Xero New Zealand Country Manager, Bridget Snelling has had a rich career across the media, finance, and tech landscapes.
At the age of 23 I began my career as a corporate lawyer in a top firm in Auckland. I was the junior in the highest billing team in the firm and the first transaction I worked on saw me leaving work at 11pm or later most nights and returning at 4am or whenever the next turn of a document had come through.
I lived an unbalanced and pressured life, without passion for the work I did. I had always been a high achiever and part of me wanted to prove myself in this environment. But a greater part of me knew that I needed more out of life, so after two years I left corporate law and moved into PR.
I’m grateful for the early days of my career. Although challenging, they taught me the kind of leader I want to be, the way I want to treat people, and the work I want to do. Fast forward 16 years and I have had a diverse and rich career across media, technology, and financial services, holding strategic marketing and leadership positions at TVNZ, Orion Health and ANZ bank.
In 2021 I joined New Zealand-founded small business platform, Xero; a company whose values align with my own – where we put our people and their wellbeing first, and where I feel passionate about our purpose to make life better for small businesses, their advisors and communities.
From Xero’s early days as a software startup born in Wellington New Zealand, the company has scaled globally, working closely with accountants, bookkeepers and advisors around the world to drive towards our clear vision to be the most insightful and trusted small business platform.
During the first pandemic lockdown in 2020 when shop doors were closed, I co-founded a side hustle to enable Kiwi small businesses to operate online. Even before joining Xero, I’ve been passionate about championing what small businesses need, along with the importance they play in our economy, and the crucial role of technology in helping them thrive.
I feel incredibly proud to be leading our Kiwi team in Xero’s home market, and I’m grateful for the opportunity I have in my role to champion more equality for women in leadership.
It’s encouraging to see wāhine in positions of leadership becoming more commonplace – both in tech and more broadly – but we’ve still got a way to go. We need to continue championing this, for all Kiwi women and people of minority genders.
Related: Xero: Getting the most out of your small business
