MEET THE MAESTRO INTERVIEW

Julie - Maestro advisory board member

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At Maestro, we know there’s more to life than work. In our “Meet the Maestro” series, we peek beyond the CV to discover what makes our Maestros tick.

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Julie Raffe is a formidable leader and we couldn't be more excited to welcome her to our board. She is a powerhouse in strategic finance and governance with 30+ years' experience driving impact across ASX-listed companies, global businesses and the not-for-profit sector. From leading finance at Village Roadshow to steering audit and risk at Ridley and Latitude, Julie brings sharp financial acumen, ethical leadership and a passion for purpose-led change. Julie is thoughtful, sharp and deeply committed to making things better. She leads with quiet confidence, sets a high bar and effortlessly inspires those around her to rise to the challenge.

1. What do you do and what is your superpower that makes you incredible at what you do?

I am a board director with a financial, governance and strategy background. I sit on a couple of ASX listed boards and some NFPs. My superpower is problem solving. I ask lots of questions to get the information I need to be able to form my own view of something and work through what the solution might be.

2. Tell us about a career highlight to date…

There’s a few.  I think being an integral part of a fast paced, dynamic company really satisfied my desire to keep learning and be intellectually challenged.    The company I moved to after my professional consulting era doubled in size for the first five years. I was part of so many business acquisitions, capital raisings and operational reviews that I was never bored – that was a career goal! The company was involved in leisure and entertainment. They had a film production business in LA and made several highly successful films. Attending the premieres and seeing people like Julia Roberts and Keanu Reeves was pretty special!

3. Talk us through an unusual career choice you’ve made along the way…

Leaving a professional services firm to join a small public company looked like a strange career choice at the time – it was viewed as being pretty risky. It didn’t offer guaranteed promotions or professional development but it did offer the ability to be part of a small team and a contributor. They had a policy of promote from within so it ended up being a great career move.

4. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I don’t think I had specific career goals back then, I wanted to travel and learn new things. I looked for a career that could give me those things. When I qualified as a chartered accountant I applied to work in Australia, moving from the UK. I have now been here for over 30 years! The company I worked for operated in over 20 countries and I spent a lot of time on planes.

5. What are your passions outside of work and how do you make time for them?

My passions are family, travel, music and theatre. I make it a priority to be there when its important. I try to have at least 2 trips a year – 1 in Australia and 1 overseas, prioritising somewhere I’ve not been before. For at least one of those trips my 2 adult children and their partners come with me

I am also passionate about mentoring and have been part of the Financial Executives Institute for a long time. I believe the mentor learns as much from the mentee as vice versa!

6. If you could instantly master any skill or hobby, what would it be and why?

A language – would love to be able to have a conversation with the people I meet overseas.

7. What’s a personal value or belief that guides the way you live your life?

I believe that you get out of life what you put into it. Whether that be hard work or helping someone out. I have always followed the rule if you can help others, then why wouldn’t you.

8. What’s a challenge you’ve overcome outside of work that shaped you?

A few years ago my husband of 25 years was diagnosed with early onset dementia and passed away at the age of 53. For 5 years we took care of him, it was hard for me and my children who were teenagers at the time. Dementia changes peoples behaviour and I realised that society isn’t always kind to those who behave differently. I think I am more empathetic and understanding of difference than I was before.

9. What do you think your job will look like in 10 years time? 

Being a NED is about sharing experience and knowledge. I don’t think that will change. What will change is the availability of data to make decisions quicker and easier. Change and technology development is a constant and we all need to ensure we can embrace it and maximise its value.

10. If you could travel anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and what would you do?

I would probably go back to Europe and travel through several countries. I would explore the beautiful unique architecture of each country.   

11. What does success look like to you?

Professionally: Being with intelligent people who share my work and life values where I feel I am making a positive contribution to whatever the goals are.   Personally: I want my children to be happy, healthy and strong and feel they have the freedom to pursue their dreams.