NEW MEMOIR · OCTOBER 2026
Not All Diamonds Are Worn
A diamond’s brilliance is not added from the outside. It is revealed by pressure, time, and what is cut away.
The woman who fought for love, fairness, equity, and women's right to lead.
The memoir of Avril Henry AM — from apartheid South Africa to the rooms where power is decided, and a lifetime spent opening doors for the women coming behind her.
"I was called difficult, disruptive, too direct, too political, too much. I was also trusted, sought out, and invited into rooms where decisions were made."
Avril Henry was born in apartheid South Africa, in Kimberley, the City of Diamonds, where worth was measured by cut, colour, and compliance, and a girl was told exactly where she did and did not belong.
A diamond-company scholarship carried her to the University of Cape Town, where she marched against the regime, was tear-gassed alongside her fellow students, and, by 21, had earned a place on the security police watch list. She soon moved to Australia with two suitcases and $500 to build a life that demanded silence in exchange for belonging.
What she built instead changed the world of work. Over four decades, she coached some of the most powerful leaders on earth – defence chiefs, diplomats, CEOs, and heads of state – teaching them that equity is not a slogan but a strategy. Named a Member of the Order of Australia and one of 2025’s Global Women of Influence, she has spent her life turning unfairness into hope.
THE STORY
Part of the proceeds from the book will fund the Avril Henry & Associates Scholarship at the Country Universities Centre Southern Shoalhaven in Ulladulla, NSW. It supports one female mature age student, aged 25 or over, who has not studied before, covering their university or TAFE costs from the 2027 academic year.
Not All Diamonds Are Worn Launch Events
Sydney Book Launch
Thursday 8 October 2026
6:00–8:00 pm
CPA Australia, Sydney CBD
Avril will be joined by special guest Ann Sherry AO for a conversation about her memoir, leadership and equality, followed by an audience Q&A, book personalisation and photographs.
Tickets include canapés, drinks and a signed hardcover copy of Not All Diamonds Are Worn, valued at $55.
Mollymook Book Launch
Wednesday 14 October 2026
From 6:00 pm
Cupitt’s Estate, Ulladulla
Avril will be joined by special guest Wendy McCarthy AC for an evening including arrival drinks and a canapé, a two-course meal, conversation and audience Q&A.
Signed hardcover copies of Not All Diamonds Are Worn will be available to purchase at the event.
Reviews for Not All Diamonds Are Worn
"A powerful testament to courage, resilience, and the extraordinary strength that emerges when we claim our own worth… both deeply personal and profoundly universal."
— Elizabeth Broderick AO, Founder, Champions of Change Coalition
"Trailblazer. Changemaker. Fighter for a fairer world. This is a story of resilience and persistence, a reminder that one person really can shift the dial. Inspiring, raw, and utterly captivating."
— Holly Ransom, Founder & CEO, Emergent
The Leadership Revelations Series
Leadership Revelations – An Australian Perspective
Increasingly Australian employees, particularly Generation X and Y are seeking to work in organisations that demonstrate strong leadership and commitment to the people within the organisation. Leadership Revelations - An Australian Perspective addresses important skills that can be developed, and the case for creating positive work environments.
Out of stock
Leadership Revelations II - How Australians Lead In Crises
“Must read. Best brain food” - AFR Boss, 2012
Leadership Revelations II returns to the contributors from Avril's first book — and introduces new ones — to ask how a financial crisis of global significance, alongside political instability at home and abroad, has changed their organisations and their own leadership. Spanning the private and public sectors, politics, not-for-profits and future leaders, it maps the trends, strategies and character crisis reveals.
$25 + GST
Leadership Revelations III - How We Achieve the Gender Tipping Point
Avril draws on the stories of 91 women from ten countries and four generations, all of them describing unfair treatment men rarely encounter. She tests the myths that surround women at work, asks what women believe about themselves and each other, and what men believe about them. The result is a practical handbook: strategies and change management options for organisations, and for anyone who wants a fairer deal for their partner, sisters, daughters and friends.
$35 + GST
Inspiring Tomorrow’s Leaders Today
In this work, Avril takes a comprehensive profile of the cultural, political and ideological factors which have shaped the various mentalities and values of each generation and examines how these values impact working and social relationships. From an analysis of the factors which engender company loyalty and job satisfaction, to an examination into the centrality of corporate branding, Inspiring Tomorrow’s Leaders Today is a distillation of the wisdom and insights Avril has gained throughout her outstanding international career.
Out of stock
Benny Boo’s Parade of Joy
A delightful book for children and the child at heart alike. Dedicated to the love of dogs and their antics and reminding us how to live in the moment!
$20 + GST
All proceeds from the sale of Benny Boo’s Parade of Joy go to Dog Rescue.
Place an order
Complete the form to order from Avril’s available back catalogue. You will receive an invoice and payment information.