (18:22) Activism, the McPhillamys Project & "Weaponised" Approvals (21:07) How Proposed CGT Changes Threaten Junior Explorers (23:27) The Evolving Relationship with Traditional Owners (28:52) Top Business Risks Facing Miners in 2026 (29:55) The Competition for Talent in the Resources Sector (32:58) AI, Automation & the New Era of Mining Technology (35:06) How the MCA Is Using AI Internally (37:17) Using AI to Fast-Track Regulatory Approvals (38:56) What Success Looks Like for Mining in 10 Years (41:52) Final Thoughts & Sign-Off Follow Hearts & Mines LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only. #HeartsAndMines #MiningPodcast #TaniaConstable #MineralsCouncilOfAustralia #AustralianMining #MiningPolicy #FuelTaxCredits #CapitalGainsTax #Pilbara #WesternAustralia #ASX #JuniorExplorers #AIinMining #NativeTitle #ResourcesIndustry

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  Episode #43

  Ship Loaders, Sheep Stations & Uranium Dreams: Marnie Finlayson's View on Authentic Leadership

  Jul 5, 202658 min

  In this episode of Hearts & Mines, David Beilby speaks with Marnie Finlayson, Managing Director of ASX-listed uranium explorer DevEx Resources. A minerals processing engineer by training, Marnie spent 17 years at Rio Tinto across iron ore, gold, uranium, battery metals and rare earths, culminating in the role of Managing Director of the company's battery materials business, and played a key role in implementing recommendations from Rio's landmark workplace culture review. This is a candid, high-energy conversation covering Marnie's upbringing on a remote sheep station north of Kalgoorlie, why she walked away from a major ASX company to build a junior uranium explorer from scratch, what authentic leadership really looks like at the top, and how AI has become a genuine part of her leadership team. A warm, honest conversation from one of WA's rising resource sector leaders. Marnie Finlayson🔗 linkedin.com/in/marnie-finlayson-460a1233 David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/ Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/ ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko Timecodes: (00:00) Cold open (00:50) Welcome Marnie Finlayson & the Raoul rivalry (02:28) Career snapshot: engineer, Rio Tinto, Northern Star, DevEx (03:33) Growing up on a sheep station north of Kalgoorlie (06:25) Boarding school and the School of the Air (08:14) Letters to Grandpa and the lost art of letter-writing (10:30) Finding mining: WASM and life on site (13:26) The tertiary education gap in mining (14:10) The ship loader operator and finding purpose (15:40) Life outside work: cold ocean swims, boxing, yoga and fiction (17:25) What leadership means to Marnie (19:29) Courage, diversity of thought and challenging the status quo (22:07) Authenticity, listening and lessons from Serbia (26:55) Trust, credibility and selfless leadership (29:52) The challenges of leading DevEx as Managing Director (31:23) Winning hearts and minds in a small company (33:33) Building culture from Rio Tinto to a junior explorer (37:09) The biggest challenge facing Australian mining (40:50) How DevEx uses AI (43:18) The risks and downsides of deploying AI (46:41) DEI, the "anti-woke" movement and inclusion in Australia (49:14) Rapid-fire questions (56:58) Advice to her 20-year-old self (57:09) Closing thoughts and farewell Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐 LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only. #HeartsAndMines #MiningPodcast #WomenInMining #AustralianMining #UraniumExplorer #DevExResources #NorthernStarResources #RioTinto #WAResources #ResourcesSector #MiningLeadership #BoardroomInsights #AuthenticLeadership #WomenInResources #KalgoorlieToBoardroom #ASX #JuniorExplorer #MiningIndustryAustralia #AIinMining #ClaudeAI #ChampionOfWomenInResources #WASM #PerthPodcast #MiningCulture

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  Episode #42

  Site Visits, Self-Esteem & Succession Planning: Debra Bakker's View on Mining Culture

  Jun 21, 202651 min

  In this episode of Hearts & Mines, David is joined by co-host Gail Triston to speak with Debra Bakker, professional non-executive director sitting on the boards of IGO and Yancoal. A former corporate banker turned career NED, Debra has spent decades navigating boardrooms, project financing, M&A transactions, and corporate strategy across the resources sector. This is a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what genuine leadership looks like at board level versus the executive level, why empathy and encouragement matter more than authority, and the real value of governance training. A genuinely warm and honest conversation from one of WA's most respected directors. Debra Bakker🔗 linkedin.com/in/debra-bakker-gaicd-4660b81 David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/ Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/ ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko Timecodes: (00:00) Preview & Highlights (01:00) Welcome introducing Debra Bakker (03:50) Early life, upbringing & running away to the mining camps (07:00) How Debra fell into a career in mining finance (08:30) Life on the farm in Margaret River (10:15) Something not many people know about Debra (12:10) Leadership at board level vs executive level (14:40) Why leadership is about empathy and encouragement (17:15) The value of the AICD Director's Course and failing the exam (20:45) Advice for aspiring non-executive directors (23:10) Board diversity and the gender gap at executive level (26:15) Why independent directors matter (28:45) The risks and rewards of being a board director (30:45) The biggest challenge facing Australian mining today (33:50) The graduate shortage in mining engineering (36:20) Will US attitudes to diversity influence Australian workplaces? (40:40) Career highlight Debra's proudest moment (41:25) Future aspirations and what's still to come (42:20) What energises Debra and what drains her (45:00) Best career advice Debra ever received (46:10) Who Debra has mentored throughout her career (48:50) Final question: advice to her 20-year-old self (49:55) Closing reflections Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐 LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.

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