25 Influential Leaders in Geelong, Australia (2026)

Last updated: June 2026

Geelong's most influential leaders are the people running its institutions, building its businesses, and shaping its civic, cultural, and community life, from the City of Greater Geelong and Barwon Health to Cotton On, Deakin University, and the Geelong Football Club. This directory brings together 25 of them, each selected for a documented, fact-checked contribution to the region and confirmed current in their role as of June 2026.

Geelong is no longer Melbourne's quieter neighbour. As of June 2026 it is Victoria's largest regional city, home to more than 270,000 people, a deepwater port, an international airport, a globally recognised university, and the head office of one of Australia's biggest privately owned retailers. The 382 million dollar Geelong City Deal continues to reshape the central city, and the organisations driving that transformation are led by people whose decisions touch tens of thousands of lives across the region every day.

The leaders on this list are the ones genuinely shaping Geelong right now. Some run institutions you already know. Others are quietly building something exceptional inside their organisations without the public profile their work deserves. Rather than recycling the same few names that appear on every regional power list, this directory reflects the real breadth of leadership across the city, spanning government, health, education, business, sport, the arts, and community life.

This is a directory built for people who want to understand who is actually leading Geelong, whether you are new to the region, doing business here, or looking to connect with the people steering its biggest organisations. It is not a ranking and it carries no advertising relationships of any kind. Every name was verified against primary sources dated within the last twelve months.

A note on who compiled it. This list was put together by Jonno White, author of Step Up or Step Out (10,000+ copies sold) and a Certified Working Genius Facilitator who works with schools, corporates, and nonprofits around the world. For leadership teams inside Geelong organisations looking to strengthen how their executives communicate, make decisions, and hold each other accountable, you can book Jonno to facilitate an executive offsite, Working Genius workshop, or keynote by emailing jonno@consultclarity.org.

Why Strong Leadership Matters in Geelong

Strong leadership matters more in a regional city than almost anywhere else, because the people leading Geelong's institutions are often leading the region itself. In a city this size, the head of the hospital, the university chancellor, the council chief executive, and the football club president are not abstract figures. They are shaping employment, investment, and community confidence in real and visible ways.

Geelong has navigated one of the more remarkable economic transitions of any Australian city. The closure of the Ford manufacturing plant in 2016 could have hollowed the place out. Instead, the region rebuilt around advanced manufacturing, health, education, professional services, tourism, and a fast-growing population, anchored by major employers including Cotton On, GMHBA, Barwon Health, Deakin University, and Viva Energy's Geelong Refinery.

That kind of reinvention does not happen by accident. It happens because people in leadership roles make deliberate, sustained, and often difficult decisions over many years. The leaders in this directory are the ones carrying that responsibility now, across every major sector of the city's life.

How This List Was Compiled

Each leader on this list was selected for a documented, fact-checked contribution to Geelong, from senior operating roles and recognised credentials to published work and sustained recognition in their field. The focus is on people currently leading organisations headquartered in or central to the Greater Geelong region.

Every role and organisation was verified as current against primary sources dated within the last twelve months, including each organisation's own website, recent news coverage, and official announcements. Where a leader had recently changed roles or an organisation had restructured, the directory reflects the current position, not the outdated one. The list reflects no advertising relationships or payments of any kind.

Geelong's Leaders in Civic, Government and Infrastructure

The people in this category run the institutions that keep Geelong functioning, from local government and water to the port and the airport. Their decisions shape the physical and civic foundations of the region, the services residents rely on, and the infrastructure that connects Geelong to the rest of the country and the world.

1. Stretch Kontelj OAM

Mayor, City of Greater Geelong

As Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong, Stretch Kontelj OAM leads the elected leadership of Victoria's largest regional council, an organisation responsible for roads, planning, community services, and major civic projects across a region of more than 270,000 residents. The mayoral role sits at the centre of the city's public life, representing Geelong to state and federal government and chairing the council that sets the region's strategic direction.

Kontelj has been a long-standing figure in Geelong public life and holds an Order of Australia Medal for service to the community. As Mayor, the focus has been on the continued revitalisation of central Geelong and on positioning the city to manage one of the fastest rates of population growth in regional Australia. The role anchors the partnership between local government and the major institutions, businesses, and Traditional Owners shaping the region's future.

