Avril Henry

Avril Henry Pty Ltd is a management consulting business established in July 2003, focusing on leadership, change management, talent management, diversity, recruitment and retention strategies. In 2008 her business was one of the 5 finalists in the City of Sydney Business of the Year awards.

Over the last five years, Avril has delivered over 550 Keynote Addresses to over 50,000 people in Australia, New Zealand and Asia to companies and industries as diverse as CEDA, IBM, BHP, Department of Defence, ATO, Murray Darling Basin, ABS, Leightons Construction, Queensland Health, NSW Health, NSW Police, WA Police, ANZ, Westpac, Astra Zeneca, UTS, Macquarie University, CPA Australia, Telstra, Mortgage Industry Association of Australia, Fitness Industry Association, Australian Superannuation Funds Industry, Real Estate Industry Association, the Property Council of Australia, The Chamber of Commerce in 4 states, and various Singapore government departments.

The topics covered range from Leading in Times of Crisis, Leadership, Change Management, Talent Management, Managing Diversity, Women in Leadership, Recruitment and Retention, Motivating and Managing Different Generations, Conflict Resolution, Communicating Effectively, Flexibility, Building Winning Teams, to The Workforce in the Year 2025.

Avril was contracted by the University of Western Sydney in 2007 to develop a 3-year leadership program for their gifted scholarship students, which she delivers in addition to their academic studies to better prepare them for leadership positions in the future. 
 
During 2006, Avril completed a Ministerial Review for the Minister of Defence, into Recruitment and Retention in the Army, Air Force and Navy. The recommendations of "The Henry Report" were accepted by the government in December 2006.  Following the review, Avril was appointed as a Strategic Advisor to the Chief of Navy, and joined the Navy's People Committee, being the only female and civilian on the committee. In 2002, Avril was one of 5 finalists in the Australian HR Awards for Best HR Director.  In 2006, Avril won the prestigious Lifetime Achievement in HR Award at the Australian Human Resources Awards.  In 2005, she was a finalist in the Sydney Business Review Business Woman of the Year.  In 2008, she was recognised by the NSW government, as part of International Women's Day, as one of the 100 women nominated for the NSW Woman of the Year 2008.  Avril has been honoured in the 2009 Australian Who's Who of Women, as one of the most inspiring businesswomen and female leaders.

In 2009 Avril was appointed a director of Living Years, a newly launched social media networking organisation focussed on bereavement care. She was also the only female judge for the Leighton?s Excellence in Construction Awards in 2009. In 2009 Avril was appointed to the Steering Group of the Year of Engineering Leadership (2010); and an ambassador for the R U OK? Day (2009), which raises awareness of depression and its consequences in society and business, and how to support people suffering from depression. From  2007 - 2009 Avril was a Director of the board of Hands Across the Water Australia, a charity which raises money to build and operate self sustainable orphanages in Thailand for Thai children who lost their parents in the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. 

Avril is the author of "Leadership Revelations: An Australian Perspective", "The Who What When and Y of Generation Why?", and is a co-author of the book - Ideas, Original Perspectives from Leading Thinkers". She is featured in the book "Secrets Exposed of Inspiring Leaders", as one of Australia's most inspiring female leaders. Her latest book released in 2007, entitled "Inspiring Tomorrow's Leaders Today: Breaking Down Generational Barriers At Work" is the first in a four part series to be released over the next few years.