Chris Hanley runs one of the most successful real estate agencies in the country and is the founder of one of Australia’s major literary events.

He is passionate about books, ideas and words, and has travelled across the globe attending writers’ festivals from Rajasthan to Galway. He has interviewed some of the world’s best-known writers, including Anne Enright, DBC Pierre, MJ Hyland, Tom Keneally and Geoff Dyer.

Chris’s public speaking extends into the business world, where he has been invited to present keynote addresses across Australia, New Zealand and Asia for real estate conferences and beyond, on topics that include leadership

and organisational culture.

He works with individuals and organisations as a business coach and is a mentor through formal programs with young indigenous students at Southern Cross University and for Sydney University business students. One of his favourite roles as Principal at First National Real Estate Byron Bay is mentoring young real estate trainees, and he is proud of the strong, positive culture in his business that has been independently benchmarked and recognised.

Chris’s depth and breadth of involvement in business, the arts, education and as a speaker and trainer demonstrates his wide-ranging curiosity and commitment to learning.

Chris was recently honored with an Order Of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to literature, and to Indigenous education as well as Byron Shire’s Citizen Of The Year. Both awards are in recognition of the exceptional work Chris has done for the local community through his work with the writers festival as well as with numerous organisations and initiatives including the Byron Bay Masterplan Group.