John W. H. Denton AO FAIIA
John Denton is Chair of the Business Council of Australia’s Global Engagement Taskforce and Partner and CEO of Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
John W.H. Denton is a Partner and the Chief Executive Officer of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, a premium independent law firm based in Australia.
John is a global leader in three arenas; a legal expert in the areas of government, workplace relations, and international trade and investment; a national business leader and an international adviser on global policy. His advice is sought by the nation’s most prominent corporations and by governments and international bodies alike.
John was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2015 by the Governor-General in his capacity as Chancellor of the Order of Australia. He was recognised in 2015 “for his distinguished service to business and commerce, particularly in the legal profession, to the visual and performing arts sectors, to social welfare and the rights of refugees”. This award represents the highest recognition for outstanding achievement and service in Australia.
John is Chair of the Business Council of Australia’s (BCA) Global Engagement Taskforce; board member of Asialink and Asia Society; Chairman (emeritus) of the Experts Group on Trade and Investment in Indonesia and a founding member of the Australia China CEO Roundtable meetings.
John is one of two originating members of the B20, the business reference group of the G20 and is a member of the Australian B20 Leadership Group. He is also a member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) G20 CEO Advisory Group, the primary body for establishing the direction of business input within the G20 process.
John was a member of the Australian Government advisory panel overseeing the development of the ‘Australia in the Asian Century’ White Paper. He was on the Government’s Cabinet sub-committee for the White Paper review process published in October 2012 and later a member of the Strategic Advisory Board advising the Government on implementation and emerging policy issues.
John was a government appointed panel member of the Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness and has been Chairman of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Australia for more than a decade. He is a former diplomat, has a double degree in Arts and Law, and is a Harvard Business School alumnus.
John is recognised as one of the best labour law practitioners in the Asia Pacific by Asialaw Leading Lawyers Survey and one of Australia’s best government and trade lawyers in the Best Lawyers peer survey.