Chris Whelan Minstd

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT CHRIS WHELAN MINSTD

I am a global executive who thrives at the intersection of government, business, and society. As a trained futurist and facilitator, I define compelling future states and mobilize coalitions of leaders, investors, and institutions to act.Over the past five years, I have led a business coaching and leadership mentoring practice, applying global frameworks to help more than 100 CEOs and leadership teams grow profitability, build systems, and strengthen culture. This has sharpened my skills in leadership development, facilitation, and influence - skills that directly complement my prior CEO and board roles.Previously, I served as CEO of WREDA (New Zealand) and CEO of Accelerate Cape Town (South Africa), with board service at Wesgro, Cape Town Design, and Infometrics. In these roles I revitalised organisations, merged entities, strengthened financial performance, and united diverse stakeholders around shared priorities. Highlights include growing membership by 15% annually while reducing costs by 25%(Accelerate Cape Town), and designing and delivering the LookSee Wellington global talent campaign, which positioned Wellington internationally as a tech hub.Earlier executive experience with EY and Accenture, along with transformation leadership at Grant Thornton and The Terrace Initiative, built deep capability in governance, risk, financial management, and strategic execution across corporates, governments, and SMEs.Passionate about advocacy, I have represented business interests nationally and internationally, from media leadership to forums such as the World Economic Forum (Africa) and the Brisbane Global Café, engaging with Cabinet Ministers, CEOs, and non-profit leaders on global competitiveness and futures.Today, as a business coach and governance leader based in Wellington, New Zealand, I continue to guide executives to build sustainable business assets, delivering high ROI through strong teams, robust systems, and accountable leadership. I serve as Chair of Infometrics Ltd, shaping economic strategy, and as Trustee of the North Porirua Care Trust, bringing a human-centred perspective to governance.Key Specialisations- Executive Leadership Development- Business Transformation & Growth- Strategic Planning & Execution- Systems & Process Optimisation- Board Governance & AdvisoryI bring the dual capability of vision and execution - shaping strategy at altitude, and delivering impact on the ground.