Gattung’s new ventures
Theresa Gattung is leaving her history with Wellington behind. Chloe Winter reports.
Former Telecom boss Theresa Gattung is selling up in the capital to focus on new and existing business ventures in Auckland and overseas.
Gattung, who bought a luxury Wellington waterfront apartment in 2003, said it made sense to put it on the market now, as she shifted to Auckland in 2014 and found herself spending less time in her old abode.
Since Gattung resigned as chief executive of Telecom, now called Spark, in 2007, she has not slowed down.
She has been involved in a number of business ventures, including My Food Bag, SPCA, and CoOfWomen (Companies of Women), among others.
Her latest venture is SheEO, an initiative aimed at supporting new business ventures by female entrepreneurs.
The New Zealand venture is a branch of the global SheEO scheme, founded by Canadian businesswoman Vicki Saunders, which already operates in Canada and the US.
It seeks 500 women to contribute $1000 each to create a funding pool of half a million dollars.
In addition to SheEO, Gattung, who was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2014, has also been asked to stay on the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women.
‘‘And, as you know, Julie Anne Genter is the Minister for Women, and she’s committed to comprehensive pay equity legislation and I am working on that,’’ she said.
‘‘I believe if New Zealand could spend the next couple of years doing a really good job with comprehensive pay equity legislation …then, I think we could lead the world in the way that we did with suffrage.
‘‘This issue is really an issue of our times, and I really do believe that if all women who have a voice got in behind this, we could make this happen,’’ Gattung said.
‘‘So I am going to spend some of my time trying to help this, because I think it’s really important.’’ Gattung also helped co-found My Food Bag in 2012, with her Swedish-born friend Cecilia Robinson, who had seen a similar food-delivery product back in Sweden.
Fronted and part-owned Masterchef winner Nadia Lim, service has grown rapidly
While Gattung has taken a step back from the day-to-day running of My Food Bag, she remains chair of the board and still owns a small shareholding.
And while women are a theme, her love for animals is represented too. by the
Gattung chaired the Wellington branch of SPCA, where she led fundraising for its new animal centre.
Following that, she helped consolidate all 46 centres under one umbrella. She now sits on the national SPCA board.
Gattung is also the chairwoman of Melbourne-based insurer AIA which has, subject to regulatory approval, bought CommInsure in Australia from Sovereign’s ultimate parent company, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA).
Gattung said she enjoyed all her ventures and was looking forward to seeing what 2018 would bring.