Melanie O'Connor

Managing Director
The Academy Network

Melanie O'Connor is Managing Director of The Academy Network. She is highly regarded for her work in advising corporations in the development of talent management and capability strategies designed to assist organisations in the alignment of their people initiatives with their strategic imperatives. She is considered by many to be one of the foremost advisers in this field in Australia.

Melanie is a psychologist with over twenty years experience in a range of executive and consulting roles. She ran her own business, Strategic Human Resource Solutions Pty Ltd, for many years with clients across the private and public sectors, including finance, retail, technology, manufacturing, education, health and government.

Prior to starting her own business Melanie was General Manager Human Resources for NRMA Ltd. She has been a member of a range of boards, including current membership of the TAFE Commission Board of NSW.

Melanie has a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Macquarie University, for which she received the Allen Knott Scholar award as dux of the course. She also has a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology major) and a Diploma of Education from Macquarie University. Melanie teaches on the MBA programme for MGSM, for which she received an award for sustained excellence in 2004.