15 Minutes with the Boss PEXA’s CEO reveals the upside of ‘owning up to accountability’
Nov 24, 2025
Russell Cohen, CEO of PEXA, shares his insights from building businesses globally and discusses the universal fear of accountability. He emphasizes the value of candidness in leadership, arguing that embracing mistakes fosters a strong culture. Russell also reflects on pivotal career moments, including launching a SoftBank business in Japan and pivotal decisions during Grab's acquisition of Uber. He encourages open communication between leaders and their teams, and amusingly reveals that if he weren't a CEO, he'd pursue a career as a chef.
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A Deliberate Morning Routine
- Russell wakes naturally around 5:36am, avoids early email, stretches, walks and sometimes trains twice weekly.
- He eats breakfast (Greek yoghurt or eggs) and has coffee about an hour after waking at the office.
Launching In Japan Changed His Path
- Russell Cohen flew to Tokyo the next day to build a trade-in iPhone business with SoftBank and a small team.
- The launch succeeded and led to deeper ties, eventually moving him into SoftBank and new cultural experiences.
Using Intuition To Launch Abroad
- Entering Japan, Russell relied on intuition to hire local talent and pick partners despite language barriers.
- He emphasises a high tolerance for risk and working within an entrepreneurial culture to succeed.