Darren Challis

Summary

Darren Challis is the Managing Director of Challis & Company. As a search consultant, Darren has worked on many successful assignments to find chairs, NEDs, CEOs, country managers and functional leaders across a range of industries. He has also led many Board reviews and management assessments. Before founding Challis & Company, Darren worked as a consultant with DH International—founding and building a highly regarded, nine-person practice within two years—and Egon Zehnder. Darren was born and grew up in Sydney. He worked through his high school and university studies as a technology journalist writing over 300 articles for mainstream magazines and newspapers. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Government & Public Administration) and Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours from The University of Sydney, and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the University of Technology Sydney. On admission as a solicitor, he worked as a corporate and finance lawyer with MinterEllison. Darren then undertook a full-time MBA at the Australian Graduate School of Management (then a joint venture between UNSW Sydney & The University of Sydney), completed on exchange to the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He then worked as a Consultant and Project Leader at BCG, leading a number of strategy projects for Australian and global clients. Darren then joined Fairfax Media (now Nine [ASX:NEC]), initially as Director, Commercial Strategy and subsequently as Group Head, New Media Development. During his time at Fairfax Media, he led the company’s digital M&A process, leading to some well-regarded acquisitions including RSVP, Stayz & Trade Me; a number of commercial deals with Yahoo!; plus an investment in carsales.com. He also served on the Board of an ASX-listed investment. Over the years, Darren has also served on a number of commercial and community boards. He has twice been elected to the University Council at UNSW Sydney, its governing body, where he also served on the University’s Finance Committee, Planning Committee and as a Governor of its Alumni Association. He is currently a NED on the Board of Hayes Theatre Co, a Sydney-based theatre company. He is a Graduate Member of the AICD.