2. Ali Wastie

Chief Executive Officer, City of Greater Geelong

Appointed Chief Executive Officer of the City of Greater Geelong, Ali Wastie leads the administration of Victoria's largest regional council and its workforce of roughly 2,500 people. Where the Mayor leads the elected council, the Chief Executive runs the organisation itself, overseeing the delivery of services to hundreds of thousands of residents and the execution of the council's strategy and major projects.

Wastie stepped into the role bringing senior local government leadership experience from across Victoria. As Chief Executive she carries responsibility for the operational backbone of the region, from infrastructure and planning to community services and the council's place as one of Geelong's largest employers. Her appointment placed a woman at the head of the city's most significant public organisation at a pivotal moment in its growth and transformation.

3. Shaun Cumming

Managing Director, Barwon Water

At the helm of Barwon Water as Managing Director, Shaun Cumming leads one of the largest regional urban water corporations in Victoria, responsible for the water and sewerage services that more than 300,000 people across the Geelong region rely on every day. It is infrastructure leadership in the truest sense, the kind that is invisible until it fails and essential to every household and business in the region.

Cumming was appointed to a five-year term leading the corporation, succeeding long-serving managing director Tracey Slatter. The role spans long-term planning for water security, major capital works, environmental stewardship of the Barwon catchment, and the affordability pressures facing regional customers. As one of the region's significant employers and asset owners, Barwon Water sits at the centre of how Geelong manages growth and climate resilience.

4. Brett Winter

Chief Executive Officer, GeelongPort

Leading GeelongPort as Chief Executive Officer, Brett Winter runs one of Victoria's largest ports and a critical gateway for the state's trade. The port handles bulk and break-bulk cargo across commodities including fuel, fertiliser, woodchips, and grain, connecting the region's producers and manufacturers to national and international markets. It is one of the busiest ports in the state and a linchpin of the regional economy.

Under Winter's leadership GeelongPort operates as essential economic infrastructure, supporting thousands of jobs across the supply chains that move through it. The role involves balancing commercial growth, major investment in port facilities, environmental responsibility, and the port's relationship with the surrounding community and the City of Greater Geelong. Few organisations are as quietly fundamental to how the region works.

5. Ari Suss

Chief Executive Officer, Avalon Airport

As Chief Executive Officer of Avalon Airport, Ari Suss leads the region's airport and one of its most significant pieces of transport infrastructure. Located between Geelong and Melbourne and privately operated within the Linfox group, the airport is a gateway for passengers and freight and the anchor of a growing aviation and defence industry precinct on its doorstep.

Suss carries responsibility for the airport's commercial direction at a time of renewal for regional aviation, including passenger services, the major aerospace and maintenance operations based at the site, and Avalon's role as host of the Australian International Airshow. The airport's growth has direct consequences for Geelong's connectivity, tourism, and advanced manufacturing ambitions, making the role one of real regional weight.

Geelong's Leaders in Health and Community

These leaders run the organisations that care for Geelong, across public and private health, disability and community services, and philanthropy. In a growing regional city, the people leading these institutions carry responsibility for some of the most essential and human-facing services in the region, and their reach extends into the lives of tens of thousands of people.

6. Frances Diver

Chief Executive, Barwon Health

Leading Barwon Health as Chief Executive, Frances Diver runs one of Victoria's largest regional health services, an organisation that includes University Hospital Geelong and a network of community, mental health, aged care, and rehabilitation services across the region. With thousands of staff and a catchment reaching well beyond Geelong itself, it is among the most consequential leadership roles in the city.

Diver brought extensive senior health leadership experience to the role, having held significant executive positions across the Victorian public health system. As Chief Executive she carries responsibility for clinical safety, workforce, and the financial sustainability of a service facing the same demand and cost pressures confronting health systems everywhere. The decisions made at Barwon Health shape healthcare access for the entire region.

7. Stephen Roberts

Chief Executive Officer, St John of God Geelong Hospital

As Chief Executive Officer of St John of God Geelong Hospital, Stephen Roberts leads one of the region's major private hospitals, a significant provider of surgical, medical, maternity, and mental health care for the Geelong community. The hospital sits alongside the public system as a central pillar of healthcare capacity in the region.

