I’m in the process of pulling together a booklet on Australia’s thought leaders and would dearly love your input in this regard.

I am looking for people who’re not just our acknowledged experts and informed opinion leaders but people who are using their status to drive positive change in their industries, communities and the greater marketplace in which they operate.

They’re challenging current thinking, putting forward ideas for the future, changing behaviours and coming up with better ways of doing things.

These are people who have earned their stripes in their field, risen to the top of their careers or devoted their vocations to researching their special interest topic. Subsequently they know and recognise the failings, shortcomings and problems facing their industries or communities … and more importantly they have the answers to fix or address these problems.

They understand that to affect real change they need to be able communicators, providing their audiences and stakeholders with regular access to their knowledge, thinking, opinions and big ideas.

In my search so far, the thought leaders I’ve uncovered come from all walks of life – business, not-for-profits and social enterprises, the government sector and academia.

In the main they’re people looking to:

  • Initiate new and more effective ways of doing things
  • Educate their communities
  • Encourage best practice
  • Drive behaviour change
  • Clean up the reputation of their industries
  • Cause disruption (usually for the betterment of customers)
  • Influence positive public debate and thinking
  • Drive a cause
  • Leave an important legacy
  • Make the world a better place

They include people like Mike Canon-Brookes, ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, Mark Bouris, Prof Pat McGorry, Fred Schebesta, Ita Buttrose, Dr Catriona Wallace, Prof Michelle Simmons, Dr Jemma Green, Tanya Jackson-Vaughan, Prof Charlie Corke, Danny Vadasz, Simon Holmes à Court, Rod Simms, Waleed Aly, Sally-Ann Williams, Dr Marguerite Evans-Galea, Matt Barrie, Dimitra Markogiannaki, Prof Miranda Stewart, Dr Amantha Imber, Tim Fung, Rachel Botsman, Dr Lior Rauchberger and Melanie Perkins … to name but a few.

These people are just the tip of a very large iceberg.

I am on a quest to create the definitive list of Australian thought leaders and would hugely welcome your input.

Tell me:

  • Who you believe should be added to my list of Aussie thought leaders.
  • Their area of expertise or field they work in?
  • How they are using their status to make a positive contribution to their industry, community or the greater eco-system.

OR just tell me who they are and I’ll use my sleuthing powers to do the rest.

Parker Public Relations provides thought leadership branding and communications services for people who have something powerful and worthwhile to contribute but don’t have the skills required to communicate their thinking and big ideas to the world.