Speakers Profile - Grant Williams










Travels From:
Sydney

Fee Range: E


Grant Williams has established a formidable career in the Australian media landscape most recently as a
senior executive at the Nine Network. For the last 7 years he has held the position of National Executive Producer at Nine and oversees the highly successful and top rating nightly public affairs program 'A
Current Affair'.

Prior to commencing his journalism and television career Grant was a well-respected Detective with the New South Wales Police Force and performed specialist criminal investigation duties for just under 10 years. Offences for which he has arrested, interviewed and charged offenders include murder, wounding offences, robbery whilst armed, extortion, supply prohibited drug and aggravated sexual assault. He investigated complex murders and other acts of violence, intimidation and extortion involving drugs and organised crime in the Chinatown area and was involved in the investigation of numerous extortions
against businesses and corporations including the 'Colgate Palmolive Cyanide Threat'.

Grant was a member of a Task Force investigating over 20 armed robberies on financial institutions in the Sydney metropolitan area involving the shooting of Westpac bank staff and was also directly involved in the subsequent arrest of a number of heavily armed and dangerous offenders. He also performed duties with the Surveillance Branch where he conducted covert surveillance operations on numerous murder, bank robbery and extortion offenders and travelled extensively throughout New South Wales conducting
long term surveillance on the dangerous offenders responsible for the armed robbery and theft of over
one million dollars in cash from an armoured van at Orange Airport.

He subsequently led investigations as case officer of protracted and complex fraud matters and arrested,
interviewed and charged numerous offenders including CEO's, company directors and solicitors with offences including conspiracy to defraud, fraudulent misappropriation, money laundering, make and use false instrument and various other deception offences.

He was selected to represent the New South Wales Police Force on exchange to the Australian Federal Police in 1995 where he was involved in federal investigations including drug and money laundering matters.

In 1996 he was selected as a trainee negotiator with the NSW Police Force's elite State Protection Group. This experience further heightened and developed his interpersonal skills to such a degree where he had the capacity to contribute to the successful resolution of high risk incidents.

During the course of his police career he received training and qualifications in advanced criminal investigation, police management and areas of specialist policing including surveillance, hostage
negotiation and arson investigation.

In 1999, the Nine Network offered Grant a position as a producer on the flagship program A Current Affair and from that point he made every post a winner. For four years he also performed regular stints
as Chief-of-Staff and specialised in longer form investigations, many of which led to the subsequent arrest and jailing of targets he had identified and investigated. He then spent 12 months producing hosts Steve
Liebmann and Tracy Grimshaw and also experienced reporting on the national breakfast program 'Today'.

It was at this juncture in 2005, Grant's remarkable media career took another significant turn when he was contacted by John Laws, Australia's King of Radio. Laws had no hesitation in hiring Grant as his right
hand man and executive producer of his highly successful morning radio program syndicated nationally to over 70 stations. Grant developed a wonderful working relationship with John Laws and subsequently added another layer of incredible skills to his repertoire having thrived in an industry where he was trained by the best in the business.

The Nine Network then came knocking again, this time asking Grant to move to the Melbourne studio's of GTV9 Richmond. Grant took charge of the Melbourne operations of A Current Affair which also
involved producing host Tracy Grimshaw and regular fill in host Eddie McGuire. Grant then led a team of talented reporters and producers who covered the horrific Black Saturday bush fires and it was subsequent to those tragic events Grant was appointed National Executive Producer, the Sydney based
role he continues to perform to this day.

He has now broadcast almost 2000 episodes of the program, which in 2015 was the only show on any channel on Australian television to continue to grow its audience
year on year.

Grant's multitude of skills and incredible scope of experience now places him as one of the country's most talented and well regarded television executives. He has been nominated for a number of
prestigious Walkley Awards along the way, the highest honour in Australian journalism.

In 2012 'The Power Index' nominated Grant as one of 'Australia's 15 most powerful journalists and editors'.
He is also a hands-on leader and has commissioned and led major investigations on the program including those into the Hey Dad television program which led to the charging and jailing of its star Robert Hughes. He was also involved in the investigation and identification of offences in connection with
disgraced federal MP Craig Thomson.

Away from investigative journalism, Grant has commissioned and produced countless high rating television specials including the only ever interview and documentary on the life of Australian TV pioneer
Reg Grundy.

Grant is highly regarded in the fields of crisis management, problem solving and team work. He has been frequently called upon by the leadership at the Nine Network to perform these functions in relation to
instances of a highly sensitive and commercially delicate nature both within and outside the business. He is a masterful team player and also an astute reader of the play in any set of circumstances.

His awareness of what makes the audience and the consumer tick is second to none and his insights about how to get your company's message across or to develop or protect your brand are as impressive
as his investigative and storytelling skills.

There are plenty of so called crisis management and public relations 'experts' out there, but who better to give advice about what to do if 'A Current Affair' lands on your doorstep than the man who runs it.

Grant Williams will undoubtedly become one of the country's most in-demand keynote corporate speakers and consultants to Australian business in crisis management, handling the media, brand
protection and leadership.