Dr Kirstin Ferguson AM

Leadership Expert, Author, Columnist and Keynote Speaker

An outstanding Australian company director and chairman, as well as an expert on leadership, gender diversity and inclusion.

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An internationally acclaimed leadership expert, author, columnist, and keynote speaker, Dr Kirstin Ferguson is ranked one of the top 50 management thinkers in the world by Thinkers50.

Kirstin was also awarded the Thinkers50 Distinguished Leadership Award in 2023.

Kirstin began her career as an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force and has held roles including chief executive officer of an international consulting firm and acting chair and deputy chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

During a fifteen-year career as a company director, Kirstin sat on a range of large publicly listed, private company and non-profit boards.

Kirstin has a PhD in leadership and culture and honours degrees in Law and History. She is an adjunct professor at the Queensland University of Technology Business School, where she was named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 2020.

In 2023, Kirstin was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to business and gender equality.

Kirstin has written a popular nationally syndicated weekly column in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, in which she answers readers’ questions about work, leadership, and careers.

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Leading with Impact

Mastering the art of modern leadership

In this highly interactive keynote address, award-winning leadership expert and best-selling author, Dr Kirstin Ferguson AM, will both entertain and challenge attendees. She will encourage everyone, regardless of their position title, to consider whether their leadership approach is still fi t for purpose. Kirstin reminds us that leadership is simply a series of moments, and each moment presents an opportunity to leave a positive impact.

Through the use of videos, case studies and her down-to-earth style, Kirstin will challenge each of us to think about how we can best role model leading with the head and heart, especially amidst the demands of an increasingly complex working environment. Drawing from the latest research from her bestselling book, Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership, Kirstin will provide insights that are guaranteed to inspire you to become the most eff ective leader you can be.

Kirstin tailors her presentation content to the audience, industry, or organisation – ensuring it is engaging and relevant for all attendees.

Key takeaways

  • Overview of the attributes of head and heart leadership
  • Understanding the most eff ective ways to lead with impact and the power that leadership moments have at work, in our communities and in our families
  • Reinforcing we are all leaders, regardless of our position titles
  • Understanding how to integrate our leadership across all areas of our life
  • Personalised Head and Heart Leader Scale report

Delivery Options

  • Keynote – up to 1 hour
  • Workshop – up to 2 hours
Kirstin was amazing! Our feedback shows her to be the best speaker on the day. We are forever grateful for her participation and making the time to come to Perth. It was a very special event for us, as it was our inaugural Summit and we couldn’t have asked for a better keynote speaker than Kirstin. WASMA
I wanted to pass on how great Kirstin was. I found her very engaging, informative and inspired and I could see my colleagues all around my part of the room really listening intently. I had the pleasure of meeting Kirstin as I was part of the working group and she is just as engaging in person. Better Health Network
Thank you for kicking off day two of our convention on such a great note. I think we had half the COBA staff read your book before convention, and now the other half have each bought a copy so you’ve definitely left a great impression! You have been a pleasure to work with, and we have really appreciated the time you took to understand our sector to tailor your insights. COBA