Chair Showcase: Vanessa Cullen – Purpose, strategy and the long run

Why Vanessa Cullen takes the long view on leadership – Vanessa’s leadership story isn’t just one of success — it’s one of deep purpose, resilience, and clarity of values.

Founder and CEO of Forward Thinking Design — one of Australia’s most awarded and ethical strategy and design consultancies — Vanessa built her business in her early twenties from a strong sense of justice and a desire to do things differently. Long before “social enterprise” entered the mainstream, she was shaping a company around ethics, inclusion and impact. Today, Forward Thinking Design is a Certified social enterprise helping organisations align their spaces, strategy and ESG goals.

But Vanessa’s story isn’t only about what she’s achieved — it’s about how. A former elite triathlete and endurance runner (she was the first person to run the length of the 254km Shoalhaven Coast), Vanessa draws on a lifetime of discipline, curiosity and vocal advocacy. Her professional acumen is matched by her strength — developed in response to overcoming personal trauma and honed through decades of leadership across both commercial and not-for-profit sectors.

She holds diploma, bachelor and postgraduate qualifications across a range of disciplines — including a Bachelor of Design (Hons, UNSW) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies (Deakin). Vanessa is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has served in governance, committee and advisory roles with organisations including PKD Australia, the Animal Justice Party Ltd, the Interior Fitout Association, Reserve Bank of Australia, Kidney Health Australia, and the BCorporation community.

Alongside running her business, Vanessa has been a Telstra Business Women’s Awards Judge, contributed to numerous publications and podcasts, and is profiled in The Book of Amazing People, IF SHE CAN, I CAN and Entrepreneurial Heart. She is also a dedicated mentor — guiding individuals, boards and communities to align their intent with measurable, strategic action.

Her approach is thoughtful and grounded. Drawing on principles of permaculture, Vanessa aims to “minimise waste and maximise sustainable growth” in everything she does — whether shaping built environments and stakeholder experiences, to helping a Board shift direction, or supporting a business leader to reconnect with their purpose.

As a Vistage Chair, Vanessa brings deep insight and refreshing practicality to the peer advisory space. She helps her group step back for a bird’s-eye view, then drill down to what matters most — distilling complexity into clear decisions, meaningful goals, and sustainable momentum.

Vanessa’s way of working isn’t loud or flashy. It’s deliberate, insightful, strategic — and often transformative. Because when you combine personal conviction with professional clarity, you don’t just build better organisations. You build better outcomes — for people, planet and purpose.