Leon Gettler challenges and engages people. He is a journalist, author, presenter and musician, who seeks new ways of seeing and thinking.
Current work
Leon is a journalist working with top publications including The Age, BRW, BOSS. His articles and columns cover diverse topics from strategy and globalization to organizational dynamics and climate change. His writing draws an enthusiastic response and appeals to a wide ranging audience, many who would not usually follow business issues.
Leon reaches diverse audiences with his message. He manages three blogs. www.soxfirst.com dealing primarily with American business matters, and The Age blog, Management Line. Both blogs have a strong, enthusistic following. He also runs the Business of Green blog at G Magazine. Leon also does a weekly podcast called Take Two with well-known commentator Garry Baker focusing on the business issues of the week.
Previous experience
Journalist: From his roots as a young journalist in Richmond, Leon worked his way to The Age. Over the past 18 years, he has developed a reputation as a strong, independent voice addressing a diversity of business, management and organisational topics through articles, blogs and podcasts. During that time he also expanded his reach, writing 2 award-winning books, speaking and presenting, and has continued his passion for music as a critic and playing saxophone in jazz and big band ensembles. Today Leon lends his voice to a variety of endeavors - always taking the opportunity to bring others with him as he explores ideas from his unique point of view.
Author: Leon’s first book, An Unpromised Land received a National Book Council Prize. His most recent book, Organisations Behaving Badly, focuses on the forces that lead smart executives into making dumb decisions. It was short-listed for the Blake Dawson Waldron Prize for business literature.
Speaker: Leon’s engaging style, humour and extensive knowledge make him a sought after public speaker and guest lecturer. He brings the same sense of exploration and unique point-of-view that colour his writing to every presentation.
Author: His book, An Unpromised Land examines how the world would have been different if Israel was in Australia.
It's the true and little known story of an attempt to set up a Jewish settlement of refugees in the Kimberleys during the Second World War. Months before Hitler’s tanks rolled into Poland, it won the support of the West Australian government. It also had the support of the ACTU, all the churches, and business. The Federal government sat on it for five years until it decided not to go ahead with it.
But the debate around migration and what kind of country people wanted Australia to be paved the way for the post-war migration boom which changed Australia, allowing in non-British migrants. Although it happened decades ago, the topic is highly relevant now with the debate over asylum seekers.
