As well as being an associate of TPI, Ian is the Founder and Principal of DIXON Partnering Solutions (DPS), an organisation specializing in creating, developing and sustaining effective cross sector partnerships.
Some of Ian’s recent work includes supporting Partnership Broker organisations appointed as part of the Federal Governments National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions and assisting Primary Healthcare Partnership Councils across Queensland to develop their partnering skills and effectiveness. Ian has also developed a number of short course training programs designed to assist partners to build their partnering capacity and these programs have been delivered throughout Australia.
One of Ian’s most challenging roles during the last 10 years has been as the Independent Chair of the South Australian Native Title Resolution initiative from January 2000 until February 2009. This initiative involved peak bodies representing mining, pastoral, and fishing interests; the Aboriginal Congress of South Australia (representing 23 native title claim groups); the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement as well as state and local government. He has made a significant contribution to this statewide initiative both as the Independent Chair and as Facilitator of many Indigenous Land Use Agreement negotiations across South Australia.
Ian has over 20 years experience in senior executive roles in both the public and private sectors and prior to founding DPS in 1999, he held a number of chief executive positions within the South Australian State Government in areas such as Industry & Trade, Mines & Energy and Local Government as well as Executive Director of the Local Government Boundary Reform Board.
In these roles Ian successfully led major strategic initiatives, such as:
- The project facilitation within state government of the $2 billion stage 2 expansion of the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia.
- The establishment and facilitation of a process to reduce the number of local government councils in South Australia, which resulted in the reduction of councils from 118 to 69 in 12 months, through a voluntary process
Ian has also contributed to a number of boards, task forces and advisory bodies, where his unique knowledge and skills have been a key asset. He has also been a keen advocate and participant in a number of collaborative organisations. Ian is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia.