Inspiring the Next Generation of Female C-Suite Leaders – Interview with Amanda Majarres

Our International Women’s Day series, Inspiring the Next Generation of Female C-Suite Leaders, continues with its third installment, bringing a fresh perspective from Australia. Amanda Majarres, an accomplished C-Suite leader, is currently Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Aeria Management Group (AMG). AMG is the operator of the Aeria Precinct, Bankstown Airport, and Camden Airport, and a major contributor to the New South Wales (NSW) economy.

In this candid conversation with Margaret Jaouadi, Amanda shares her dynamic journey across finance, aviation, and property, revealing the pivotal moments that shaped her leadership style and unwavering commitment to empowering women in business.

As she navigates traditionally male-dominated industries with strategic vision, Amanda offers refreshingly honest reflections on balancing career ambition with family life, the transformative power of mentorship, and why sometimes the most critical career move is embracing opportunities before you feel “100% ready.”

Margaret Jaouadi
Can you describe your career journey and highlight the key steps leading to your current C-Suite position?

Amanda Majarres
My career journey has been a beautiful dance of strategic choices, resilience, and an unwavering appetite for new challenges.

Looking back, I laid a solid foundation at Deloitte as a chartered accountant – and what a foundation it was! Every week brought a new client, new puzzles to solve, and the chance to understand different business dynamics rapidly. You had to connect the dots quickly, which proved invaluable for everything that followed.

From there, I took my finance expertise to Kellogg’s in the FMCG world, where I embraced roles across Australian and Asia Pacific operations. This role was my first real taste of working across different countries and cultures, a passion that ignited there and has burned bright ever since.

Then came a pivotal chapter: fifteen remarkable years at Qantas Airlines. While I started in finance-focused positions, I strategically pivoted into commercial roles before taking a more significant leap into operations. I was fortunate to experience a blend of strategic decisions and unexpected opportunities that shaped my path.

After my Qantas journey, I was ready for change, leading to CBRE. Over four years there, I held several roles that challenged me and enriched my leadership toolkit. My journey culminated as Managing Director of Southeast Asia and Pacific, based in Singapore – a senior position that allowed me to work overseas, which was fantastic.

Family considerations eventually brought me back to Australia, serendipitously leading to my current role as Chief Operating Officer at Aeria Management Group. Though I’m less than five months in, I’m loving it. What’s beautiful is how it combines my aviation background with property, wrapping up my experience in this perfect package.

The key to reaching the C-Suite? Taking on roles that stretched my capabilities. One of my core strengths is learning quickly and adapting to new environments. I’ve also embraced the reality that growth often emerges from discomfort. The path to leadership isn’t always a straight line – sometimes, it zigzags sideways before moving upward.

My decision to pivot beyond finance and gain diverse experiences was crucial in preparing me for executive leadership. It reinforced my confidence, refined my leadership style, and expanded my sphere of influence. Ultimately, it positioned me as a well-rounded leader with strong financial, commercial, and operational acumen – the complete package that opened doors to the C-Suite.

Margaret Jaouadi
And how did it feel stepping into the C-Suite? Was it everything that you expected?

Amanda Majarres
With experience comes a shift in perspective. These days, I find fewer things daunting and more things exciting. That’s the beauty of growth! You reach a point where you can truly enjoy the journey.

I’m fortunate to be in a position where I can be selective about my roles. My values have evolved significantly since my early career days. Now, culture is paramount, and working alongside inspirational leaders and colleagues has become non-negotiable for me.

Another critical turning point in my journey was recognizing the immense importance of advocacy and visibility. Seeking mentors and sponsors who could guide and champion my career has been pivotal. These relationships didn’t just open doors; they helped me see possibilities I might have otherwise missed.

Reflecting on my previous role as Managing Director, a position firmly at the C Suite level, I can see how each experience has built upon the last. It shaped the confidence and perspective I now bring to executive leadership. It is not just about climbing the ladder but finding the right environment where my entire skill set can drive meaningful impact.

Margaret Jaouadi
What was the most pivotal moment or decision in your career that significantly impacted your path to leadership?

Amanda Majarres
The most pivotal moment in my career was moving away from finance-related roles and pivoting into operations. That first operational role was when I felt most vulnerable professionally – an actual turning point.

I suddenly found myself in a textbook scenario where I could no longer rely on my finance expertise. Instead, I had to draw on and develop my leadership skills genuinely. Those first three months? Absolute nightmare. I was thrown into an area with long-tenured employees, all male, in a highly technical field. I mistakenly believed I could only add value by knowing everything they did or even more than them. I was killing myself trying to master every detail while becoming increasingly ineffective.

Then came this decisive “aha” moment. I realized I couldn’t continue that way, and more importantly, I questioned why I was even trying to. Once I stopped and recognized the absurdity of my approach, everything shifted. I needed to trust that these people were the subject matter experts. My role wasn’t to do their jobs but to lead. To break down barriers for them. To enable them to excel at what they already did best.

After that realization, everything improved dramatically for both me and the team. This experience proved invaluable when the next opportunity arose in the property space. Initially, I thought, “I don’t know anything about property.” However, upon reflection, I recognized how interesting the challenge was and what unique value I could bring.

