At Stanwell, how we achieve our goals is just as important as the goals themselves. For Stephanie McMahon, General Manager Strategy and Sustainability, this principle lies at the heart of her work.

“I look after our corporate strategy, and the way we put that into action and report on it,” Steph says. “When you think about our corporate strategy, it’s really about what we’re trying to achieve over the long term, out to 2035 and 2040. And the sustainability piece is how we go about that – what’s important to us, and how does that inform our approach?

“I spend a lot of time thinking about value, and what that word means. Boards have a fiduciary duty to create financial value, of course, and it’s entirely appropriate for them to focus on that in their decision-making. But there are other kinds of value that we need to think about when we engage with people, communities, land, seas, waterways and air.

“So part of my role is to understand how we create value in those contexts, and to make that part of our decision-making process, to ensure we create deep, long-lasting, transformational benefits for the communities and environments where we operate.”

Steph’s team works with other teams throughout the business on everything from cutting-edge projects like piloting AI for strategic decision-making, to preparing for new climate-related financial disclosure laws, and building the company’s biodiversity framework. But what truly defines Steph’s leadership is her ability to connect these bold ideas and initiatives with deeply personal values.

From burnout to balance

Fifteen years ago, Steph transitioned to Stanwell after a consulting career that left her exhausted by the demands of an inflexible industry. “As a consultant, I was expected to pretend to clients that I was working full-time, even when that was impossible,” she recalls.

“Some days that meant locking myself in the bathroom with my children crying on the other side of the door and continuing to work. I had clients who expected me to venture out to isolated mine sites when I was 34 weeks pregnant, who were really cross with me when I couldn’t. At one point, I was on the phone with a client while I was in labour, stopping to have contractions, because they needed something before I went on maternity leave.”

Her life changed when she joined Stanwell. “The woman who recruited me, Jenny Gregg, said something I’d never heard before: ‘Work is not real life – it’s only work,’” Steph says. “She expected me to go to my children’s concerts and sports days, even if they were on work days. In the beginning, I worked five days a week until three o’clock in the afternoon, so I could pick my kids up from school. That level of trust and flexibility was a revelation for me.”

Her appreciation for Stanwell’s culture has only deepened as her family life has evolved. “One of my daughters has a chronic illness, and there are times when I need to leave work urgently to get to a medical appointment or the hospital,” she says. “There are no questions asked – just do what you need to do. Now, imagine if I was still working in consulting, or at a place that was less trusting. My life would’ve been so much harder, and so would hers.”

Leading with purpose

Over the years, it’s this trust that has inspired Steph to give her best to the business. “My three daughters are now lucky enough to have grown up in an environment where I’ve been so much more relaxed and so much more available to them than I would have been otherwise,” she says, “but I’m also so much more excited about the work I’m doing, because it’s my choice.

“You know, I’m a super nerd. I’m always reading things or listening to podcasts that are relevant to my job, just because it fascinates me. And I’m very happy to do that on my own time, because the business has given me so much, and has allowed me to work in a way that fits into how I live my life – not the other way around.”

Steph also highlights the value of Stanwell’s networking opportunities for women in leadership. “Stanwell’s women leaders regularly dedicate a day to swapping ideas, getting to know each other, supporting each other, and examining new concepts while developing our leadership skills together,” she says.

“What that does is it helps you build really strong relationships and gives you people you can trust to talk about some of the challenges that come up. It also gives you an environment where you’re growing and challenging yourself alongside other people, which I really enjoy.”

It’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that the percentage of women in leadership roles at Stanwell has gradually increased. In 2023/24, Stanwell exceeded its target of 28.5 per cent, with 30.6 per cent of leadership roles now held by women.

For her part, Steph’s vision for Stanwell’s future is ambitious, yet grounded in purpose. “By 2040, I see us as having carefully chosen the market segments most suited to the role we’ll play in the clean energy landscape,” she says. “We’ll continue to be a dynamic, value-providing organisation, with highly skilled people engaging with customer groups we haven’t even dreamed of yet.”

It’s a vision that reflects the best of what Steph brings to the table: A commitment to long-term thinking, a belief in the power of collaboration, and a passion for creating value in every sense of the word.

“I don’t know if I ever set out to be a mentor,” she reflects. “But what I have set out to do is be a decent human being who sees the talent in others and creates opportunities for them to shine. I just see myself as part of building a really supportive environment where people’s skills, intelligence and experience are recognised.

“That’s what Stanwell did for me, that’s what Stanwell allows me to do for others, and that’s why I stay.”