OUR TEAM

Barbara Cail is the founder, owner and operator of Rala Information Services – of which she is immediate past Executive Chair – managed 12 industry and business-based magazines, books and exhibitions. In 1984 she created Portfolio magazine for businesswomen, leading to the formation of CEW from a group of women featured in its pages. Initially affiliated with Women Chiefs of Enterprise based in Paris, after four years the group was renamed Chief Executive Women.  Barbara has been a constant advocate for women in business.

She is the past Chair of NSW Government Small Business Development Board, Director of the State Development Board, Director of the Taxation Research Council, Chair of ASIC Financial Development, Director of Alzheimer’s NSW, Chairman Alzheimer’s Advisory Committee, Member of the Salvation Army Appeals Board, and a Director of Independent Living. She was also a Member of the Federal Government Task Force – Leadership and Management and is on various advisory panels to State and Federal Government. She is Governor of The Smith Family Council.

Imelda Roche co-founded Nutrimetics International (Australia) Pty Limited in 1968 and acquired its worldwide interests in 1991. Nutrimetics was subsequently sold to the Sara Lee Corporation in 1997. Imelda has served on numerous boards and committees and received several honours, including an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1995 and The Centenary Medal in 2001. Imelda has served on a number of boards and committees, most notably: St Vincent’s Hospital‚ Sisters of Charity Foundation‚ Garvan Medical Research Foundation‚ Bond University School of Business, Bond University Council‚ Business/Higher Education Round Table – Executive Committee, IDP – International Development Program of Australian Universities, Australian International Education Foundation Council, Macquarie University Graduate School of Management, Asia Australia Institute – University of NSW, Committee for Quality of Teacher Education – NSW Government, Australia Young Leaders Program Inc, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme in Australia, John Brown Foundation, APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation) Pacific Business Forum, APEC Business Advisory Council, Trade Policy Advisory Council of the Australian Government, Economic Development Council of the NSW State Government, CEDA – Committee for Economic Development of Australia, Family Business Australia, NSW Chapter, World Federation of Direct Selling Associations, Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, Air Services Australia, and Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games.

Ita Buttrose was Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) from 2019 to March 2024. The 2013 Australian of the Year, she has held executive and editing roles for major Australian media companies including Australian Consolidated Press (now Are Media), News Ltd and Fairfax, and has run her own media company, Capricorn Publishing. She has served on the boards of Australian Consolidated Press, News Ltd, and Television & Telecasters Pty Ltd (Network TEN). She has worked in print, radio and television and has written 11 books. She was inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame in 2017.

A founding member and former president of Chief Executive Women, she is a committed community and welfare contributor and chaired Arthritis Australia 2003-06 and Alzheimer’s (now Dementia) Australia from 2011-14. She has been National Ambassador for Dementia Australia since 2014 and a member of the Sydney Symphony Council since 2010.

She chaired the National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACAIDS) from 1984-88. Her committee spearheaded Australia’s national HIV/AIDS education program. She later chaired the AIDS Trust of Australia from 1990-94.

In 2014, Sydney’s Macquarie University conferred an Honorary Doctor of Letters on Ita in recognition of her contribution to the arts. In 2015, she was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of Wollongong for her contribution to mental health and ageing. In 2018, Ita was conferred Doctor of the University – Honorary Medicine Doctorate by University of New South Wales for eminent service to health and for being an inspirational role model for aspiring women in business and those wanting to make a difference in society.

In 2019, Ita was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for eminent service to the community through leadership in the media, the arts and the health sector, and as a role model. She had been made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1988 for her services to the community, especially in the field of medical education and health care. She received an OBE for her services to journalism in 1979 and the Centenary Medal in 2003 for business leadership to Australian society.

Wendy McCarthy is an experienced executive and company director who began her career as a secondary school teacher. She moved out of the classroom into public life in 1968 and, since then, has worked for change across the public, private and community sectors, in education, women’s rights, public health, overseas aid and development, media and the arts. Wendy has held many significant leadership roles in key national and international bodies, including serving as Chair of Plan Australia, headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation and Circus Oz, deputy-Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Goodstart Early Learning, and non-executive Director of IMF Bentham. Wendy was a founding member of the Women’s Electoral Lobby, Chief Executive Women and the Sydney Community Foundation’s Sydney Women’s Fund. In 2018, she chaired the successful by-election campaign to elect Dr Kerryn Phelps AM as the Independent Member for Wentworth. She continued that role in the subsequent federal election which Dr Phelps lost by a narrow margin. She led the successful NSW Pro Choice Alliance campaign to remove abortion from the criminal code. The new legislation was enacted on 2 October, 2019. She has also established several businesses, including the national consulting practice McCarthy Mentoring which is now owned by her daughter Sophie McCarthy. Wendy was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for outstanding contributions to community affairs, women’s affairs and the Bicentennial celebrations, and received a Centenary of Federation Medal for business leadership. Most recently, in a special edition of Who Mattered in 2019, The Sydney Morning Herald named Wendy as one of the people defining Australia, stating: “McCarthy’s advocacy and passion for women’s rights has spurred a new generation. We wouldn’t be where we are without her.”

Helen Lynch is a former banker and has had a long involvement with Westpac – from a junior member of staff to a member of the Bank’s Executive Committee, followed by appointment to the Westpac Board, then Chair of both The Westpac Foundation and the Westpac Staff Superannuation Fund. She was a founding Director of The Westpac Bicentennial Foundation, now called the Westpac Scholarship Fund, and continues to sit on its National Selection Committee. Helen served as a Non-Executive Director on many publicly listed companies and maintains advisory roles on a number of Family Foundations. She has always been committed to the community, and has served as a director of numerous arts, charitable and government organisations, including Chair of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Funds SA, as well as being a founding member and former President of Chief Executive Women and a Director of The Garvan Medical Research Institute. In 1994, Helen was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the banking and finance industry. In 2003, she was awarded the Centenary Medal for her contribution to business leadership and to the community. In 2005, Helen received an honorary doctorate from Griffith University.

Sandra Yates is now retired. She is a former President of CEW, and was Chair of Saatchi & Saatchi Australia from 1996 to 2004. She was publisher of Time magazine from 1990 to 1994, Chair of the NSW TAFE Commission Board from 1997 to 2007, Chair of Sydney Writers’ Festival from 2000 to 2011, and Chair of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music from 2014 to 2022. She was a founding board member of the newly independent National Art School. 

The Honourable Dr Annabelle Bennett AC SC is a retired Judge of the Federal Court of Australia and was an additional judge of the Supreme Court of the ACT, having previously practised as a Senior Counsel specialising in intellectual property. She was Chancellor of Bond University for eight years until May 2024, President of the Anti-Discrimination Board (part-time), Chair of Land Services SA, an Arbitrator of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, on the Board of Directors of the Garvan Institute, a member of the Advisory Council of Questacon, a member and past President of Chief Executive Women, and on the Advisory Board of the Faculty of Law at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She completed her BSc (Hons) and PhD in Biochemistry [the latter in the Faculty of Veterinary Science] at the University ofSydney and later obtained her law degree at the University of New South Wales. She also served as Pro-Chancellor of the Australian National University. Her interest in biological sciences has led to membership of the Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee, the Biotechnology Task Force, the Pharmacy Board of New South Wales and the Eastern Sydney Area Health Service. She was also a member of the Gene Patenting Advisory Committee of the Australian Law Reform Commission, a Director of the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, past President of the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences, Trustee of the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, as well as a member of the Reference Group for the APEC Women Leaders’ Network Meeting 2007 and the Head of Delegation to the APEC Women Leaders’ Network Meeting 2008 in Peru. Annabelle was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2019 for eminent service to the law, and to the judiciary, particularly in the field of intellectual property, to higher education, and to sports arbitration.

Diane Grady is on the Board of Directors of Macquarie Group, Spotless Group and ASI. She is also a member of McKinsey & Co.’s Senior Advisory Board, is Chair of both Ascham School and The Hunger Project Australia and an Advisory Board member of the NSW Innovation and Productivity Council, The Centre for Ethical Leadership, and Heads Over Heels. Diane has been a full-time independent director since 1994, serving on a range of public company and not-for-profit boards including: Bluescope Steel (2002 - 2012), Woolworths Ltd. (1996 - 2010), Goodman Group (2007 - 2010), Wattyl (1994 - 2002), and The Sydney Opera House Trust (1999 - 2008). She was also a member of the ASIC Business Consultative Panel, and the Federal Government’s National Investment Council. Diane was President of Chief Executive Women (2002 - 2004) and chaired the CEW task force that published the ‘CEO Kit for Attracting and Retaining Female Talent’.

Previously, Diane was a partner with McKinsey & Co. where she spent 15 years consulting to clients in a broad range of industries on strategic and organisational issues. She was a worldwide leader of the firm’s Organisation and Change Management Practice, and in Australia headed the Consumer Goods, Retailing and Marketing Practice. Diane was the first woman outside the US to be elected to McKinsey’s global partnership, and the first female partner in the firm to have children.

Diane earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. She also holds a Master’s in Chinese Studies from The University of Hawaii, which she attended on an East West Centre Fellowship. She spent three years in Taiwan where she worked as an editor and director of marketing for a Chinese owned publications company. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Mills College, Oakland, California, where she was awarded the History Prize.

Diane was made a Member in the Order of Australia in 2009 for her contribution to business and to the promotion of women leaders. She received the Australian Centenary Medal in 2001 in recognition of her contribution to Australian society in business leadership.

Diane was born in the USA, but emigrated to Australia in 1979. She is married to Chris Komor and they have two adult daughters.

After a 30-year career in banking in Australia and overseas, Jillian Broadbent left her executive position to become a non-executive director of a number of companies. Prior to her resignation from Bankers Trust Australia, she was a senior executive and department head at that bank.

Catherine Livingstone was appointed Chairman of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in January 2017, and has been a Director of the bank since March 2016.

Catherine is a highly respected company director with extensive business and finance experience across a broad range of industries and organisations. She is also a chartered accountant. Her executive career spanned more than 22 years in which she held general management and finance leadership roles, primarily in the medical devices sector, including six years as the Chief Executive Officer of Cochlear Limited.

Catherine is a former President of Chief Executive Women (2007-2008), and is the former Chair Of Telstra Corporation Limited and of the CSIRO.

She has served on the Boards of Macquarie Group Limited, Goodman Fielder Limited and Rural Press Limited and has contributed to the work of the Innovation and Productivity Council for the New South Wales Government.

She was also the former President of the Business Council of Australia.

In 2008, Catherine was awarded Officer of the Order of Australia. 

Other Directorships and Interests: WorleyParsons Ltd, The George Institute for Global Health, Saluda Medical Pty Ltd, Chancellor of the University of Technology Sydney and Australian Museum Trust (President).

Naseema Sparks is an experienced top-line growth director with strong experience in technology-driven business models disrupting traditional industry sectors.

Naseema has experience in publicly listed and private equity companies  and has strong strategic skills across many sectors, including the digital economy. She has a history of working with disruptive innovation, to realise revenue EBITDA growth and a sustainable differentiation for the organisation. She also has good experience as a director in turnaround situations, for example, PMP Ltd and Melbourne IT Ltd.

Her expertise is future-focused and includes business strategy, marketing, new brand management, e-commerce, retail, financial services, media (including digital and social), technology services and manufacturing.

Naseema has had hands-on management experience in creative innovation industries, where the drivers of growth and differentiation are continuous innovation via IP and/or technology, together with creating a change-mindset culture.

Belinda Hutchinson is Chancellor of the University of Sydney, Chair of Thales Australia, Chair of Future Generation Global Investment Company, a Director of Qantas Airways Limited, Australian Philanthropic Services and a Trustee of the St Vincent’s Health Curran Foundation.

Belinda was previously Chair of QBE Insurance Group and a Director of AGL, Telstra Corporation, Coles Myer, Crane Group, Energy Australia, TAB, Snowy Hydro Trading and Sydney Water. Her executive career included her role as an Executive Director of Macquarie Group, a Vice President of Citibank, and a senior manager at Andersen Consulting. She has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Christine Christian is a leading Australian business executive, chairman, company director and investor with more than 30 years’ experience in financial services, private equity, investment, credit risk, and digital media. Her career includes senior executive and advisory roles in Australia, China, India and the United States. Christine is currently Chair of Kirwood Capital Group and a Director of FlexiGroup Limited, ME Bank Limited, Lonsec Fiscal Group and the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority. She is Deputy President and board member of the State Library of Victoria and chairs the Library’s Finance Committee. 

She is a board member of The Cranlana Programme and Council member of La Trobe University. Christine is a past President of Chief Executive Women (2013-2015). Prior to her board career, Christine was CEO of Dun & Bradstreet Australia and New Zealand from 1997 to 2012 and Chair of Dun & Bradstreet Consumer Services from 2004 to 2012, where she grew the group ten-fold. In 2006, she was appointed to the additional roles of member of the D&B World-Wide board and in 2011 as Executive Director of D&B India where she spearheaded a growth and strategic agenda.

Throughout her career, Christine has been active in industry reform and in helping businesses and public institutions adapt to deep structural change. Christine initiated and led the Credit Reporting Reform with the Federal Government to introduce positive credit reporting, which led to the biggest changes to Australia’s Privacy Act in more than 20 years. Regionally, Christine advised the People’s Bank of China on establishing a commercial and consumer credit bureau and on small business lending, and was founding Chair of the Business Information Industry Association for Hong Kong and the Middle East. During 2016 she was a member of the Victorian Government’s TAFE Capability Assessment Panel. 

In 2001, Christine led a high-profile management buyout of D&B Australia and New Zealand that she sold back to the US parent company 10 years later at 10 times the original sale price. The buyout is used as a case study by global business school IMD.

Diane Smith-Ganderis a professional non-executive director maintaining a diverse portfolio over varying types of entities, industries and geographies. She is an advocate for gender equity and past president of CEW. 

Diane is Chair of Zip Co Limited and HBF Health Limited, and is a non-executive director of listed mining services company Perenti. Diane sat on the Wesfarmers board for more than 11 years, chaired Broadspectrum (initially Transfield Services) during a tumultuous time and had an eventful six years at AGL Energy.

She was the float Chair for DDH1 Limited and stewarded the company through the acquisition of Swick Mining Services before the company combined with Perenti.

Kathryn Fagg is an experienced chair and board member having worked in senior executive roles across a range of industries, from resources to manufacturing and logistics, as well as banking and professional services, in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Kathryn is Chair of Boral Ltd, and Non-Executive Director on the boards of ASX-listed companies Djerriwarrh Investments and Incitec Pivot. She was a member of the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia from 2013 to early 2018.

Kathryn is Chair of the Melbourne Recital Centre as well as Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA). She previously served as Chair of Parks Victoria.

She is a board member for the Australian Centre for Innovation and is a Fellow of the Academy of Technology and Engineering where she chairs the Industry and Innovation Forum.

Kathryn commenced her professional career as a petroleum engineer with Esso Australia (now Exxon Mobil) after completing her chemical engineering degree at the University of Queensland. As a petroleum engineer, her work was focused on maximising oil and gas production from the fields in Bass Strait.

Kathryn was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2019 for distinguished service to business and finance, to the central banking logistics and manufacturing sectors, and to women.

