Carole Cooper is a seasoned global executive and entrepreneur. Prior to founding Carole Cooper Consulting in 2020, she oversaw 22,000 employees as Chief People Officer of a listed multinational corporation running 2,800 businesses in 24 countries. As Executive GM, she headed up regional operations exceeding $1.4 billion in revenue. And in North America, she managed emerging leisure businesses with a combined revenue of $500 million. Her experience spans multiple industries, including leisure and travel, healthcare, community services, manufacturing and professional services.
People, Purpose, Potential
As head of Carole Cooper Consulting, Carole applies her commercial astuteness to clients’ businesses. This means bringing them pragmatic solutions that balance people with commercial impact, on or under budget. “I’m not your typical warm and fuzzy HR person,” she says, “teams have to perform, to deliver exceptional customer experiences and get results. To do that, they need to be supported, but also held accountable.” Carole’s reputation is that of a results-driven, strategic leader capable of empowering agile teams who excel operationally.
Diversity Delivers
Growing up in South Africa ignited a fire in Carole that continues to burn. From protesting apartheid at the tender age of just 15, she continues to challenge injustice wherever she finds it. She is a passionate advocate for diversity, believing everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. She describes her leadership style as democratic, saying “People must be allowed a say. That doesn’t mean everyone gets their way, but it does mean that we get a better, more comprehensive and robust solution. I can show you how to implement change in your business that not only celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion, but actually delivers outcomes.”
Woman, Wife, and Mother Carole
Carole counts herself lucky for having been surrounded by strong female role models and supportive male relatives. But she is hyperconscious that for many women this isn’t the norm. “In many ways, I’ve had it all. I’ve been able to raise a family and have a fulfilling career that has allowed us to travel the world. But generally, women still shoulder the major part of familial caregiving, with devastating consequences to their own wellbeing and financial independence. I want to change that with Carole Cooper Consulting – to offer women flexible ways of working so that they’re not forced to opt out of the workforce.”
Carole is a certified advisory board chair, certified HBDI practitioner, AICD member, speaker, mentor and advisor to owners and executives who are in the emerging, growing and changing business cycle. She has lived and worked in South Africa, Canada and Australia. She has led teams across 22 countries. She currently resides in Brisbane with her husband of 26 years and occasionally, their two grown children. In her spare time, she loves cooking up a storm and entertaining friends and family. And enjoys a weekly game of tennis…which she usually wins.
