Theresa Gattung: Age, Career, Telecom Leadership and Lasting Legacy

Introduction

Dame Theresa Gattung is a New Zealand business leader, company director, investor, author and philanthropist. She is best known for becoming the first woman to lead an NZX-listed company when she was appointed chief executive of Telecom New Zealand in 1999.

She was only 37 when she received the role. This also made her the youngest chief executive in Telecom’s history at that time.

After leaving Telecom, Theresa built another successful chapter of her career. She co-founded My Food Bag, moved into company governance, supported women-led businesses and helped establish the Gattung Foundation.

As of 21 July 2026, she is the chair of Global Women and the director and board chair of digital healthcare company Tend. Her work now combines business leadership, investment, charity and support for women and girls.

Theresa Gattung Quick Facts

Fact	Verified detail
Full name	Dame Theresa Elizabeth Gattung
Birth year	1962
Age	63 or 64 as of 21 July 2026
Nationality	New Zealander
Childhood home	Rotorua, New Zealand
Profession	Business leader, investor, director, author and philanthropist
Known for	Former Telecom New Zealand CEO
Historic achievement	First female CEO of an NZX-listed company
University	University of Waikato
Qualifications	Bachelor of Management Studies and law degree
Major business venture	Co-founder of My Food Bag
Current roles	Chair of Global Women and board chair of Tend
Book	Bird on a Wire
Major honour	Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Current home base	Auckland and the Bay of Plenty

Who Is Theresa Gattung?

Theresa Gattung is one of the most important women in New Zealand’s modern business history.

Her appointment as Telecom New Zealand’s chief executive broke a major leadership barrier. At the time, it was extremely unusual for a woman to lead a large publicly listed company in New Zealand.

Her career did not end when she left Telecom. She later became involved in food technology, insurance, healthcare, company boards, women’s business funding and charitable projects.

Theresa is also known for speaking openly about leadership, equality and the importance of giving women fair access to business opportunities.

How Old Is Theresa Gattung?

Theresa Gattung was born in 1962.

Her exact day and month of birth have not been confirmed by a strong public source. Therefore, she is either 63 or 64 years old as of 21 July 2026, depending on whether her birthday has already passed.

Claims giving a precise birthday should be treated carefully unless they are supported by an official record or a direct statement from Theresa.

Early Life and Family Background

Theresa was raised in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Her parents, Marion and John Gattung, arrived in New Zealand from Britain in 1961. They travelled under an assisted migration programme and originally agreed to remain in the country for at least two years.

The family eventually made New Zealand their permanent home.

Theresa was the eldest of four daughters. Her parents encouraged all their daughters to believe that women could enter any profession when they were given equal opportunities.

Her father was interested in business and helped develop small entrepreneurial projects. Growing up in this environment gave Theresa an early understanding of hard work, business and personal responsibility.

Education

Theresa began studying at the University of Waikato in 1980.

She completed a Bachelor of Management Studies with honours in 1984. Her main subjects were economics and marketing.

She also studied Japanese and Women’s Studies. This was an unusual academic combination at the time, especially for a student completing a business degree.

Theresa later moved to Wellington to study law. While completing her legal education, she also worked full-time at Television New Zealand.

Her education gave her knowledge across business, marketing, economics and law. These skills later helped her move into senior corporate leadership.

Beginning Her Business Career

Theresa started working at Television New Zealand while studying law.

She originally expected to work part-time, but she soon found herself working full-time while continuing her university studies. Within about 15 months, she was promoted into a management position.

She later joined National Mutual as a marketing research manager. She was then promoted to marketing manager.

In 1990, she became chief manager of marketing at the Bank of New Zealand. This role gave her greater experience in financial services, brand development and staff leadership.

These early positions prepared her to manage large teams and make important commercial decisions.

Joining Telecom New Zealand

Theresa joined Telecom New Zealand in 1994 as general manager of marketing.

After approximately 18 months, she was promoted to group general manager of services. This was a much larger position with responsibility for thousands of employees, sales, marketing, call centres and retail operations.

She reported directly to Telecom chief executive Roderick Deane.

Theresa has explained that she had wanted to lead a major company before turning 40. Her work at Telecom gave her the opportunity to reach that goal.

Becoming Telecom CEO

In August 1999, Theresa Gattung was appointed chief executive of Telecom New Zealand.

She was 37 years old.

Her appointment made her:

• The first female chief executive of an NZX-listed company
• The youngest chief executive in Telecom’s history at that time
• One of New Zealand’s most visible business leaders
• A leading example for women seeking senior corporate positions

Telecom was one of New Zealand’s largest companies. Leading it placed Theresa at the centre of major changes in communications, technology and internet services.

She remained chief executive for about seven years.

Challenges During Her Telecom Leadership

Theresa’s time at Telecom included both major achievements and serious challenges.