That’s the thing about pushing far beyond your comfort zone and succeeding despite the inevitable stumbles and lessons – once you’ve done it once, you never look back. That single pivot unleashed a cascade of diverse experiences that broadened my capabilities and perspective, creating the foundation for my leadership journey to the C-suite.

Margaret Jaouadi
What you described about leadership reminds me of the Netflix series “New Amsterdam.” There’s that striking scene where the new director gathers everyone and asks, “How can I help?” He’s not trying to do their jobs but instead clearing the path so they can excel at what they do best.

When you described your pivotal moment, that scene immediately came to mind. You’ve beautifully articulated the true essence of leadership. This insight is particularly valuable for women who often hesitate to put themselves forward precisely because of that self-doubt: “I don’t have the technical skills,” “I’ll be leading people who have greater experience than me,” “They know more than me,” “How can I add value?”

Understanding what leadership requires – not technical mastery of everyone else’s role, but creating an environment where expertise can flourish – is key.

Amanda Majarres
Thank you! Your remark also reminded me of another critical truth we often hear: Women typically wait until they feel 100% ready before stepping up, while men will go for it at 50-60% confidence.

This pivotal moment taught me that it isn’t about waiting until you feel completely prepared. It’s about taking yourself out of that comfort zone and continuing to learn. You grow into leadership through the challenge itself, not before it.

That realization was just as valuable as understanding my role as a leader. Sometimes, you must embrace the opportunity even when you don’t feel entirely ready – because you never will be until you’re doing it.

Margaret Jaouadi
What were your career’s most influential allies and mentors, and how did they support your growth and advancement?

Amanda Majarres
Throughout my career, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have influential mentors and allies who challenged, supported, and, importantly, inspired me along the way. What’s fascinating – and rather fitting as we celebrate International Women’s Day – is that in my 30+ year career, four of my top five leaders have been inspirational women. That speaks volumes!

One of my earliest allies was a leader who saw my potential before I fully recognized it. She approached me about taking on a leadership role in an area where I had no previous experience. I remember responding, “Are you kidding? I don’t know anything about this!” But she persisted, pushing me far outside my comfort zone and, in essence, forcing me to develop the confidence to lead. She made me push aside that inner imposter syndrome voice – and that single opportunity sparked my entire growth journey.

I’ve also benefited tremendously from strong sponsorship, which I view differently from mentorship. This support has been vital to both my career growth and advancement. Until my recent position, you’d notice a pattern – Deloitte, Kellogg’s, Qantas, CBRE – all large multinational companies where having that sponsorship spine is crucial. These individuals don’t just mentor you privately but stand up for you in rooms when you’re not present. Priceless!

Now, I look forward to paying that forward and sponsoring others. These sponsorship relationships don’t just happen naturally; they need to be nourished and cultivated, a lesson I learned early in my career.

Mentors have also played a significant role in my development. I’ve had both formal and informal mentoring relationships throughout my journey. One of my most memorable formal mentors came through an external program that Qantas sponsored me to participate in as part of my development. This mentor was heavily involved in the arts and knew nothing about my role as CFO or the business I was in at the time.

Our relationship was valuable because she always approached challenges from a different angle than mine. She consistently challenged my thinking patterns. It reinforced the importance of diverse perspectives. I don’t need fifteen mini-mes; I need someone who brings that diversity of thought to the table.

Ultimately, these mentors, allies, and sponsors have helped advance my career and profoundly shaped my leadership style. They’ve been instrumental in making me the leader I am today.

Margaret Jaouadi  
As a woman in leadership, what unique challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them? You mentioned that you were in a few heavily male-dominated places.

Amanda Majarres  
The challenges I’ve faced? While perhaps not unique, being both a woman and a mother in leadership created a distinct set of hurdles throughout my career. The most persistent challenge has been balancing my professional ambitions with my family life. I’m a wife and mother to two amazing daughters, and finding that equilibrium has been a constant struggle – one where I openly admit I often got it wrong.

The corporate culture has certainly evolved since the early days of my career. Still, there was a time when both male and female leaders would view prioritizing family as a weakness. Many subscribed to the outdated notion that career success and having a family were somehow mutually exclusive.

I fell into that trap initially, trying to prove myself by working longer hours, never being the first to leave, and essentially playing into that “show no weakness” mentality. I learned the hard way: by missing precious family moments, you can never reclaim them. Eventually, I developed stronger boundaries and demonstrated through my actions that effective leadership isn’t measured by hours at your desk but by impact and results.

Working in male-dominated sectors brought challenges. The airline industry has particularly masculine pockets, and property remains overwhelmingly male-dominated. In these environments, you encounter people entrenched for decades with deeply set views – and sometimes, an apparent reluctance to take direction from a woman.

I’ve always prided myself on authenticity and the ability to connect with diverse people across ages, walks of life, and backgrounds. This skill has been invaluable in building productive relationships even in challenging environments. Though I’ll admit, sometimes you bite your tongue and move forward strategically.

