THE THINKERY
EXECUTIVE ADVISORY
Leadership thinking
for real-world decisions.
Former Executives. Deep Experience. Straight Guidance.
For leaders and organisations navigating complexity, high-stakes decisions
and significant change. No jargon. Just clarity.
WHO WE ARE
Leadership peers,
not consultants.
We’re leadership peers – former executives who work directly alongside leaders and organizations as thinking partners.
We bring the perspective of people who have been in the seat. We have led organisations through complex change and regulatory scrutiny. Built strategies, navigated mergers, crises and transformations at scale.
We know what if feels like to carry the weight of decisions that matter. That experience is what we bring to every engagement.
WHAT WE DO
Four ways to think with
The Thinkery.
Whether navigating what’s next, leading a team through change, doing the deeper individual work, or thinking alongside peers there is a home here for that conversation.
01
ThinkAhead
STRATEGIC ADVISORY
Figuring out and navigating what’s next. Strategic perspective and path forward advisory-strategy, look- back reflection, move forward path, or operating model refinement.
02
ThinkTogether
Executive Effectiveness
For organisations ready to intentionally design how their executive team leads – Stronger decision making, alignment, operating rhythm and constructive challenge.
03
ThinkImpact
Individual Partnership
Individual executive thought partnership. A consistent space to think clearly with someone in your corner – for high-stakes decisions, difficult conversations, significant transitions.
04
ThinkExchange
Leader Gatherings
Curated gatherings, retreats and experiences. Small groups, intimate, off-the-record conversations between leaders who share a context, a season or a set of questions.
WHO WE WORK WITH
We work at two levels -
and bring the same
honest thinking to both.
WITH INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
CEOs, executives, general managers and emerging leaders who need a confidential thinking partner – someone outside the organisation who will challenge honestly, bring genuine experience and help them think more clearly under pressure
WITH ORGANISATIONS
Everyone from financial services firms, superannuation funds, insurers, national corporate organisations, global platform providers, tech startup’s, who need independent strategic perspective on decisions and ways of working that are too important to get wrong.
- Feasibility assessments
- Operating model review
- Market entry strategy
- Strategic readiness
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
Thinking that holds up when it matters
01
Real experience.
We have held the roles. Made the calls. Carried the pressure. We don’t apply generic models to your situation — we bring judgement developed over decades in complex, high-scrutiny environments.
02
Honest challenge
We will tell you what we actually think. Not what is always comfortable. Leaders come to us precisely because the people around them can’t always do that.
03
Straight thinking
We have no interest in extending engagements unnecessarily. Our job is to help you see the issue clearly, decide confidently and move. Most engagements are weeks, not months.
04
Genuinely confidential
You don’t need to carry the leadership weight alone. A trusted space.
THE WORK
Recent Engagements.
Anonymised snapshots of recent works – proof of capability without naming clients.
01
A major Australian Insurer
Evaluating the augmentation of their service model — independent feasibility assessment across strategic rationale, operating model design and commercial viability, surfacing considerations for the final business case.
02
A Global Fintech
Exploring entry into the Australian administration market — structured discovery across 20+ senior industry stakeholders, mapping the competitive landscape and developing strategic entry options for consideration.
03
A National Employer Group
Navigating leadership complexity — designing and delivering a 12-month executive effectiveness program tailored to their specific organisational challenges.
THE PEOPLE
Founded by leaders
who've been there.
PARTNER
Marianne Walker
Former Deputy CEO and Chief Member Officer of a $105B super fund. Board Director, Royal Women’s Hospital. Senior executive and transformation leader for 25+ years across superannuation, government, logistics, utilities, energy, health and operations.
PARTNER
Shawn Blackmore
Former Chief Officer Retirement at one of Australia’s largest super funds – $350B. Senior executive across superannuation, fintech, startups and private wealth. 25+ years in financial services strategy, transformation and retirement.
What We Are
A different kind of leadership partner.
We’re leadership peers. We have held senior roles, sat in the seat, carried the pressure, and made the decisions. We help you cut through complexity, test decisions and prepare for what’s coming. The clarity is yours, the action is yours – we help sharpen both.
What We Do
Helping leaders think better, faster.
ThinkImpact
Coaching with a difference. Regular leadership conversations and strategic partnership. A confidential space to work through challenges, test your thinking, and get honest perspective from someone who gets it.
ThinkAhead
Anticipatory thinking. Prepare for what’s coming. Test scenarios, pressure-test plans, and think through second-order effects before you’re in the moment.
What We Do
Helping leaders think better, faster.
ThinkImpact
Coaching with a difference. Regular leadership conversations and strategic partnership. A confidential space to work through challenges, test your thinking, and get honest perspective from someone who gets it.
ThinkAhead
Anticipatory thinking. Prepare for what's coming. Test scenarios, pressure-test plans, and think through second-order effects before you're in the moment.
How We Help You In 4 Simple Steps
Practical. Honest. Experience-led.
Real Experience
We’ve held senior roles, made high-pressure calls and navigated complex systems.
Straight Talking
Clear, honest conversations. No corporate theatre, no buzzwords, no agenda.
Fast to Clarity
We help you see the issue, simplify the decision and act with confidence.
Confidential & Trusted
A safe, private space to think—you don’t need to carry the leadership weight alone.
The People Behind The Thinkery
Shawn Blackmore
Senior executive leadership across financial services. Deep experience in strategy, transformation, large program leadership, operations, digital, and navigating complex stakeholder environments.
Marianne Walker
Executive leader with expertise in customer strategy, culture, people leadership, operational excellence and organisational clarity.
Founders
The People Behind The Thinkery
Shawn Blackmore
Senior executive leadership across financial services. Deep experience in strategy, transformation, large program leadership, operations, digital, and navigating complex stakeholder environments.
Shawn Blackmore
Senior executive leadership across financial services. Deep experience in strategy, transformation, large program leadership, operations, digital, and navigating complex stakeholder environments.
Who We Support
For leaders navigating complexity, pressure and change.
We typically work with CEOs, executives, GMs, emerging leaders stepping into significant scope, and founders navigating scale-up pressure. We are particularly valuable for leaders in financial services, logistics, technology, and fast-growing businesses.
Common situations include high-stakes decisions, strategic questions, leadership transitions, team challenges, major change – or simply. I need to think this through with someone I trust.
Let’s create space to think.
A short introductory conversation is often all it takes to see if we’re the right fit.
Let's create space to think.
A short introductory conversation is often all it takes to understand whether we’re the right fit for what you’re working through.