The Australian Financial Review Women in Leadership Awards, an evolution of the much-loved Women of Influence program, highlights the work and achievements of Australia’s corporate decision makers.  

When asked about some of the most important decisions she has made as a leader, Woods Bagot CEO Sarah Kay says, “it’s imperative to focus on purpose as well as business goals. Working on projects like Western Sydney International (WSI) Airport and Sydney’s Central Station, for example, have such impact on so many people’s lives – it’s important work and that is vital for a feeling of relevance and impact through our practice.”

“This plays a big part in our ability to attract the best talent to our studios. I think it is also fundamental in continuing to attract the best and brightest from future generations into our design professions.” 

On her proudest achievement, Kay says, “becoming CEO is something I am deeply proud of – even more so, because I realised along the way that my girls are proud of me too. Once when I answered, ‘I’m an Architect’ when asked what I did, my daughter later said, ‘why don’t you flex that you’re the CEO all the time? I would’. (That’s a pretty big achievement, making teenage children think you are a tiny bit cool).”  

“When it was announced that I had taken over the role, I got thousands of messages of support from all my connections around the world. It was inspiring – I really felt like people wanted me to succeed. At least half of these messages were from women who were excited to see a woman in the role of CEO of an Architecture firm, and it doesn’t happen often enough.”  

“The impact of me becoming CEO, does reach beyond how I do the job and how I lead the business. I think it makes it feel attainable for other women and girls and hopefully elevates ambitions and dreams for their future roles,” says Kay.  

The awards recognise outstanding contributions in sectors including financial services; health; government, education and not-for-profit; retail, hospitality and property; professional services; resources, industrials and utilities; and tech and telco. 

Kay celebrated with the other finalists and winners at a celebratory function hosted by the Australian Financial Review on 11 June at the Sydney Opera House.  

The judging panel included Chief Executive Women president Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, UNSW’s Australian Graduate School of Management director Nick Wailes, The Australian Financial Review editor Cosima Marriner, BOSS editor Sally Patten, Financial Review companies editor Anne Hyland, Coles non-executive director Jacqueline Chow, Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood, Seek CEO Ian Narev, Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson, Financial Review senior Chanticleer columnist James Thomson. 

View the full list of winners on the AFR’s website. 

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Adrien Moffatt
Content and Communications Leader (Australia)