Roberts has been a long-serving leader within St John of God Health Care in Geelong and also chairs the board of genU, the major disability and community services organisation. That combination of executive and governance leadership across both health and the disability sector gives the role unusual reach into the region's care system. Few leaders sit at the intersection of so many parts of Geelong's social infrastructure.

8. Dr Chelsea Tobin

Chief Executive Officer, genU

At the head of genU as Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chelsea Tobin leads one of the region's largest community organisations, a Geelong-founded provider of disability support, employment services, aged care, and training that now operates nationally from its base in the city. genU employs thousands of people and supports many thousands more, making it one of Geelong's most significant social enterprises.

Tobin commenced as Chief Executive in February 2026, bringing senior leadership experience from across the sustainability, government, and services sectors. The organisation she leads has deep roots in Geelong stretching back decades through its Karingal and St Laurence heritage. As Chief Executive she carries responsibility for a mission-driven organisation balancing commercial discipline with genuine social impact right across the country.

9. Zac Lewis

Chief Executive Officer, Give Where You Live Foundation

Leading the Give Where You Live Foundation as Chief Executive Officer, Zac Lewis runs one of the oldest place-based philanthropic foundations in the country, an organisation that has worked for around 70 years to address disadvantage across the Geelong and G21 region. The foundation funds and partners with local community organisations tackling poverty, education, and social inclusion.

A Geelong local with more than 15 years in the not-for-profit and government sectors, Lewis stepped into the role in early 2025, having previously led the youth opportunity organisation Western Chances. His focus has been on deepening the foundation's impact across the region and strengthening the partnerships between local business, philanthropy, and community need. It is leadership aimed squarely at the people the formal economy leaves behind.

10. David Greig

Chief Executive Officer, GMHBA

As Chief Executive Officer of GMHBA, David Greig leads one of Australia's largest regionally based health insurers, a Geelong-headquartered not-for-profit fund that has served members for around a century. With its head office in the heart of the city, GMHBA is one of Geelong's most prominent home-grown organisations and a major local employer.

Greig has led the fund through a period of growth and investment in member services, navigating the structural pressures facing private health insurance across the country. The organisation extends well beyond insurance into health and wellbeing services and significant community sponsorship, including its long association with the region's major sporting and community events. The role keeps GMHBA firmly anchored in Geelong even as it competes nationally.

Geelong's Leaders in Education and Research

Education is one of Geelong's defining strengths, from a globally ranked university to some of the country's most recognised schools and a major vocational institution. The leaders in this category are shaping the region's talent, research, and intellectual life, along with the experience of the next generation of Geelong's leaders.

11. Claire Higgins

Chancellor, Deakin University

As Chancellor of Deakin University, Claire Higgins chairs the governing Council of one of Australia's largest universities and a global research institution with its origins and a major campus in Geelong. The Chancellor leads the body responsible for the university's strategy, governance, and long-term direction, a role of significant influence over an organisation that is one of the region's largest employers.

Higgins took up the Chancellorship in early 2026, bringing decades of experience as a company director and board chair across the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. Deakin's presence shapes Geelong profoundly, from its Waurn Ponds research precinct and student population to its role in the region's advanced manufacturing, health, and innovation ecosystem. Governing an institution of that scale and reach is leadership with national consequence.

12. Joe Ormeno

Chief Executive Officer, The Gordon

Leading The Gordon as Chief Executive Officer, Joe Ormeno runs the region's major provider of vocational education and training, an institution that has been educating Geelong's workforce since the nineteenth century. With campuses across the city, The Gordon trains thousands of students each year in the trades, health, hospitality, and technical skills that the regional economy depends on.

Ormeno has led The Gordon since 2019, a period in which vocational education has become central to the national conversation about skills shortages and workforce renewal. The institution sits at the heart of efforts to build the local talent pipeline for advanced manufacturing, construction, care, and emerging industries across the region. As one of Geelong's foundational institutions, the role carries both economic and deeply community significance.

13. Rebecca Cody

Principal, Geelong Grammar School

As Principal of Geelong Grammar School, Rebecca Cody leads one of Australia's most prominent independent schools, an institution spanning the historic Corio campus, the Timbertop outdoor education programme, and the globally influential Institute of Positive Education. It is a school with a national and international profile, and leading it is among the most high-profile education roles in the region.