The telecommunications industry was changing quickly. Internet services were growing, technology was developing and the New Zealand government was reconsidering how the industry should be regulated.

In 2006, the government announced plans to open Telecom’s local network to competitors. The decision affected the company’s market position and contributed to a fall in its share price.

Theresa received strong public criticism as the company’s chief executive. She later spoke openly about the pressure of being personally blamed for wider commercial and regulatory problems.

She left Telecom in 2007.

Her Telecom years remain an important part of her story because they show both the opportunities and pressures faced by leaders of large public companies.

Life After Telecom

Leaving Telecom did not mean leaving business.

Theresa moved into governance, investment, entrepreneurship and charity work.

In 2008, she became the first chair of Wool Partners International. The organisation aimed to improve opportunities for New Zealand’s strong-wool industry.

She later held leadership and board positions across insurance, healthcare, animal welfare and business organisations.

This second stage of her career showed that senior executives can use their experience in many different industries rather than remaining in one corporate role.

Co-Founding My Food Bag

Theresa became one of the co-founders of My Food Bag alongside Cecilia Robinson, James Robinson, Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie.

My Food Bag developed meal kits containing recipes and prepared ingredients. The service made it easier for families to cook meals at home without planning every ingredient themselves.

Theresa brought business experience, investment knowledge and company governance skills to the venture.

The company grew into a major New Zealand food business and helped make meal kits a familiar part of the local food market.

Her involvement showed that she could move from leading a large established corporation to helping build a new consumer business.

Readers interested in another major Kiwi founder can explore Anna Mowbray’s New Zealand business journey.

Tend Healthcare Role

Theresa later became involved with Tend, a New Zealand healthcare company combining digital technology with physical medical centres.

As of July 2026, she is a director and the chair of Tend’s board.

Tend allows patients to use online healthcare services while also visiting medical centres when face-to-face care is needed.

Theresa’s role connects her business and governance experience with a company trying to make healthcare easier to access.

Her move into Tend also continued her long professional relationship with My Food Bag co-founders Cecilia and James Robinson.

Chair of Global Women

Theresa serves as chair of Global Women, an organisation focused on developing diverse leadership and improving economic and professional opportunities for women in New Zealand.

Her position remains current as of 21 July 2026, according to the organisation’s official board information.

Through Global Women, she supports stronger representation of women in business, governance and senior leadership.

Her work also includes drawing attention to the challenges faced by wāhine Māori and other women who may experience greater barriers in employment, investment and leadership.

Her current role can be checked through the official Global Women board page.

Other New Zealand executives have also built long careers across banking, insurance and company operations. One related example is Debbie Eyre’s financial-services leadership career.

Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

A large part of Theresa’s later career has focused on helping women start and grow businesses.

She helped bring SheEO, now known as Coralus, to New Zealand. The international community supports businesses led by women through funding, advice and professional connections.

Theresa has also spoken about the gap between the amount of investment received by male-led and female-led companies.

Her goal is not simply to encourage women to create businesses. She also wants them to receive fair access to money, networks and decision-makers.

This work has made her an important voice in New Zealand’s discussion about women and entrepreneurship.

Theresa Gattung Chair in Women in Entrepreneurship

In 2021, Theresa committed at least NZ$2.5 million over ten years to the University of Auckland.

The funding helped establish the Theresa Gattung Chair in Women in Entrepreneurship.

The academic position supports research, education and programmes designed to understand the challenges experienced by women building businesses.

The gift also helped develop the Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women.

Theresa has said that business can be used to build a fairer society. Her university funding turns that belief into long-term research and practical support.

Gattung Foundation

Theresa and her sister Angela established the Gattung Foundation in 2021. It was officially launched the following year.

The foundation supports causes connected with:

• Women and girls
• Education
• Poverty reduction
• Māori and Pasifika communities
• Reducing inequality
• Animal care and protection
• Community wellbeing

Theresa uses the foundation to combine financial support with her experience in business, governance and public advocacy.

Her charitable work reflects the values she learned from her parents: work hard, create opportunities and help other people move forward.

Animal Welfare Work

Theresa has also supported animal welfare organisations.

She became chair of the Wellington SPCA board in 2011. She later served on the national board of the Royal New Zealand SPCA.

Her work was recognised when she was inducted into the organisation’s Hall of Fame in 2019.

Animal protection remains one of the stated focus areas of the Gattung Foundation.

Book and Public Speaking

Theresa published her autobiography, Bird on a Wire: The Inside Story from a Straight Talking CEO, in 2010.

The book discusses her childhood, education, business career, Telecom leadership and experiences under public pressure.

Its title reflects her reputation for speaking directly and honestly.

