Alex White is regarded as a leading thinker and strategist within the trade union movement.
Now working with the ACTU as Director of Growth, he is responsible for leading digital communications, insights, technology development, marketing and digital & mass media advertising.
As Secretary of UnionsACT, he effectively led the ACT union movement from 2014-2020. In that time Alex rebuilt the organisation into a high-impact peak council with a sharp focus on young workers, women’s rights and workplace safety.
Before taking up the leadership role at UnionsACT, Alex was the Campaigns Director for Environment Victoria, and before that national union services manager at Slater & Gordon.
He has also worked in the disability sector as fundraising manager for Victoria’s oldest intellectual disability service, as campaign coordinator for several unions, and as a lecturer and tutor in public relations at Victoria University.
Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree and a Masters of Public Policy focusing on climate change from the University of Melbourne. He also holds a postgraduate degree in Management at the Melbourne Business School, and a specialist certificate in executive leadership.
In 2012-15, Alex wrote a weekly column, called Southern Crossroads, for The Guardian UK’s environment pages, focusing on climate change.
He is a Climate Reality Project Presenter and was personally trained by the Hon. Al Gore in 2009. From 2008-12 Alex was National Secretary of the Labor Environment Action Network.
Alex was a board member of Greenpeace Australia-Pacific from 2013-16, was a board member of The Wilderness Society (Victoria) from 2012-2014, and was a director of the ACT Council of Social Services. He was a member of the ACTU Executive from 2014-2020.
A published author, Alex has guest lectured at Victoria University on public relations and media management, and guest lectured at US institutions.
With over a decade of experience Alex has led winning campaigns in the union and climate movements.
Alex has experience in building respectful workplace cultures and high-performing teams, focusing on collaborative and empowering leadership.
Alex has held senior governance roles and sits on numerous boards and advisory councils.
Alex is a former director of Greenpeace, the Wilderness Society, and the ACT Council of Social Services. He was a member of the Work Safety Council, the Ministerial Advisory Council on Climate Change, the ACT Public Sector Workers Compensation Advisory Council and the Secure Local Jobs Advisory Council, among others.
A published author, Alex has written for publications such as the Guardian and the Canberra Times.
Alex also writes a fortnightly newsletter read by over 400 union and progressive leaders in Australia, the UK, the EU and Canada.