How Westpac CEO Gail Kelly climbed the ranks from bank teller to most powerful woman in Australian business

SHE’S responsible for more than $600 billlion in assets and 36,000 employees, but 30 years ago Gail Kelly was a bank teller at Westpac. Here’s her story.

Westpac CEO, Gail Kelly said you have to gather your power in your hands

IS GAIL Kelly the most powerful woman in Australian business? She’s got to be up there.

This is the chief executive of the country’s second largest bank — Westpac — overseeing a whopping $670 billion in assets and over 36,000 employees.

It’s quite a portfolio, and all the more impressive considering the 57-year-old mother-of-four started out as a bank teller a little over 30 years ago.

Born in South Africa to British parents, Kelly originally taught Latin at high schools, before working at Nedcor Bank in Johannesburg — becoming head of human resources just five months after giving birth to triplets.

The family moved to Sydney and in December 2001 Kelly became the general manger at St George Bank before moving to become the first female CEO of Westpac.

Today she is the 62nd most powerful woman in the world, according to Forbes, but admits the notoriously male-dominated banking world has been a “tough area to crack.”

At Westpac, Kelly made it her mission to have 40% women in senior management positions by 2014 — a target she smashed in 2012.

Gail Kelly rose up the ranks from teller to CEO of Westpac.

How has she achieved her phenomenal success and what is her vision for the future of Australia’s oldest bank? CNN’s Leading Women sat down with the financial trailblazer to find out.

“I grew up in a very strong, nuclear family. My father was a sportsman. He represented South Africa in a couple of sports, so he was a very positive person and someone who encouraged you to be your best and give your best with everything that you do. And so I grew up in this environment that was nurturing, supporting, but certainly encouraging.”

“42% of our management team are women. So we’ve reset the goal to 50% by 2017. Because that’s when Westpac becomes 200 years old as an institution — the oldest bank, and indeed the oldest company in Australia. So that’s a lovely point to reflect on.”

“When I got to be a CEO I said: ‘Right. I’m now going to tackle gender inequality head-on. I’m going to make a difference, and lead by example, and actively put in place policies and practices to support women.’”

“The banking world is a particularly tough area to crack for women. I was in a forum yesterday where there would have been 60 leaders of banks and insurance companies and I was literally the only woman.”

The mother of four grew up in South Africa when Nelson Mandela was President.

“My husband being a paediatrician was awesome. With four children — three of them triplets — I needed a lot of help and support at home. He did more than his fair share of everything in the home and I could not have done what I’ve done without that.”

“Nelson Mandela was an outstanding leader and a mentor for me. I was in South Africa at the time he was released. I was in South Africa when he was inaugurated as the first president. And he — after the 27 years of imprisonment, a lot of it in solitary confinement — truly understood that his vision, his purpose, was to transform South Africa, a reconciled South Africa.”

“My advice would be: dig deep. Gather all your courage in your hands. You’ve been offered this opportunity because you are worthy. You don’t have to be 100% ready for this job. You don’t have to be 80% ready for this job. You do need support around you and you do need a determination and a preparedness to work hard. But back yourself.”

6 things you might not know about Gail Kelly

• Gail Kelly was born in Pretoria, South Africa on Anzac Day

• She started an MBA (Masters of Business Administration) while pregnant with her oldest daughter and graduated with distinction

• This powerhouse even gave birth to triplets on Remembrance Day in 1989

• Kelly was the CEO of St. George Bank

• She has said that she walks every evening with her sons for 45 minutes.

• Kelly is SCG trustee until December 2015 and she loves rugby and cricket