She has continued to appear at conferences, interviews and public events. Her common speaking subjects include:

• Business leadership
• Women in senior positions
• Entrepreneurship
• Company governance
• Philanthropy
• Workplace pressure
• Personal purpose

Her public work allows her to share lessons from both the successful and difficult periods of her career.

Leadership Style

Theresa describes herself as a direct and straight-talking leader.

She believes senior leaders should hire intelligent people who are willing to challenge them. She has said that she tries to surround herself with people who are honest, skilled and focused on the good of the whole organisation.

Her leadership philosophy includes several simple ideas:

• Be clear about the goal
• Listen to people with specialist knowledge
• Do not fear strong opinions
• Build teams that work together
• Use business knowledge for positive outcomes
• Give talented women a fair chance to lead

She has also spoken about the difference between power that comes from a job title and power that comes from trust, communication and personal character.

Awards and Honours

Theresa has received several important business and public honours.

Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit

In 2015, she was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and philanthropy.

Lifetime Achievement Recognition

She received the NEXT Woman of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.

In 2018, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Women of Influence Awards.

New Zealand Business Hall of Fame

Theresa became a laureate of the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 2023.

Dame Companion

In the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours, she was promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

The honour recognised her services to women, governance and philanthropy. Her official honours citation is available through the New Zealand Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Honorary Doctorate

In December 2025, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington awarded Theresa an honorary Doctor of Commerce.

The university recognised her contribution to business leadership, philanthropy and the advancement of women.

Why Is Theresa Gattung Famous?

Theresa Gattung is famous mainly because she became the first woman to lead an NZX-listed company.

However, her wider importance comes from what she did after reaching that position.

She used her experience to:

• Help establish My Food Bag
• Lead major company boards
• Support digital healthcare
• Finance research into women’s entrepreneurship
• Promote women-led companies
• Build a charitable foundation
• Support animal welfare
• Encourage more women to enter leadership

Her career is therefore not based on one job alone. It connects corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, investment and social change.

Theresa Gattung’s Lasting Impact

Theresa helped change how New Zealanders viewed women in senior business positions.

Her appointment at Telecom showed that a woman could lead one of the country’s largest companies. Her later work helped create more opportunities for women to become founders, investors, directors and executives.

Her career also offers an important lesson: a difficult ending to one professional chapter does not have to define a person’s entire life.

After leaving Telecom, she created a new career with a different purpose. She moved from leading one large company to supporting many businesses, charities and women leaders.

Interesting Verified Facts

• Theresa was raised in Rotorua.
• She was the eldest of four daughters.
• She studied economics, marketing, Japanese and Women’s Studies.
• She worked full-time at TVNZ while studying law.
• She joined Telecom in 1994.
• She became Telecom chief executive at 37.
• She was the first female CEO of an NZX-listed company.
• She co-founded My Food Bag.
• She wrote the autobiography Bird on a Wire.
• She became a New Zealand Business Hall of Fame laureate in 2023.
• She was made a Dame Companion in 2024.
• She received an honorary Doctor of Commerce in 2025.
• She currently chairs Global Women and Tend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Theresa Gattung?

Theresa Gattung is a New Zealand business leader, investor, author and philanthropist. She is best known as the former chief executive of Telecom New Zealand.

What is Theresa Gattung’s age?

She was born in 1962. She is 63 or 64 years old as of 21 July 2026 because her exact birthday has not been publicly confirmed.

Where was Theresa Gattung raised?

She was raised in Rotorua, New Zealand.

What is Theresa Gattung famous for?

She is famous for becoming the first woman to lead an NZX-listed company when she became Telecom New Zealand’s chief executive in 1999.

How old was Theresa Gattung when she became Telecom CEO?

She was 37 years old.

How long was Theresa Gattung the CEO of Telecom?

She led Telecom for approximately seven years before leaving the company in 2007.

Did Theresa Gattung start My Food Bag?

She was one of the company’s co-founders alongside Cecilia Robinson, James Robinson, Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie.

What does Theresa Gattung do now?

As of July 2026, she is the chair of Global Women and director and board chair of Tend. She is also involved in investment, philanthropy and support for women-led businesses.

What book did Theresa Gattung write?

She wrote Bird on a Wire: The Inside Story from a Straight Talking CEO, which was published in 2010.

Why is she called Dame Theresa Gattung?

She was promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2024 for services to women, governance and philanthropy.

Conclusion

Dame Theresa Gattung is a leading figure in New Zealand business history.

Her appointment as Telecom chief executive broke an important barrier for women. However, her career after Telecom may be equally significant.

She helped build My Food Bag, guided companies through board leadership, supported modern healthcare and invested heavily in women’s entrepreneurship.

Through Global Women and the Gattung Foundation, she continues to use her experience and resources to create opportunities for others.

Her life shows that leadership is not only about reaching the top of a company. It is also about using success, knowledge and influence to help other people move forward.