Michelle Lagana

Chairs in Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast

Biography

Michelle Lagana’s experience in Chinese bilateral trade following her 7 year appointment as CEO, resulted in establishing a multi-billion dollar joint venture amongst 3 international companies to form an Australian company called Australian China Metal Corporation. In addition, she delivered a $240 million State Government project, breaking Australia’s ductile iron pipe monopoly.

Previously she spent a further 13 years launching world-first clinical cancer trials in China collaboratively with several hospitals and universities with Queensland’s Premier, the NH&MRC and the World Health Organisation. For her efforts she was nominated a Prime Minister’s Award and recipient of QIMR’s prestigious Bancroft Medal.

More recently as ARTC Inland Rail’s Communications Manager, she worked cohesively with Federal, State and local governments delivering a $9.3 billion infrastructure freight project across 3 Australian States. This role included corporate & internal communications, marketing, business development, strategic stakeholder & shareholder engagement and managing large teams.

Michelle has worked with various small to medium businesses over the past 30 years, including her own consultancy business, assisted several not-for-profit organisations, as well as a member of numerous private Boards and public Committees. Primary board focus incorporating medical research, tourism, infrastructure, health, international relations, mining, aged care, heritage, construction and retail sectors.

Career highlight

Transforming Australia’s largest marina Coral Sea Marina Resort, formerly Abell Point Marina, from receivership to 80% occupancy in less than 2 years. This was achieved through company restructuring, marketing and beautification redevelopment, hospitality and floating hotel initiatives, re-branding architecture, as well as community, Government, industry and stakeholder consultation.

Marina and resort owner, Paul Darrouzet cited, “Michelle is a connector. As soon as I acquired the marina, I contacted her immediately as I was confident, following a couple of years sitting on a charity board together, in her ability to reverse engineer and assess existing operational and marketing processes and rebuild the property was critical to generating sustainable revenue streams as well as rebuild industry reputation”.

Why Coraggio

My mentor, the late great Sir Bruce Watson cited he or she who has resources is resourceful. This has never been more true in this tough fiscal and competitive environment. One of the strongest resources is the ability to draw on the advice, experience and networks of a like-minded group who not only bring a diverse array of  knowledge and sharing their insights to assist the growth of your business, challenge assumptions whilst providing the ability, in addition to your Chair, and your Advisory Board’s legal and financial representatives, to lean on for guidance and mentoring advice.

The most successful business people are those who recognise we can’t all be experts in everything and by accepting your lesser strengths, demonstrates you have no weakness by leveraging on the resources of your Coraggio peers. Your fellow Advisory Board Members each play to their strengths both within their businesses and by providing you strong, consistent support networks to draw on complimenting sustainable growth within your business.

Testimonial

“Michelle displays exceptional intelligence, interpersonal skills and a very professional approach with tact and diplomacy”.

Professor Lawrie Powell, AC MD PhD FRCP FRACP, Professor Emeritus of Medicine & Senior Research Fellow, The Queensland Institute of Medical Research.

 

 

To join Michelle’s Board or for more information, please get in touch with Brook Hawkesford, Advisory Board Development, Queensland, at brook@coraggio.com.au or call 0419 581 672.