How the Y2K bug reset Opera House CEO Louise Herron’s career
When the anticipated meltdown in the global computing network did not happen at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2000, the former lawyer couldn’t help thinking her career was “really stupid”
In December 1999 Louise Herron was in France on a family holiday.
Herron has been chief executive of the Sydney Opera House for 13 years, but at the time she was a partner at law firm MinterEllison, working in the technology and communications area. Herron had spent most of the year trying to prevent a catastrophe arising from Y2K – the prospect that a computer programming shortcut would create widespread havoc when the year 1999 ticked over to 2000.
Sally PattenBOSS editorSally Patten edits BOSS, and writes about workplace issues. She was the financial services editor and personal finance editor of the AFR, The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. She edited business news for The Times of London. Connect with Sally on Twitter. Email Sally at spatten@afr.com
