“Can I do what Dad does?”

My daughter was five when she asked me that question. She has a twin brother, who has never asked that question.

I still do not know exactly what prompted it back then, but I have never forgotten it. At that age, she had already started to absorb messages about what roles might be “for her” and what might not be. No parent wants their child to inherit limits they never chose.

That is why I commit to gender equity.

For me, gender equity is not a side initiative, and it is not a box to tick. It is a leadership responsibility. In engineering, energy and resources, our industry has been shaped over generations by systems, rosters, assumptions, and career paths that were not always designed with everyone in mind. Progress happens when leaders challenge the habits and decisions that quietly hold talented people back.

At Wood, we need the best people solving complex problems for our clients and communities. That means attracting, retaining and progressing talent from the broadest possible pool. It also means a workplace where people are not forced to choose between ambition and family or between leadership and authenticity.

The reasons are both human and commercial. Gender equity is not only the right thing to do, it is also good business. I know I am a better leader today because of the influence of inspiring women in my personal and work life.  I want this to be the experience we all share.

I am proud to be part of CEOs for Gender Equity. But membership alone changes nothing. The real test is what we do consistently – how we promote and how we measure progress:

By the end of 2027, I commit to equal representation on the Wood Australia Board, doubling the number of women on our Asia-Pacific Leadership Team, and increasing the representation of women in leadership roles by 15%. These outcomes will be achieved through internal advancement and targeted external recruitment. We will maintain our gender-balanced graduate intake each year and strengthen our leadership pipeline for future generations. I will sponsor the Women of Wood network and will champion initiatives that support the attraction, development, and retention of women, including reproductive health and wellness leave and continued full superannuation payments on the unpaid portion of parental leave.

My role is to set the tone and stay accountable. That means asking harder questions, sponsoring talent, calling out behaviour that does not belong.

I do not pretend Wood, or our industry, has all the answers. But I know that doing nothing guarantees nothing changes. My commitment is to keep challenging our workplace and our industry so that the next generation does not have to ask which futures are meant for them.