By Sonia Isaacs
Newly appointed Sunshine Coast Council CEO John Baker has stepped into the role with a unique blend of global experience and personal alignment to the region’s lifestyle. Mr Baker, who began his five-year term in December 2024, brings decades of leadership across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors—including senior roles at Ernst & Young, KPMG, and most recently as Chief Executive Officer of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
Speaking to GC&M News, Mr Baker said the move to the Sunshine Coast was driven by both professional opportunity and personal appeal. “I’ve spent a lot of time in Queensland during my 11 years in Australia and always loved it,” he said. “I’m a sailor by background—so this lifestyle really aligns with me.”
With his three adult children now independent, he said the timing felt right for a relocation. “Two of them are threatening to move up here with me—they love it too. I expect I’ll see a lot more of them in winter than summer,” he said.
Professionally, the role offers the kind of challenge he thrives on. “This is regarded as a high performing organisation, but it’s facing financial and development pressures,” Mr Baker said. “That’s very much in my wheelhouse.” A former partner at EY and KPMG, he has also led major transformation projects with a focus on meaningful community engagement—something he sees as vital for the region’s future. “There’s an opportunity to lift how we engage with the community, particularly around change,” he said.
He pointed to the need to balance growth with protecting the Coast’s natural character, drawing on lessons from his past. “I lived on the outskirts of London in Sittingbourne, Kent—a beautiful greenbelt area that was gradually denuded by development. It became unrecognisable.”
“With the growth forecast here, there’s pressure to expand urban boundaries – but we do that at our peril.”
As he embarks on this new role, Mr Baker is clear about his personal commitment to the region. “I love this place. This is where I’m going to live for the rest of my life, so I’d better look after it,” he joked.