Dame Theresa Gattung: The Telecom CEO Who Became One of NZ's Most Powerful Women
Episode Description
If you grew up in New Zealand in the late 90s or early 2000s, chances are you’ll know that name Dame Theresa Gattung.
Theresa became the CEO of Telecom at just 37 years old. Becoming the first woman to run a large NZ public company.
And during that time, she was part of some massive decisions – including the sale of the Yellow Pages for over $2 billion… which, looking back now, was unbelievably well-timed.
Since then, she’s gone on to back and build businesses like My Food Bag, which became one of New Zealand’s biggest startup success stories… and gave her the freedom to live life more on her terms.
But this conversation isn’t just about business. We unpack it all here:
+ The mindset that helped Theresa become CEO at 37 + The reality of being a woman in leadership - then vs now + Why she chose not to have children and has no regrets. + What success looks like to her now in her 60s
And much more!
There’s some incredible perspective in this one: On leadership, on resilience, and on what actually matters when you zoom out a bit and look at the big picture.
This is Dame Theresa Gattung.
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Brief Summary
Dame Theresa Gatting discusses her career, personal challenges, and the importance of supporting women in business.
Key points
- A Goody Two Shoes. Reflecting on their school days, the speaker describes themselves as a goody two shoes.
- Life's Lessons on Independence. The speaker shares a pivotal moment that shaped their independence and financial self-reliance.
- Overcoming Burnout. She discusses her experiences with burnout and the lessons learned about managing energy.
- Impact of Education on Girls. Hundreds of Oakland school girls learned about entrepreneurship, inspiring future generations.
- The Wild Transition to Fame. A personal account of becoming a household name overnight and its impact.
- Reflections on Relationships and Career. Insights on balancing personal relationships with the demands of a high-profile career.
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Episode highlights
- Life's Lessons on IndependenceThe speaker shares a pivotal moment that shaped their independence and financial self-reliance.“You need to be able to earn enough to support yourself.”15:02Apr 18, 2026
- Overcoming BurnoutShe discusses her experiences with burnout and the lessons learned about managing energy.“By your 40s, you’ve actually got a much better idea of what you need.”26:06Apr 18, 2026
- Impact of Education on GirlsHundreds of Oakland school girls learned about entrepreneurship, inspiring future generations.“Now when you’re 11, people don’t say girls from South Oakland can’t achieve that.”27:24Apr 18, 2026
- The Wild Transition to FameA personal account of becoming a household name overnight and its impact.“I’d walk down the street and see the poster of the front page.”33:55Apr 18, 2026
- Reflections on Relationships and CareerInsights on balancing personal relationships with the demands of a high-profile career.“Don’t neglect your partner while you’re working so hard.”41:32Apr 18, 2026
- High Point of a CareerThe speaker recalls the sale of Yellow Pages for $2.2 billion, marking a career high.“Yes. High point.”52:26Apr 18, 2026
- A New Focus on PhilanthropyFollowing a difficult period, the speaker finds purpose in supporting animal welfare and community projects.“We’ve got to build something better for the animals.”1:00:35Apr 18, 2026
- A Mugging in ArgentinaA harrowing tale of being mugged while traveling in Argentina.“What the hell? Have we done the right thing here?”1:08:37Apr 18, 2026





