Darren Challis

Darren Challis

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
10K followers 500+ connections

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    Management Consulting, HR Consulting, Diversity & Inclusion, Leadership Development, and Business Consulting

About

Darren Challis is the Managing Director of Challis & Company. As a search consultant, Darren has worked on many successful assignments to find chairs, NEDs, CEOs, country managers and functional leaders across a range of industries. He has also led many Board reviews and management assessments.

Before founding Challis & Company, Darren worked as a consultant with DH International—founding and building a highly regarded, nine-person practice within two years—and Egon Zehnder.

Darren was born and grew up in Sydney. He worked through his high school and university studies as a technology journalist writing over 300 articles for mainstream magazines and newspapers. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Government & Public Administration) and Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours from The University of Sydney, and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the University of Technology Sydney. On admission as a solicitor, he worked as a corporate and finance lawyer with MinterEllison.

Darren then undertook a full-time MBA at the Australian Graduate School of Management (then a joint venture between UNSW Sydney & The University of Sydney), completed on exchange to the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He then worked as a Consultant and Project Leader at BCG, leading a number of strategy projects for Australian and global clients. Darren then joined Fairfax Media (now Nine [ASX:NEC]), initially as Director, Commercial Strategy and subsequently as Group Head, New Media Development. During his time at Fairfax Media, he led the company’s digital M&A process, leading to some well-regarded acquisitions including RSVP, Stayz & Trade Me; a number of commercial deals with Yahoo!; plus an investment in carsales.com. He also served on the Board of an ASX-listed investment.

Over the years, Darren has also served on a number of commercial and community boards. He has twice been elected to the University Council at UNSW Sydney, its governing body, where he also served on the University’s Finance Committee, Planning Committee and as a Governor of its Alumni Association. He is currently a NED on the Board of Hayes Theatre Co, a Sydney-based theatre company. He is a Graduate Member of the AICD.

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Experience

  • Challis & Company Graphic

    Challis & Company

    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney Area, Australia

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    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney Area, Australia; Melbourne Area, Australia

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    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney, Australia

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    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Education

  • Graphic

    - Present

  • Exchange from Australian Graduation School of Management

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    Activities and Societies: Elected Postgraduate Member, University Council; Member, University Council Planning Committee; Member, University Council Student Affairs Committee; Board Member, Student Guild; Board Member, Postgraduate Board

    Full-time MBA degree jointly awarded by The University of New South Wales and The University of Sydney

  • - Present

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    Activities and Societies: Editor, Sydney Law Review

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Publications

Languages

  • English

    Native or bilingual proficiency

  • French

    Elementary proficiency

  • German

    Limited working proficiency

  • Pig Latin

    Full professional proficiency

  • Yiddish

    Elementary proficiency

Organizations

  • Australian Institute of Company Directors

    GAICD (Graduate Member)

    - Present

  • High Court of Australia

    Admitted as a Solicitor

    - Present

  • Supreme Court of New South Wales

    Admitted as a Legal Practitioner

    - Present

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