Chris Le Coïc
Chris Le Coïc had a permanent and immeasurable impact on the value of the Human Resources profession as we know it in Australia today. He was highly regarded as a generous, humble and courageous entrepreneur.
A long time friend and associate, Charlie O’Connor, said of Chris: “I think many people would describe Chris as an entrepreneur – and he certainly was – but that doesn’t really capture the ground-breaking, new frontiers, ‘wagons-roll’ essence of what he did. He went first: It’s one of the things that defined him.
He had the capacity to imagine a new world and the courage and energy to make things happen from nothing.”
Chris was no less than a trailblazer in the HR and Leadership Development space and was a chief architect of the HR value proposition in Australia. His advocacy for the advancement of the profession touched countless companies and industries.
Chris pioneered the niche of HR recruitment as a director of Morgan & Banks in the mid-80's. In the early 90's he started his own firm, HR Matters, the first Australian firm to specialise in HR recruitment. Chris himself embodied the power and value of a talented HR professional, and as such was able to demonstrate the unquestionable worth of HR as a profession. His work at HR Matters put HR firmly on the map as a profession that “mattered”.
Chris’ remarkable ability to influence heads of business and industry has been attributed to his prowess at problem solving, his profound modesty, his quiet, unwavering confidence, and his great joy in helping others.
Chris’ was known for his passion for unearthing and supporting talented colleagues and candidates who, like him, possessed personal credibility, strategic vision, and sharp business acumen.
Chris also anticipated the requirement for leadership development and in 1995 co-launched one of the first specialist Leadership Consulting firms, LIW, an organisation that maintains global reach today. He had many other business interests in the span of his career, and all were centered around one theme: giving his best to people, so others could get the best out of themselves.
Chris’ long-time friend and colleague Steve Langton said: “Chris was not one to indulge in self-celebration, even in the light of his successes and achievements. Celebration for him was for and about others. Which is exactly what made him such a valuable business leader. His legacy is marked in the success of those around him. He projected -- for others – the possibilities, the ‘what could be’”.
His final venture as a Partner at BreslinLeCoïc provided a platform to share the sum of his wisdom by co-developing yet another first: an executive search, executive coaching and executive leadership development firm. Says his business partner Paul Breslin:
“Chris was all about bringing out the very best in others. He saw the power of creating an integrated approach to search, coaching and leadership development to further advance and transform the effectiveness of HR. I am extremely honoured to carry his work and his spirit into the future. His legacy of selflessness will live on in the heart of our business. He was a caring, dedicated and genuine professional who lived his life with humility, passion and style.”