It was late 2020 when Nell Hutton made her big move. Two-and-a-half years earlier, she had reached the pinnacle of investment banking: admission to the exclusive global partnership of Goldman Sachs. But Hutton had her eyes on a bigger prize.

Having reached the top of the Goldman Sachs ladder by her mid-40s, Hutton figured she should climb the next rungs of her career at a local institution, where she could contribute more to the Australian economy. Then, Westpac came calling.