Our Annual Partners for 2023 have been an incredible support to SA Woman and we are so grateful for their involvement and passion for the women of South Australia. There is more to each of these wonderful women than their businesses however, so let’s get to know some of our Annual Partners and what makes them tick!
Meet Casey Annetts | NAB
// Tell us about your business and your role within it?
NAB is the largest business bank in Australia and the bank behind the broker. Nationally we have over 35, 000 employees across our Consumer, Business and Corporate segments. Under the Business & Private Bank banner, we assist micro up to large business customers across Small Business, Commercial, Corporate and Regional & Agri.
My role is Business Banking Executive, and I am responsible for a team of local bankers based in our regional areas here in SA. We service both diversified Business and Agribusiness customers located in the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula/ KI, Riverland, Barossa/ Gawler and Eyre Peninsula areas. We are deeply invested in the success of regional customers and communities and have been servicing the sector for close to 160 years. We’re proud to be Australia’s largest lending to agricultural business, banking 1 in 3 farmers across Australia.
// Tell us about the career and study journey you’ve taken up to this point?
I’m a country girl & grew up in regional NSW. Always throughout my childhood, I wanted to work in Agriculture so naturally I studied Agribusiness at university and just fell into banking as a job that I thought would be temporary until I graduated. Completely left field but I also studied Paramedics/ Emergency Health Care after I graduated from my first degree. My banking career started with NAB originally and moved to CBA for a few years out of Wagga Wagga, NSW. It wasn’t until I made a rash decision to move to the Clare Valley with the NAB that I started to think banking was where I wanted to really build my career. I’ve now worked across three states, for two main banks and across Agribusiness, Commercial and Small Business banking segments. I’m always looking for new learning opportunities and I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, but I feel like I’m on the right path for now!
// Tell us about an influential person who guided you on this path?
I’ve been fortunate throughout my career that I’ve had a long list of supporters/ leaders/ mentors that have helped me along the way, and I will be forever grateful for their support. More recently, the support of our senior leadership team at NAB, particularly within our Small Business segment, have helped me build out the next steps in my career.
There is always so much to learn from the experience of others around you so being naturally curious, asking questions of successful individuals and being comfortable not being the smartest person in the room pays dividends in my opinion.
// Is there anything you wish you had done differently to get to your current role?
Nothing. Every opportunity prior to this role has helped me build the experience and depth of knowledge I needed to be able to execute on this role. At times throughout my career, I have felt like I was going too slow or needed to take additional steps to get where I needed to be. Only on reflection now, have I realised I should have trusted the process more at the time and that it was pushing me in the direction I needed to go. There is always an opportunity cost when you make decisions, and you can only play the cards that you have in front of you at the time. Make the most out of each opportunity presented, use the steps as building blocks and know that building a career is a marathon, not a sprint.
// What was the best career advice you have been given?
Often people miss opportunity because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work. Leadership is hard work and takes sacrifice and patience to show up for your people every day, but it is ridiculously rewarding when you get it right. Any opportunity or role you take on is going to be what you make it – focus on driving what you need, learning what you can and be flexible with your approach as there is always speed bumps along the way.
// If you could do anything besides your current role, what is your ultimate dream job?
Easy answer- would love to be a wine maker. I spend most of my free weekends exploring our wineries across all regions and have a passion for supporting local. I’m curious around the different complexities of making wine and the post-farm gate sale/marketing of the product including the experience the consumer gets when they visit a cellar door. Naturally being interested in Wine, means I am as equally interested in food so lucky we are spoilt for choice in SA!
// When you aren’t working, what activities/ places help you unwind and relax?
People always ask me about “work-life balance” – and I always give the answer they don’t want to hear which is that my balance will never be textbook, and work is a large part of my life. This is a choice and one I am very comfortable with currently in my life which means I must be deliberate in my approach on the way I manage my wellbeing. As a leadership team at NAB, we make wellbeing bids weekly to keep each other accountable and make them just as important as we would the business expectations we need to deliver on. Exercise is a non-negotiable for me to help manage stress – I have a PT that keeps me accountable for 2 sessions per week and then usually will do an additional 3 sessions myself at the gym. I would churn through 1-2 books/ week and usually read before bed most evening. Running my dogs at the beach is also high on my list for helping unwind on the weekends.
// Tell us about your local region, where is your favourite places to visit
Clare Valley will always hold a special place in my heart for one of SA best regions– head up to the valley for a weekend away and check out some of my favourites including Skillagalee, Ragu & Co, Pauletts and Pikes. Couple of my best kept secrets across our broader food/wine/ accommodation sectors in SA include Tagai Vineyards (Adelaide Hills), Bekkers Wines (McLaren Vale), Hugh Hamilton (McLaren Vale), Tom Foolery (Barossa Valley), Tscharke Wines (Barossa Valley), Esca @ Nest & Nature (Inman Valley) & Peel Street Restaurant (Adelaide CBD).
Get in touch with Casey & NAB:
Website: www.nab.com.au
LinkedIn: Casey Annetts
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