Victor Perton
Radical Optimist, Enthusiastic Speaker on Positive Leadership and MC asking People "What makes you Optimistic?"
Victor Perton is the Founder and Chief Optimism Officer of The Centre for Optimism. Victor is the Author of "Optimism: The How and Why".
How does he spend his days? He asks people what makes them optimistic and what's been the best thing in their day. His passion is fostering infectious optimism for well-being, leadership, and innovation.
The Centre for Optimism
The Centre for Optimism is a Think-Tank dedicated to asking people "What makes you Optimistic?" and fostering the realistic and infectious optimism the world needs in the 2020s.
In a passionate address entitled, “Creating Bases for Optimism in an Era of Insecurities”, Singapore’s senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam noted, "We have entered an era without precedent, certainly not in living memory, and it has led to a loss of optimism almost across the world."
Fear and intolerance are undermining our democracies: The World Economic Forum included the loss of global optimism in its global risk register for 2022. The World Happiness Report 2022 picked up a shortage of global optimism. McKinsey & Company and Rabobank Australia picked up the same trends for Australia - falling optimism in a country with a stereotype of relentless optimism.
The Centre for Optimism was born out of the research of The Australian Leadership Project which studied Australian leadership and its qualities and the inexplicable negativity of contemporary Australian attitudes to leadership.
Something of the Past
Victor's joyful life experiences include stints as Commissioner to the Americas, 18 years as a parliamentarian, practice as a barrister, mediator, arbitrator, businessman and board service. Victor was a Senior Engagement Adviser to the Australian G20 presidency focused on the G20 Finance Ministers & Central Bank Governors Meetings & the Brisbane G20 Leaders Summit described by the Prime Minister as “the most important gathering Australia has ever hosted.”
Martin Gillespie, Founder & CEO, Wellness Warrior
"Victor Perton is the Vitamin O of Optimism."
Yarra Valley Water
Victor Perton is a Board Member of Yarra Valley Water - one of Australia's largest water retailers. He is the Chair of its Leadership Culture and Wellbeing Committee. The corporation's 2030 strategy looks to "An optimistic future" with its values including "Knowing we need to Be Brave So that we make A Positive Impact."
Andy Reid, Success Coach
"Victor Perton is so bloody engaging... must be that optimism of his."
Latrobe City Council
"a powerful force of positivity, Victor Perton, CEO and Chief Optimism Officer at The Centre for Optimism." (August 2024)
"Victor Perton is the Vitamin O of Optimism."
Together with Victor, Project Optimism has produced "The Optimist's Gratitude Journal: 100 days to share and develop your gratitude" which is very helpful.
See https://www.amazon.com/Optimists-Gratitude-Journal-develop-gratitude/dp/B09MC5ZNPX
On Happiness with Ross and Russ on 3AW
Victor's conversation with "Men with Spirit" on "optimism (as an antidote to negativity)"
Curtin University's Curtin Corner: Victor Perton on The Case for Optimism
From LinkedIn
I ask people what makes them optimistic. I am the Chief Optimism Officer for The Centre for Optimism.
The purpose? To help everyone and anyone become more optimistic. To foster “realistic and infectiously optimistic leaders.”
My underpinning beliefs are “The leader looks like the person in your mirror” & “All good leadership is optimistic.”
I am the author of “Optimism: The How and Why” and “The Case for Optimism: The Optimist’s Voices”. I am the Founder and Editor of “The Australian Leadership Project”.
I am an author, speaker, compère, moderator, barrister and researcher. I moderate roundtables and retreats, deliver keynote speeches, conference panels and one-to-one coaching. For the right causes, I undertake CEO & board searches with optimistic leadership as the sought-after quality.
For the last two years, I have delivered keynote speeches and run many workshops on how to become more optimistic, optimistic leadership, strategy and innovation. I have given workshops in prison, schools, universities, boards, corporates, NGOs, conferences and retreats from Madrid to India to Phoenix, from Australia to New Zealand and the USA face-to-face and via video and social media.
My LinkedIn peers rate me highly for leadership & strategy, international relations, public policy, corporate governance and public relations. My professional qualifications & experience include law, economics, education, technology, innovation & environment.
My life experience includes stints as Commissioner to the Americas, 18 years a parliamentarian, practice as a barrister, mediator, arbitrator, businessman and board service. I was a Senior Engagement Adviser to the Australian G20 presidency focused on the G20 Finance Ministers & Central Bank Governors Meetings & the Brisbane G20 Leaders Summit described by the Prime Minister as “the most important gathering Australia has ever hosted.”