John Cole

Background

About John Cole

John is a leader in business and regional sustainability, innovation, governance, and strategy with specific expertise in sustainable development, stakeholder engagement and innovation diffusion. He has close to 40 years multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral experience as a senior executive in government, industry, academic and community positions - all of which involved new value creation through innovative stakeholder engagement and partnerships.John is a highly respected thought leader with an international reputation as an expert and speaker in sustainable development, innovation practice and policy. He has played a pioneering role in addressing sustainability issues in various settings. John has a specific passion for rural and regional development and building resilient communities. With his vast experience across many disciplines, John brings a unique lens and a valuable set of skills to strategic advisory roles and the boardroom, including: • Extensive experience and understanding of governance, strategy and risk within government and industry, with a particular focus on innovative approaches.• An eye for long term opportunities and overall potential for success; John combines creativity with a collaborative approach to identifying ideas, solutions and opportunities. • Sound decision-making based on actively seeking the views of others, facilitating and encouraging robust discussions, providing honest and direct feedback, and leading difficult conversations with respect and a focus on achieving a way forward. • Outstanding stakeholder management skills, with the ability to identify key issues of relevance to various stakeholders and craft a narrative to inform and influence.• Excellent at working with high levels of government leadership especially in complex areas like economic and regional development, environment and sustainability. • A deep level of care and empathy for his colleagues and the mission at hand, with a strong personal commitment to the health and welfare of the community.• High order ability to synthesize complex data and situations and then make it accessible for those unfamiliar with material - particularly useful in framing communications with media and stakeholders.• Impressive network and genuine connections across government, community and industry in both regional and metropolitan Australia, with the ability to strategically leverage this network.