A short interview-style transcript where Raelene Castle discusses her unexpected path to becoming a CEO, her perspective on gender in leadership, experiences working with coach Des Hasler, and a controversy during her tenure at Rugby Australia involving player Israel Folau’s public religious comments and the organization’s response.
When I left school, I would never in a million years have dreamed that I could be a CEO. I don't think about being female when I walk in the door every morning. I am, of course. And then you go into an environment where you've got a coach like Des Hasler, who has a public Persona of being, you know, kind of crazy mad scientist, but actually was deeply supportive and didn't care that I was female. He just wanted to make sure he had someone that was going to do the right job.
After that, you headed off to Rugby Australia. So one of the largest, probably most prominent CE roles in Southern hemisphere.
Yeah. And for people to understand the story, Israel was our most highest played, most high profile player. He was deeply religious. But Israel sent a tweet which talked saying that gays would go to hell if they didn't repent. So we had a conversation, Israel and I, and I said to him that whilst we deeply supported his beliefs, to be Christian, actually expressing his views in a public forum when he was a contracted wallaby was not appropriate. If there was people who felt bullied or disrespected. Respectful by those comments it is. The number one problem really that we have is actually the importance of.
