Media release: Chief Executive Women announces new CEO

Chief Executive Women (CEW) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lisa Annese as CEW’s next CEO, following an extensive recruitment process. 

Annese has been the CEO of Diversity Council Australia (DCA), one of CEW’s key partners, since 2014, where she was responsible for growing DCA’s membership to 1,400 organisations, while embedding a positive and inclusive culture. 

Prior to DCA, Annese worked as a Diversity Practitioner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth and at the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, where she developed the first ever census of ‘Australian Women in Leadership’, the first-ever ‘Business Achievement Awards’, and the creation of the ‘Employer of Choice for Women’ citation. 

Annese has advocated for policy action in several areas, including safer workplaces for women, government-funded paid parental leave, accessible, affordable child-care, mainstreamed flexible work, improved national gender data collection, actions to improve workplace support for reproductive and menopause matters as well as closing the gender pay gap. 

CEW president Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz said: “We are thrilled to welcome Lisa to CEW, as we continue to advance our vision of women leaders empowering women for the benefit of all”.  

“Lisa has an outstanding career in advancing gender equality both in Australia and internationally and brings a wealth of experience in advocating for women in the workplace. I look forward to working with Lisa as we continue to advance women’s leadership across our nation.” 

Annese said: "I am delighted to be joining CEW as its new CEO and I look forward to leading this important organisation into its next chapter, to supporting its esteemed membership and advancing equity for all women in Australia.” 

Annese sits on the NSW Women’s Advisory Council, is a non-executive director of Women for Election Australia and Amnesty International Australia and has previously served on the Fair Work Commission Respect@Work working group and the Attorney General’s Respect@Work Council. 

Annese will commence in the role on January 6, 2025. 

ENDS 

CEW Media Contact:  

Jesse McCarthy-Price 
jesse@cew.org.au 
0429 160 550