I graduated from Ivanhoe Girls' almost 19 years ago. We were an exceptionally high-achieving bunch of young women, and I made the most of my time at school.
An active debater (I was fortunate to be selected for the Greenway Cup in Year 12), I loved participating in choir, House sports and musical theatre performances.
After finishing school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. A career acumen test in Year 10 suggested a career in finance, banking or media. It felt like an odd mix at the time, but makes complete sense to me now.
After Year 12, I embarked on a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Finance at the University of Melbourne. Five years later and with two degrees in hand, I got a “safe” job in a mid-tier accounting firm. It was there I met my husband Nick.
It was a whirlwind romance and we were married in December 2009. While Nick returned to university to complete a Masters Degree, I left accounting to join the National Australia Bank (NAB) right in the midst of the Global Financial Crisis (talk about timing!).
In my first role at NAB I was an investment structure and pricing analyst for superannuation funds. It was a highly technical job, but a nagging feeling existed – it didn’t feel like the right fit for me...
After our first child Lucas was born, I returned to NAB hungry to find a role that fitted. I landed in NAB’s communication team supporting its wholesale banking division. This led to a career in Corporate Affairs. I’ve been there ever since!
Our twins Christian and Alexander were born in January 2014, and our tiny apartment in Eaglemont was full of children, prams and very little sleep. I’m so blessed to be a mother to twins and witness their incredible bond. We bought a townhouse in Ivanhoe and I returned to my corporate affairs role after 15 months at home with the twins and Lucas (and going a little stir crazy!)
A Corporate Affairs role in a Top-5 ASX company can be pretty demanding. It’s not a nine-to-five role; you often work very long hours. But I live and breathe NAB’s flexible working practices. I’m often working from home or in locations that suit me and my lifestyle (including school drop offs, assemblies and musical performances so I don’t miss out on spending time with my children).
For many years, I looked after NAB’s Business and Private Bank (from a Corporate Affairs perspective). This is a critical area of the bank, and is rich in issues management, media and government engagement, stakeholder management and leadership communications.
Recently, my portfolio changed and now encompasses our Corporate and Institutional Bank. It’s a fascinating time for me in this role, with sustainability, renewables and climate change all areas I can influence within this business, and articulate through a range of communication methods and channels.
Life is still exceptionally busy with two parents working demanding roles and balancing a young family – however there is no doubt that our three children are our greatest achievement.
If I look back at the girl with glasses and curly hair who finished school in 2001, I would absolutely tell her not to worry about career pathways or journeys - things always work out. Be happy, stay healthy and enjoy living.
This article originally appeared in the July 2020 edition of Lux Mea Magazine.
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