Advisor to Business Leaders, Company Director, Keynote Speaker, Columnist, Podcast Host and Bestselling Author. Bruce Cotterill describes his career as a "vertical learning curve".
Bruce is a “transformation leader” with extensive experience across a range of industries - notably real estate, media, financial services, professional services, technology and retail - and a variety of ownership models, including private equity, partnerships and public companies.
Bruce is now a professional director and he is currently the Chair of Asset Plus Limited, Rush Digital Interactive, realestate.co.nz, and an Independent Board member of law firm Duncan Cotterill. He is also a retained advisor to a number of corporate organisations and professional services businesses across New Zealand.
As a CEO, he led real estate group Colliers in both New Zealand and Australia, Kerry Packer’s ACP Magazines, and iconic New Zealand sportswear company Canterbury International. He became a specialist at “fixing broken businesses and business models” and led Yellow Pages Group through a period of dramatic change, including the restructure of the Company’s $1.8 billion of debt.
A lifetime commitment to charity work has seen Bruce in various roles for Surf Life Saving New Zealand, as Chair of Pinehurst School and Chairman of Swimming New Zealand. In 2022 he launched the Bike for Blokes Charitable Trust and with his friend Paul Muir cycled the length of New Zealand, some 2,600 kilometres in 22 days, raising $217,000 for men’s mental health and prostate cancer charities. In 2023, they did it all again and raised a further $286,000.
Bruce is a highly-regarded business communicator assisting organisations to maximise their performance and profitability. His clients have included Telstra Media, the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, ANZ Bank, and a number of real estate, media, retail and professional service organisations.
Bruce is a passionate leader of change, and is genuinely interested in business performance improvement. A lifetime leader, who focuses on clear objectives, enhanced personnel engagement and improved customer orientation he has continuously delivered vastly improved results through his involvement in organisations.
Bruce is the author of the best-selling business book entitled “The Best Leaders Don’t Shout”, he is a regular business columnist for the New Zealand Herald, and has recently launched the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast. In his “spare time” he is a husband, father, lifeguard, ageing triathlete, cyclist, ocean swimmer, campfire guitarist and frustrated golfer.
Video
Bruce Cotterill - Be A Better Leader
Bruce Cotterill describes his career as a 'vertical learning curve'. He is a 'transformation leader' with extensive experience across a range of industries, including real estate, media, financial services, technology and retail, and a variety of ownership models, including both public company and private equity.Bruce Cotterill The 7 Principles of Profit YouTube
Bruce Cotterill describes his career as a 'vertical learning curve'. He is a 'transformation leader' with extensive experience across a range of industries, including real estate, media, financial services, technology and retail, and a variety of ownership models, including both public company and private equity. As CEO, Bruce has led real estate group Colliers, Kerry Packer's ACP Magazines, and iconic New Zealand sportswear company Canterbury International. In 2008, he was asked by shareholders to step in as CEO of Yellow Pages Group to lead the company through a period of dramatic change, including the restructure of the company's $1.8 billion of debt.Bruce Cotterill
leader' with extensive experience across a range of industries, including real estate, media, financial services, technology and retail, and a variety of ownership models, including both public company and private equity. As CEO, Bruce has led real estate group Colliers, Kerry Packer's ACP Magazines, and iconic New Zealand sportswear company Canterbury International. In 2008, he was asked by shareholders to step in as CEO of Yellow Pages Group to lead the company through a period of dramatic change, including the restructure of the company's $1.8 billion of debt.Excellent presentation - a first class performance. Your mix of humour with business experience makes the principles and suggestions you put forward both credible and easy to understand. The ... keep reading Stadium Australia
Bruce's presentation contained the key elements of leadership and profitability we were seeking. Critical business philosophies succinctly expressed.
Bruce Cotterill was fantastic the best speaker at our recent leadership event. His understanding of our business and awesome sense of humour made his presentation engaging and entertaining. Attendees rated him the best they have heard to date!
Bruce was very well organised and took the time to understand our event, content purpose and how best to maximise audience engagement. His delivery was entertaining yet relevant, offering authentic commercial insight to our business leadership group.
I want to thank you, again, for your presentation. I've attended many, many, professional presentations over the years, and yours was one of the best I've seen. Both the style of presenting and most importantly the content were fabulous. Your point about change and lack of predictability resonated with me, because I've been preaching to my students for years that advertising is all about change, and they should not only get comfortable with it, but should embrace it.
As a business owner sometimes you need to step back and look at how far you have come, where you are now and plan on how far you want to go. In Bruce's presentation he took us on that journey. He not only inspired with his own stories of business transformation but also shared resources and tools that could be used in any business. Add to that him being an entertaining presenter, and it was an hour well spent.
I wanted to thank you for a wonderful presentation. You made a definite positive impact on me that will benefit my approach to doing business. I so appreciate the time and thought you put into your work and am grateful that you are doing what you love to help others succeed.
Bruce had the difficult job of being the closing presenter at the Rotary Youth Leadership Program. From the start, he captivated the 30 young leaders in the room, making his leadership points clearly with interesting and real stories. It is amazing to see someone with such an extensive corporate background connecting so well with young people starting out their careers. Everyone in the room could relate to the messages. Outstanding!
I found you to be very inspirational. I have implemented many of your principles back in my store and had great success. Every staff member is working towards the same goal and we have a quick meeting every morning to reinstate the day's objectives. As managers, we know that simplicity is the key to running an effective business but we tend to over complicate things and end up getting confused about our focus, not to mention staff getting confused as well. Listening to you speak made me remember why keeping it simple is so important and reinstating that daily with your principles has been an enormous help.
Bruce's presentation was excellent and dynamic. Delegates thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and interaction with the audience. We would not hesitate in recommending Bruce. He was extremely communicative leading up to conference to get a feel and understanding of the people attending and our brief which was great.
