What is the CEO Masterclass?

MBA Accredited with Deakin University
Create your strategic plan
Mutual advisory board of 10-15 peers
Clear WHY and vision
Strategy owned by your team
Implementable plan
Supportive accountability
Online resources
Professional and personal development

The CEO Masterclass is a carefully structured program designed for dedicated CEOs and senior leaders. Led by John Downes, a seasoned business consultant with over 30 years of experience at Deloitte Consulting and his own firm, the Masterclass provides a confidential space to collaborate with peers from diverse, non-competing organisations.

John’s extensive expertise across various business models, combined with the collaborative group setting, allows you to explore a wide range of innovative ideas and strategies that you won’t find in any traditional / theory-based business management programs

Who is this for?

CEOs and senior leaders of organisations with over $1.5m in turnover. We recommend you have a growth mindset and want to develop yourself, your business and your business network.

You must be able to commit to the following:

Ten x half-day, face-to-face* workshops over ten months
30-90 minutes of online guided preparation for each session (+optional online Q&A session)
Take the strategic planning process back into your businesses for development and implementation
Maintain the confidentiality and the safety of the masterclass network.

What you receive

Senior management team completing the CriticalFewActions™ Diagnostic
Ten x half-day, face-to-face* workshops over ten months
Led by an expert in strategic planning and business coaching.
Use a rich, structured learning portal of bite-sized videos, tools and templates.
Create a confidential network and Advisory Board of your masterclass peers: supportive, sharing, group problem solving and accountability.
Certification of your professional development.
Delivered to over 200 CEOs and senior leaders since 2019.
Prepare in advance at your own pace, working on your strategy with the online portal of videos, tools, templates and specialist speakers.

In 2023, Deakin University assessed the CEO Masterclass in Strategic Planning and Implementation. It recognises the CEO Masterclass as MBA level prior learning.

“The CEO Masterclass is a valued partner of Deakin Business School. Individuals who have successfully completed the Masterclass qualify for a single unspecified credit ktowards an MBA at Deakin”

Deakin Business School Faculty of Business & Law

Deakin University CRISOS Provider Code: 00113B

Hear About The Masterclass, From The Founder

What Participants Say

Course Structure

An experiential course in four segments that will: Build your network with a Peer Advisory Board, Develop your Strategy, Kick-off your implementation, Enhance your personal and professional skills as a leader and develop your CEO plan for the future.

I would absolutely 100% endorse any CEO, owner, or high level manager responsible for a trading result to jump on board the CEO masterclass. You cant lose. The prework is really straight forward. And, because it based on your business, all the prework that you do is stuff that you put in place for your business. It‘s your strategic plan. It‘s your vision. It‘s your #criticafewactions™. Its not wasted time that you’re working on a scenario which is fictitious. You are actually working on your business.

Its like having an Advisory Board, but not just about the numbers. Nurturing, giving advice, but also the structure and the tools to help you get there. I'm surrounding myself with people with not only the experience, but also the heart to support you. Helps you maintain that focus with accountability.

The biggest challenge with being an entrepreneur is, that it doesn’t come with a roadmap. The masterclass provides that safety net of having other people around you to have those conversations.

With John’s CEO Masterclass, we put together a 5-year plan to double the size of our business. John took the journey with us, keeping us to task, and challenging us on decisions along the way. We achieved almost all the desired outcomes over our first five years with John, and feel that this process has given the business a better sense of itself and set us up for future success. John is passionate about his work, he is clear-minded, diligent and outcome focussed, which is why we have engaged him again for our next five-year plan!

The group I’m with, we bonded very quickly. Everyone is very open. I found the honesty and trust was built very early on. It’s comforting knowing you’re not alone.

CEO Masterclass Founder

John Downes
CMC, FCEO, FCA, Lead Chair CEO Masterclass

John developed the CEO Masterclass series and delivered it with the AusIndustry Entrepreneurs’ Programme from 2019 to 2021. Each series has been highly applauded and continuously improved based on CEO feedback.

With over 30 years as a professional management consultant with Deloitte and in his own practice internationally, John has extensive facilitation and mentoring experience. The CEO Masterclass is based around his strategy development approach used by 100s of clients in his Strategic Mentoring practice.

Previous to this he also provided AusIndustry Enterprise Connect with a highly successful series of Succession Planning Masterclasses for 150 Founders and CEOs around Victoria.

He is a past National Vice-President, Institute of Management Consultants & the Vic/Tas Chapter President.

Masterclass Chairs

All our Masterclass Chairs are Certified Management Consultants and have successfully led these Masterclasses across Australia to rave reviews. Over 97% of participants would recommend the masterclass to a peer, friend or family member. As Certified Chairs, they have deep strategy, leadership development and coaching skills and experience.