Denise Aldous - investment banker to NED

After completing a long and very successful career in commercial/retail banking in New Zealand, Denise moved to Sydney to join the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation in 1993. 12 years later and as CEO of the Sydney based business, she decided to leave investment banking and advisory work to pursue a career as a company director in Australia and New Zealand. Her international experience advising and raising finance for business across more than 50 different industry groupings in 20+ countries lent itself very well for a career in governance.
 
Since early 2006, Denise has been building her portfolio of boards and committees full time while also establishing her own small business working in governance and leadership. She currently holds non-executive director and committee roles with Cronulla Sharks Football Club, Cronulla-Sutherland Leagues Club, KEA Australia, UnitingCare NSW/ACT and the NSW Bar Association. In addition she Chairs the International Panel of the Enterprise Challenge Fund, an AusAID initiative co-funding business growth with large companies in high risk areas in 9 Asia/Pacific countries.
 
Denise is a strong believer in knowing what you have to offer and being very clear about where you want to go in a director career. She shares her experiences regularly via Women on Boards and other organisations such as AICD but also tries to find time to help others as they embark on a director career. Success depends on being very self aware, persistent and focussed, being prepared to ask probing questions and make well considered choices. Director work is hard work, requires a great deal of initiative and good judgement, together with being very well organised. Really enjoying the work is key.
 
Denise is currently focussed on financial services, state/federal commercial boards and large private companies as she works towards her goal of a small group of large listed boards.