JAQUI LANE
Corporate Historian. Founder of The Book Adviser.
Jaqui Lane is the founder of The Book Adviser and one of Australia’s most experienced Corporate Historians. With 53 corporate history books and more than 150 executive authors guided to publication, her work sits at the intersection of legacy, leadership, and lasting credibility.
Whether working with major organisations or senior leaders, Jaqui’s role is clear: to ensure that serious stories are handled with professional rigour, strategic judgment, and publishing excellence.
Corporate Authority
Corporate Historian for Major Organisations
Jaqui Lane is one of Australia’s most experienced Corporate Historians, having researched and written more than 53 corporate and family business histories over three decades.
Her work has documented the stories of ASX-listed companies, private enterprises, industry bodies, charities and multi-generational family businesses. Across this work, she has interviewed thousands of founders, directors, executives, employees and stakeholders, preserving not only events, but the thinking and values behind them.
Corporate history, when done properly, is not nostalgia. It is disciplined research, contextual interpretation, and careful narrative construction. It defines how an organisation understands itself, and how it will be understood in the future.
These corporate history books are frequently commissioned at significant organisational moments:
Boards and executive teams work with Jaqui because she understands organisational complexity, governance sensitivity, and the responsibility inherent in recording a company’s past for future generations.
Proof in Action
Working with Jaqui was a game-changer, she guided me through self-publishing with ease and, crucially, showed me how to market my book to get real traction. Her expertise played a key role in the book gaining momentum, leading to website, podcast and now speaking, and eventually being picked up by a major publisher after winning a national award. Can’t thank her enough for her mentoring, as well as her ongoing support.
Marc Bineham
It was great having Jaqui as a coach running alongside me to help unpack the ‘mysteries’ of the entire process and, ultimately, provide me with the confidence and greater self-accountability I needed to succeed. It’ a great feeling when you get the final product in your hands, and it has helped in attracting and engaging with readers and future clients.
Phil Preston
The Work Behind the Work
Jaqui’s career in publishing spans more than 35 years.
She has published over 450 business books and written 53 company histories. Her experience covers the full spectrum of corporate and business publishing; from archival research and interviewing to editorial development, design, production, and distribution.
This breadth of experience gives her a rare perspective. She understands how organisations tell their stories. She understands how executives articulate their expertise. And she understands how books function, not only as publications, but as strategic assets.
One of her most recognised projects, IBM@70, chronicled seventy years of IBM in Australia and brought together the voices of employees, customers and partners. The book became both a commemorative milestone and a practical brand instrument, used internally and externally long after its launch.
Projects like these demonstrate what a well-constructed corporate history can do: strengthen identity, reinforce reputation, and connect stakeholders to a shared narrative.
The Book Adviser
Over time, executives began asking Jaqui a different question.
Having worked with her on company histories, many wanted guidance on writing their own business books — books that would articulate their thinking, distil their experience, and extend their influence beyond one-to-one conversations.
The Book Adviser was born from that need.
Through The Book Adviser, Jaqui has advised more than 150 business owners, consultants, directors and senior leaders through the full process of writing, self-publishing and marketing their business books. Her approach is structured, practical, and commercially aware.
She does not begin with writing. She begins with thinking.
From there, the process becomes manageable. Clear. Structured. Achievable.
As one client reflected, what began as a long-held ambition became a published book within twelve months, something they had not believed possible before engaging Jaqui’s guidance.
Another described her work as transformational, not only in shaping a manuscript, but in clarifying and organising years of research into a coherent and compelling narrative.
Across both corporate history and executive advisory work, the thread is consistent: disciplined thinking, professional standards, and respect for the reader.
Proof in Action
Jaqui not only managed the project with high integrity and conviction, but also brought some valuable thought leadership on what are very difficult topics. I highly recommend Jaqui’s authentic, professional approach to book publishing, including content, marketing and quality.
Tony Holmwood
Not only was she authentic, generous with her time and brutally honest, I loved her passionate desire to help my book project succeed … in other words, Jaqui Lane CARES! This is the difference between a successful book journey and one that it isn’t.
Nancy Youssef
Experience and Perspective
There is very little in the world of business publishing that Jaqui has not seen.
She has worked with listed companies and small enterprises, founders and boards, entrepreneurs and non-executive directors. She has observed how organisations evolve, how leaders articulate vision, and how easily important stories can be lost when they are not captured deliberately.
Her clients often remark on her clarity and honesty. Writing a book or documenting a company’s history is personal work. It requires judgement, discretion, and persistence. Jaqui brings all three.
The Common Thread
At first glance, Corporate Historian and Business Book Writing Adviser appear to be separate roles.
In practice, they are connected.
Whether working with an organisation preserving its legacy or an executive shaping their ideas for publication, Jaqui approaches the task with the same discipline: do the thinking first, do the research properly, and produce something that will stand the test of time.
The Book Adviser Team
Behind Jaqui’s work is a dedicated team who support the smooth delivery of programs, client services, and communications.
Donna Parker
Program Executive
Donna oversees operations and program coordination across The Book Adviser. She supports members of The Book Adviser Program, The Write Strategy Program, and Linkfluencer Lead Generation initiatives. Donna ensures the structure, systems, and communication behind every client engagement run seamlessly—allowing authors to focus on their work while the program delivery remains organised and consistent.
Desiree Escueta
Social Media Manager
Desiree leads The Book Adviser’s social media presence, sharing knowledge, insights, and updates across platforms. She also supports the promotion of clients’ books, helping extend their visibility and encourage aspiring authors to begin their own business book journey.
Zephyr
WFH Assistant & Mascot
Zephyr provides quiet companionship from the home office—most often found on the couch appearing deeply engaged in a book, though usually dreaming about fish and food. A gentle reminder that even serious work benefits from warmth and personality.