Irene Liakos🇦🇺

About Irene Liakos

Product Advisor, Coach, Trainer, Consultant at Phronesis Advisory

I love solving problems. Painful problems. Things that make the world a better place. At the same time, I want to help others on their problem solving journey - in product management, entrepreneurship or starting a business.

A product and marketing professional and innovative senior problem solver with 20 years of experience within every aspect of product management, product marketing and partnership management, including team leadership. Comfortable with the with the C-Suite, Irene has been a Product Leader since her time leading Product at Virgin Mobile (2016) and later at VP of Product at Citi (2018), a Product Trainer and Mentor since 2018, teaching hundreds of product people while continuing to improve her craft (completed an MBA, learning through Reforge).

Offers verifiable success in every aspect of product management, business development and marketing: crafted Product Visions, Strategies, Roadmaps, Customer Research (job to be done, product market fit, willingness to pay), competitive analysis, led agile development teams, created products with built in virality, developed business cases, negotiated commercial agreements and developed partnerships, ensured stakeholder commitment and ownership of the strategy, championed the vision and presented to CEO and C-Suite level stakeholders.

Recognised for expertise and focus on creating products and experiences customers love, adding value to the customer, business, and shareholders, and for owning two highly innovative products that have redefined customer behaviour and expectation and have set product trends – which is a rare accomplishment in product management field. She’s also launched her own product.

Expertise

Sessions with Irene Liakos

• Mentorship Session (30 min): General mentorship
• Thriving in a Product Transformation (55 min): Find yourself in an organisation that is Transformating to the Product Model. Need support to navigate the human side of change. I've taught both Product Management and the neuroscience of Change. Let's navigate how to manage the unexpected side effects of a Product Transformation and Change.
• Startup: Idea Validation & Growth (45 min): Discover entrepreneurship and innovation in our mentorship series. Learn startup fundamentals, validate ideas, and create a compelling business plan. Master marketing, financial management, and navigate challenges. Ignite your entrepreneurial spirit and turn dreams into reality. Book now to unlock your potential for business success.
• Product Leadership & Career Growth (45 min): Navigate the complexities of Product Leadership (the soft skills of Product Management). Empathy and Influencing for stakeholders, partners, peers and managers. Understanding how organisations work and the nuances within culture. Scaling product profitably. Empowering teams. Providing context. Inspiring Product Vision and Strategy. Managing team dynamics. Managing up and more. Best for Senior Product Managers seeking to get better at the product craft, understanding and influencing people.

What mentees say

“I had a really valuable mentoring session with Irene while navigating my transition into Product Ownership roles. What stood out most was how approachable and supportive she was. When I felt stuck, her advice helped me regain clarity and confidence. I’d highly recommend her to anyone looking to break into or grow within Product Ownership.”

“I’m grateful to have a mentoring session with Irene. She’s encouraging and motivating, always helping me see challenges with confidence. Irene is resourceful, sharing valuable references and pointing me toward possible solutions. Above all, she’s approachable and easy to connect with, which makes learning from her both insightful and enjoyable.”

“Irene’s mentorship was sharp, experienced, and deeply relevant to product work. Her coaching cut straight to what mattered — clear, actionable insight rooted in real experience. She helped me reframe challenges with confidence and clarity. Her depth of experience and direct style make her an invaluable coach for anyone in product.”