Vale John Burns

Talan Miller, John Burns and Dr David Marriott at a Belbin conference in Sydney circa 2012

It is with great sadness that Belbin announces the passing of one of the world’s most respected Belbin experts and practitioners, John Burns, who died shortly before Easter in Victoria.

Kenneth ‘John’ Burns FAusIMM, MBA, B.Eng (Metall.)

30 December 1938 – 14 April 2025

Together with the late Dr David Marriott, John was a pioneer in introducing and advancing the use of the Belbin Team Roles model in Australia. Both were close colleagues of Dr Meredith Belbin during the model’s formative years, working alongside him at Cambridge, Henley Management College, and later bringing Belbin insights to Australian leaders through elite leadership programs and conferences at Mount Eliza Business School.

John was for many years entrusted with chairing Belbin’s prestigious global conferences and symposiums in Cambridge. His remarkable ability to lead, distil, and articulate the collective wisdom of some of the brightest minds in the room became legendary. He was deeply respected by clients and colleagues alike for his intellect, leadership, and exceptional facilitation skills.

With the recent loss of both Dr Meredith Belbin and John Burns, and the earlier passing of our dear friend and colleague Dr David Marriott, we'd like to think that somehow these brilliant minds may be reunited—engaging once again in their spirited intellectual and philosophical exchanges.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to John’s family during this difficult time.