About
Dr Kirstin Ferguson AM is an award-winning leadership researcher, bestselling author, columnist, and keynote speaker. Ranked as one of the top 50 management thinkers in the world, 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 during her career that have included 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, as well as 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 since 2021 called Got a Minute? where she answers questions from readers on work, leadership, and careers.
Experience
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Education
Volunteer Experience
Honors & Awards
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Business Book Awards
Porchlight Book Company
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Distinguished Award for Leadership
Thinkers50
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Thinkers50 ranking
Thinkers50
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Career Book Award
Royal Society of Arts
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Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Governor General
For significant service to business, and to gender equality.
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Shortlisted for Distinguished Achievement Award in Leadership
Thinkers 50
The Thinkers50 Leadership Award acknowledges thinkers who shed powerful and original new light onto this perennial and yet classic subject.
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Top 30 ‘Thinkers to Watch’ Radar List
Thinkers 50
Every January, Thinkers50 announces 30 thinkers to watch in the coming year. It is an eclectic mix of people who have crossed our personal radars and who have been nominated on the Thinkers50 website.
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Queensland Award for Excellence in Women’s Leadership
Women & Leadership Australia
The Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership recognise the contribution of women at a National and State/Territory level to the advancement of gender equality across Australia. The awards recognise individual women that have, through their actions, improved the likelihood of other women within their field of endeavour having greater access to leadership equality.
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Finalist - Best Use of Social Media
Walkley Foundation / Our Watch Awards
Dr Kirstin Ferguson was the creator of the online #CelebratingWomen campaign which was nominated as a finalist for a Walkley Foundation / Our Watch award for best use of social media.
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Dr Eric Wigglesworth Medal
Safety Institute of Australia
Kirstin was awarded the Safety Institute of Australia's highest research award for the contributions of her PhD to the health and safety profession.
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Australia's 100 Women of Influence
Australian Financial Review
Kirstin was named as one of ten winners within the Board/Management category in the Australian Financial Review's 100 Women of Influence awards.
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Colin Brain Corporate Governance Fellowship
Queensland University of Technology
Kirstin was awarded this prestigious Fellowship by QUT for the contribution of her PhD research to the field of corporate governance.
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Talbot Foundation Scholarship
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Kirstin was awarded a scholarship, funded by the Talbot Family Foundation, to participate in the International Company Directors course in Abu Dhabi.
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ASX Chairman's Mentoring Program
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Kirstin was named as a mentee in the highly competitive AICD ASX Chairman's Mentoring Program.
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Brisbane Young Manager of the Year
Australian Institute of Management
Kirstin was named Brisbane Young Manager of the Year in the Queensland Australian Institute of Management awards.
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Sir Winston Churchill Fellowship
Churchill Trust
Kirstin was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to research support strategies for bereaved families of deceased Australian Defence Force members.
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Australian Defence Medal
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Medal recognises ADF personnel who have demonstrated their commitment and contribution to the nation by serving in the ADF for at least four years service.
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Air Force Prize
Chief of Australian Defence Force
Kirstin was awarded the Air Force Prize after graduating Dux of her RAAF class at ADFA.
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