John Ballard

Senior Adviser

John Ballard

John’s focus is assisting organisations to identify strategy and to translate it into measurable actions.  He has extensive leadership experience at a governance and operational level and the capacity to integrate the small and big picture issues that confront individuals and organisations. 

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With over 20 year’s experience in the health and aged care sectors, John has been recognised for his industry leadership.  In 2008 he was awarded the “Leading CEO for the Advancement of Women” by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workforce Agency (EOWA) and in 2009 the “Lynda Gratton CEO of the Year” by the Australian Human Resources Institute.  Also in 2009, his then company, Mercy Health, was awarded the:

  • Diversity and Inclusion Champion - Large Organisation award by Diversity@Work
  • Leading Organisation for the Advancement of Women by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency;
  • Aon Consulting Award for Best Workplace Diversity Strategy
  • Employer of Choice for Women citation through the EOWA in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Project experience

  • Establishment of frameworks, processes, training and documentation for effective governance of complex organisations
  • Assisting Boards to clarify organizational purpose, identify stakeholder requirements and develop appropriate, measurable strategy
  • Extensive experience in effecting financial and cultural turnaround of struggling organisations
  • Development and implementation of leadership training, mentoring and evaluation programs
  • Development through to implementation of people attraction and retention strategies
  • Assist line managers to achieve operational performance improvement
  • Development of teaching and training organisations to address skilled workforce shortage
  • Development and implementation brand strategy to raise organisational profile
  • Project management of widespread infrastructure renewal and growth
  • Undertaken service planning, written submissions to government, for example, the recent Productivity Commission Review into Aged Care on behalf of Mercy Health
  • Development and implementation of effective government and departmental relations strategies
  • Facilitation of small and large groups.

Education / accreditation / board membership

  • Doctorate Macquarie University
  • Masters Health Administration University of New South Wales
  • Bachelor of Arts Australian National University
  • Participant In Harvard Business School Not For Profit Leadership program
  • Cranlana Alumni
  • John is currently a Director of Lapis Proprietary Limited and has been a director of a number of companies and company secretary of eight companies.
  • He is a member of the Victorian Chapter of the Australian Catholic University (ACU); the Advisory Board of the ACU’s Business School in Sydney.  He is also a member of the Australian College of Health Care Executives; Australian Institute of Company Directors; Australian Institute of Management; International Association of Homes and Services for the Ageing (IAHSA); and formerly a Member of the Advisory Board of Notre Dame Medical School, Sydney.

Past employment

John has consulted for a range of firms in the health, aged care and learning industries. He previously occupied the long term role of Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Health, an employer of more than 5,500 people providing public and private acute and sub‑acute hospital care, mental health services, palliative care, residential and community aged care and health worker training.  Prior to this role he worked for eight years in senior executive roles with the Sisters of Charity Health Service, including General Manager of St. Vincent’s Public Hospital in Sydney, and one of then, three National Directors of the Sisters of Charity Health Service.  Earlier career positions were with ACT Hospitals and in policy roles within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in Canberra.

Interests

John has a passion for the not‑for‑profit sector and the role of third sector agencies to support complex community needs.

Recent project team members

Richard Rawling

Richard Rawling

Principal

Service lines

  • Organisational capability
Leanne Wallace

Leanne Wallace

Principal

Service lines

  • Business strategy
  • Public policy