‘Throughout my career as a CEO and mentor, I’ve gained empathy and insight to identify self-limiting beliefs in other leaders. It’s a great joy for me to experience leaders overcoming negative beliefs about themselves and their business. In my experience, this can only happen in a safe and supportive environment – a rare place for CEOs.’

As a Vistage Chair, Ron Tomlian believes his role is to be a support system that helps senior executives and CEOs understand their environment in order to plan strategically and develop their brand.

Ron acts as a reflective guide for his members, engaging them in analysis of organisational issues, strategies and solutions. His members learn how to grow their revenue, profits and value of their business and develop a greater confidence in leading their business in an increasingly changing global environment.

Ron’s experience as a senior executive started in marketing, and this is where he’s spent a large part of his career. He’s a highly regarded marketing professional in Australia, founding multiple companies and working in government and the private sector.

Ron’s previous experience has often centred around creating structures for others to succeed in. He was previously the Executive Manager, Marketing and Communications with the Adelaide City Council where he led a group of government agencies in developing ‘Adelaide Is… A Guide to Marketing Adelaide’. Prior to this Ron was Chief Executive of the Australian Institute of Management (SA) where he helped to establish an articulated pathway structure for the Institute’s management education products. His marketing career began with the energy industry, which culminated in his time as Marketing Manager with ETSA Power.

Apart from his history of government affiliations, Ron has also found success in the energy industry, which culminated in his time as Marketing Manager with ETSA Power, and has been an SA Business Ambassador since 1999.

His other professional highlights include:

• Established Marketing Counsel, a strategic consultancy specialising in branding and strategic marketing planning, strategic planning and implementation issues
• Helped found Squareholes Market Research, which assists companies in developing strategic insights into their clients and consumers
• Active involvement in both the business and not-for-profit sector, sitting on the boards of many companies, including Chairman, South Australia of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia
• Lecturer, lecturing in marketing in the MBA program of the International Graduate School of Business at the University of South Australia and marketing, service quality and consumer behaviour for the Masters of International Hospitality program of the Le Cordon Bleu School in Australia and Japan.