Cody became Principal in 2018 as the first woman and first Australian-born leader in the school's history. Under her leadership the school has continued to develop its distinctive model built around adventure, creative, and positive education, an approach that has influenced wellbeing practice in schools well beyond Geelong. The role combines educational leadership with the stewardship of a large and complex residential community.

14. Anna Negro

Principal, Sacred Heart College Geelong

Leading Sacred Heart College as Principal, Anna Negro heads one of Geelong's largest schools, a long-established Catholic secondary college with a strong tradition of educating young women in the region. The college is a significant institution in the city's education landscape, and the principalship carries real influence over the experience of a large student community and staff.

Negro leads the college through the same pressures shaping schools everywhere, from student wellbeing and engagement to the integration of new technology in learning. As the head of a major faith-based girls' college, the role blends educational leadership, community building, and the stewardship of a school with deep roots in Geelong. It is a position of quiet, sustained influence over many of the region's young people.

15. Dr Mathilda Joubert

Executive Principal, Christian College Geelong

As Executive Principal of Christian College Geelong, Dr Mathilda Joubert leads one of the region's largest independent schools, a multi-campus college educating students from early learning through to Year 12 across the Geelong, Bellarine, and Surf Coast areas. Leading an organisation of that scale, spread across several campuses and thousands of students, is a substantial educational and operational leadership role.

Joubert is an internationally experienced educator whose work has focused on creativity and innovation in education, having led schools and education organisations across South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia before taking up the role. Her leadership brings a focus on developing the character and creativity of every young person for a fast-changing world. The college is a major presence in the region's education sector.

Geelong's Leaders in Business, Industry and Trade

Geelong's economic reinvention has been driven by the people leading its businesses and industry bodies. From a globally significant home-grown retailer to the peak organisations representing local enterprise and manufacturing, the leaders in this category are central to the region's prosperity, its advocacy, and its identity as a place that builds and makes things.

16. Nigel Austin

Founder and Managing Director, Cotton On Group

As the founder and Managing Director of the Cotton On Group, Nigel Austin built one of Australia's largest privately owned retailers from a single Geelong market stall. Today the group operates well over a thousand stores across multiple brands and continents, with its global headquarters still based in the Geelong region. It is one of the great Australian business stories, and it is a Geelong story.

Austin began selling clothing from a market stall in 1991 and grew the business into an international retail group spanning fashion, stationery, and homewares, employing tens of thousands of people worldwide. The group remains privately held and Geelong-based, anchoring a significant local workforce and the Cotton On Foundation's substantial philanthropic work. Few individuals have shaped Geelong's economic identity as directly.

17. Jeremy Crawford

Chief Executive Officer, Geelong Chamber of Commerce

Leading the Geelong Chamber of Commerce as Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Crawford heads the region's peak business membership body, an organisation that represents and advocates for businesses across Greater Geelong. The Chamber is a central voice for the local business community, connecting members, running the region's major business awards, and pressing the case for Geelong with government and industry.

Crawford leads the Chamber at a time of significant transition and opportunity for the regional economy, from major infrastructure investment to the growth of new industries. The role involves championing local enterprise, supporting business confidence, and building the networks that help the regional economy function. As the convening point for Geelong business, the Chamber's leadership has influence well beyond its membership.

18. Michael Johnston

Chief Executive Officer, Committee for Geelong

As Chief Executive Officer of the Committee for Geelong, Michael Johnston leads one of the region's most influential advocacy and leadership organisations, a member-based body that brings together business, government, education, and community to advance the long-term interests of the region. The Committee has a track record of shaping the big-picture conversations about Geelong's future.

Johnston leads an organisation known for its research, advocacy, and its flagship Leaders for Geelong programme, which has developed a generation of the region's emerging leaders. The role sits at the intersection of nearly every major institution in the city, convening the conversations that shape regional strategy, infrastructure priorities, and civic ambition. It is leadership through influence and connection rather than direct authority.

19. Jennifer Conley

Chief Executive Officer, Geelong Manufacturing Council

Leading the Geelong Manufacturing Council as Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Conley heads the peak body for manufacturing across Geelong and south-west Victoria, representing manufacturers that together employ thousands of people across the region. Manufacturing remains central to Geelong's identity and economy, and the Council is the sector's collective voice on skills, investment, and innovation.

