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Australia
Head of Strategy

Kate Stannett

Kate ensures Square Peg has the right strategies, products and people in place to deliver on our ambitions and unlock growth for our portfolio companies. Her journey so far has included strategy consulting, international development, and scaling Uber across Australia and Asia. She’s also founded service design and consumer data businesses.

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Michael Carden
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Michele Ferrario
Jack Zhang
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Get to know

Kate Stannett

We're one global team but we've got our own stories. Here's what makes us tick.

What has defined your career path?

A lack of definition! Ironic for someone who works in strategy. I like to roll with the punches and my career has been no different. I’m a perpetual generalist, and while at times I’ve worried about lacking depth of expertise in an area, I also think it has made me open to opportunities that at the time seemed a bit left of field but turned out to be defining.

What advice do you live by?

Say yes! When in doubt about whether to do something, in your career or in your personal life, bias towards yes. You know in your gut if something is wrong, so if you're deliberating then go for it. Whether it’s a career break to travel around Africa, a risky new job or simply a social invitation, don’t overthink it.

What do you look for when you’re hiring people?

Depends on the role I guess, but I can pull out 3 common themes. 1. Intellectual agility: the best people can adapt the way that they think in response to new perspectives and requirements, this agility is critical to long term success. 2. Passion: passionate people are awesome to work with. 3. Team players: success in any role drastically increases if you work well with others.

What tech do you avoid in your life?

Baby monitors! A bit obtuse I know, but it’s been on my mind lately as I’ve been on maternity leave with my two gorgeous daughters. I just don’t like the idea of always watching someone. It also helped me to be a little more ‘out of sight out of mind’ because early parenthood can be pretty all consuming.

Who inspires you?

Dr Jane Goodall. She is a true trailblazer. As a young woman she stepped into the unknown to study chimpanzees in the African jungle at a time when females were not accepted in her field of research and she didn’t have a degree. Her research fundamentally changed our understanding of ourselves. Since then she has been relentless in her pursuit of conservation and the alleviation of poverty. Today at 88 she is a UN messenger for peace and travels the world spreading messages of hope. I truly respect and admire her devotion.

What piece of entertainment do you wish you could experience for the first time?

All three Lord of the Rings movies. The extended versions. Obviously.

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