F.Y.I.

CEW and Keith Kerridge announce Maureen Kerridge AM scholarship recipients

December 3, 2021 8:20

Chief Executive Women (CEW) and Keith Kerridge have announced that Michelle Baltazar and Nadine Rabah will be the inaugural recipients of the Maureen Kerridge AM scholarship for women leaders in media, television and advertising.

The announcement:

Chief Executive Women and Keith Kerridge, husband of the late Maureen Kerridge AM, are pleased to announce the two successful recipients of a new scholarship to inspire Australian women leaders working in media, television and advertising.

Congratulations to:

Michelle Baltazar, award-winning writer, journalist and editor with more than 20 years’ experience in financial services media. She is the editor-in-chief of Money and executive director – media at Rainmaker Group, which publishes Financial Standard, FS Sustainability, Industry Moves and Money. Michelle has chosen to study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), joining their Technology and Innovation Acceleration Program.

Nadine Rabah, Media Manager for the Australian Football League where she leads the communications, media and public relations for the men’s and women’s elite competitions. Nadine has chosen to study at Harvard Business School in Boston, undertaking the Authentic Leader Development Program.
CEW Scholarships Chair Deidre Willmott said, “We are delighted to recognise emerging women leaders in media, who will honour Maureen’s remarkable leadership and achievements. The generosity of the Kerridge family will allow the winners to gain the skills they need to continue growing their careers in the industry.”

Michelle Baltazar said, “I am honoured to be one of the inaugural recipients of this prestigious scholarship. The opportunity to study at MIT comes at the right time in my professional development. Technology is a disruptive and transformative force in contemporary business and society and through this scholarship, I will be better equipped to understand how we can harness it to reshape the future of Australian media.

“I would like to thank the Kerridge family and CEW for championing women leadership in media. This is an amazing initiative that will go a long way in addressing gender equity and diversity in my profession.”

“I would also like to thank my mentors and share this recognition with my colleagues at Rainmaker who have supported me in my endeavours. I deeply care about the importance of financial empowerment and the role that the media industry plays in financial literacy. The scholarship and the support from CEW will help me fulfill my life’s mission and give me the means to pay forward this tremendous opportunity.”

Nadine Rabah said, “It is both a privilege and an honour to receive a scholarship in the name of Maureen Kerridge, a true trailblazer and pioneer for women in media. I admire all that Maureen achieved and I thank the Kerridge family for the opportunities they are providing for women in the industry to further their professional development.

“I was born and raised in the northern suburbs of Melbourne and growing up I always had a football in my hands. I didn’t realise that my deep passion for the game would grant me the opportunities that I’ve been able to experience and for that I remain extremely grateful and forever humble.

“I aim to make a difference in football and, more importantly, use sport as a vehicle to connect with communities across the country. I am determined to progress the game on and off the field and pride myself on being a strong but fair leader who values hard work and honesty.

“I would like to thank my team at the AFL and the leaders across the AFL industry who have supported me throughout the course of my career, and I hope to always support those beside me and those coming behind me in a similar way,” said Nadine Rabah.

Keith Kerridge said, “Maureen would be thrilled by the ‘finance and football’ focus of the first scholarship winners. She was passionate about supporting women stepping into leadership roles and she revelled in mentoring younger women in all spheres. She never did anything by halves, so we hope Michelle and Nadine bring this same energy to their scholarships.”

CEW Member Maureen Kerridge AM was the first woman to run an Australian television network, Seven, and the first woman CEO of a free-to-air television network globally. Maureen’s career included a senior role at Unilever and board roles for a range of organisations including Opera Australia, Pacific Brands, Macquarie Radio Network, the Seven Group and the charity Bestest. She was also a council member of the National Museum of Australia, a Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria and supported many charities and causes that were close to her heart.

Maureen passed away in 2020 and was posthumously awarded an Order of Australia for her significant service to the television industry, the arts and charitable organisations.

Successful scholarship candidates will become CEW Scholars and be part of Chief Executive Women’s alumni community, CEW Connect, alongside more than 200 women who have been awarded scholarships to business schools in Australia and internationally since the CEW executive program commenced in 1992.