About John
Strategy
Professor
Storyteller
Founder, Hale Consulting Group ยท Brisbane, Australia
Professor John Hale, The Strategy Guy, is a Brisbane based keynote speaker, conference MC, strategy facilitator, author of four books and educator at five business schools. He has advised global brands including Toyota, Shell, IBM, Dulux and Flight Centre.
John helps leaders think clearly, act decisively and build organisations that thrive. He is driven by a fundamental conviction: that better strategic thinking changes everything. Not just for organisations โ but for the people inside them.
He is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers on AI futures, strategy and leadership. He delivers thirty keynotes annually to some of the world's biggest brands, many returning year after year.
As a professor, strategist and coach, John brings rare intellectual depth to the stage while powerfully engaging with the room. He combines rigorous research with relatable storytelling, to make key ideas feel both compelling and accessible.
A career built on
one obsession
John's obsession with helping leaders think clearly and act decisively began as a hardware engineer and software programmer before advancing into national technology sales and management. Driven by a passion for sport, his second career saw him thrive as a director of sport where he secured multiple state and national title wins.
Transitioning into academia, John taught strategy, ethics and leadership at five universities including Melbourne Business School and Singapore Management University. In 1998, he launched Hale Consulting Group and has provided coaching for more than 200 clients. He has also advised boards across dozens of industries and facilitated extensive executive education programs.
In 2018, an invitation to present to the Global Speakers Summit catapulted his most recent career as a motivational speaker and author. Having published four books on strategy, leadership and AI, John delivers keynotes that are rigorously researched and unexpectedly entertaining. He possesses a rare ability to captivate audiences ranging from intimate boardrooms to 2000 conference delegates.
Background & credentials
The CEO Book
The Strategy Note
The Strategic Accountant
These deeper traditions inform a separate body of work โ a private six-month advisory for accomplished men and women in personal transition. By application only.
Second Chapter Man โ
Second Chapter Woman โ
Ready to brief John
on your event
or coaching needs?
Custom keynotes for conferences, board retreats and leadership offsites.
Coaching tailored to your needs.
Or for a different kind of conversation โ a private advisory for accomplished men and women in personal transition.