Ross Monaghan

I’m a leading and highly respected professional communicator and educator in the Asia Pacific region. I use my practical and theoretical understanding of communication to help organisations leverage their people and evolving technologies—such as generative and agentic AI—to achieve their goals.

Currently, I’m an award-winning academic at Deakin University, an international keynote speaker, and a trainer and consultant to commercial and government organisations. Past roles have included CEO of Australia’s mobile phone industry association, National Community Relations Manager for Optus, and public affairs roles with the world’s largest mining company, BHP.

I’ve co-chaired an Australasian Crime Commissioners’ Forum, was the founder and first chair of the Australian Mobile Carriers’ Forum, and have held numerous positions on communication industry association boards, including Asia Pacific Chair for the International Association of Business Communicators. I’m currently on the advisory committee for the 2025 Global PR Festival, to be held in Malaysia in November 2025.

I have chaired more than 30 industry conferences and spoken at international events and classes from Harvard to the Hanoi University of Economics. Most recently, I was the keynote speaker at Malaysia’s PR Summit in November 2024.

I pride myself on my well-rounded understanding of the strategy and tactics of professional communication. But in all honesty, nothing makes me happier than when workshop participants or one of my many students tells me that my advice and kindness have made a difference in their life.