Welcome to Episode 53 of our podcast, Courageous Conversations, hosted by Leanne Pilkington.
In this episode, our guest is Tim McKibbin, CEO of the REINSW. Tim talks about his journey across careers in mining, accounting law and real estate, what it’s like being the CEO of the REINSW, his views on discrimination, why he surrounds himself with role models within his leadership teams, the challenges associated with fighting for professionalism in the real estate industry and how he stays motivated.
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00:15 – A background into Tim’s starting career in the mining industry
02:30 – After mining work, he moved to Newcastle as an electrician
04:00 – Undertaking an accounting/bookkeeping course and working with local council as an accountant
05:00 – Being told he had an aptitude for law; applying for a course and being asked for HSC results when he left school at Year 10!
06:00 – Leaving council job to work in mining superannuation fund, as well as building a home
06:30 – Partnership in private tax practice and undertaking Masters in Tax Law (when the GST was first introduced)
08:00 – Tim’s short experience with banking (and having his own ATM!) until it was taken over by Commbank
09:00 – Post-relationship (break-up) and changes within the law practice – moving to Sydney and rotating jobs across a few firms.
10:30 – Settling in Sydney and finally applying for legal counsel role at the REINSW in 2004; became CEO 2 years later.
11:00 – Why Tim is passionate about fighting against discrimination
12:30 – Tim’s personal views on how discrimination has affected his own life including his wife.
14:00 – If you have employees who display incredible potential and willingness to succeed, their race/background, gender, etc shouldn’t matter. There is a tendency for corporations to flock to more commercially-orientated outcomes.
15:00 – Why Tim keeps the best people around him in his leadership team (instead of having people he can manipulate), who also have strengths in areas that he doesn’t necessarily have
17:00 – “Choose your role models carefully.”
18:00 – Reflecting on Leanne’s REINSW presidency
18:30 – The challenges of Tim’s role at the REI; questioning the concept of fighting our industry’s consumer advocate to lift the industry’s standards
20:30 – How Tim stays motivated to fight for what he believes in – “hardworking and determined”.