Andy Penn became the CEO and Managing Director of Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications company, on 1 May 2015. At Telstra Andy is leading an ambitious change program transforming Telstra to be positioned to compete in the radically changing technology world of the future with 5G at its core.



Andy has had an extensive career spanning 40 years across 3 different industries - telecommunications, financial services and shipping. He joined Telstra in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer. In 2014 he took on the additional responsibilities as Group Executive International.



Prior to Telstra, Andy spent 23 years with the AXA Group, one of the world’s largest insurance and investment groups. His time at AXA included the roles of Chief Executive Officer 2006-2011 AXA Asia Pacific Holdings, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Executive Asia and Chief Executive Australia and New Zealand.  At AXA, Andy was instrumental in building one of the most successful Asian businesses by an Australian company that was sold to its parent in 2011 for more than A$10bn.

In addition to his business activities, Andy has contributed widely to not-for-profit, community organisations and special interest groups. Andy is Chairman of the Australian Government’s Cyber Industry Advisory Committee, created to guide the implementation of Australia’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy; Board Director of the Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA) (from 2018); Member of the Council of Trustees of the National Gallery of Victoria; Patron, on behalf of Telstra, of the National and Torres Straights Islanders Arts Awards (NATSIAA); Life Governor of Very Special Kids and an Ambassador for the Amy Gillett Foundation. He serves on the advisory boards of both The Big Issue Home for Homes and JDRF.



Andy has a national diploma in business studies (with distinction), is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, holds an MBA from Kingston University and is a graduate of Harvard’s Advance Management Program. In 2008 Andy was recognised as Insurance Executive of the year in the Australian Banking and Finance Awards and in 2016 he was made an honorary fellow of the Australian Institute of Project Management. In 2018 Andy was named by the Financial Times among the top 10 male leaders globally HERoes list supporting women in business. In 2019 he was named by the Australian Financial Review as among the top 10 most powerful people in business.



Champions of Change Founding Group

Andy Penn is a Member of the Champions of Change Founding Group. The Founding Group was established in 2010 and comprises CEOs, Board Directors, Commonwealth Government Department Secretaries, University and Military leaders. Members of the Founding Group are committed to advance gender equality across their organisations and across the country. They focus on action in the areas of women’s representation in leadership, talent development, accountability and public advocacy.

Fernando Zobel de Ayala is the President of Ayala Corporation and part of the seventh generation in the family overseeing the Company. Ayala has maintained dominant positions in various industries in the Philippines, including real estate, banking, telecommunications, water, power, industrial technologies, infrastructure, education, and healthcare. It has a growing international presence primarily in industrial technologies, water, power, and real estate in Southeast Asia, China, the US, and Europe.



Mr Zobel de Ayala is board chairman of Ayala Land and Manila Water Company and sits on the board of various companies in the Ayala group, including the Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe Telecom, and the Ayala Foundation.

Mr Zobel de Ayala serves on the Board of INSEAD and Georgetown University, and is a member of the Chief Executives Organization. He chairs the steering committee of Habitat for Humanity International’s Asia Pacific Capital Campaign and also serves on the board of the Asia Society and is a member of the Asia Philanthropy Circle.

In the Philippines, he is a board member of Caritas, Pilipinas Shell Corporation, and Pilipinas Shell Foundation.

Mr. Zobel de Ayala holds a liberal arts degree from Harvard College and a CIM from INSEAD, France.