Dick Smith and Steve Killelea are two of Australia's most prolific entrepreneurs and philanthropists, and join former SBS and ABC journalist Lissa McMillan as they discuss the people and places who've inspired them, the adventures that have shaped their lives, and the future of philanthropy. This interview was recorded live from Newport Beach, in Sydney, Australia.

Dick Smith is record-breaking aviator, philanthropist and political activist. The actor Paul Hogan described him as 'Part Bear Grylls, part Bill Gates, but 100% Aussie larrikin'. He holds a number of aviation world records, and is the founder of Dick Smith Electronics, Australian Geographic and Dick Smith Foods. In 1986, he was selected for the 'Australian of the Year' award. In 2010, he founded the media production company Smith&Nasht to produce films about global issues. 

Steve Killelea is a global philanthropist focused on peace and sustainabl  le development, with a long, successful entrepreneurial career in high technology. Over the last two decades, Steve has applied his business skills to his many global philanthropic activities; in 2008, he established an internationally renowned global think tank, the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), + and prior to that, a private family foundation - The Charitable Foundation - which now has over three million direct beneficiaries across the world. 

Dick's book, 'My Adventurous life', and Steve's book, Peace in the Age of Chaos, can both be purchased from dymocks.com.au, and all other major online book retailers.

Dick Smith & Steve Killelea in Conversation

Steve Killelea is an Australian businessman who spent his early life surfing all over the world.

In his mid-twenties he decided to get a serious job, and became a computer programmer, eventually starting an internationally successful software business.

In the 1990s, Steve became a full time philanthropist, starting aid projects in some of the poorest and most dangerous parts of the globe.

To help him do that, he started the Global Peace Index: a data-driven index that reveals how free each nation is from violence.

Steve has since been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Peace in the Age of Chaos is published by Hardie Grant

Steve Killelea and the measure of world peace - ABC Conversations

Creating a paradigm shift in the way people think about #peace. The official account of the Institute for Economics & Peace.

Dick Smith & Steve Killelea in Conversation

Global Peace Index

Related tracks