As we continue our International Women’s Day celebration, we’re thrilled to feature the remarkable Peggy Renders, a tech superstar whose career has taken her from Belgium to the heart of Australia’s tech scene.

As Telstra’s Chief Customer Officer, Peggy exemplifies how inclusivity can redefine customer experience with her fresh approach to tech, leadership, and drive for diversity and inclusion.

 

From auditing to tech titan

Peggy started her career in Belgium, quickly ditching auditing for the more dynamic consulting and strategic advisory world.

Her journey took her from SAP in Belgium to its HQ in Germany, diving deep into everything from business intelligence to data warehousing.

But her move to Australia turned the page, working with giants like BHP and Australia Post and stepping into leadership roles that matched her passion for tech with her knack for inspiring teams.

 

Diversity at the heart of innovation

Navigating the tech industry, especially in Australia, Peggy faced the challenge of making her voice heard in a space that was still figuring out diversity.

Her journey taught her a lot about the power of self-confidence and the magic of mentorship in breaking down barriers for women in tech.

Peggy’s all about showing women they have what it takes to lead and innovate, proving that diversity isn’t just excellent to have—it’s essential for pushing tech forward.

 

Leadership with a personal touch

For Peggy, leading a team isn’t all that different from parenting—it’s about nurturing, guiding, and sometimes, letting people learn from their mistakes.

She’s found her groove in leadership roles, relishing the chance to help her team grow and see things from new perspectives.

Peggy advocates bringing your whole self to work, carving out your path instead of walking one laid out by someone else.

 

Shaking up the status quo

In tech, Peggy sees a world ripe for change, especially regarding AI and security.

She firmly believes in the strength of diverse teams to spark true innovation and tackle complex challenges.

Peggy’s pushing for more women in leadership and tech roles to balance out teams and bring new ideas to the table.

 

Words of wisdom for the next gen

Peggy says to those just starting to dive into the details, understand the nitty-gritty, and build a solid foundation.

Challenge the self-doubt, dream big, and remember, you’re capable of more than you think.

Her advice is to keep pushing, stay true to yourself, and never underestimate the power of a good mentor.

This International Women’s Day, take a page from Peggy Renders’ book: Embrace diversity, lead with empathy, and never stop chasing those big dreams.

Peggy Renders’ work at Telstra shows that embracing diversity and inclusion boosts both workplace culture and customer experience, highlighting the remarkable results when innovation is coupled with a dedication to inclusivity in tech.

 

Watch other Remarkable Women in Tech – Katie McDermott, Luli Adeyemo, Claudine Ogilvie, Pooja Singh, and Marie Johnson’s full interviews or our compilation of their stories.

Contributors
Matt Boon Senior Research Director at ADAPT
Matt Boon is the Senior Director for Strategic Research at ADAPT, responsible for directing and developing research content and positions. For over... More

Matt Boon is the Senior Director for Strategic Research at ADAPT, responsible for directing and developing research content and positions.

For over 30 years, Matt has worked in research and advisory, including senior leadership roles at Gartner as Principal Analyst, Research Director, and Managing Vice President, where his 18 year history included working with Dell, Microsoft, and many others.

Throughout his career, Matt has been a sought after and highly respected authority on the local and global IT landscape.​ He interacts with executives daily, bringing together groups of C-suite leaders to discuss and prepare for the challenges and opportunities they face.​
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At ADAPT, Matt hosts numerous industry-leading business and technology events which Matt chairs, including the yearly Security Edge conference, delivering unique market trends and white-papers, advising executives across the technology provider landscape to make informed IT decisions.​

When he is not working, Matt enjoys walking the many trails of the NSW Southern Highlands, travelling and listening to music. He is also partial to a good steak and nice glass of red wine.

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Peggy Renders Chief Customer Officer at Telstra
Peggy and her team are responsible for partnering with Enterprise & Business customers (15K customers) to support and accelerate the achievement of... More

Peggy and her team are responsible for partnering with Enterprise & Business customers (15K customers) to support and accelerate the achievement of their priorities (incl. digital transformation, automation, digitisation, and sustainability). With the right focus on Customer Experience & Industry Thought Leadership, Telstra can collaborate more effectively with customers on key Industry trends and opportunities; and add more value to the customer.

Throughout her career, Peggy has focused on inspiring digital transformation in sales engagements, spearheading innovation efforts and delivering the ultimate customer experience.

Before Telstra, Peggy was SVP of the Customer Experience Solutions organisation for SAP Asia Pacific Japan. She was responsible for leading the Commerce and Digital Customers Engagement Business for ANZ, SEA, Japan, Korea and India. To scale this business, Peggy was focused on end-to-end alignment across Sales, Presales, Demand Generation, Marketing, Partner Management, and Adoption & Renewals.

With over 25 years of experience in technology, Peggy has held multiple leadership roles managing high performing organizations and teams in Enterprise Sales, Presales & Industry, and Professional Services functions. Peggy has been involved with many customers guiding them through transformations of their system landscapes and achieve optimal value from their investments. She began her career with the IT Audit and Business Consulting practice at Arthur Andersen, where she identified her passion for helping organizations improve business outcomes through technology. She then spent 22 years at SAP in a variety of roles always focusing on people and customer success, before joining Telstra in May 2022.

Originally from Belgium, Peggy has worked in Belgium, Germany, Australia and APJ and has a global understanding and approach to her leadership.

Peggy is passionate about conscious leadership, innovation and building high performing teams. She inspires people to perform at their best, mentors talent, and is determined to make a difference in the global business landscape on the Diversity topic.

Peggy is a graduate of the University of Limburg (Belgium) and holds an MBA in Commercial Engineering and IT Strategy.

She is a mother of 2 boys, currently lives on the Gold Coast and enjoys an active lifestyle.

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