In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Ben Marsonet, CEO of Altus Group, on The 6 stages of executive evolution, leading with visibility, and how powerful stories shape culture.

With over 15 years of experience in the traffic management industry, Ben has held various operational, commercial and senior management roles at Altus Group, the largest and leading provider of traffic management services across Australia and New Zealand.

Starting on the frontline as a traffic controller, Ben worked his way up into executive roles before being appointed to the role of Group CEO in July 2021.

Since his appointment, he has led the business through a successful private equity investment, as well as doubling revenue and earnings of the business through a mix of organic growth and acquisition activity.

Ben has an immense passion for the safety and growth of people, and about leading a business that has a genuine impact on its employees and the communities it operates in.

In this CEO masterclass, we talk about:

✅ How curiosity and saying ‘yes’ to challenges will accelerate your career growth

✅ Integrating new teams during M&A while protecting a cohesive company culture and momentum

✅ Why spending time on the frontline strengthens employee connection authentically, and

✅ How vulnerability and sharing real stories builds trust, unity and a thriving workplace.

Connecting with Ben Marsonet

You can connect with Ben via LinkedIn.

Books and resources

• The Shaka Project – by Sean Weir

Similar Episodes on storytelling

• Shane Russell, CEO of Havas Red Australia, on How to avoid PR disasters and build your company brand and customer engagement.
• Dean Hawkins, CFO Adidas, Chairman SKINS and CEO of eo, on The power of a brand, creatively telling the story of the business, and turning alchemy into the extraordinary.
• Daniel Hunter, CEO of Business NSW, on The new breed of CEO, purposeful storytelling and building teams.

“If you want to know how you actually build a culture, it’s through stories you tell of the amazing things that people do inside of the business that make you sit back in awe.”

On saying yes to opportunities

• I've always been a default yes person; if an opportunity came up, I said yes first and worked out how to do it later.
• Saying yes led me to challenges and experiences I never expected; some defined my career.
• It’s a double-edged sword; sometimes you take on too much and burn yourself out, but the learning curve is worth it.
• Taking on new challenges forced me to grow quickly, adapt and build confidence in my own ability.
• Many times, people around me saw potential in me that I didn’t see in myself; saying yes allowed me to prove them right.

On leadership lessons from the frontline

• I started leading teams at 20 as a traffic controller; managing people far more experienced than me.
• Learning to influence people rather than just manage them was a key early lesson.
• People just want to be heard; often, the best leadership move is to listen before making decisions.
• Leadership isn’t about knowing everything; it’s about knowing how to connect with and motivate those around you.
• Authenticity and kindness are crucial; people can see through inauthentic leadership a mile away.

On moving from operations to CEO

• I went from being a traffic controller to CEO without a degree; practical experience taught me more than any textbook ever could.
• When I first took over a business unit, I had never seen a P&L before and had to learn financials on the fly.
• My first big leadership challenge saw the business drop from $16M revenue to $8M in six months; failure was my best teacher.
• We turned it around and grew it to $50M in three years; learning how to scale a business under pressure was invaluable.
• Strategy and values became my guiding principles; without them, I would have been lost at multiple points in my career.

On dealing with growth and acquisitions

• M&A is tough; 70% of deals fail globally, mostly due to cultural clashes rather than financial missteps.
• Our early mistakes were trying to be too accommodating; now, we integrate businesses into our structure rather than bending ours to fit them.
• We stick to our five core values and strategy; compromising on them weakens the company in the long run.
• We created a SWAT team to handle acquisitions; our executive team focuses on operations while a dedicated team handles integrations.
• Integration needs to be swift; 60 to 90 days max, or you risk dragging out uncertainty and damaging morale.

On building a strong company culture

• Culture isn’t just words on a wall; it’s the foundation of everything we do.
• Our values, like GSD (Get Sh*t Done), aren’t corporate fluff; they reflect how we actually operate every day.
• “Protect the protectors” is how we talk about safety; it’s not just a rule, it’s a core part of our mission.
• Stories shape culture; people remember real examples more than they remember policies or PowerPoint slides.
• A strong culture beats flashy perks; people don’t stay for free lunches, they stay for a workplace that respects and supports them.

On leading with visibility

• 80-90% of my role is engaging with the business; I can’t lead effectively from behind a desk.
• I spend more time in the field than in the office because that’s where our people are.
• Any traffic controller can call me anytime; I always return their calls because if they take the time to reach out, it matters.
• No egos here; if an executive isn’t connected to the frontline, they won’t last in our business.
• Recognition matters; something as simple as a phone call or a handwritten note makes a massive difference in morale.

On dealing with stalled careers

• First, help people realise they’ve stalled; if they don’t see it, they won’t change.
• The best employees ask for help; if someone wants to grow, we’ll put everything behind them.
• If they don’t acknowledge they’re stuck, then a tough conversation is needed about their future.
• The best leaders are always learning, evolving and seeking out new challenges.

On men’s mental health

• Men’s mental health awareness has improved massively in the last five years, but there’s still work to do.
• Vulnerability and kindness among men, especially in blue-collar industries, need to be normalised.
• Leading with personal stories makes a difference; if senior leaders open up, it sets the tone for the whole company.
• Preventative conversations are more important than crisis management; waiting until someone is in crisis is too late.

On key hiring insights

• The most important interview question I ask is: “What’s important to you?”; it reveals cultural fit instantly.
• Cultural fit is non-negotiable; skills can be taught, but values and attitude are harder to change.
• Hiring for attitude and training for skill has been the key to building strong teams.
• If someone’s ego doesn’t align with our values, they won’t last in our organisation.

Final message of wisdom and hope for future leaders

• People are incredible; potential exists in places you wouldn’t expect.
• The best way to unlock potential is to go deep; get to know the people around you, listen to their stories and support their growth.
• Human beings are capable of extraordinary things when given the right opportunities and encouragement.

Stay epic,

Greg