Vanessa Porter

Coach

Drawing on over 25 years of experience, Vanessa’s reputation has been built on providing strategic advice to businesses on people and culture challenges. Her passion is helping clients carve out the time and space to focus on what really matters to them, their people, and their stakeholders.

Her career includes senior executive roles at globally recognised companies such as Staging Connections, McDonald’s, Vero Insurance, Disney Stores (UK), and the Australian Retailers Association. As the first woman appointed as General Manager –People & Culture for the National Rugby League (NRL), Vanessa led a transformative cultural shift that positioned the organisation for sustained success in the modern professional sports arena. Nearly a decade ago, she founded her own consultancy firm, expanding her reach across diverse industries. Her thought leadership is encapsulated in her book,Do Less, BE More, which presents a practical framework for cultivating leadership excellence through five actionable steps.

Vanessa is known for being pragmatic and ensuring that each coaching session provides useful insights, strategies, and tools to implement immediately. She then coaches to embed and sustain behaviours and actions.She is a thinking partner, who always holds her coaching client’s vision at the forefront and compassionately challenges to ensure it is realised. She comes from the belief that it is how quickly action is taken both big and small that moves us forward.

Coaching Experience

  • Vanessa has coached Board Members, Founders, Managing Directors, CEO’s, Senior Executives, C-Suite, Directors, Senior Managers and Leaders across a range of industry sectors including; professional services, financial services, fast moving consumer goods, retail, sporting, not-for-profit, bio-technology and education.
  • Vanessa’s expertise lies in fostering a growth mindset, with a focus on behaviours linked to resilience, continuous learning, and innovation. She has supported individuals, teams, and organisations in achieving strategic clarity and alignment, cultivating connected and supportive business environments. Vanessa excels in assessing and developing capabilities to drive optimal outcomes, balancing resource demands with capacity, and guiding senior leaders to prioritise their well-being while excelling in high-pressure roles.
  • Vanessa’s recent engagements include coaching senior executives at JP Morgan, Kimberly-Clark, Royal Bank of Canada, Thomson Reuters, DKSH Smollan, Mastercard, Coca-Cola, PwC Australia, BAI Communications, and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)..

Expertise / Specialisation

  • Leveraging mindset to build capability effectively

  • Driving cultural transformation through strategic planning for faster, impactful outcomes

  • Championing women in leadership roles

  • Providing tailored coaching for individuals and groups

  • Designing and delivering impactful development programs, backed by research and measurable results

Business Experience

  • Non-Executive Director, Chair Remuneration and Nomination Committee, Board Member Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee, Nido Education (NDO)

  • Board Member,Southern Highlands Artisan Collective (SHAC)

  • Founder and Managing Director, Consultancy Firm

Education / Business Coaching

  • Graduate Company Directors Course,Australian Institute of Company Directors

  • Certified Chair and Approved Advisor,Advisory Board Centre

  • Bachelor of Adult Education, Human Resources Management University of Technology Sydney

  • Career Planning & Coaching, Train the Trainer Certification, Career Systems International

  • Certificate in Coaching, Core Dynamics

  • Accredited Facilitator, The Thinking Environment