Leading with a fresh perspective

Stefanie has made it clear to her team that her door is always open and that, where her team do need to reach her, she is always available to talk through whatever needs discussing. Just as she was at HSF, she doesn’t want people to feel intimidated by her, just by virtue of the position she holds. 

As can easily be imagined, the lawyers have plenty on their plates. Earlier this year, BHP pulled out of its intended acquisition of the mining giant Anglo American, a deal that would have been worth nearly US$50 billion. In 2023, BHP came under the spotlight for three fatalities that occurred at its Olympic Dam in South Australia. There are crises to deal with, as you would expect in a company that size and in its particular lines of business.

But Stefanie takes this in her stride and she wants her team to do likewise. “I am known for being calm in a crisis – and I have seen quite a few in my time! I always feel we will get to the other end, whatever that end is, at some point. If it works out well, that’s exhilarating, but if it is a disappointing outcome, there is no point in recriminations. The key thing is to learn from the experience to see how we can avoid making similar mistakes in future,” she says. 

Indeed, it is not part of the company philosophy to haul people up for their mistakes. “We don’t have a blame culture at BHP, which is set right from the top, Mike Henry, our CEO.” 

Stefanie looks to her team to be proactive in their advice giving - another attribute she has brought with her from Herbert Smith Freehills. Most obviously, that means anticipating new regulations and the impact that will have on BHP’s operations, but also assessing likely risks. 

That is no easy task given the current political volatility everywhere in the world, ranging from the war in Ukraine and the conflagration in the Middle East to uncertainties over the who the next President of the United States will be. Trade, which is central to BHP’s operations, has been severely disrupted: for example, the number of container ships passing through the Red Sea as a result of Yemeni rebel attacks has fallen by 90 per cent over the last year. 

HSF time 

Stefanie was a partner of Herbert Smith Freehills for almost six years and at the firm for 14 years in total. She specialised in providing strategic head office advice to listed companies on a range of critical corporations law, market disclosure, governance (ESG), executive remuneration, shareholder engagement and activism matters across industry sectors and groups. She took a break from HSF and worked at Allen & Overy in Dubai for six years. 

That experience with HSF has been invaluable. “HSF gave me the toolkit, which I use to this day. I brought with me a base load, which I rely on, even if the information is completely new or I am working in uncharted territory. I just feel I am always able to draw on prior experience. I was really comfortable in my skill set and it was just applying it some similar issues albeit in a different context. ” 

She was not expecting to leave the firm to go in-house until the opportunity to join BHP presented itself (“these are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, so I was definitely going to go for it”). As someone who enjoys a fresh challenge, and is naturally curious, the move also made sense. Finally, she was excited to join a company that was on a growth spurt, combining both organic growth and expansion through acquisitions. With her M&A background, as well as her renowned governance expertise, Stefanie was an ideal choice for BHP. 

Stefanie draws a distinction between her life as a partner in private practice and the GC of a major corporation. “What I really enjoyed about HSF was the diversity of clients. Here, I have a diversity of issues.” 

The role is intense, as Stefanie freely admits, and she needs to decompress during her down time. She has two teenage children, who certainly command her attention. She has taken to going with her husband to Pilates (“doing exercise together is a good way of seeing one another,” she jokes). Her latest thing is going to infrared saunas, that are becoming increasingly popular for their health and wellbeing benefits. 

Then, when not exercising, Stefanie likes nothing more than going with friends to one of Melbourne’s many excellent restaurants, both for the food but just as much for the company in convivial settings. Or, if at home, she will indulge in another of her passions – cooking.