Watts McCray has seven offices located across Sydney, including two in Western Sydney at Norwest and Parramatta.
Incoming CEO Karen Appleby has a background in HR and business management.
Her appointment is a reflection of the focus that Watts McCray directors are placing on employee engagement.
Ms Appleby moved to Australia with IBM Canada and completed an MBA at Macquarie University (MGSM). She also has a psychology degree and studied Leading Professional Services Firms at Harvard.
A resident of the region, she has held positions in telcos, financial services firms and was CEO of a tax law firm.
“Watts McCray has made a conscious decision to appoint someone who doesn’t fit the typical mould of a CEO,” she told WSBA.
“I think traditional CEOs have specialised in finance and have come from a different environment. With the shift to an individualised focus in professional services, the need to invest in your people and their motivations becomes increasingly more important.”
Karen is unique in that she makes up a small proportion of the 17.3% of women CEOs in Australia (Workplace Gender Equality Agency, 2015; gender pay gap biggest in manager ranks). In addition, regardless of gender, it is rare to find a CEO with an HR background. This demonstrates Watts McCray’s commitment to focus on their people.
Ms Appleby says her career hasn’t always been planned.
“There’s a bit of drift (career wise). Watts McCray approached me based on my accomplishments I had at my prior law firm, both financial and people results,” she said.
“A lot has been planned though. I knew if I wanted to progress to senior roles within HR or another profession, I needed to go further in my education and develop my business acumen to a higher level.”
Watts McCray has five permanent office locations – Canberra, Erina Fair, Norwest, Sydney and Parramatta as well as two serviced offices located in Brookevale and Frenchs Forest.
The firm is well established in the Parramatta and Sydney locations. The Norwest office is a relatively recent opportunity for Watts McCray and the firm is keen to capitalise on its investment.
“We want to make the most of this investment and meet the needs of the people in this area – the local community – to help them with regard to their family issues that they may be encountering,” Ms Appleby said.
Ms Appleby believes that there is currently a trend for the bigger firms to try and be all things to all people. This approach is proving challenging for them to sustain.
“They are learning it is difficult to be everything to everyone and sacrifices have to be made. They may be able to attract recent graduates initially, however as years pass, these individuals want to be able to grow and develop with a variety of mentors and leaders who will invest in their future.
“Watts McCray offers a unique employee value proposition in this regard. This attracts high calibre, ambitious and results driven solicitors. This differentiation and specialised focus was one which attracted me to the position at Watts McCray.
"It not only allows our employees to invest in themselves but it also allows them to deliver customised advice and guidance to a wide variety of clients.”
In terms of style Ms Appleby is about efficiencies and maximizing opportunities from situations that may not have been thought of as being an opportunity.
“Gaining strengths from efficiencies is important. I think changing your view to a different lens and considering challenges as opportunities helps employers size the value added improvements and allows a clear focus on efficiencies.
“I think teamwork is really important in all industries, looking horizontally rather than vertically in silos. This is inclusive of the executive team that I work closely with. From finance to HR to Marketing to IT, it is vital that we are all aligned and working as a team.”
On a personal level she believes in continuous learning.
“There will always be difficult times and challenges in your life. So when life gets diffiult, I’ve found the best thing to do is ask yourself a simple question, ‘What is this trying to teach me?’ Every challenge we take has the ability to trip us.
“I believe that when these challenges come along the best way to face them is to adjust your stance. Don’t go to battle with them, let them help you learn and figure out what you are meant to take away. This is true lifelong learning.”
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