Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista talks humble beginnings
SHE’S the Gold Coast CEO who went from school dropout to ‘raging over-achiever.’ Here’s how she changed her life around — and never looked back.
Lifestyle
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DESTINATION Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista admits she was a “ratbag” in her early teens.
The Perth native who landed the city’s top tourism marketing job three months ago reveals at 14 she was hanging out with the wrong crowd.
While not officially expelled in Year 10 she may as well have been: “All my mates were leaving school or left. I had not completed enough days to pass.”
After a stern chat with the principal, her school days in the lower socio-economic suburb where she grew up ended.
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“I wasn’t expelled in writing but by that stage I was the only girl in my group still there. For a few months I just did nothing.”
But she pulled herself together to finish school via distance education and a mature age campus: “It was either achieve or end up with the kids with a drug addiction.
“I really did switch gears,” she said. “I wanted to achieve in Year 11 and 12 and by the time I went to university I had become a raging over-achiever.
“I was forced to make a decision about my life at a very young age,” she said.
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“I’ve got five sisters and was the first to finish high school and go to university and get a couple of degrees.”
She graduated in 1999, earning a state prize in Western Australia for the top university PR graduate.
Ms Battista, who beat 200-plus applicants for the Destination Gold Coast role, had been at City of Perth just over three years, starting as communications and marketing boss.
In March, she was appointed City of Perth acting CEO after abrupt departures of two CEOs in 10 days. She jumped at the Gold Coast opportunity.
“It was such an exciting challenge. The Gold Coast is my favourite part of Australia and if I could have imagined a dream job that would have been it.
“I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot. I absolutely love it.
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“I’m very used to being the only female in the room and usually the youngest as well in terms of CEOs,” she said.
“My hope and certainly experience is if you know your stuff, demonstrate respect for your colleagues and your teammates whether male or female, you get back what you put out.”
Her advice for others pushing forward into higher positions?
“Back yourself 100 per cent. It never ceases to amaze me in job interviews how women are so humble. Usually when you ask about salary expectations women will say, ‘Well this is what I’m on now’, they’ll never actually ask for what they’re worth.
“Don’t be afraid, there’s no glass ceiling and don’t make one for yourself.”
The Bulletin’s inaugural Harvey Norman Gold Coast Women of the Year campaign celebrates the city’s leading females.
A winner will be crowned at a gala event at The Star Gold Coast on International Women’s Day on March 8.
More information is at womenoftheyear.com.au.
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