When an explosion rocked a seemingly routine flight between Singapore and Sydney on November 4 2020, the Captain of QF32 Richard De Crespigny leapt into action. Decades of knowledge and experience helped him make critical decisions under pressure to safely land the crippled Airbus A380, saving more than 400 passengers and crew from the unthinkable.
Now Richard is sharing his lessons in resilience, leadership, crisis management and more in the podcast series Fly.
John Mullen on Rebuilding Qantas and Leading Through Adversity
In this wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation, Qantas Group Chair John Mullen reflects on a life shaped by adversity, responsibility and long-term thinking. From childhood trauma and early lessons in survival, to leading some of the world’s largest logistics and aviation organisations, John shares how resilience is built long before a crisis arrives.
We explore the collapse of Ansett and the brutal lessons of cash flow and timing, the realities of board accountability and leadership under pressure, and what it takes to restore trust in an airline that holds a unique place in Australia’s national identity. John speaks candidly about Qantas’ recent challenges, rebuilding employee and customer confidence, and the delicate balance between shareholder value and broader stakeholder responsibility.
LINKS
Follow Richard Richard De Crespigny on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/richard_de_crespigny/) and Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-de-crespigny-am-3bb33)
Buy Richard's book 'Fly! The Elements Of Resilience (https://flythebookcom.wordpress.com/buy-fly/)'
Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind the scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial (https://www.instagram.com/novapodcastsofficial/)
SUPPORT
Child abuse: Bravehearts (https://bravehearts.org.au/)
Surviving abuse: Survivors & Mates Support Network (SAMSN) (https://www.samsn.org.au/)
Mental health: Beyond Blue (https://www.beyondblue.org.au/)
CREDITS
Host: Richard De Crespigny
Editor: Adrian Walton
Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
Managing Producer: Ricardo Bardon
Nova Entertainment acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
14 Jan 2026
Lessons in Corporate Resilience with John Connolly
On this episode of Fly, Richard is joined by one of Australia’s most experienced public relations professionals, John Connolly. With more than 30 years' experience working with some of the world’s largest companies and organisations, he's helped CEOs, boards, and companies navigate various challenging events, including mergers, hostile takeovers, and environmental disasters. In this episode, John and Richard discuss leadership during crises, lessons from global incidents, and what true resilience looks like in both corporate and national contexts.
LINKS
More on John Connolly (https://www.jcp.com.au/)
Follow Richard Richard De Crespigny on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/richard_de_crespigny/) and Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-de-crespigny-am-3bb33)
Buy Richard's book 'Fly! The Elements Of Resilience (https://flythebookcom.wordpress.com/buy-fly/)'
Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind the scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial (https://www.instagram.com/novapodcastsofficial/).
CREDITS
Host: Richard De Crespigny
Editor: Adrian Walton
Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
Managing Producer: Ricardo Bardon
Nova Entertainment acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
7 Jan 2026
What Future Leaders Need To Know with Sandra Peter & Kai Riemer
In this episode of Fly, Richard is joined by University of Sydney Associate Professor Sandra Peter (https://www.sydney.edu.au/business/about/our-people/academic-staff/sandra-peter.html) and Professor Kai Riemer (https://www.sydney.edu.au/business/about/our-people/academic-staff/kai-riemer.html), Co-Directors of Sydney Executive Plus, to discuss their 2026 Skills Horizon report. They explore the future of leadership, the engagement of younger generations in the workforce, the growing role of automation and AI across a number of industries, and much more.
It’s a fascinating look into the future from two research leaders in the field, and essential listening for anyone currently in or looking for a leadership role.
LINKS
Download the 2026 Skills Horizon report (https://plus.sydney.edu.au/horizon/)
Follow Richard Richard De Crespigny on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/richard_de_crespigny/) and Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-de-crespigny-am-3bb33)
Buy Richard's book 'Fly! The Elements Of Resilience (https://flythebookcom.wordpress.com/buy-fly/)'
Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind the scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial (https://www.instagram.com/novapodcastsofficial/).
CREDITS
Host: Richard De Crespigny
Editor: Adrian Walton
Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
Managing Producer: Ricardo Bardon
Nova Entertainment acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
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