If you have ever been to a Women in Super event, or a Mother’s Day Classic in Melbourne, you will have shared the space with Nicole Oborne. With a membership that dates further back than our records go, and a fierce passion and commitment to the work that we do, Nicole staunchly believes that all Australians are entitled to a dignified retirement.

Beginning her career as a summer casual at the Myer Goodbuy Clearance Centre, while studying accounting, she was offered the opportunity to assist with the daily cash register internal audit processes, and soon after, found herself relieving the store internal auditor. This alignment of work and study won her a Coles Myer scholarship.

Nicole completed her university placement with a superannuation administration company that was purchased by BNY Mellon during the year she was there, where she was able to work on the implementation of the introduction of the Australian Goods and Services Tax across the organisation. Commencing her graduate role with PricewaterhouseCoopers straight after completing her degree, Nicole has found home at PwC for the last 21 years, even completing a secondment to the PwC Toronto office, where she serviced insurance and asset management clients. Now a Partner, she services the superannuation and asset management sectors, including strategic growth support, transparency assurance and navigation or mergers, always with a focus on providing better member outcomes.

Throughout her life, Nicole’s parents frequently reminded her that “opportunities come to those who knock” and it is evident in the way that Nicole has consistently put her hand up throughout her career, that not only is this something that she took to heart, but it has also paid off. Nicole’s active contribution to the sector has seen her appointed Chair of the CPA Retirement Savings Centre of Excellence, become a fellow of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), serve as a Non-Executive Director of the Mother’s Day Classic Foundation, and take part in many superannuation regulatory agendas.

Nicole echoes this sentiment when asked what advice she would impart on new Women in Super members. “Take an interest and lean in on the Women in Super initiatives. There are many networking opportunities that create life-long friendships across like-minded passions.” Nicole considers herself a personal cheerleader for the organisation, championing some of our key policy initiatives within PwC: “When PwC led the professional services sector to introduce 26 weeks of paid parental leave for all parents regardless of gender – plus continuing superannuation payments of up to 12 months – this made me very proud!”

Inspired by a mother who taught herself how to read and write in English, and a host of mentors at various points of her career (David Coogan taught her the importance of connectivity across the industry to work together to constantly challenge and evolve together; while Claire Keating taught her what leading with purpose looks like), Nicole places continued emphasis on the importance of learning. “That’s really what motivates me to help others to do the same.”

Nicole believes that her passions have grown from the challenges she has overcome, and the learnings she’s made along the way. She defines success as “driving positive change and supporting those that have a desire to make a positive impact. Be that at PwC with my teams, across the industry through the likes of Women in Super and the Mother’s Day Classic; and my clients, my family and friends and those that I am fortunate enough to cross paths with in the community.”