Richard Austin is one of Australia’s leading management and business development experts. After leading Mutual Marketplace as General Manager, he has recently started as the CEO of OMNII. Richard is one of five mentors offering his time for one of the winners of this year’s Alumni Awards.
Richard Austin
University studied at:
University of South Australia
Courses:
Master of Business Administration
Current position:
CEO, OMNII
Previous position:
General Manager, Mutual Marketplace
Where are you from?
Adelaide, South Australia.
What did your parents do for work?
My dad was born in India moving to Australia in the 50’s before working as a postman and at telecom (now Telstra).
How many siblings?
I’m the youngest of 6 kids (adults).
Did you attend university or VET? If so what study/course did you do/how long/where?
I completed a Master of Business Administration at the University of South Australia.
Where are you/have been working/living now?
I grew up in Adelaide, have lived in Melbourne, Perth and now Brisbane for 13 years.
How did you get to where you are now? What support was needed to get you there?
– Being fluid with where you are happy to live.
– Managing relationships with senior managers effectively, who influence internal job opportunities you might receive.
– I set Short, Medium and Long term goals regularly, so I’m focused on achieving daily tasks which propel me forward towards my longer term goals.
What advice would you give a young student aspiring to reach the heights you have?
– You will learn more from doing, than reading it in a book.
– Be patient and acknowledge everything great is achieved by completing thousands of small goals.
What have been some of your greatest achievements to date (e.g. awards, work, family)?
I’m really proud of my family, and our two boys. Our eldest is on a pathway to achieve amazing things in life, and our youngest is an absolute miracle by nature of how he was born and lives today.
I love setting goals for myself, which at the time of setting aren’t achievable, knowing I need to evolve and improve in order to complete the goal. An example of this was completing a ½ ironman. I set the goal without having the ability to swim 2km, which meant I needed to train, improve and evolve to achieve that goal.
”Be patient and acknowledge everything great is achieved by completing thousands of small goals.
”I love setting goals for myself, which at the time of setting aren’t achievable, knowing I need to evolve and improve in order to complete the goal.
What do you like to do in your spare time? What are you passionate about?
I ride my road bike 7 days per week, with a goal of riding 200km per week on average. I read 1-2 books every month and listen to lots of podcasts about personal development. I enjoy helping people, and love seeing people grow and evolve in their own lives knowing I played some part in helping them get there.
What is next for you?
I have secured a new role as CEO of OMNII which is an exciting next step for me in my career. I am also planning an international holiday for 2024/25, and have set a goal to run (shuffle) an ultra-marathon in March 2024.
Fun facts with Richard
Best playlist for concentrating?
I love Deep Trance.
Favourite place for coffee?
King Arthur Café, which is 10 meters from my home.
Last book you read?
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries and Endure by Cameron Hanes
Fantasy dinner party… if you could start a study group with any 5 people, dead or alive, who would they be?
Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Elon Musk, Xi Jinping, Pope Francis
How would you spend your last $10?
Do something which makes me happy.
We’re thrilled to announce the continuation of our partnership with Audi Foundation for another two years. They remain committed to supporting rural and regional students pursuing STEM related fields with scholarships. We’re very excited that they have also increased their sponsorship of our Alumni Awards which recognise the achievements of our regional and rural youth.