What’s been crucial is surrounding myself with mentors and allies – both men and women – who champion my leadership and help me navigate these barriers. Their guidance has been indispensable in overcoming the unique challenges women face on the path to executive leadership.

Margaret Jaouadi  
How do you see your role in supporting the next generation of female leaders? What initiatives or changes are you championing from your current position? Can you describe how you’re using your influence to create systemic change?

Amanda Majarres  
I see my role now – and have for quite some time – as a leader, mentor, and advocate for the next generation of female leaders, particularly in the aviation and property industries. This International Women’s Day week, I’m speaking on several panels and sharing my experiences because I believe emerging female leaders must benefit from the wisdom that comes with experience.

I understand firsthand the challenges women face, and I’m deeply committed to breaking down those barriers and fostering genuinely inclusive workplaces. Being naturally extroverted, I’m not afraid to speak up when I see inequalities. However, I’ve learned to do so constructively, leveraging my experience and concrete examples to make meaningful changes.

I strongly advocate for implementing processes that prevent bias from the start. For instance, I insist on diversity within interview panels to minimize unconscious bias during recruitment. But really, my most significant contribution is paying it forward through mentorship, sponsorship, and advocacy – I always have multiple mentees I’m working with simultaneously.

While at CBRE, I was actively involved with the Women in Leadership group. Perhaps it’s my finance background and analytical thinking, but I’ve always believed in having fact-based conversations. I spearheaded a project gathering data that revealed nuanced insights about gender representation in leadership.

The story that emerged was telling – and not in a favorable way. You might hear that 33% of managers are female, but when you peel back the layers, that percentage typically shrinks as you move up the seniority ladder. These data points provided powerful insights that I couldn’t ignore.

This experience fundamentally shifted my perspective on quotas and targets. I used to believe in pure meritocracy without targets or quotas firmly. But several years ago, I realized that that’s absolute nonsense. Progress has been far too slow. You can talk about meritocracy when you have equality – but don’t speak to me until then.

If we need to force change through measurement because “what gets measured gets treasured,” then so be it. If that’s what it takes to reach genuine equality, let’s talk targets now. The time for patience has passed; it’s time for deliberate, measurable action.

Margaret Jaouadi:
What advice would you give to other female leaders aspiring to reach the C-Suite?

Amanda Majarres:

To every woman out there aiming for the C-suite—believe in yourself. Own your voice. Never let self-doubt be the thing that holds you back. I don’t know why we, as women, do this to ourselves so often, but we do. And yet, leadership—by its very definition—isn’t about following. It’s about leading.

It won’t always be comfortable. At times, it may even feel lonely, especially in male-dominated industries. But that’s why embracing challenges as opportunities for growth is so important. Advocate for yourself with confidence. Build a strong network of mentors and allies who will support you. Success demands resilience, courage, and the willingness to challenge the status quo.

And here’s something I want every aspiring female leader to hear loud and clear—never let anyone tell you that having a family means sacrificing your career. You can have both. I’ve instilled that belief in my daughters, and I’m grateful they are growing up in a world that is shifting in the right direction.

On that note, I’ll speak on a panel this Thursday with someone who has done incredible research on fathers playing a more significant role in parental leave. It’s a meaningful conversation because the more we normalize shared responsibilities at home, the more space we create for women to thrive in leadership.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a supportive husband and family. And I’ll tell you this: no senior female leader I know has done it alone. Everyone says it’s nearly impossible to have it all without support, especially when the kids are little; there is always something. Always.

And my final piece of advice? Outsource what you can. No one is winning a medal for ironing shirts or scrubbing floors. Unless those activities bring you joy, let them go. Focus on what matters, and don’t hesitate to ask for help.

Margaret Jaouadi  
What message about the future of women’s leadership would you like to share on International Women’s Day?

Amanda Majarres:
The future of women’s leadership? Unstoppable.

We’re no longer asking for a seat at the table. We’re building the tables ourselves. We’re shaping industries, driving meaningful change, and proving time and time again that diversity isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a business imperative. The data is undeniable, and companies with the right level of diversity, particularly gender diversity, perform better. To ignore that is bad business.

Even in traditionally male-dominated industries like property, we show leadership isn’t about gender but vision, capability, and impact. And as we continue to break barriers, we must lift each other.

Earlier in my career, I saw behaviors from other female leaders that disappointed me—this idea that because they had to endure hardship, the next generation should, too. That mentality has no place in the future we’re building. Actual progress means championing systemic change and ensuring that leadership opportunities are genuinely equitable.

Because here’s the thing: the next generation of female leaders is watching us. They need to see that leadership can be both powerful and authentic. That success doesn’t require fitting into a mold; it requires breaking it.

The future is ours to shape. And we’re just getting started.

Margaret Jaouadi
Thank you for bringing so much positive energy into our conversation, Amanda. It made me feel like I could move mountains! I have no doubt other female leaders will benefit from it, too.

For a confidential chat about how Pacific International can assist you with your Talent Acquisitions and Diversity challenges, please contact Manuel Preg or one of our Executive Search Consultants specialising in your sector.