In a significant leadership appointment reflecting The BUSY Group’s continued growth and strategic expansion, values-driven executive Colin Ongley has been appointed Executive General Manager of BUSY At Work, one of the organisation’s largest and most established portfolios spanning employment, apprenticeships, and youth and community programs.
Colin joins The BUSY Group with more than 15 years of senior leadership experience across Australia and New Zealand in the security, recruitment, franchising and workforce management sectors.
He has held CEO, COO and GM-level roles in both private and publicly listed organisations, leading national teams of more than 1,000 people and managing profit and loss responsibilities exceeding $350 million.
His career is defined by operational transformation, cultural renewal and commercial performance, all underpinned by a people-first leadership philosophy.
“The appointment of Colin marks an exciting new era for BUSY At Work,” said Leonie Carlile, Chief Executive Officer of The BUSY Group.
“As our organisation continues to expand nationally and internationally, we are strengthening our leadership capability to match the scale of our ambition. Colin brings deep operational expertise and commercial discipline, balanced with a genuine commitment to purpose and people, a combination that aligns powerfully with The BUSY Group’s values.”
Colin’s track record includes more than a decade with the Chandler Macleod Group, where he oversaw sales, operations and labour hire delivery across Australia, while also leading finance, diversity, risk and compliance functions.
He later served as General Manager for an innovative recruitment franchise network, successfully adapting a US model for the Australian and New Zealand markets.
Most recently, as CEO of Southern Cross Protection, Colin led large-scale systems integration and operational optimisation across a national footprint, driving measurable gains in service delivery and profitability.
For Colin, joining The BUSY Group represents what he describes as “a convergence of purpose and professional expertise.”
“Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by the impact that good work. Meaningful work that has a positive effect on people’s lives,” he said. “The BUSY Group’s mission to create pathways through education, employment and community support resonates deeply with me. This is an opportunity to contribute to a purpose-led organisation while applying the commercial and operational disciplines that underpin long-term sustainability.”
BUSY At Work is a part of The BUSY Group, a not-for-profit organisation providing a range of education, workplace health, employment and apprenticeship services.
With a history spanning nearly five decades, BUSY at Work delivers career opportunities for job seekers and students through apprenticeship programs, workforce development initiatives, education and training support, and targeted youth and community services.
The appointment follows a period of record expansion for The BUSY Group, which has diversified its national operations and commenced partnerships extending into international communities, including New Zealand, the UK and Canada.
Leonie said the organisation’s momentum now requires leadership capable of driving both scale and quality. “We are an organisation built on strong values and measurable outcomes,” she said. “Colin’s blend of commercial acumen and people-centred leadership will ensure BUSY At Work continues to deliver exceptional results for individuals, employers and government partners alike.”