Board Profile

SEAN WILSON

Overview

I’ve served on more than 20 boards, advisory boards and committees across commercial, not-for-profit and government organisations, including more than 10 years in office-bearer roles such as Chairperson, Company Secretary and Public Officer.

My board experience is backed by more than 20 years of executive leadership, including more than a decade in board-appointed CEO roles leading multi-million-dollar organisations and large, cross-functional teams.

That combination gives me a practical understanding of both sides of the board table. I understand the responsibility directors have to provide effective governance, oversight and strategic direction, while also understanding the realities executives face when they have to turn strategy into results.

I’ve worked across industries including technology, SaaS, HR and employment law, healthcare, medical research, NDIS, professional services, advertising, building, membership organisations, retail and community services. I’ve also held a range of government appointments and worked as a Senior Adviser to a Member of the NSW Parliament who was Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier.

What I bring to a board is a combination of commercial judgement, governance experience and practical operating experience. I’m comfortable asking difficult questions when they need to be asked, but I also understand that good governance is not about getting in the way of management. It is about providing the right level of oversight, challenge and support so the organisation can perform while managing its risks and obligations.

What I Bring to a Board

My experience covers the areas I believe are most important to an effective board:

Strategy and performance – helping organisations establish clear direction, make informed choices and hold management accountable for delivery.
Governance and compliance – strengthening governance frameworks, reporting, accountability, delegations and board assurance.
Financial oversight – experience with multi-million-dollar P&Ls, budgets, financial controls, investment decisions, audit and turnaround situations.
Risk management – identifying and addressing operational, financial, regulatory, technology and reputational risks.
Commercial growth and transformation – more than 20 years of building, restructuring and improving organisations, including turning around underperforming businesses and delivering sustained revenue growth.
Digital and technology – extensive experience in SaaS, technology, digital transformation, data and multi-million-dollar technology projects.
People and culture – CEO-level experience leading large, cross-functional teams through growth, restructuring, transformation and organisational change.
Stakeholder and government relations – experience working with government, industry bodies, major corporate partners, community organisations and other influential stakeholders.
Committee leadership – experience across finance, audit, investment, fundraising, governance, research grants and other specialist committees.

Board Experience (Table View)

BetterHR | Workforce Guardian

Board Member | Company Director | Company Secretary | Public Officer | Acting Chair
April 2017 – May 2024

I served on the Board of BetterHR for more than seven years, including more than four years as a Company Director and more than seven years as Company Secretary and Public Officer. I also regularly acted as Chair at board meetings.

BetterHR was a multi-million-dollar HR and employment law software and advisory business with more than 60,000 users and 300+ partners, including Telstra, Telstra Health, ADP Payroll, Xero, industry associations, franchise groups, accountants and bookkeepers.

During my time on the Board, I contributed to:

Strengthening corporate governance, financial reporting and board record keeping.
Improving budgets, delegated spending limits, multi-level approval processes and financial controls.
Developing strategic planning and commercialisation frameworks.
Embedding more data-driven approaches to performance and decision-making.
Resolving complex compliance matters, including shareholder register issues.
Providing stability and leadership by regularly acting as Chair.
Preparing investor materials for potential capital raising and sale processes.
Building greater transparency and stakeholder confidence through stronger governance and reporting.

At the same time, I was the CEO and Managing Director of the business, where I delivered double-digit annual revenue growth, increased share value by more than 250%, grew the customer base to 60,000+ users and contributed to multiple awards for leadership, service innovation and product excellence.

Kolling Foundation | now North Foundation

Director | Company Secretary | Public Officer | Committee Member | Acting Chair
December 2008 – May 2010

I served on the Board of the Kolling Foundation, now North Foundation, the fundraising partner of the Northern Sydney Local Health District, supporting organisations including Royal North Shore Hospital, Ryde Hospital, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital and the Kolling Institute.

I served as a Board Member, Company Director and Company Secretary/Public Officer for 1.5 years, acted as Chair on several occasions and served on governance committees covering finance, audit, investment, fundraising and research.

My responsibilities included:

Finance, audit and investment oversight.
Fundraising and donor relationships.
Research grants.
The Andrew Olle Memorial Trust.
Financial reporting and internal controls.
Delegated authorities, spending limits and banking controls.
Audit and regulatory compliance.
Ensuring expenditure remained aligned with the purpose for which funds had been gifted.

I also contributed to strategic investment decisions and organisational repositioning, while helping resolve complex legal, regulatory and audit matters.