Sue Morphet has more than  30 years of management experience in brand, consumer goods, manufacturing and retail across Australia and New Zealand. She was Senior Executive of Pacific Brands Limited from 1996 to 2012, General Manager of Tontine, Group General Manager of Bonds from 1999 to 2007, CEO of Pacific Brands Limited from 2007 to 2012, and Chair of Manufacturing Australia from 2012 to 2014. She is currently a non-Executive Director in Australia and past President of Chief Executive Women.

Sam Mostyn is a businesswoman and sustainability adviser, with a long history of executive and governance roles across business, sport, climate change, the arts, policy and not-for-profit sectors.

She was appointed to serve as the 28th Governor-General of Australia from 1 July 2024.

Sam is the past President of Chief Executive Women and Chair of Women’s Economic Opportunities Review. She has served on the board of Mirvac and was the Chair of Citi Australia’s consumer bank. She has also been Chair of the boards of the Foundation for Young Australians, Australians Investing in Women, Ausfilm, ANROWS (the Australian National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety) and Alberts.

She has served on the boards of the GO Foundation (founded by Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin to provide education scholarships to indigenous students), the Centre for Policy Development, The Climate Council, Tonic Media, and was an inaugural board member of Climateworks Australia.

Sam was a founding supporter and Chair of the women’s climate action group 1 Million Women and serves on the Australian faculty of the Cambridge University Business & Sustainability Leadership Program.

Sam has served on the Global Business & Sustainable Development Commission, and on the boards of Reconciliation Australia, the Australia Council for the Arts, the Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Swans, Transurban, Virgin Australia Australian Volunteers International, and has chaired Carriageworks and The Australian Museum.

Sam served as a Commissioner with the Australian Football League for over a decade until 2017. In 2005, she was the first woman to be appointed to the Commission where she was an advocate for the inclusion of women at all levels of the AFL. She was an advocate for the creation of the AFL Women’s league and was the 2018 AFLW Cup Ambassador. In 2009, Sam was a member of the Crawford Sports Funding Review expert panel which examined sports funding in Australia.

Between 2013-2017, Sam was President of the Australian Council for International Development. She was an inaugural commissioner with the National Mental Health Commission and was Deputy Chair of the Diversity Council of Australia. Sam was named Winner – Individual, in the IGCC 2019 Climate Awards.

Sam was presented with the distinguished 2020 United Nations Day Honour Award for her significant contribution in advancing the work of the United Nations, in recognition of her outstanding efforts in the advancement of sustainable development as defined by the UN and her leadership in the areas of diversity and inclusion in Australia.

Sam was awarded an AO in the 2021 Australia Day Honours for distinguished service to business and sustainability, and to the community, through seminal contributions to a range of organisations and to women.

Her executive and non-executive roles have encompassed business strategy, human resources, culture change, corporate and government affairs, risk management, community engagement, climate change, gender equality and equity, and sustainability.

Before taking on non-executive roles, Sam held senior executive roles at Insurance Australia Group, Optus, and Cable & Wireless plc. After early years working as a solicitor for Freehills and Gilbert + Tobin, she was a senior policy advisor for Senator Bob Collins (Minister for Transport & Communications) and the Hon. Michael Lee MP (Minister for Communications & the Arts), and senior communications policy advisor for the former PM, the Hon. Paul Keating.

Sam has a BA/LLB from the Australian National University (ANU), and in 2018 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the ANU in recognition of her work as a pioneer of gender inclusion and equity, and leadership in sustainability and climate change.

Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz is President of Chief Executive Women, Chair of the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, a non-Executive Director of Rio Tinto Limited and the Macquarie Group, a member of the Sydney Opera House Trust and a member of the INSEAD Global Board. Susan was Chief Executive Officer of Mirvac and a Director of the Mirvac Board from 2012 to 2023. Prior to this appointment, Susan was Managing Director at LaSalle Investment Management in London. Susan has also held senior executive positions at MGPA, Macquarie Group and Lend Lease Corporation, working in Australia, the US and Europe. Susan holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Sydney and an MBA (Distinction) from INSEAD (France).