John Ford

Founder & CEO

Born in Sydney, Australia, The One Centre’s 35 year-old founder, John Ford, graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Arts. His working life began in Paris, where he became a technology trader. Back in Sydney, he worked for Macquarie Bank as an international equities dealer before realising an ambition to work in advertising and branding.

He started out as a press checker with DDB Sydney (“at a time when press checking was at the bottom of the heap”) and later applied for, and was granted, a Brand Strategy Planning traineeship at DDB. He spent the next ten years working as a strategic planner, consulting with some of the world's best creative companies and holding Head of Strategy and Partner positions within two of Asia Pacific's leading creative agency networks - TBWA and Batey.

A passion for travel, coupled with the determination to build a company that was focused on expansive innovation took John to Europe, America and Asia, where he established an international client network that continues to expand today.

John began The One Centre on his kitchen table, armed with a laptop and mobile phone, but has since doubled its size every year to the point where it now employs 40 leading industry specialists who work out of a 750sqm heritage-listed innovation centre on Sydney Harbour.

John lives at Manly Beach, Sydney, with his wife Monica, daughter Bella and baby boy Louis.

He finds inspiration in the Australian coastline and enjoys surfing and swimming at his local beach and rock pools. He also practices Ashtanga Yoga and holds a second Dan black belt in traditional Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan Karate.

While being wholly committed to his business, John is family focused and determined to foster a workplace culture that takes into consideration the needs of family.

John regularly writes and speaks on innovation for business, the media, educational bodies and the Government, and judges’ strategic and creative awards. He was founding Chairman of the Account Planning Group (APG) Australia, which recently held its first Creative Planning awards.