Other Board, Advisory and Committee Experience

My broader governance experience includes:

Director – Chambers of Commerce – 5+ years.
Director – Mr Australasia – 5+ years.
Advisory Board Member – GemTracks, a digital music marketplace – 7+ years.
Advisory Board Member – Media Networks / Close To Home Media – 1+ year.
Company Secretary – BetterHR / Workforce Guardian – 7+ years.
Company Secretary – North Foundation – 2+ years.
Finance, Audit and Investment Committees – North Foundation – 2+ years.
Research Advisory Grants Committee – North Foundation – 2+ years.
Fundraising Committee – North Foundation – 2+ years.
Andrew Olle Memorial Trust for brain cancer research – 2+ years.
President and Secretary – community organisations.
Regional Health Conference governance and community development.

Government Boards and Committees

I have also served on a range of government boards and committees, giving me experience in environments where governance, public accountability, regulation, stakeholder interests and political considerations all need to be taken into account.

Selected appointments include:

Australian Government Business Forum – appointed by a Minister.
Human Rights Commission Outlink Executive Committee.
NSW Water Resources Committee.
Northern Region Structural Reform Committee.
Western Sydney Region of Councils Technology Reform Committee.
Inter-Government Technology Directions Committee – 2000–2001.
LCCC Consultative Committee – Member and Secretary.
Local Government Structural Reform Working Committee.
National Water Resources Conference Organising Committee.
Sydney Olympic Games 2000 – Site Manager, Parramatta Celebrations.

Executive Experience That Informs My Board Contribution

A significant part of my board value comes from having spent much of my career sitting on the other side of the table as the executive responsible for delivering the strategy.

As CEO & Managing Director of BetterHR, I delivered double-digit annual revenue growth, increased share value by 250%+, grew the customer base to 60,000+ users and led the business through significant digital, commercial and organisational transformation.

As CEO of Zonda, I led a $5–10 million healthcare recruitment and NDIS group through a turnaround, transforming losses into 34% gross profit within six months, while addressing governance, compliance and operational issues in a regulated environment.

As CEO of Marine Seven, I grew forecast revenue to more than $10 million, integrated five acquisitions and improved operational performance across a growing luxury and recreational boating group.

As CEO & Managing Director of Kolling Foundation, I delivered double-digit annual revenue growth, moved the organisation from deficit to surplus and addressed complex compliance issues during a period of organisational change.

As National General Manager Sales & Marketing at the Housing Industry Association, I delivered double-digit annual revenue growth for an organisation with $85 million+ in revenue, increased membership to 50,000+, supported 600+ apprentices, and delivered a national restructure across 23 offices.

As National Sales Director at Sensis, I delivered double-digit annual revenue growth over more than four years, broke long-standing sales records and won multiple national sales and sales leadership awards.

As Senior Adviser to a Member of Parliament, I supported a Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly who was also Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier. I conducted research into complex policy matters, prepared briefing notes and reports, and planned high-profile events involving a wide range of influential stakeholders.

Earlier in my career, as an IT Manager for large government authorities for more than seven years, I led multi-million-dollar IT projects and budgets, large teams and complex multi-site IT operations.

Qualifications and Governance Credentials

My qualifications and professional credentials span:

Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) – Governance Recognition.
Governance Institute of Australia – Governance Recognition.
AHRI – Human Resources Management Recognition.
ITPA – IT and Technology Management Recognition.
CEO Institute – Leadership Recognition.
Studies and qualifications across Business Management, Marketing, Human Resources, Information Technology and Legal Services.

Awards and Recognition

My career has included recognition including:

Top 50 Small Business Leaders Award.
Best HR & Employment Law CEO – Australia.
Best HR Software & Advisory Firm.
Multiple sales and sales leadership awards.
Board commendations.

The Difference I Bring

I don’t see the role of a director as simply turning up to meetings, reading board papers and approving decisions.

Having spent much of my career as a CEO, I understand the pressure and complexity that sits behind those papers. I know what it is like to be accountable for the numbers, the people, the customers, the technology, the regulators and the decisions that ultimately determine whether a strategy succeeds.

That experience shapes how I contribute as a director.

I bring an independent perspective, but I’m also commercially pragmatic. I’m comfortable with financials and risk, but I understand that numbers are only useful when they help a board make better decisions. I’m interested in strategy, but equally interested in whether the organisation has the capability, resources and accountability to actually deliver it.

Most importantly, I believe good boards create the environment for management to succeed. That means providing clear direction, constructive challenge, proper oversight and support when it is needed, while allowing management to get on with running the organisation.

My experience across commercial, government and not-for-profit organisations means I’m comfortable operating in complex and highly scrutinised environments, dealing with competing stakeholder interests and making decisions where there is not always a straightforward answer.

That combination of governance experience, CEO-level commercial responsibility and practical transformation experience is what I bring to a board.

List of Boards (Table View)

Executive Track Record

Testimonials

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