Blog Posts

Fertility leave the new family friendly frontier

22/11/2022

CAREER, DIVERSITY, SOCIAL

The uptake of fertility treatment is grabbing the attention of human resources teams around the world as organisations look to better support employees in new ways, like Westpac’s new fertility leave policy.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Westpac is among the first of a growing number of companies introducing fertility leave for employees. (Getty)

Rita shows personality matters in AI

21/11/2022

TECHNOLOGY, FINANCE

The stellar results achieved by small US-based BankSouth since introducing digital assistant Rita shows personality matters in artificial intelligence, says Kasisto’s Lindsay Soergel at Westpac’s TechX.

First published on Westpac Wire

Lindsay Soergel, Kasisto's chief product and experience officer, spoke at Westpac’s TechX convention. (Supplied)

Nature positive: The new net-zero frontier

7/11/2022

SOCIAL

The next climate frontier – natural capital – is fast approaching, says Westpac’s chief sustainability officer Siobhan Toohill, ahead of today's release of the bank’s latest climate change position statement.

First published on Westpac Wire

Coastal rejuvenation projects exemplify the new push towards "nature postive". (Emma Foster)

King: Solid result, well set for tougher economic outlook

7/11/2022

FINANCE

Westpac chief executive Peter King said the bank was well set to navigate a tougher economic environment and had built positive momentum heading into the new year.

First published on Westpac Wire

Westpac chief executive, Peter King, on the bank’s full year 2022 results. (Josh Wall)

BOARD WALK: Audette Exel on zeitgeist shifts, data versus ideology and what’s next

16/10/2022

SOCIAL, DIVERSITY

Board director and social entrepreneur Audette Exel AO says the zeitgeist has shifted in the way big businesses see their role in the community, in a broad ranging podcast interview.

First published on Westpac Wire

Audette Exel AO, board director and social entrepreneur. (Emma Foster)

New Afghan café makes big impact

23/9/2022

SOCIAL, DIVERSITY, SMALL BUSINESS

It’s not just the spiced lamb dumplings and Kabuli burgers filling Roya Rasuly with pride in Sydney city’s newest Afghan café, Kabul Social – it’s also the impact it’s having behind the scenes.

First published on Westpac Wire

Roya Rasuly, Plate It Forward HR manager, at Sydney’s newest Afghan food venue, Kabul Social. (Emma Foster)

Queen’s passing brings change, big and small

9/9/2022

FINANCE

The Queen's passing brings many changes, including small ones like the portrait on Australia's coins.

First Published on Westpac Wire

(Montage, Royal Australian Mint, Getty)

Recognition for rural mum beating isolation

7/9/2022

REGIONAL, DIVERSITY

Stephanie Trethewey’s mission to tackle the crippling isolation faced by many mothers in rural Australia saw her crowned this year’s national winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

First published in Westpac Wire.

Stephanie Trethewey (and her son), founder of Motherland, named this year’s national winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. (Tas Ag Co)

Family ordeal inspires farm accessibility campaigner

28/8/2022

REGIONAL, DIVERSITY

After a chat with her dad confirmed for Josie Clarke that farmers with disability face an accessibility advocacy vacuum, she set out to tackle it, earning her this year’s NSW ACT Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Founder of Ability Agriculture, Josie Clarke (left), with her dad Glen at their Kempsey family farm. (Rachael Lenehan)

Graduates in demand as battle for talent hots up

18/8/2022

CAREER

Like many other fresh graduates, Kanu Agarwal found herself in hot demand from competing employers who have needed to step up efforts to attract more young recruits from a smaller pool.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Kanu Agarwal, who joined Westpac’s specialised data graduate program in February. (Emma Foster)

PODCAST: Turning global spotlight on Aussie entrepreneurs

9/8/2022

SOCIAL
Next month’s Social Enterprise World Forum, hosted in Brisbane, will be transformative for Australia’s burgeoning social enterprise sector, says renowned social entrepreneur, Luke Terry, in a podcast interview.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Luke Terry, chief executive and co-founder of White Box Enterprises. (Emma Foster)

Outback town lifts homeownership with unique scheme

3/7/2022

REGIONAL, FINANCE, INDIGENOUS

For a handful of locals in the very remote townships in Queensland’s Burke Shire council, the idea of owning a home has turned from impossible to imaginable, as a unique homeownership scheme takes hold.

First published on Westpac Wire

Sisters Madison (left) and Jordan Marshall were the first to buy their Burketown homes through a unique homeownership initiative. (Supplied)

Indigenous business builds up as supplier spend spreads

27/5/2022

INDIGENOUS

More doors are opening for Indigenous businesses as corporates lift diversity in supply chain spending, including on projects like the fitout of Westpac’s newest site at Parramatta Square.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Schiavello Ganbu’s Kyle Vander Kuyp (centre) with apprentices Elijah and Jediaha.

Perfect match? Platform eyes volunteering lift

16/5/2022

SOCIAL

A project sparked by her own personal loss could help to reverse declining volunteering rates, says newly named Westpac Scholar and founder of Freddy Match Dr Roxane Foulser-Piggott.