Conley is a long-standing advocate for advanced manufacturing with two decades of experience across industry, research, and government. Under her leadership the Council runs programmes spanning workforce skills, the Women in Manufacturing Network, and its biennial Technology and Innovation Summit, which brings together manufacturers, innovators, and investors. The role is pivotal to Geelong's reinvention as an advanced manufacturing centre.

20. Jo Plummer

Chair, Barwon Water

As Chair of the board of Barwon Water, Jo Plummer leads the governance of one of Victoria's largest regional water corporations, setting the strategic direction and oversight for an organisation that delivers essential services to the entire region. Board leadership of a major public asset of this kind is a significant and often under-recognised form of regional influence.

Plummer is an experienced company director and a recognised business leader in the Geelong region, bringing governance experience across the public and private sectors to the role. As Chair she works alongside the corporation's management to balance long-term water security, major investment, environmental responsibility, and customer affordability. The role places her at the head of one of the region's most important institutions.

Geelong's Leaders in Sport, Arts and Enterprise

Few cities wear their sporting and cultural identity as openly as Geelong. The leaders in this category run the institutions that give the region its character and pride, from one of the AFL's great clubs to its leading cultural venues and the entrepreneurs building destinations that draw people to the region.

21. Grant McCabe

President, Geelong Football Club

As President of the Geelong Football Club, Grant McCabe chairs the board of one of the most successful and deeply community-embedded clubs in the Australian Football League. The Cats are far more than a football team in Geelong, they are a civic institution, an economic driver around GMHBA Stadium, and a source of identity for the entire region.

McCabe became President in late 2024 and brings significant corporate leadership experience as a Managing Partner of the global firm Boston Consulting Group in Australia and New Zealand. Chairing the club's board means stewarding its on-field ambitions, its financial strength, and its expanding role in the community and the redevelopment of its home precinct. It is one of the most visible leadership roles in the city.

22. Chris Scott

Senior Coach, Geelong Football Club

As Senior Coach of the Geelong Football Club, Chris Scott leads the football operation of one of the AFL's powerhouse clubs and is one of the longest-serving and most successful senior coaches in the competition. In a football-mad region, the senior coach of the Cats is among the most recognisable and scrutinised leaders in the city.

Scott has coached Geelong since 2011 and has led the club to two premierships, in his first season in 2011 and again in 2022, a rare achievement in the modern game. Beyond results, the role is a sustained study in leadership under pressure, managing a high-performance organisation, developing people, and maintaining standards across more than a decade. Few leaders in any field operate under such constant public examination.

23. Rhys Holden

Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director, Geelong Arts Centre

Leading the Geelong Arts Centre as Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director, Rhys Holden heads the largest regional performing arts centre in Victoria, a recently redeveloped cultural landmark in the heart of the city. The centre is central to Geelong's cultural life and to its growing reputation as a destination for major performance and events.

Holden took up the combined chief executive and creative leadership role in 2024, following the centre's significant redevelopment that transformed its capacity and facilities. The role blends artistic vision with the commercial and operational demands of running a major venue, shaping the programme that brings theatre, music, and performance to regional audiences. It is leadership at the centre of Geelong's cultural ambition.

24. Humphrey Clegg

Director and Chief Executive Officer, Geelong Gallery

As Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Geelong Gallery, Humphrey Clegg leads one of Australia's most significant regional art galleries, an institution with a renowned collection and a long history at the centre of the city's cultural precinct. The gallery is a source of civic pride and a key part of Geelong's identity as a cultural destination.

Clegg came to the role with a curatorial and leadership background in major Australian art institutions, bringing that experience to the stewardship of the gallery's collection, exhibitions, and public programme. Leading a regional gallery of this standing involves balancing artistic ambition, philanthropy, audience development, and the gallery's relationship with the wider community. It is quiet but genuine cultural leadership for the region.

25. Lyndsay Sharp

Founder, The Sharp Group

As the founder of The Sharp Group, Lyndsay Sharp has built one of the most recognisable hospitality and tourism businesses on the Bellarine Peninsula. The group's venues, including Jack Rabbit Vineyard, Leura Park Estate, Flying Brick Cider Co, and Curlewis Golf Club, have helped put the Bellarine on the map as a food, wine, and tourism destination on Geelong's doorstep.

