Cassandra Kelly is an international advisor, speaker, and company director. She is a founding member of the European Union's Global Tech Panel, and Chair of Treasury Corporation of Victoria. She is co-founder of Pottinger and Atomli Inc. Her thinking on disruption, diversity, philanthropy, and business leadership has been featured in articles, speeches and books.
Early life and education
Cassandra was born in Sydney, Australia. She attended the University of Sydney and received a Bachelor in Economics (Honours in Finance), with a major in Commercial Law / Accounting. Her Honours year focused on finance and the economics of developing nations and economics.
Executive career
After working as a fund manager, she was hired by McKinsey & Company and moved to Johannesburg, where she was one of the early founders of the global risk management practice. Following that, she worked at HSBC in London and then Deutsche Bank where she was based in New York City, leading investment into early fintech/online platforms such as Tradeweb, Market Axess and Creditex.
In 2001 she was hired as the Vice President of GMAC Commercial Mortgage Asia, based in Tokyo.
She founded Pottinger in 2003, a global advisory business, with Nigel Lake. She was initially CEO and then became global chair of Pottinger. She developed Pottinger's proprietary "destination-led strategy" which is used by leaders in business and government. Business Spectator reported that Cassandra drives a responsible and ethical business culture through recruitment of individuals "with a true understanding of what feels correct, ethical, decent, humane, authentic behaviour. People who have the courage to say 'no' to clients".
Board appointments
In August 2017, Cassandra was appointed as Chairperson of Treasury Corporation Victoria, the central financing authority for the State of Victoria, established by an Act of the Victorian Parliament, having previously been appointed as Deputy Chairperson in 2015.
In early 2017, Cassandra was appointed as Chair of the NYC-based technology startup Atomli Inc.
Previous board appointments include:
2017 - Chair, Livetiles
2014 - Director of Flight Centre Travel Group
2014 - Chair, Allpress Espresso International
2010 - Director, University of New South Wales Foundation, the Fundraising Board of that university 2009 - Vice President, Women in Banking & Finance 2006 - Director, Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia 2006 - Director, Children’s Cancer Institute of Australia & Cassandra was also the Chair of the Audit & Risk Management Committee
A former member for the Australian Federal Treasury's Inclusive Workplace Committee
Kelly is also:
A member of the European Union's Global Tech Panel https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/sanctions-policy/50886/about-global-tech-panel_en</ref>, a member and Chair of the Global Council of Exponent https://exponent.org/ a global coalition that amplifies gender equity initiatives and partners to spark new ones, a member of The International Advisory Board for The Resolution Project, a member of the Global Leadership Council for MS Research Australia, an advisory council member for the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, and works with experts in access to global education including the former PM of Australia Hon. Julia Gillard.
Recognition
Kelly is an advisor to the G20, as a member of the B20 Digitalization Taskforce and the Health Taskforce. Previously she was a member of the Infrastructure and Financing Taskforce. In 2014, Kelly spoke at the G20 Finance Ministers and Reserve Bank Governors Meeting, the B20 Summit on Financing Growth and the G(irls)20.
In 2017 she was named one of Australia's Best Chairs.
In 2015, Kelly was named a Director to Watch, by Directors & Boards, a quarterly US journal dedicated to the topics of leadership and corporate governance.
The Australian has quoted her thoughts on business leadership: "we are now living in a world where managements and boards have to be more nimble and collaborative and curious, because we are in an environment where companies have to embrace uncertainty". At Daze of Disruption in 2015, she spoke about the importance of investing outside of core business operations in order that organisations remain vital in the future.