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Tim Thomas: Inaugural CEO, Centre for Australia-India Relations
Episode description
Published 3rd September, 2025.
Tim Thomas is the recent CEO of the Centre for Australia-India Relations, the federal body set up by the Australian Government to deepen ties between the two nations across business, technology, education, sport, and culture. With a career spanning senior roles at AXA, Prudential, and KPMG, and lived experience building businesses across India, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, he brings a unique cross-sector and cross-cultural global perspective.
It’s time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy.
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Hosted by Vidit Agarwal, Founder of Curiosity Center and The High Flyers Podcast.
It’s now time to explore your curiosity.
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Tim Thomas opens up in this rare, in-depth conversation:
▪️ Childhood in Melbourne as the son of Indian migrants, faith and identity shaped in Thomastown
▪️ Early career in law and finance before moving into insurance and strategy roles across Asia
▪️ Built AXA’s businesses in India from scratch, navigating culture, chaos, and opportunity
▪️ Senior leadership in Singapore and Malaysia, balancing corporate growth with family life abroad
▪️ Returned to Australia with KPMG, leading global strategy and expanding India-focused work
▪️ Appointed inaugural CEO of the Centre for Australia–India Relations in 2023, shaping its early vision and impact
▪️ Now launching new ventures — SAGE growth equity fund, Australia Essence with Steve Waugh, Futures Advisory, and Her Village Foundation with his daughter
This is a different side of Tim you may not have heard before.
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The High Flyers Podcast is a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies—redefining what it means to be a high flyer. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. A flagship product of the Curiosity Center, it has been featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW, offering raw, relatable insights from childhood to career, helping listeners become 1% better every day.
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