They might work in completely different industries and have probably never even met each other, but Peta Searle and Tracey Fellows now share something in common.
They are both at the centre of two significant appointments, both announced on the same day, and both signalling a new era for women in their respective industries.
Searle has today been announced as a development coach for St Kilda, the first woman to take on such a position in AFL history.
It’s a big turnaround for Searle and for the sport. The AFL had worked to connect Searle with a number of league clubs after she told Fairfax papers she was “grieving” her ambitions to play a bigger part in football. The primary school teacher and single mother had previously decided the football coaching career was unsustainable, and had given up her assistant coach position in the VFL due to a perceived lack of opportunities.
The football dreams are now officially back on, with Searle expected to join St Kilda midway through the season on an 18-month contract.
Meanwhile, Tracey Fellows has been appointed chief executive of REA Group, which runs property website realestate.com.au with a market value of $6 billion. Her appointment follows a six month search for the right fit, with the former Microsoft Australia MD set to take the helm of the organisation in September when, as things currently stand, she will become the only woman heading up an ASX-listed media company.
At this point, the appointment will also see the percentage of female CEOs in the ASX 200 rise to 4%.
Seeing a woman appointed to significant leadership position is still a rare event here in Australia. It’s a great start to the week when we learn about two such appointments on the same day,
Congratulations to Peta Searle and Tracey Fellows.