Errol Benvie, Program Director

Errol has developed this program over three years and proven its effectiveness in transforming leaders' insights and understanding of themselves and the complexity of modern organisations.  He brings to his leadership of the program a 25 year general management career which included several CEO roles across a range of industries. He has an MBA and a Masters in Organisational Coaching from Sydney University and is a doctoral candidate at Middlesex University.

As Program Director, Errol leads and facilitates the integration of the participants' experiences into the formal curriculum and, together with the team, supports the transformative outcomes.  As a developmental coach his style is provocative yet deeply respectful of the courage and challenges involved in changing participants' mindsets.

"Organisations are home to incredibly proud traditions of highly skilled and dedicated practitioners structured in closely managed systems proven to deliver replicable and valuable outcomes. Senior leaders need to be both 'inside and outside' these systems to gain the best perspective to be able to lead effectively."

Lex Dwyer

Lex brings over 30 years of experience in building collaboration, well-being and reflection in organisations and teams.  His unique approaches using humour, wisdom, learning and reflection are integrated throughout the program in this novel journey that also acts as the "engine coolant” to the dialogue and mental exercise of the program.

"The health retreat meets the business school is a part of how to capture this component while also building a powerful group social cohesion that ensures the full effect and value of collaborative learning and development."

Peter Lawry

Peter is renowned for engaging people deeply, and has transformed leaders and organisations in more than 20 countries around the world. His practical approach is widely recognised for its ability to achieve extraordinary business outcomes while increasing both employee commitment and customer satisfaction.

His work in complex adaptive systems brings a unique perspective to social systems of organisations offering practical tools and processes for making meaning in organisations. Prior to his work with corporations, Peter was a clinical supervisor (Clinical Pastoral Education), training chaplains and counsellors in the helping professions (1981-87).

"Organisations are social and human systems before they are systems of production. This statement is a radical change from the 19th and 20th century mindsets and beliefs out of the industrial revolution. Managing in complexity requires the shifting of stubborn and defended ideas so we can better cope with the 21st century's speed of change. We need models of thinking that assume uncertainty to replace those that assume certainty with small changes in between."

Gayle Avery

Gayle Avery is CEO of the Institute for Sustainable Leadership and Professor at Macquarie Graduate School of Management. She has extensive experience teaching managers in MBA and executive education programs in Australia and Asia. Her specialisation is in sustainable leadership, which includes managing cultures to enable high performance. She conducts research and writes books about leadership and sustainable practices that enhance organisational productivity.

"Creating and working with corporate culture and the symbolism associated with it are essential to high performance leadership in successful enterprises. Leaders need to understand what culture is and be very deliberate in making it work for the organisation. Culture is not going to be 'excellent' or 'perfect' because, while it belongs to no one, it is based around a shared set of values."

Julie Morgan

Julie brings over 20 years of senior leadership and executive experience to her role as Senior Consultant and Lecturer in Organisational Development for ACU Executive Education. She has worked in a variety of Not for Profit settings including international human rights, overseas aid and development, healthcare and education. Nationally and internationally, Julie's work in adult education has focussed on ethical and values-based leadership development, the promotion of social inclusion, and conflict transformation and peacebuilding.  Julie is consistently ranked as one of ACU Executive Education's most inspirational facilitators.

With qualifications in Counselling, NFP Management, and International Human Rights Law and with degrees in Education, Theology, and Ethics, Julie's doctoral studies at UNE focus on Complexity Responsive Leadership.

"Taking the view that each and every person in a complex organisation matters, senior leaders need to enable an environment where accountability gives way to deep responsibility, where meaning is made and strengthened by exploring the possibilities of a different kind of future, and where the engagement with people is genuine, purposeful and values-driven."

David Cameron

David graduated from NIDA to become an award-winning Stage and Screen Actor. He is an acclaimed theatre and TV Director, best known for series including Stingers, Sea Change and City Homicide. David has 'voiced' hundreds of commercials and animations, and has also created documentaries for Telstra, Origin, and NAB. He teaches and mentors Actors and Directors at The VCA Drama and Film schools, and also for a number of Australia's top corporate institutions where he employs his knowledge of performance to assist leaders.

"May I suggest that in the corporate world worth wings will help you 'fly'. One wing is finding out your natural voice through conscious relaxation, improved breathing and vocal clarity. The other wing is fearlessly connecting to your own unique life so that you are able to connect more openly with others; and when you connect, you listen, you're heard, you inspire, you learn, you're authentic and you're remembered."