NAB Morning Call Weekend edition: Anastasia Clarke - pivotal moments on the way up
Mar 6, 2026
Anastasia Clarke, CFO of Charter Hall and seasoned real estate finance leader. She recalls pivotal male mentorship and the grit needed to climb ASX ranks. Short takes on shifting women into revenue roles, the 40:40:20 leadership aim, balancing career with young children, and how senior female representation links to Charter Hall’s funds growth.
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Negotiating Career Continuity While Pregnant
- Anastasia Clarke recounts being overlooked early in her career because managers assumed she lacked ambition due to having young children.
- She negotiated four months' parental leave and relied on a supportive husband and male mentors to return and advance her career.
CFO Is A Route Not A Requirement For CEO
- The CFO-to-CEO path is common but not the only route; business-line experience often better prepares someone for CEO roles.
- Clarke notes many CEOs historically came from engineering or revenue roles rather than finance.
Earn Foundational Skills Early
- Do aggressively pursue foundational technical roles early in your career to build transferable skills for senior leadership.
- Clarke moved into treasury at Lendlease after pushing for a role that required five years' experience and trained herself up to secure it.