Chris Whelan

I am a seasoned executive and leadership advisor with over 25 years of international experience spanning executive leadership, strategy consulting, governance, and coaching. My career has taken me across South Africa, Australia, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and New Zealand, where I’ve held senior roles with Ernst & Young, Accenture, and in industry. I have also led regional economic development agencies and spoken internationally. My work has centred on business transformation, strategic execution, and leading high-performing teams through periods of change, growth, and operational complexity.

In executive roles, I’ve led organisations of up to 250 staff, integrated multiple entities, attracted major international investment, and delivered strong ROI for public and private stakeholders alike. As Chief Executive of two high-impact organisations — one in regional economic development in New Zealand, the other in South Africa’s business leadership community — I’ve worked closely with boards, ministers, mayors, and global corporates to align vision with delivery and turn complex agendas into action.

Since 2020, I’ve focused on coaching SME owners, leadership teams, and public-sector managers across New Zealand and internationally. My coaching is grounded in real-world executive experience and supported by structured frameworks (ActionCOACH, Maxwell Leadership, and futures methodologies). I've helped clients improve profit by 25–50%, reduce workload by up to 40%, and build systems and teams that enable sustainable growth and succession planning. Recent engagements include identifying over $380,000 in untapped margin, lifting revenue by 67% in 18 months, and shifting owners into true strategic leadership roles.

Alongside coaching, I hold governance roles as Chair of a leading New Zealand economic consultancy and as a board member of a national counselling non-profit. These experiences reinforce my belief that good governance creates clarity, alignment, and accountability. Whether working as a fractional Chair, GM, or Strategy Advisor, I bring strategic foresight, commercial discipline, and leadership maturity — helping organisations navigate complexity, build capability, and deliver enduring impact.

I work with ambitious organisations seeking governance and executive-level support without the cost or complexity of a full-time appointment. My roles are typically designed to:

• Bridge the gap during transitions or growth phases (e.g. post-founder scale-up, succession planning, turnaround, or restructure)
• Strengthen the board and executive function, particularly where governance maturity is needed alongside operational insight
• Establish cadence and accountability through strategy, planning, KPIs, and culture alignment
• Coach and develop internal leaders, preparing them for greater responsibility or governance readiness

My roles are tailored — from 1–2 days per week to short-term assignments over 3–12 months — and always results-focused.

The Value I Bring ✅ Strategic Clarity and Long-Term Thinking As a qualified futurist with a Master's in Future Studies, I help organisations think beyond the next quarter/short-termism. I bring proven tools and insights to clarify direction and build alignment across teams.

✅ Operational and Financial Discipline Having led companies and coached hundreds of business owners, I understand the numbers that matter. I embed commercial discipline at the board and executive level — ensuring decisions are backed by data, cashflow is managed, and performance is measured.

✅ Leadership That Lifts the Business Strong strategy needs strong execution — and that means strong leaders. I mentor executive teams, guide new leaders, and foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and growth.

✅ Governance with Grit and Grace I’ve chaired boards, worked with shareholders navigating succession or exits, and facilitated alignment in complex ownership structures. I know how to handle tension with care, bring focus to meetings, and ensure governance adds real value — not noise.

If you're growing, transitioning, or need leadership depth without hiring a full-time executive, let’s talk. Whether it's in the boardroom or the engine room, I help leaders build resilient, profitable organisations that stand the test of time.