First published on Westpac Wire

Dr Roxane Foulser-Piggott, founder of Freddy Match.

AI, check. Next stop, orchestration.

26/4/2022

TECHNOLOGY

As Westpac breaks new technology ground with a ‘conversational intelligence orchestrator’ first, the chief of partner firm Kasisto, Zor Gorelov, says it’s an important next step in the evolution of the nascent technology.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Zor Gorelov, founder and CEO of Kasisto.

GOOD PAIR: Under the hood(ie)

13/4/2022

GOOD PAIR

When Nick Pearce and Rob Gillies met at a school camp around 16 years ago, they never imagined they’d create a street wear brand that would help young people out of homelessness.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Dr Rob Gillies (left) and Nick Pearce. (Image supplied)

‘With more women, things shift’: Board directors on diversity

11/3/2022

DIVERSITY

As they expose the cases of gendered bias faced in their careers, four Westpac board directors share their views on how corporate Australia can pick up the pace towards gender equity.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Directors of Westpac (l-r) Nerida Caesar, Audette Exel, Margie Seale and Nora Scheinkestel. (Emma Foster)

‘You’re just a girl’: How Goodall broke the bias

4/3/2022

DIVERSITY

Although Dr Jane Goodall’s gender sparked her iconic status, it could also have stopped her career before it started, revealed the scientist today at UN Women Australia’s flagship International Women’s Day event.

First published on Westpac Wire

Dr Jane Goodall, speaking virtually at an International Women's Day event.

Bula! New Westpac Fiji chief feels optimism returning

23/2/2022

REGIONAL

Newly appointed chief of Westpac Fiji Shane Smith opens up about his rise to the top and optimism about Fiji’s rebound from the pandemic’s economic battering.

First published in Wesptac Wire.

Shane Smith, newly appointed chief of Westpac Fiji.

Mostyn: ‘Australia in danger of its luck running out’

24/11/2021

DIVERSITY

Without significant investment in social infrastructure and the “care” economy, Australia’s long-term economic prosperity is at risk, says Sam Mostyn AO.

First published in Westpac Wire.

The cattle and cheese innovators smashing stereotypes

17/10/2021

REGIONAL

Elisha Parker, co-founder of Cattlesales.com.au (Agrifutures Rural Women's Awards)

The co-founders of a first-of-its-kind cattle trading platform and a new hub applying craft beer thinking to small dairy farms are among a wave of innovative rural women smashing the old stereotype that farming is synonymous with men.

The dog school with a mental health difference

10/10/2021

REGIONAL

Kelly Barnes knew her 14-year-old farm working Kelpie, Dugald, was a mate, but never guessed he’d spark a program to tackle mental health struggles in farming communities.

First published in Westpac Wire.

Kelly Barnes, founder of Mates Working Dog School, with her dogs Jess and Dugald. (Lauren Hay, Hamilton Spectator)

No data background yet? No worries

16/8/2021

CAREER

If you’re already proficient in working with data, you’ll know your skills are in hot demand, but even if you’re not, doors to data-related jobs are swinging wide open.

First published in Westpac Wire.

Cheers! Winemakers toast ‘goldilocks’ vintage

3/8/2021

REGIONAL

Australian winemakers – and wine lovers – finally have something to smile about after two years marred by the impacts of drought, bushfires, smoke taint, export volatility and COVID.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Paul Lindner, co-owner of Langmeil Winery in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, with the shiraz vine planted in 1843, thought to be the world’s oldest. (Supplied)

The lawyer turned start-up entrepreneur helping new mums

1/8/2021

Etta Watts-Russell, cofounder of startup Lactamo, with one of her four children. (Supplied)

SMALL BUSINESS, DIVERSITY, CAREER

When new mum and corporate lawyer Etta Watts-Russell discovered how common breastfeeding difficulties were, she decided to do something about it, throwing everything behind the birth of her start-up, Lactamo.

First published on Westpac Wire.

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Latest Published articles

Fertility leave the new family friendly frontier

Rita shows personality matters in AI

Nature positive: The new net-zero frontier

King: Solid result, well set for tougher economic outlook

BOARD WALK: Audette Exel on zeitgeist shifts, data versus ideology and what’s next

New Afghan café makes big impact

Queen’s passing brings change, big and small

Recognition for rural mum beating isolation

Family ordeal inspires farm accessibility campaigner

Graduates in demand as battle for talent hots up

PODCAST: Turning global spotlight on Aussie entrepreneurs

Outback town lifts homeownership with unique scheme

Indigenous business builds up as supplier spend spreads

Perfect match? Platform eyes volunteering lift

AI, check. Next stop, orchestration.

GOOD PAIR: Under the hood(ie)

‘With more women, things shift’: Board directors on diversity

‘You’re just a girl’: How Goodall broke the bias

Bula! New Westpac Fiji chief feels optimism returning

Mostyn: ‘Australia in danger of its luck running out’

The cattle and cheese innovators smashing stereotypes

The dog school with a mental health difference

No data background yet? No worries

Cheers! Winemakers toast ‘goldilocks’ vintage

The lawyer turned start-up entrepreneur helping new mums

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