2025 Top 50 Builders Lunch

TODD SAMPSON
Adventurer / TV Presenter /
Doco-maker / Businessman

JOHN FLECKER
Chief Executive Offer
Multiplex

SHANE GARRETT
Chief Economist
Master Builders Australia

Todd Sampson

The eclectic life of Todd Sampson began on Cape Breton Island, off the north east coast of Canada. His father was a factory worker for Coca-Cola and his mother a checkout girl for KFC.

Todd is the former national CEO of Leo Burnett and currently on the Board of Directors of Qantas. The Financial Review and News Limited ranked him as one of the most influential executives in Australia. He has won CEO of the Year twice and has featured on the cover of BRW magazine.

He is also the co-creator of the Earth Hour initiative – the largest environmental movements in history – reaching over 1.4 billion people in over 5500 cities.
Todd’s TV credits include the smash hit ABC show The Gruen Transfer, and the ground breaking science documentary series called Redesign My Brain which was one of the most watched Australian science documentaries of all time. It won the ACCTA Award for Best TV Documentary of the Year and is now being shown around the world on the Discovery Channel.

Todd is undoubtedly one of Australia’s freshest and interesting TV personalities with the ability to combine intelligent insight, with humility. One reviewer colourfully captured his unique ‘science adventurer’ style, “If Bear Grylls had a love child with Brian Cox, it would be Todd Sampson”.

He’s also climbed to the top of Mount Everest, unguided.

John Flecker

Commencing as a part time cadet Site Engineer in 1987, through to becoming Global CEO in 2019, John’s whole working life has been at Multiplex.

Multiplex operates locally led Regional businesses with globally shared experience, knowledge and systems to be “One Multiplex”, led by John as CEO.

Multiplex currently operates in Australia, the UK and Canada. John’s and the business’ core values align – committed to outperform for our people and our clients, with care and integrity.

Alongside his day job at Multiplex, John participates in several industry groups and Not for Profits, including:

• Director of the Australian Constructors Association 2010 – present. President 2016-17.
• Director of the Green Building Council of Australia 2013-2020.
• Director for the indigenous Literacy for Life Foundation from inception in 2014 – present.
• Chairman of the Scotch College WA Foundation Inc

Shane Garrett

Shane Garrett has served as Chief Economist of Master Builders Australia since 2018 and is based in Canberra.

Shane studied economics and maths at University College Cork, Ireland before beginning his career as economist at the Economic & Social Research Institute in Dublin. He later worked as economic consultant at London Economics and Indecon International Consultants.

Shane has lived in Australia since 2012 and was employed as Senior Economist at the Housing Industry Association for over five years before commencing at Master Builders Australia. Since arriving in Australia, Shane has offered his housing market analysis at numerous events all over the country and appeared frequently in the national and regional media.

He spearheads the production of Master Builders Australia’s keynote industry forecasts which are published twice per year as well as research around key economic issues.