When Amy Cavanaugh thinks of her role model who has inspired her on her leadership journey, she doesn’t have to look far.
It’s her mum, Denise, who became a paraplegic after a skiing accident when Amy, now Head of Transformation in the Public Trust Corporate Trustee Services team, was just four years old.
“Mum really pushed me to apply myself through her role modelling of perseverance and determination,” Amy says.
A few years after the accident, Amy learnt to ski alongside her mother, who was by this stage re-learning how to ski. Amy became a blind ski guide in the process. It’s this hard work and determination, especially when times are tough, which has seen Amy take on senior leadership positions and be a board member from early in her career.
“I was really curious as to how decisions get made,” says Amy.
“I've always enjoyed the role I can play in supporting other people and providing other people the opportunity to grow and succeed and develop.”
Amy is also a board member of The Supported Life Style Hauraki Trust and AFS Intercultural Programmes New Zealand.
Supporting client outcomes
Clear vision and communication as a leader are important, Amy says.
“Connecting the work we do as a Supervisor, Trustee, and Custodian to the impact on client experience and member outcomes helps the team see the value of their work and the collective service we provide,” she explains.
“As a leader I encourage curiosity and innovation to identify ways to improve services and processes, that ultimately benefits our clients.”
Amy says empowering the team and fostering a culture of continuous improvement is also important. Not just for personal growth and development, but to enhance the quality of Public Trust’s Corporate Trustee Services and make a meaningful difference for clients, she says.
Amy says successful partnerships are anchored in a long-term vision that aligns with the strategic goals of both organisations.
“I focus on ensuring collaborations are forward-thinking more than reactive, creating sustainable value over time.”
Leadership in financial services
Financial services is known to be male-dominated, but Amy says she’s been fortunate to have females in the industry to look up to.
“I’ve also had male mentors who are very skilled at ensuring everyone at the table has a voice.”
This was important, as diversity and inclusion – of not only women – is important to Amy.
“Visibility is important for young people and those in minority communities to see people in those roles, to see that it’s possible. Representation is important because we all have different backgrounds and different perspectives. Having diversity in the room adds so much value, and you can have really rich conversations.”
Amy’s tip for those who are interested in being leaders is to go out and talk to people.
“Everyone has a different journey, and there’s no one way to go about being a leader. Choose a path that’s authentic and reflects what you want to do. Be open-minded and curious, and create opportunities or put your hand up.”