218 marieclaire.com.au
GAIL
K ELLY
The first female CEO of a major
Australian bank on her heroesHT
EWOMENWHO^ MAD
E(^) M
E
MY DAUGHTERS
When my eldest daughter
Sharon was born, it was the
best thing that ever happened
to me. It wasn’t a planned
pregnancy, I was busy doing
my MBA, but I figured it
would slot into my life.
I was blown away by the
immense love I felt for my
baby. My priorities changed –
I wanted to focus completely
on her. I went to my boss at the
bank and told him I couldn’t
come back to work full-time.
I worked part-time for three
years to balance my young
family, while still maintaining
something of a career.
I have very close bonds
with Sharon and my younger
daughter Annie, who is one of
my triplets [with sons Shaun
and Mark]. My kids support
me as much as I support them.
When I was struggling and
being pulled in different
directions as a working mother,
they never said “Why aren’t
you here?” They knew how
hard I tried and how much
I loved them.
My daughters taught
me to live in the moment.
When I’m with them I give
my full attention and relish
the time, without worrying
about my next meeting.
Gail’s mother, Patricia Currer (centre), flanked by her
two daughters, Sharon (left) and Annie (right).
MY MOTHER
Some of my earliest memories
as a young girl are of baking
scones in the kitchen with my
mother, Pat. She loved to cook,
but didn’t enjoy domestic work
at all. I can’t sew because she
couldn’t sew – she didn’t ever
want to. My mother was a very
independent woman. She was
a stay-at-home mum, but she
hated to be called a housewife.
Mum’s biggest regret was
not completing her schooling.
She made sure my brother and
I had equal access to the best
education. She encouraged
me to go to university, follow
my dreams and be the best
I could be in my chosen field.
Growing up in the 1960s
in South Africa – a time when
people were ground in gender
stereotypes – she was a
passionate advocate for equal
rights. She cheered on the
feminists and believed women
should have the same job
opportunities as men, as well
as equal pay. I’m sure that
helped me when I started
my career in banking.
She taught me to back
myself. And she backed me
to have a career and have
children, to do it all. She never
ever said to me, “Sweetheart,
when you have children you
need to stay at home.” She
always said, “You’ll find a way.”
I didn’t know how much I’d
miss her until she died, aged
- You only have one mum.
MY TEACHER
Mrs Lawrence was my English
teacher in my last two years of
high school. I was fortunate to
go to an independent school
in a time of apartheid in South
Africa, so the classes weren’t
doctored to support apartheid
philosophy like other schools.
Mrs Lawrence was very
progressive and open-minded- she taught me to explore my
ideas and articulate my views.
In class, we’d have debates
on things like abortion and
feminism, which were very
controversial topics at the
time. I loved literature and
she encouraged me to read - modern texts and classics.
She was profoundly important
to me in terms of broadening
my horizons. She taught me
about the power of learning.
“My mother was
very independent
... she backed me
to have a career
and have children,
to do it all”PHOTOGRAPHED BY NEWSPIX; COURTESY OF GAIL KELLY. EDITED BY ALLEY PASCOELive Lead Learn by Gail
Kelly (Penguin Random
House, $35) is out now.A former teacher,
Kelly became
CEO of St.
George Bank in
2002, and then
Westpac in 2008.LAST WORD