Sharp grew the business into a significant regional employer and a major contributor to the area's visitor economy, demonstrating the kind of entrepreneurship that has reshaped the Bellarine over the past two decades. She also serves on the board of the Geelong Football Club, extending her leadership into the region's most prominent sporting institution. It is leadership built on backing the region's potential and creating places that draw people to it.

Notable Voices We Almost Included

This directory could easily have run to fifty names. Geelong's leadership bench is deep, and narrowing it to 25 meant leaving out many people doing genuinely important work across the region.

A deliberate choice was to focus on leaders based in and central to Geelong itself, rather than the nationally famous names sometimes attached to the city. The Bellarine and Surf Coast, the region's manufacturers, its emerging founders, and its sporting and media identities could each fill a list of their own.

One area this directory does not yet capture well is First Nations leadership in the region, where several key organisations are currently in periods of leadership transition. Rather than name a role inaccurately, the choice was made to wait until the current picture is clear, because getting that right matters more than getting it fast.

Many more of the region's leaders are recognised in the companion piece that accompanies this directory on LinkedIn, where the net is cast wider across the people doing great work across Geelong.

Common Leadership Mistakes Even Strong Leaders Make

The most common leadership mistakes are rarely about strategy or technical competence. They are about the human side of the role: avoiding difficult conversations, trying to carry everything alone, and letting the health of the team slide until something breaks. Even the most accomplished leaders have to work at these deliberately, and the ones who last tend to be the ones who do.

The first and most damaging mistake is avoiding the hard conversation. When a leader lets underperformance, friction, or a broken commitment go unaddressed, the problem rarely disappears on its own. It compounds, quietly eroding trust and standards across the team. This is the central theme of Jonno White's book Step Up or Step Out, which gives leaders a practical framework for the conversations they have been putting off.

The second is confusing being busy with leading. Many capable leaders fill their days with work that could be delegated, mistaking activity for impact and leaving the genuinely strategic work undone. Learning to build a team that can operate without you in the room is one of the hardest and most important shifts any leader makes.

The third is neglecting the health of the leadership team itself. A group of talented individuals is not the same as a high-performing team, and without trust, healthy conflict, and real accountability, even an impressive executive group will underperform. Organisations across the Geelong region engage Jonno White, a Certified Working Genius Facilitator, to run executive offsites that build exactly these foundations.

The fourth is ignoring sustainability, both their own and their people's. Leaders who run themselves and their teams into the ground eventually pay for it in burnout and turnover. The most durable leaders treat their own energy as a resource to be managed rather than an infinite well to be drained. To talk through strengthening leadership in your organisation, you can reach Jonno at jonno@consultclarity.org.

How to Strengthen Leadership in Your Geelong Organisation

Strengthening leadership in your organisation starts with clarity, not charisma. The most effective leadership teams are not the ones with the most talented individuals, but the ones where people are clear on their roles, trust each other enough to disagree well, and hold one another accountable to a shared standard. That clarity can be built deliberately, and it usually starts at the top.

The first step is to invest in the leadership team as a team. Set aside dedicated time, away from the day to day, for the executive group to work on how they operate together rather than only on what they are working on. A well-run executive offsite can do more for an organisation's performance than months of incremental meetings, because it surfaces the issues that quietly hold a team back.

The second step is to give people a shared language for how they work best. Patrick Lencioni's Working Genius model, which has been completed by more than 1.3 million people globally, helps teams understand the kinds of work that energise each person and the kinds that drain them. Used well, it changes how a team allocates work, runs meetings, and makes decisions. Geelong organisations can engage Jonno White, a Certified Working Genius Facilitator, to run a Working Genius workshop with their team.

The third step is to build the difficult-conversation capability across the whole leadership group, not just to leave it to the chief executive. Teams that can name problems early and address them directly move faster and trust each other more.

The fourth step is to bring in an outside facilitator when the conversation is too important to leave to chance. A skilled external facilitator can hold a room, ask the questions an insider cannot, and keep a team honest. Jonno White works with schools, corporates, and nonprofits around the world, and many Geelong organisations find that bringing in an experienced facilitator costs less than they expect. To explore an offsite, workshop, or keynote, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who runs the City of Greater Geelong?

