Regional Economic Solutions (RES) Directors Leann Wilson and Mal Meninga share a strong commitment to social, cultural, and economic development as the way forward for First Nations people.
Leann Wilson
Leann is a Bidjara/ Kara-Kara and South Sea Islander descendant.
An experienced executive, business owner and First Nations leader who has been at the pioneering forefront of opening dialogue with, and delivering outcomes for business, government, and communities. With her business, Regional Economic Solutions, being built on the principle of impartiality, Leann brings a unique understanding that it is not her role to decide what is best but rather to neutrally broker deals that are agreeable, sustainable, ethical, and beneficial to all parties.
Leann is a recognised reconciliation leader and “Woman of Influence”, with extensive networks nurtured throughout a career spanning community, government, not-for-profit, education and private enterprise. She has co-designed and led significant strategic engagement processes across multiple sectors including within the resources industry, played key advisory roles in policy development and been instrumental in creating trauma aware and healing informed pathways across Australia.
Mal Meninga
Mal’s high-performance leadership skill sets is now being directed into the business, Regional Economic Solutions.
Mal draws on his coaching skills and multiple experiences and networks to engage and facilitate social, cultural, and economic outcomes. He also facilitates forums on leadership, health, and wellbeing.
He is a proud patron for his South Sea Islander community, where he has close ties to Bundaberg. As a co-founding director of Regional Economic Solutions, Mal strongly advocates that sustainable outcomes for First Nations communities is contingent on governments and businesses working in partnership with them.
Today, Mal is still involved in the rugby league game as the Australian coach and a media commentator. He has been honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia, Australian High Achiever of The Year 1994, Queensland Great of the year 2016, and has been inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame and Australian Sports Hall of Fame.