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

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