In this episode of Her Tech Circle, we sit down with the accomplished Helen Lea, a leader in business transformation, workforce strategy, and corporate governance. Helen takes us through her diverse career journey, spanning executive roles at MYOB, Telstra, and Seven Group to her current position as a non-executive director at multiple organizations. With a background in organizational psychology, Helen shares insights into the intersection of people, business, and technology, highlighting how businesses are fundamentally "systems of people."

Helen opens up about her transition from executive to non-executive roles, the importance of strategic networking, and how she navigates career pivots with intention. She also provides valuable advice on decision-making, overcoming self-doubt, and the power of following your instincts. Whether you’re an aspiring leader, board director, or simply looking for career inspiration, this conversation with Helen is packed with wisdom and actionable takeaways.

Key Takeaways:

• The role of an organizational psychologist in shaping workplace culture and leadership.
• Why digital businesses are fundamentally intellectual property businesses driven by people.
• The key differences between executive and non-executive roles on a board.
• How Helen transitioned into non-executive positions and her strategies for staying relevant.
• The importance of networking and maintaining a personal "career CRM."
• A pivotal moment in Helen’s career that expanded her perspective on business strategy.
• Lessons learned from making a career misstep and the importance of knowing when to walk away.
• Advice for younger professionals: "Be bold, count yourself in, and don’t assume something isn’t for you."

Notable Quotes:

• "Every business is a system of people. Understanding talent, leadership, and team dynamics is critical to success."
• "In digital businesses, we don’t make widgets. We create and manage intellectual property—our people are our greatest asset."
• "Be bold, count yourself in. If something doesn’t feel right now, it won’t feel right tomorrow."
• "Your gut feeling is pattern recognition—listen to it, but also interrogate it with facts and emotions."
• "Networking is key—always ask for three things when you meet someone, and maintain your connections."

Episode Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to Helen Lea’s career and achievements
01:26 - Helen’s background in organizational psychology
02:13 - The role of an organizational psychologist vs. a clinical psychologist
04:20 - Why digital businesses are fundamentally IP businesses
04:37 - Helen’s transition into a non-executive portfolio career
06:44 - Executive vs. non-executive roles on a board
09:25 - How Helen approaches continuous learning and industry trends
10:59 - A pivotal moment that shaped Helen’s career trajectory
15:41 - How Helen evaluates career decisions and opportunities
18:56 - Learning from a career misstep and knowing when to walk away
20:20 - The role of networking and Helen’s personal CRM system
25:41 - Advice to Helen’s younger self: "Be bold and don’t count yourself out."
29:01 - The power of listening to your instincts in career decisions
31:07 - Helen’s vision for the next five years of her career

In this episode, we sit down with Jude Donovan, an accomplished technology leader with a career spanning major Australian enterprises, including Commonwealth Bank, Redbubble, MYOB, Jetstar, and NAB. With expertise in scaling engineering teams, digital transformation, and enterprise technology, Jude has led multimillion-dollar projects, championed cloud adoption, and driven automation in large-scale organizations.

Beyond the boardroom, Jude shares her passion for netball coaching, highlighting the parallels between high-performance sports and leadership. She opens up about a life-altering motorbike accident that reshaped her mindset, teaching her the power of breaking challenges into achievable steps—a lesson she now applies to managing large-scale engineering programs.

Jude also dives into the importance of networking, sharing how a simple compliment at a tech event led to an incredible career opportunity for someone transitioning from fashion to tech. Plus, she discusses her framework for engineering excellence, touching on Agile methodologies, ruthless prioritization, and leveraging AI tools like Copilot.

If you're looking for insights into mentoring, scaling teams, leading transformation, and navigating adversity with grit, this episode is a must-listen!

Key Takeaways & Notable Quotes:

💡 "Belonging isn't about towing the line—it's about being your authentic self and finding people who embrace that." — Jude Donovan

💡 "Break down the overwhelm. Get small wins on the board, measure success, and build from there."

💡 "A conversation can change someone's life—always be open to networking and listening."

💡 "You should only be working on three things at a time. Ruthless prioritization is key to success."

Topics Covered & Timestamps:

⏳ [00:01] Introduction to Jude Donovan and her career in tech leadership
⏳ [02:01] Jude’s passion for netball coaching and how sports leadership translates to corporate success
⏳ [04:05] A week in the life of a tech executive: how Jude leverages AI (Copilot) for productivity
⏳ [08:47] Jude’s early career: From COBOL programmer to tech leader
⏳ [12:47] The motorbike accident that changed everything—resilience, recovery, and leadership lessons
⏳ [19:11] The power of networking and mentorship in career growth
⏳ [24:15] Jude’s framework for delivering high-impact projects using Agile and thin slicing
⏳ [28:40] Learning to adapt methodologies to different teams and organizations
⏳ [32:48] Advice to her younger self: Owning your voice, belonging, and authenticity

Resources & References Mentioned:

📌 Books & Thought Leaders

• Atomic Habits by James Clear ("You don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your structures.")
• Dare to Lead by Brené Brown ("Clear is kind.")

📌 Tools & Concepts

• Copilot AI for email and meeting management
• Agile methodologies: Sprint planning, retrospectives, thin slicing
• JIRA & Confluence for structured project management

In this episode of Her Tech Circle, I sit down with Pearl Tang, a seasoned business executive with over 20 years of experience across multiple industries. Currently a Senior Innovation Advisory Consultant at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Pearl helps organizations unlock their potential through innovative technologies and cloud solutions. She shares her journey from tax technology at PwC to consulting and innovation advisory, offering insights into career growth, strategic thinking, and execution.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Power of Asking – Career growth often starts with asking for opportunities and taking calculated risks.
2. Building a Strong Network – Establishing a personal board of advisors can provide invaluable career guidance.
3. The Role of Self-Awareness – Knowing what you value and what drives you is key to making meaningful career decisions.

Chapters & Time Markers:

• [00:00] Introduction & Guest Introduction
• [02:09] Pearl's Background & Career Journey
• [06:04] Transitioning from Tax Technology to Consulting
• [11:16] Pivotal Moments That Shaped Pearl's Career
• [16:52] First Exposure to Startup Culture
• [20:36] Overcoming Challenges in Career Transitions
• [25:51] The Importance of a Personal Board of Advisors
• [28:41] Self-Awareness & Career Success
• [32:48] Looking to the Future: What’s Next for Pearl
• [34:00] Closing Thoughts & Where to Connect

Topics Discussed:

• Pearl’s transition from tax technology to innovation advisory
• The importance of career risk-taking and networking
• Human-centered design and agile work practices in innovation
• Strategies for building a personal board of advisors
• How self-awareness influences career success

Guest Details:

• Name: Pearl Tang - connect on Linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pearl-tang-australia/

Host Contact Details:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bec-o-brien/
• Her Tech Circle - https://linktr.ee/hertechcircle

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