Ian Benton

Profile summary
The business practitioner side of Ian Benton’s life to multi-national Director level enhances the academic side (to doctoral level) and vice versa. Particularly, each keeps the other current and students benefit.

A Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago majoring in Innovation Economics & IT supported by commercial law completed in 1980 laid good foundation for an international marketing career with global heavyweights NEC and Unisys. The result was many years living and working across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. He cites cultural curiosity as a key driving force behind working enjoyably and successfully overseas.

He was Director of Global Market Strategy for London-based Descisys Corporation which provides significant IT systems to government Treasuries across the world for the decade to 2007. He remains a retained advisor on internationalization to the Chief Executive and teaches related post graduate business subjects at UNSW in the AGSM MBA Program & the Master of Business & Technology Program as both a Course Coordinator & Course Facilitator.

He completed his Master of Business Administration in 1995 and his Doctor of Business Administration in 2002. Given the combined field and academic aspects of his career, it is perhaps not surprising that his doctoral thesis was focused on mentoring the acquisition of business management skills. He has supervised several business doctoral students to completion.

One of his daughters is completing her undergraduate qualifications in international marketing and the other has completed her degree in international business and is building her career in New York.