Craig Young

Background

About Craig Young

An inclusive leader and research-led strategist, I'm passionate about using evidence-based decision-making and collaborative partnerships to produce more citizen and consumer-centric outcomes and social impact. My strengths are particularly in organisational governance and culture change, managing change and growth, team building, starting new research businesses or practice areas and conducting social research and data-based strategy. Across 30 years as a social researcher I've run large scale research businesses, started multiple new research practices, products and offices and led teams of up to 200. I remain a hands on researcher and have conducted hundreds of focus groups and survey programs and presented to numerous C-suite, board and conference audiences. As a research practitioner I have led numerous programs to support high impact and often sensitive initiatives, primarily in the public health space, and especially focused on First Nations Australians. These include the first research conducted with remote communities in the NT following the highly contentious 'Intervention' as well as social marketing campaigns to grow the First Nations health workforce ('Health Heroes' campaign) and reduce smoking prevalence amongst First Nations Australians ('Don't Make Smokes Your Story' campaign). As Big Village CEO I successfully pivoted the business into digital consulting and advertising and led the team that built Australia’s National Self-Exclusion Gambling Register (BetStop), a world-class digital tool to help address problem-gambling in Australia. I have 10 years of NED experience, including 3 as Chair of ADIA (Australia's market & social research industry association) during which time the Board launched a rebrand, developed new strategic partnerships & income streams, expanded media outreach, launched a high profile Inquiry into Political Polling & at the same time delivered the association's largest ever financial surplus. I'm also on the Board of Redfern Legal Centre, appointed specifically to contribute to general and financial management, commercial sustainability, digital commercialisation. I helped RLC develop a framework for assessing & pursuing new funding opportunities and negotiated RLC’s first ever commercial lease. In 2022 I was appointed to a 3 year term on the Advisory Board to the ACT's Gambling & Racing Commission, which helps support the Commission to adopt a public-health approach to its work. I'm also a board member of Super Consumers Australia, the voice of low and middle income people on superannuation issues.