John O’Neill AO

John O’Neill AO is a distinguished business and sports leader with a remarkable track record in both banking and professional sport. He has led major organisations in financial services and international sports, consistently achieving transformation, innovation and broad community engagement. John draws on this unique experience to provide insights on management, teamwork, strategy and leadership.

In banking, John guided the State Bank of NSW through the challenging problem loan period of the late 1980s, introduced a transformative home lending model, and established First State Funds Management, now a leading fund manager within the Commonwealth Bank Group.

John transitioned into sport as CEO of Australian Rugby Union in 1995, steering the organisation into the professional era, strengthening commercial operations, growing participation, and delivering major successes including the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He later joined Football Federation Australia, where he established the A-League, guided the Socceroos to the World Cup after a 30-year absence, and successfully integrated Australia into the Asian Football Confederation, enhancing the sport’s competitiveness and financial sustainability.

Returning to ARU in 2007, John continued to drive innovation and high performance. His leadership and contributions to sport and business have earned him numerous honours, including Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2004 and Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur from France in 2005.

John is also a qualified solicitor, a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Bankers, and the author of It’s Only a Game, a behind-the-scenes look at the business and fun of sport.