Simon Lancaster
Principal
I love the close collaboration with clients and colleagues at Nous, and the shared sense of making a difference. There’s nothing more motivating than collectively making a ‘strategic leap’ – uncovering and embracing a new idea which helps an individual or group find a new level.
Simon is currently located in the UK, where he is studying an MBA (part time) at Cranfield University. He continues to contribute to and review Nous proposals and reports from the UK, as well as support client project work.
Simon is an experienced project director who provides consulting services to high profile public and private sector organisations, with particular expertise in strategy development, strategic and business planning, stakeholder consultation and brokering, organisational design and public policy development. He is also a highly skilled facilitator, with a proven track record of leading significant (and sometimes sensitive) meetings and workshops with senior participants, in diverse formats, and ensuring effective outcomes are delivered.
Simon has worked with private, public and not-for-profit clients across a wide range of industry sectors. He has particularly deep experience in the water and energy sectors, but has worked in education, health, aged care and environment.
Project experience
Strategy development and facilitation
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facilitated numerous strategic planning days for business, government and not-for-profits – involving various combinations of boards, executives and staff
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led a series of projects for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and its predecessor Commission. This included a five year strategic plan, contingency plans to secure the water supply to urban areas in the event of continuing severe drought conditions, instituting a new multi-year planning and budgeting structure, and revising the organisation’s five year budget to take account of a significant injection of funds.
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developed long-term (25-year) visions for electricity transmission organisations, based on generation of ‘credible boundary’ scenarios and widespread stakeholder consultation
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facilitated strategic analysis, strategic planning sessions and strategy development for a leading electricity generator
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facilitator at the ‘Australia 2020’ summit in 2008.
Public policy development
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consulted for a major state government department on how to address long-term and ongoing business performance issues in its 81 public sector residential aged care services
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worked with a statutory authority in the energy field, to prepare it for challenges arising from a new national policy and regulatory environment to be implemented in 2009
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designed and managed public policy development programs for state and federal public sector leaders.
Organisational design and capability development
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developed a new business model and organisational design for a large, London based, not for profit organisation
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designed and delivered a training program for 90 not for profit adult education providers, in how to build a sustainable community business.
Education / accreditation / board membership
Bachelor of Laws (Hons), University of Melbourne
Bachelor of Arts (Hons), University of Melbourne
Past employment
Simon joined the Nous Group in 2003. He previously spent 10 years as a senior manager in the publishing industry in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Interests
Simon spends much of his spare time chasing after his two young daughters. In between, he enjoys playing tennis and getting out on the bike, as well as reading (including a weakness for trashy science fiction).
Recent team members
Penelope Cottrill
Principal
Kristen Hedgecoe
Senior Consultant
Mark Burford
Associate
