Telstra appoints the youngest director of any ASX 200 company

She started what is now known as Australia’s number one freelance jobs marketplace and management platform.

Tech entrepreneur and former Bain consultant Bridget Loudon has joined Telstra’s board, becoming the youngest director of an ASX 200 company.

Tech entrepreneur and former Bain consultant Bridget Loudon has joined Telstra’s board, becoming the youngest director of an ASX 200 company.

Ms Loudon, 32, is the chief executive and co-founder of technology start-up Expert360, which she started at 25 in 2013. Today it’s described as Australia’s number one freelance jobs marketplace and management platform, with more than 1000 companies and 30,000 professionals using its services.

Telstra chair John Mullen said Ms Loudon would bring a unique perspective to the board. Telstra’s T22 strategy, which the telco unveiled in 2018, has seen 8000 jobs slashed as the company has moved to shift its organisational structures and simplify its strategy.

“Bridget understands and is a leader in how organisations transform themselves to capture the opportunities presented by developments in technology. Her passion for solving customer problems and entrepreneurial thinking is also evident and critical for Telstra in today’s environment,” Mr Mullen said.

“Throughout this time, her professional drive was matched by an impressive desire to create positive outcomes for society using technology, something we are absolutely focused on at Telstra.

“Over the past year we have been recruiting some very talented professionals adding to the wealth of experience we already have on the Board. I am delighted to have Bridget join the Board – her youth and entrepreneurial start-up experience in particular will provide a fresh and unique perspective to ensure we are considering a range of views as we navigate Telstra through the next period.”

Telstra told investors that Ms Loudon‘s appointment is effective from August 14, and she will stand for election at the Telstra annual general meeting later in the year.

“We have traditionally had a very rigid concept of what a workforce should be, but individuals and organisations are looking for more flexibility,” she told The Australian in an interview last year.

“The gig economy is a manifestation of this, but it’s a very loaded word and conjures up a view of a dystopian world.”

She added that the current anxiety of on-demand companies around being potentially forced to classify their contractors as full-time workers was misplaced.

“Companies shouldn’t be scared to treat their casual workers like humans … we should be looking to build a new framework,“ she said.

“In the future, I imagine that every organisation will have its permanent workforce, as well as a project-based one.

“Around their pool of project-based workers, companies will compete to build community, culture and professional development.”