It is with immense gratitude and acknowledgment of her hard work that Ratio announces Colleen Peterson has decided to step down from her role as CEO, making way for William Bromhead who will assume the role, effective 1 July 2024.
Colleen has been leading Ratio for the past 10 years, spending the last seven years as CEO building an incredible legacy of mentorship and advocacy work, and significantly contributing to Ratio’s reputation as a leading consultancy.
Colleen will remain on board at Ratio, continuing to form an integral part of the leadership team where she will pour her boundless enthusiasm, expertise, and energy into projects close to her heart.
“Leading Ratio as it transitioned into one of Victoria’s leading multidisciplinary consultancies has been a genuine highlight. To build a culture of constructive engagement and to lead from the front on a range of industry issues has been my passion. It’s been a privilege to steer the Ratio ship over this time and I am excited to see Will take Ratio to the next level as we continue our growth into new markets up and down the eastern seaboard.
Will and I have been working together for the past seventeen years and I couldn’t be more thrilled for him as he embarks in his new role as CEO.
Stepping away from the CEO role will enable me to spend more time focussing on projects that are close to my heart and step up my involvement in forward-thinking projects around the housing crisis and renewable energy,” ‒ Colleen Peterson.
A longtime member of the Ratio leadership team, head of our Cultural Wellness and Engagement Committee, and a veteran in his field, Will has long exemplified Ratio’s culture of inclusiveness, professionalism, and industriousness.
“I am excited about taking on the role of CEO at a company that has flourished for almost thirty-five years.
I have been with Ratio Consultants since 2008, following previous roles at Contour Consultants, Hansen Partnership, and Henshall Hansen Associates. In 2010, I was made a Director: Planning at Ratio and continued to work on a wide range of permit applications and appear at VCAT and Panels Victoria to give expert evidence.
Ratio has experienced an exciting period of growth over the last decade and I enjoy working in a multidisciplinary firm where there is a great culture with many people providing different perspectives to the ever-evolving property and development industry.
When I first arrived at Ratio in 2008, approximately twenty-five people were working across our planning and transport teams. The company has now grown to almost ninety staff working across statutory and strategic planning, urban design, transport, waste management, circular economy, and landscape architecture, supported by our excellent business services team. The breadth of work we do has widened significantly, along with our client base. We are now a truly full-service firm that provides trusted advice across many aspects of the property and development industry. I am looking forward to continuing to oversee the expansion of all our disciplines and searching for new opportunities to service our clients. I am also excited to help our team further expand across Victoria and along the eastern seaboard of Australia.
In my experience, the best leaders are those who are genuinely invested in the success of people around them. They accept that they can’t be all things to all people, or the best at everything, but can spot the talent in others and then harness that talent. I would like to think that I am a leader who empowers the people around me to achieve their goals and, in turn, benefits the company. The old saying ‘what is good for the goose is good for the gander’ has always made sense to me. I want people to be enthusiastic about Ratio’s success by achieving their personal ambitions, and for Ratio to be an employer of choice.
My key focus in my new role will continue to provide informed, ethical, and strategic advice to our industry peers, capitalising on the extensive experience and knowledge of our team across many sectors and industries.
In closing, I would like to acknowledge the incredible dedication of outgoing CEO Colleen Peterson who I have known for more than thirty years. She is an active and inspirational leader and has helped establish Ratio’s reputation within our industry. Her thought leadership and professional advice are highly regarded, and I look forward to working alongside her for many years to come.
I look forward to my tenure of CEO at Ratio Consultants as I continue to contribute to the strength and success of my team, our clients, peers, and colleagues.” ‒ William Bromhead.
