Howard Waldron

Howard Waldron is the Co-Founder and Director of Lotsearch, an Australian environmental risk and spatial intelligence company helping professionals make better-informed decisions about land, property when conducting environmental due diligence.

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Howard co-founded Lotsearch in 2014 with Peter Rodgers after seeing first-hand how fragmented and difficult it was to access clear, reliable environmental and historical land-use data. What began as a solution to a very real industry gap has grown into a trusted service used by environmental consultants, lawyers, conveyancers and property professionals across Australia.

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With deep experience in data, systems and spatial analysis, as the general manager Howard leads Lotsearch’s business development, sales and marketing functions as well as helping to set the overall company strategy.

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Howard is an active contributor to industry discussions on environmental risk and contamination. He regularly participates in webinars, panels and industry forums, and has provided evidence to government inquiries, including a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into PFAS contamination, where he highlighted gaps in land contamination disclosure and the importance of better spatial data to support risk assessment.

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Before founding Lotsearch, Howard spent eight years at the University of Sydney in senior roles focused on research reporting, data quality and benchmarking. Prior to moving to Australia, he began his career in the UK with Landmark Information Group, where he developed a strong foundation in sourcing large volumes of environmental data and turning it into meaningful, practical insight.

 

Getting under the hood with Howard

We know that business is ultimately about people and that trust, rapport and shared values are what underpin strong, long-lasting professional relationships.

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At Lotsearch, we’re big believers in  people who genuinely care about making a difference and protecting the environment - people that are grounded, reliable, and good to work with. That philosophy starts with our founders and runs right through the team.

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So, before you dig into the data, here’s a look beneath the surface at Howard Waldron and the people behind Lotsearch, because understanding the ground you’re standing on applies just as much to people as it does to land.

 

Outside the office, what does life look like for Howard?

Howard spends most of his time outside work with his wife and two young children. While evenings can be wonderfully chaotic, weekends are usually spent enjoying the simple things, trips to the local wildlife park, playgrounds or waterparks.

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Having recently moved into a home with a backyard, Howard is slowly adjusting to the realities of lawn and hedge maintenance and admits to a love–hate relationship with Bunnings. When time allows, he enjoys reading and catching up on sleep.

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What does Howard enjoy most about working at Lotsearch?

Despite everything that comes with running a growing business, Howard is still a geographer at heart. He loves analysing old aerial photos and maps and seeing how land has evolved over time, curiosity meeting purpose.

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One of the most rewarding parts of his role is hearing from clients who share how Lotsearch reports have genuinely helped their investigations or due diligence. Knowing the data has made a real difference is deeply satisfying.

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He’s also incredibly proud of the Lotsearch team, who put up with a lot as he continues to push boundaries, and whose commitment, care and patience make the business what it is.

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What achievements stand out most over the Lotsearch journey?

There have been many meaningful milestones along the way, including:

• Receiving Lotsearch’s very first order

• Relocating our headquarters to  a prestigious office in North Sydney

• Celebrating the company’s 10-year anniversary

• Winning the CRC CARE Industry Award for Innovation

• Delivering the 100,000th Lotsearch report

Each represents another layer of growth, not just for the business, but for the people behind it.

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Biggest learning from the industry so far?

Howard believes the environmental industry is ultimately about people, highly skilled, deeply committed individuals working toward a greater cause. Being surrounded by people who care deeply about improving and protecting the environment is something he finds genuinely inspiring.

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He’s also learned the importance of balance. In the early growth phase of Lotsearch, the pressure to scale and succeed was challenging. Today, he’s more conscious of sustainability, not just in land use, but in leadership, taking time to acknowledge what has already been achieved and building the business in a way that is healthy, grounded and enduring.