Grant O’Brien, CEO, Managing Director, Non Exec Director

Whilst Grant has lived in Sydney for the last 25 years, he is a proud Tasmanian having grown up on the North West Coast of the state. Grant entered employment with Woolworths as an Assistant Accountant in Hobart and went on to become CEO and Managing Director of the Woolworths Group.

Following a 30 year career at Woolies, Grant has taken on a range of Board roles all designed to give back to the communities and people that have supported and inspired his journey.

Current roles include Chair of the Australian Sports Foundation, Chair of Tourism Tasmania, Deputy Chair of the Stars Foundation, an education foundation for Young Indigenous Women, Chair of the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority.

Grant was also a member of the Tasmanian AFL Taskforce that successfully lobbied for Tasmania’s AFL/AFLW licence and was last year appointed as the inaugural Chair of the Tasmanian AFL Club.

Grant OBrien Headshot July

NOMINATIONS FOR 2026 ARE OPEN!

The program is free but highly selective so firstly we ask senior business leaders working within Marketing, Media and Advertising to nominate the best of their emerging leaders for a place on the program. All ‘nominees’ then receive an ‘Invitation to Apply’ which includes essential information about the process.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE GLOBAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2026 ARE OPEN

Applicants may apply to EITHER cohort regardless of country of residence, but must commit to attend both Residential dates & the Virtual day of their chosen cohort. Attendance is mandatory and a condition of acceptance onto the program.

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The Global Fellowship

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