"Never miss an opportunity": Q&A with Countplus' newest board member

This is my first venture into the listed space from a board perspective and the opportunity grabbed me pretty much from the first meeting. The industry is clearly a great fit with my background, the people I met through the process are all highly energised and passionate about the business, and they work as a collaborative team. Also, there are some challenges to be addressed, which appeals to my problem-solving skillset, and the management team are actively working on transforming the business, so there is clearly a change agenda in place. When I think about my checklist for a board position, the Countplus opportunity ticked every box!

Never miss an opportunity to help someone to solve a problem, whether there is something in it for you or not. It might be purely an introduction to someone who can help. It feels good and also builds enormous goodwill. I've had the most wonderful year since leaving the partnership last May, in reconnecting with past colleagues, clients and contacts and reliving the old times, and I have encountered enormous generosity from my network in referring me, linking me up with others and generally being supportive. Many have commented that they are happy to do it and that it's payback time for them.

Where to start? The pure scale and complexity of the firm is now so very far from the firm which admitted me to partnership in 1994. In those days we were service providers whereas nowadays Deloitte, at its best, is really helping to solve the most complex business problems for clients - both locally and internationally.

I can honestly say that I didn't feel that there were specific challenges for me because of my gender. When I joined the accounting profession in the early 80s it was predominantly a male environment and I suppose I just got used to it and didn't really consider myself to be different. At the same time, it's a testament to the Deloitte partner culture that I wasn't excluded or treated differently for that reason. It was actually a shock to me when the then CEO, Giam Swiegers, pointed out that there was one woman in the room (me!) and that the senior leadership team should really be thinking about why we didn't have more.

Intrinsically, I don't agree with quotas as I think appointments should be merit based. If a female is appointed under a quota and is the better candidate, her appointment could be tainted or seen as tokenistic, which is not helpful or uplifting for anyone. However, I do understand that quotas have been used effectively in other countries, such as Norway, and the outcomes have been positive. So I can see the merit in adopting this type of system if all other avenues fail. I'm a much stronger advocate of techniques such as seeking gender balanced short lists, ensuring 50% representation of female recruits and removing biases in questions as a mechanism to improve gender diversity on boards

The most important element of the role is to exercise good judgement, and this requires not only experience and expertise, but also wisdom, gravitas, and the ability to keep a cool head and provide thoughtful, considered input into the topic at hand. Added to that, I would nominate bringing energy and enthusiasm to the table, being motivated to search for the best outcomes for the business and of course, keeping your eyes peeled for opportunities. The last attribute I will nominate is having the courage to make the tough decisions - especially in difficult times.

I can think of a wonderful piece of time management/work life balance advice passed on to me from a senior partner when I was on maternity leave with my first child. He said "if you see an opportunity to do something that someone else can do just as well as you then let them do it. You might review and add value but let them do the bulk of the work. Conversely, if something comes along that your unique skills will make all the difference to, take that on."

I'd offer the advice above and also add: "for each opportunity you embrace, throw everything you have at it."

I've had many great mentors and colleagues over the years but the constant has been my family. My parents brought me up to believe in myself (and my mother worked - a great role model). My husband has always been a great sounding board and has a completely different background to me, being a builder, so he is extremely insightful which is so helpful. In more recent years my daughters have also been a great source of support as well as an inspiration.

I worked in a laundry for a mental health hospital in my university holidays, initially folding (all day, every day!) and then I graduated to the sewing room where I mended clothes, sheets and hospital gowns. I can still replace a zip in a pair of jeans in a very speedy manner. My first professional job was with Deloitte in London and I stayed with the firm until a year ago.

My favourite place to escape the city, is to a little village between Newcastle and the Central Coast, which coincidentally is called Catherine Hill Bay. It is pretty special to share a name with a little piece of paradise.

Along with two other women and one of my daughters, I cook and serve lunch once a month at the Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown. Food is such a symbol of welcome in many cultures, and on a practical level this lunch (which is provided daily) is often the only substantial meal which some of the clients of the Centre have. Also, I love cooking. I have been doing this for some time and we are starting to build a relationship with some of the clients who look forward to particular dishes. It's a chaotic day and I always feel good at the end of it, as well as privileged to have had such a comparatively easy life.