The City of Greater Geelong is led by Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM, who heads the elected council, and Chief Executive Officer Ali Wastie, who runs the organisation and its administration. The Mayor represents the council publicly while the Chief Executive oversees the delivery of services across Victoria's largest regional municipality.

Who is the Chief Executive of Barwon Health?

Frances Diver is the Chief Executive of Barwon Health, one of Victoria's largest regional health services. The organisation includes University Hospital Geelong along with community, mental health, and aged care services, making it one of the most significant institutions and employers in the Geelong region.

Who founded Cotton On and is it still based in Geelong?

Cotton On was founded by Nigel Austin, who built the group from a single Geelong market stall in 1991 into one of Australia's largest privately owned retailers. The Cotton On Group remains privately held with its global headquarters based in the Geelong region.

Who is the President of the Geelong Football Club?

Grant McCabe is the President of the Geelong Football Club, having taken up the role in late 2024. He chairs the board of one of the AFL's most successful clubs and also serves as a Managing Partner of the global firm Boston Consulting Group across Australia and New Zealand.

How was this list of influential Geelong leaders compiled?

This directory was compiled by leadership consultant Jonno White, with each leader selected for a documented, fact-checked contribution to the region. Every role and organisation was verified as current against primary sources dated within the last twelve months. It is a curated directory rather than a ranking, and reflects no advertising relationships.

Can I book a leadership speaker or facilitator in Geelong?

Yes. Jonno White is a leadership consultant, keynote speaker, and Certified Working Genius Facilitator available for engagements in Geelong and beyond. He delivers keynotes, executive offsites, and team workshops, and can be booked by emailing jonno@consultclarity.org.

Final Thoughts

Geelong's story over the past decade is, at its heart, a leadership story. A city that could have been defined by what it lost has instead been shaped by people who chose to build something new, across government, health, education, business, sport, and community life. The 25 leaders in this directory are the ones carrying that work forward right now.

What stands out about leadership in Geelong is how interconnected it is. The same people turn up across boards, institutions, and community organisations, lending their experience in more than one place. That density of leadership is part of what makes a regional city of this size punch so far above its weight.

If this directory is useful, it is because it captures a moment in time accurately. Leaders move on, organisations restructure, and new people step up, so the intention is to keep it current as a reliable picture of who is genuinely shaping the region.

For leadership teams inside Geelong organisations who want to strengthen how they work together, build accountability, or develop their next generation of leaders, Jonno White is available to facilitate executive offsites, run Working Genius workshops, and deliver keynotes. He works with organisations around the world, and many find that bringing in an experienced outside facilitator is far more affordable than expected. To start a conversation, email jonno@consultclarity.org. You can also explore how leaders are shaping other Australian cities in the companion directories for Melbourne, Brisbane, and Toowoomba. School leaders may also find value in this guide to school culture and wellbeing consultants.

About the Author

Jonno White is a Certified Working Genius Facilitator, author of Step Up or Step Out, and leadership consultant who has worked with schools, corporates, and nonprofits around the world. His book Step Up or Step Out has sold over 10,000 copies globally, and his podcast The Leadership Conversations has featured 240+ episodes reaching listeners in 150+ countries. Jonno founded The 7 Questions Movement with 6,000+ participating leaders and achieved a 93.75% satisfaction rating for his Working Genius masterclass at the ASBA 2025 National Conference. Based in Brisbane, Australia, Jonno works globally and regularly travels for speaking and facilitation engagements. Organisations consistently find that international travel is far more affordable than expected. To book Jonno for your next keynote, workshop, or facilitation session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

Sources

Population, regional, and infrastructure figures in this article draw on the City of Greater Geelong, the Australian Government, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Leadership roles and organisational details were verified against each organisation's own official website and recent public announcements.

Next Read

Melbourne sits just over an hour from Geelong, and its leadership reflects a very different scale and complexity, spanning one of Australia's largest economies, a dense corporate and cultural sector, and institutions of national significance.

The companion directory profiles the leaders shaping Victoria's capital across business, government, health, education, and the arts, compiled and verified to the same standard as this one.

If you found this Geelong directory useful, the Melbourne edition is a natural next read.

Keep reading: https://www.consultclarity.org/post/influential-leaders-melbourne-australia