Avril Henry
Leadership Expert, Author and Keynote Speaker
A leading authority on leadership, diversity and workplace transformation, Avril Henry has driven cultural change across corporate Australia and the Australian Defence Force—serving as Strategic Adviser to the Chief of Navy and senior adviser to the Chief of Army.
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Avril Henry is a recognised and awarded authority on leadership, diversity, change management and employee performance. An accomplished author, mentor, coach, keynote speaker and facilitator, she is known for her articulate, challenging and dynamic style, and has worked with organisations across Australia, New Zealand and around the world.
As the founder of Sydney-based consultancy Avril Henry Pty Ltd, her career spans senior roles in finance, IT, project management, change management and human resources. A graduate of the University of Cape Town in Accounting and Economics, she migrated to Australia in 1980 with two suitcases, $500 and a determination to create meaningful change.
Avril has been named one of the AFR Westpac 100 Women of Influence and one of Australia’s top 10 most influential women in Diversity & Equity. Her accolades include the prestigious Lifetime Achievement in HR Award, the Coaching Leadership Award at the Global HR Excellence Awards, and recognition in the Australian Who’s Who of Women. She has also been a finalist for the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year and the Sydney Business Review Business Woman of the Year.
A Fellow of CPA Australia, a Senior Fellow of FINSIA, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Avril has delivered more than 650 keynotes and 400 workshops to over 200,000 people. Her clients span IBM, BHP, ANZ, Westpac, the ATO, multiple state health services, Defence, CPA Australia, major universities, the Property Council of Australia, The Global Women’s Summit, and government departments throughout Singapore and Hong Kong.
Avril’s impact on national policy and culture is significant. When Defence recruitment was in decline, she was appointed to conduct a Ministerial Review into Recruitment and Retention for the Army, Navy and Air Force. She went on to become Strategic Adviser to the Chief of Navy and served for 11 years on the Navy’s People & Capability Committee—the first female and only civilian member. She later became a senior adviser to the Chief of Army, influencing gender diversity, values, cultural reform and leadership development at the highest levels.
A regular commentator on ABC’s The Drum and ABC Radio, Avril has authored and co-authored several books, including the AFR BOSS top-ranked Leadership Revelations II: How Australians Lead in Crises, and Leadership Revelations III: How We Achieve the Gender Tipping Point. She has also published a children’s book.
Outside her professional work, Avril raises funds for cancer research through global adventure runs—including the New York Marathon, the Great Wall of China, African game parks and the Venice Marathon.
Topics
The Secrets of Fearless Future Leadership
This keynote is based on extensive interviews with over 300 successful leaders and future leaders in Australia and overseas. It gives a detailed insight into the characteristics required of future leaders.
The Business of Intergenerational Differences
Avril explores the expectations and motivations for career management and leadership among different generations, empowering leaders to maximise employee engagement, productivity and performance, and to develop organisational capability.
Unleashing the Future Workforce
New and complex problems are emerging due to rapidly ageing populations and workforces in educated societies, along with growing skills shortages globally and population growth confined to the 50 poorest countries in the world. This session looks at which skills will be redundant, which skills will be required and the overall impact of escalating technology changes.
Self-Leadership = The Power of One
You cannot lead others unless you know how to lead yourself first. Avrile speakers about self-leadership, self-awareness, self-belief and backing yourself.
The Economic Case for Diversity, Inclusion and Fairness
Diversity leadership is about harnessing the strengths of gender, age, culture, disability, flexibility and different ways of thinking, working, managing and leading. It results in creativity, innovation and an environment where employees are encouraged to be the best they can be.
Successful Change requires Inclusive Leadership
Avril encourages leaders to be courageous, agile, flexible, and willing to listen, innovate and even risk failure. By focusing on the people and communicating effectively, clients, products, productivity and shareholder satisfaction will follow!
Achieving the Gender Tipping Point: Women In Leadership
This session looks at common myths about women at work and in leadership; how women hold themselves back; what men and women need to do to change this to ensure gender equality, now and in the future.
Future Success = EQ + Resilience
According to Harvard Business School research, the greatest predictor of success in the future will not be in an individual’s IQ, it will be their EQ (Emotional Intelligence), and their resilience. Avril teaches her audiences how to read others, build collaborative relationships and deal with personal or professional challenges and setbacks, to move forward in new, positive ways.
