Interview with Katie Bhreatnach, CEO of Global Women

By Jenni Prisk | 29 March 2025

Speaking with Global Women’s new CEO, Katie Bhreatnach, is like sitting beside a bubbling fountain of fresh ideas, energy, and vision for the future of our organisation. Since stepping into the role in February 2025, Katie has quickly taken the reins, yet her strongest desire is to lead in partnership with our members. Let’s get to know this accomplished wahine and hear her thoughts on the future of Global Women.

Many of us are uncertain about how to pronounce your surname! What are its origins?

‘Brannock’ is the correct pronunciation. It’s Irish, just like my husband—my ‘souvenir’ from the time I lived in Ireland! He’s a fluent native Irish speaker, so the name carries deep significance for our whānau. I never tire of explaining how to pronounce or spell it, though I must admit, it’s always refreshing to be back in Ireland where it rolls off the tongue with the beautiful lilt of the Irish.

What is your whakapapa and road to the present day?

Mai i Maketū ki Tongariro, ko Te Arawa tōku waka. I whakapapa to Maketū, and my whānau are based in the Far North. I studied in Auckland and Dunedin (graduating with an LLB/BA with Honours) before heading to Trinity College Dublin for my LLM. My career has taken me across Aotearoa and internationally—I’ve lived in Ireland, Wellington, and now Auckland with my husband and our three daughters, who are 16, 14, and 12.

I love dynamism. A former manager once commented that I never let the grass grow under my feet for too long, and while that used to be true in a literal sense, these days I channel that energy into ideas and action. We live on two acres in beautiful Titirangi, close to the wild west coast beaches, where we spend a lot of time outdoors. Camping—no electricity, no hot water, and no cell phone coverage—is an annual ritual in our whānau.

I’m a keen tramper, lover of the arts, an avid sports fan, and deeply committed to community and service. My grandfather built a boat when he retired, and I spent much of my childhood on the sea or in nature with him. As a child, I used to roll my eyes when he’d teach me about tohu from the trees and birds on long walks, but now he’s with me as I’m doing the same with my own children. That connection/hono to nature was and is a gift.

You have been in your role as CEO for a couple of months now.  What are your perceptions of our organisation and its members?

Global Women is a powerhouse—a collective of remarkable leaders fiercely committed to gender equity in Aotearoa. Our members are courageous, action-oriented, and driven by a desire to create lasting change. When we come together, the collective energy is electric.

I’ve been overwhelmed by the support I’ve received from members. Dame Jenny Shipley shared a piece of advice that resonated deeply: each new CEO brings something distinct to the organisation, as should I. That is both an honour and a responsibility, and I take it seriously. I have ideas, but I want to hear from our members—what matters to them, how they want to engage, and how we can amplify our collective impact.

What are the most important issues facing GW and women generally, and do you have ideas for addressing them?

We’re strong on mentorship and support, but I see a real opportunity to strengthen sponsorship—actively advocating for one another in rooms where decisions are being made. In my experience working in businesses, I’ve often experienced men doing this more frequently and effectively. I’d love to spark a conversation on how we can harness sponsorship to drive the change we need. The talent is there; the opportunities need to follow.

I love our country, but we have a productivity challenge. I’m keen to lean in to the challenge of creating future fit leaders that can ensure the prosperous, inclusive and equitable country we all desire. Partnering with and empowering businesses to achieve this excites me.

As a leader I’m conscious that it’s easy to listen to the loudest voices, but true impact comes from hearing a diversity of perspectives. I’m a sponge and want to be challenged as I develop our membership strategy and value proposition. I’ll be reaching out to members through a survey ahead of the Hui and using that feedback to shape our direction.

Do you have plans for leveraging or changing the role of Global Women in Aotearoa NZ?

I want us to drive greater impact at scale. Our Champions for Change programme is doing fantastic work, and I want to build on this momentum.

But I also want to engage with organisations that aren’t yet on the journey. SMEs, for example. The Hon. Nicola Grigg recently highlighted the need for smaller enterprises to adopt the gender pay gap toolkit. How can we support them? How do we bring them into the conversation and make it easy for them to take action?

We need to embed ourselves more deeply in boardrooms, executive teams, and policymaking spaces. And we need to invest in creating future-fit leaders. When Global Women started 15 years ago, we were focused on building a pipeline of women leaders. Now, the challenge is broader—how do we develop leaders (including men) who can drive real change in diverse teams and then lead the way for a prosperous and inclusive Aotearoa?

Tim Cook of Apple talks about creating a future so united that it generates magic. That’s the kind of leadership we need—fearless, future-focused, and capable of solving the complex problems ahead. Our Breakthrough Leaders and Activate programmes are excellent, but we need to ask ourselves what more we can do to ensure we’re equipping our leaders with the right tools, and more of them!

GW’s members are spread throughout the length and breadth of Aotearoa.  Do you have any thoughts about connecting us more frequently?

I’m intrigued by the idea of a more regional presence within our membership—local leaders who can understand and respond to the specific needs of their communities, with support and connection from Global Women. Could we extend this beyond location, to areas of shared interests or expertise?

I also see an opportunity to expand our global perspective. Having completed the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD, I know the value of international networks. Should Global Women members travel abroad together? Could we engage with global leadership communities in ways that challenge our thinking and strengthen our impact at home? I’d love to explore this further.

What is your vision for our upcoming Hui in Rotorua?

My vision for the Hui in Rotorua is for us to step outside our daily routines to connect, learn, and inspire change—while also having fun. This gathering is about strengthening our bonds, supporting one another, and embracing the future of leadership and GW’s place in the global community.

We’ll share meaningful conversations in a beautiful setting, unwind at Wai Ariki spa, and enjoy moments of joy—including some well-deserved laughter. As the saying goes, “Levity is the perfect antidote to gravity.” While we have serious work to do, we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously, and this Hui is a chance to recharge, reflect, and rise—Resilient, Renewed & Rising!

What might GW look like under your leadership five years from now?

In five years, I envision GW as a transformative force across Aotearoa, reshaping communities, industries, and policies. I see us as the engine hub for future-fit leadership, with our members driving meaningful change everywhere.

I want our membership to be occupying top leadership roles in corporations, influencing key decisions, and driving systemic change. This is within our reach—we are already a group of powerful women with influence. If each of us took an active role in sponsoring others, we would see more of us stepping into those positions of power.

I also see GW as a beacon for the next generation of leaders—young, diverse, and ready to step into these roles because they see themselves reflected in us. I had the privilege of working with Kathie Irwin years ago, and I shared with her a memory from high school of posters declaring ‘Girls Can Do Anything’. It took me a while to realize that women like Kathie put those posters up, even though they weren’t in those roles yet—they wanted us to be. We have the same responsibility now: to light the path for those who follow.

In five years, my daughters will be making their way in the world, and I hope we will have made it better for them.

Katie’s closing words…

I once was gifted the name Pungāwerewere—the spider. Spiders are great connectors of ideas and people. For me, leadership is about bringing people, ideas, and opportunities together to create something stronger than the sum of its parts.

Global Women stands at a defining moment. The work we do today will shape the future of leadership in Aotearoa. But we can’t do it alone. We need you. Your voices, your insights, and your experiences will shape what comes next. Lean in. Challenge us. Share your thoughts. Tell us what’s working and what needs to change.

I want to be a great ancestor—to leave this world better than I found it for my mokopuna. That’s our collective responsibility. Let’s make sure we get it right. E hara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini—our strength is not as individuals, but as a collective. So let’s weave this future together.