From Canberra to Coca-Cola

You know Kate Mason is a busy woman, when your 9am phone interview call isn't the first meeting she's had that morning. Answering with a cheerful and upbeat tone, it feels like I'm greeting a long-lost friend.

Chatting about her last visit to Canberra (which included a freezing cold run around the lake), Kate reflects back on her time at the University of Canberra with a fondness in her voice.

"I graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts in Secretarial Studies. It probably doesn't exist anymore!' she says. "It was a really helpful business stream incorporating accounting and law."

She spent time between classes lying in the sun in the quadrangle and catching bands in the Refectory. Her shorthand typing skills learnt at UC have become somewhat of a trademark for Kate during her career. "People commend me on how fast I am."

Moving from Canberra to Sydney for a role with Arthur Anderson, Kate quickly worked out that she wasn't cut out for the accounting and finance world. The temptations of overseas were too strong and Kate set off on a backpacking adventure.

Two fabulous roles in London followed. The first, with EMI Records, where she 'did a bit of everything' before falling into HR. It was only after being mistaken for the HR lady that Kate properly heard the term 'human resources' for the first time. From then on she worked her way up in HR roles, before a stint at GE as the training coordinator.

It was love that saw her move to Brisbane and then back to Canberra, where she worked in a number of roles for Queensland Rail and Austrade. She spent a year as the HR Consultant at Austrade before working for four years as the Global HR Development Director. It was this big step that catapulted her career into the global market.

Moving her young family to Singapore, Kate set up her own consultancy company TST Learning – Tomorrow's Skills Today. 

I worked with my company for two years before one of my clients Credit Suisse asked me to 'put my money where my mouth was'.

She famously said '12 months'.

She spent 12 years with the giant global investment company, covering Singapore, Sydney, New York and Zurich in Global HR roles. Kate finally retired and returned to Australia in 2011.

"I took a 9-month sabbatical to focus on my family, completed a course and joined the board of the Starlight Children's Foundation."

Always Coca-Cola

Returning to the workforce, Kate was headhunted by Coca-Cola Amatil in 2014 for the HR Director position, overseeing 10,000 employees. In January 2016 she was offered her current role as Chief Transformation Officer.

It's a little busy, but it's a great role about building the next chapter for Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola as a company had lost its way. Changes needed to be implemented in their operating models and the company needed to look for new revenue opportunities. Kate joined a group of seven in the Executive Team, as the only female member, focused on building and implementing new strategies for the next 3-5 years.

The Chief Transformation Officer role is a new and varied role within the company. The majority of Kate's time is spent acting as the 'strategic control tower'. She handles everything across the company to ensure consistency and efficiency; streamlining processes, managing risks and unlocking value in parts of the organisation.

She is the driving force behind the cultural change of Coca-Cola, transforming it from the inside out. 

Leadership Today and Leadership Tomorrow

For Kate, leadership is an important aspect of HR. She believes in the concept of 'bifocal' leadership.

"We need to be focused as leaders of a business. You need to deliver on today, but there must be a plan and a focus on tomorrow."

"This ensures that you are evolving and growing as an organisation." 

I'm very big on leaders thinking with their heads and with their hearts.

In all of her roles, Kate has focused on building a strong and united team in order to execute a business's strategy and plan. She encourages managers to continuously develop and coach their staff. Her vision and values show why she is at the top of her game.  

"I could go on forever" she laughs.

Sisterhood

An active supporter of women in business, Kate is the Vice-President of the International Women's Forum (IWF); a group working alongside the UN in the promotion of women's rights and empowering female leaders. It was at this point in the interview that I put forward the age-old question, 'can women have it all?'

 Yes, I absolutely believe that women can AND should have it all. 

"They should be able to be a business woman; they should be able to be a mother, a friend, a sister. I believe in the right to choose, and to choose the role that you want to play."

However, can you have it all at the same time?

For Kate, it's a day-by-day proposition. There are days where she thinks she has it all going well, the kids are happy and work is great. Then there are the equally bad day's where it has all fallen apart, the kids are sick and she's about to jump on a plane to Melbourne to deliver a speech. It's a constant juggle.

There are a number of things Kate believes women need to have in order to have it all. To have quality in the workplace you need to have quality at home. You need to have a strong relationship with your partner, and ensure you have that support. The workload needs to be shared, and there needs to be a real partnership.

The next thing is a strong support network. We all have those days of self-doubt, and you need to surround yourself with people that will help you grow.

Connect with women and together you will grow as leaders. Have a fabulous group of women to give you that leg up. 

Starlight Foundation

Outside of the office Kate has a number of passions to keep her grounded and balanced. A passionate skier, she likes to stay fit and healthy to counter her love of great food, great wine and travelling. She talks about her children with a deep love as well as her work and admiration for the Starlight Children's Foundation.

The Starlight Children's Foundation is personal for Kate. A mother of 3 and growing up with a sibling with a disability, she knows firsthand the effects it can have on a family. She has been involved with the Starlight Children's Foundation for many years, proudly in the Chairman role for the last two years.

She hopes to become more involved in working towards a future where all children are given equal opportunities at the start of life. They are the future of our country, she muses.

My time is almost up, so I ask Kate what advice she has for current students and young alumni?

Take any opportunity as they arise. Calm that inner-voice, and don't doubt yourself. Seize opportunities as they come.

The proof is in the pudding here. Kate has had tremendous global success. She took every opportunity that came her way and it catapulted her career.

"You can create your own opportunities. When you're in the workplace bring your best possible a-game. Do you deliver? Do you look to help others? Do you take on more responsibility? Be known as someone who can deliver and is passionate."

"Amazingly the opportunities will fly." 

Words by Stephanie Cossetto, images courtesy of Kate Mason