Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors

Western Sydney University

Sometimes I work with leaders. Sometimes I design gardens. Sometimes I build them. And sometimes I make furniture.

Expert advice and program leadership on innovation, organisational redesign, service design, and leadership.

Advisory Consultant

Following the acquisition of Second Road by Accenture Strategy, Mark works to translate and amplify the humanities-based, design thinking framework of Second Road for Accenture and for its clients.

Accenture

Principal Director, Innovation & Thought Leadership

Built and lead the Innovation and Design practice of Third Horizon as a practical synthesis of analysis and human-centred design. Left with a great team in place carrying on the fine work.

Third Horizon Consulting

Head of Innovation and Design

Second Road is arguably the pioneer in bringing design thinking to strategy and organisational transformation. I had been involved since its origins in 1986 (then called Golsby-Smith & Associates), first as an employee, then adviser, and finally as CEO. A rare privilege to have led this extraordinary company of hugely talented people.

Second Road

Chief Executive

I was engaged by the board to turn around an undergraduate and postgraduate college founded in 1922. It was an extraordinary privilege to be acknowledged as rangatira within the runanga of Maori elders and especially to be cloaked twice with the nga kākahu seen in my photo above with my mentor John Komene, kaumatua of the college. The task involved setting a new national vision and strategy, an overhaul of governance and management, financial turnaround, rebranding, staff restructure, recruitment of high calibre leaders and academics, development of new IP and programmes, and careful management of traditional and new stakeholders, including government statutory bodies. All Laidlaw College programmes are accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and receive funding through the New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission.

Laidlaw College

Leadership provocateur. Speaker. Facilitator. Mentor

Private Practice

Retreats, seminars and keynotes for leaders seeking plain talk on living and leading well.

Golsby-Smith & Associates was the forerunner of Second Road: see http://www.secondroad.com.au/. I helped develop the IP that has made 2R the world leader in bringing design-thinking and a deep understanding of language to strategy, innovation, engagement and empowerment.

Mark Strom