Vicki Brady is the new Telstra CEO

Vicki Brady appointed Telstra’s first female CEO

Telstra

Telstra has announced Vicki Brady as its new CEO with Andy Penn retiring after a seven-year reign. 

Brady, who stepped into her role of Chief Financial Officer and Group Executive two years ago, started working for Telstra in June 2016 as the Group Managing Director of Consumer. 

She will become one of only a handful of female leaders in the country’s top 10 S&P/ASX 200 index firms, and the first female CEO of Telstra.

According to the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, women make up less than 10 percent of chairpersons, and 6.5% of CEOs across the index.

Telstra chairman John Mullen told the Herald Brady is the ideal person to assume Penn’s role.

“She has played a key leadership role in the development of Telstra’s T25 strategy and is well-placed to lead through the company through its next phase,” he said.

Mullen also called Brady “a highly skilled leader, with a very sound financial background. She is extremely well equipped to lead the company,” he told a media gathering this morning from Europe.

Penn agreed, calling Brady “an extraordinarily capable executive” who “played a very important role in the T22 As our CFO, she was instrumental in our design of T25.” 

“I am very proud we are appointing a very talented executive within the company. I will give her my full support in this transition.”

Brady said she was grateful for the support from Penn and Mullen and “absolutely thrilled” about the new role saying she had “learned so much” from her predecessor.

She went on to describe the next decade for Telstra as one filled with “profound opportunities” to “grow beyond 2025.”

“Delivering exceptional experiences for our customers, extending our network and digital leadership, with a focus on flexible and hybrid ways of working. We will be a leader in responsible business.”

Brady also paid tribute to her daughters, saying that as “the first female leader of Telstra, I hope I inspire them to stay resilient and chase their dreams.”

Brady will lead the $46.2 billion company as it prepares to execute its T25 strategy. Her new role will commence in September, based in Sydney. 

According to the Herald, her annual fixed salary will be AUD$2.39 million, not including bonuses. She is also able to earn up to 300 percent of her salary in bonuses if she meets certain performance targets.

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