Prof Hannah Brown

What if the very traits we’ve been told to “fix” could actually be the strengths the future of leadership needs most?

Professor Hannah Brown unpacks what it means to lead with an ADHD brain in today’s fast-moving, complex world. With warmth, humour, and a healthy dose of truth, she flips the script on traditional leadership theory — reframing distraction as divergent thinking, impulsivity as bold decision-making, and emotional intensity as empathetic connection.

Bio

Hannah Brown is an Adelaide-born, globally trained executive leader at the intersection of research, innovation, and impact. As Chief Idea Sparkler, Founder and CEO of Sparkle Ideas Lab, she helps organisations cut through the noise, make sense of complexity, and turn bold ideas into real-world change.

Her career spans leadership of the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) as Executive Director, and strategy, innovation and operations at the Victorian Heart Institute (VHI) .

Hannah thrives at the interface between science and society: breaking down barriers, building unlikely partnerships, and translating knowledge into action

Right now, she’s working on a range of exciting projects - including her book Wired to Lead, reimagining what modern leadership can look like when we celebrate the brains that don’t fit the mould.