Six Degrees appoints Queensland's Director - Chris Barr

Chris Barr joined Six Degrees Executive in 2018 to manage our Sydney Supply Chain team. Eight years later, we are delighted to announce his appointment of State Director - Queensland, relocating to Brisbane to take on the next phase of his career.

Chris's trajectory is the result of always putting his hand up, his incredible candidate and client care, people managment skills - always pushing his team to be the best they can be, supporting them at each hurdle and celebrating them at each win. Chris's future focused, empathetic work ethic will continue to grow our Queensland footprint and deepening our capabilites. 

The journey that got him here

Chris's trajectory is a gradual accumulation of high impact moments and opportunities he leaned into.

"The business invests in people's growth and creates opportunities for those willing to lean in and contribute," he says. 

"Over time, I found myself contributing more broadly across the business at a national level leading or playing a part in initiatives, projects and mentoring which shifted my thinking from simply leading within my own function to thinking more strategically about people, growth and the impact you can have on others - whether that’s helping someone progress their career, developing future leaders or contributing to broader business outcomes."

"And that’s when it clicked - you’re not just building your own career anymore. You’re directly playing a part in shaping the future of the business. That’s probably the biggest reason I’ve stayed for eight years. There’s always been something bigger to build towards."

The moment it all came together

By the time the Queensland opportunity arose, Chris already knew he was ready for something bigger. The professional timing aligned with something personal too.

"My husband and I had recently got married, and moving to Queensland was always part of the plan - being closer to family, putting down roots, a genuine sea change. But if you'd asked us six months ago, we would have said at least another 18 months away."

But of course the timeline accelerated, and having led the Sydney supply chain team for a significant period, Chris was conscious of the space a long-tenured leader occupies - and what becomes possible for others when that space opens up.

"I wanted to create room for others in Sydney to step up and have their own career-defining moments. Sometimes moving forward means making space for others to do the same."

Despite this, Chris is excited about joining our fastest growing team "Brisbane has this incredible energy -there's buzz, there's growth, there's opportunity. It felt like the kind of city that's on the move, and I wanted to be part of that."

What it takes to let someone go

Alastair Pennie has worked closely with Chris across his entire tenure in Sydney. He describes him as diligent, thorough and deeply compassionate - qualities that show up consistently with both clients, his team and the wider business.

"He runs a very thorough process and has been able to embed that diligence in his team. He has a high care factor which means customers feel his full engagement and his team feel fully supported."

Recommending Chris for the Queensland role wasn't a straightforward decision. Alistair was clear-eyed about what it would cost Sydney.

"I definitely knew what I was doing when I recommended Chris for this role and I knew my own state would be impacted. Despite the risks of that, the risk of not offering Chris the right career progression, and not creating opportunity for the Sydney team was an even greater risk."

Backing someone's growth when it impacts your own team is different to supporting it in principle. Alistair's decision relects the pure intention of developing those around him, and what that commitment looks like when tested.

A move that's been made before

Kristan De Sousa has her own version of this story. Almost a decade ago she left Victoria to move to Brisbane and open the Queensland office, starting with a team of two. That office now sits at close to twenty people, with a strong presence across corporate and government contracting, permanent and executive search.

"The decision was scary but equally exciting," she says. "You only get so many moments in life to make a courageous decision and shake things up. It was single-handedly the most significant professional growth I have ever experienced. They say growth only truly happens in the uncomfortable - and that was very true."

Chris joining the Queensland team is something Kristan speaks about with visible excitement. "The most exciting part will be the energy he injects into the team and the market - and the fun he creates alongside it. We're very aligned in our passion for recruitment and the role it can play for candidates, clients and the economy. He brings his own unique style and expertise and I'm so excited to have the Queensland team continue to build in capability and experience."

Carving a path for internal movement

Alexandra Adams, Head of People and Culture at Six Degrees Executive, is direct about where this outcome came from.

"Leadership development is built over time through stretch opportunities, ongoing investment and consistently demonstrating capability, accountability and growth. Over eight years, Chris has done all of that - he's led strategic projects, supported teams through change, contributed to operational improvements and played an active role in developing others."

One of the things that made this transition viable wasn't only Chris's readiness for the role. Through his involvement in national initiatives and learning and development programmes across the business, he had already built relationships and credibility within the Queensland team long before his move.

"Successful internal mobility requires more than simply moving someone into a new role," Alexandra says. "It requires clear support structures, trust, alignment and ongoing investment. Ensuring individuals are set up for success means maintaining regular leadership support, clear communication and the space for people to establish themselves authentically within a new team."

What's ahead

Chris steps into Queensland with a  very clear brief - driving the market and people growth strategy alongside Kristan. Chris's role now is to bring his own experience and energy to that foundation - in a market that, with the 2032 Olympics on the horizon and Brisbane's current momentum, has significant runway ahead.

"Staying close to the work and the relationships is what it's all about," he says.