By Jane Southward -
Riana Steyn held senior executive management roles in South Africa and Australia for PwC, Investec Private Bank and Kemp Strang Lawyers before joining Bartier Perry as CEO in December.
Steyn holds a BA (Hons) degree in languages and a Master of Business Leadership (MBL) and says the business of law has always interested her. She moved here from South Africa 11 years ago when her husband was transferred.
When you started as CEO of Bartier Perry, the press release said the firm’s board had agreed “without hesitation” for you to work flexible hours. Can you explain?
Working hours in my view are academic – you do what you need to do to deliver quality and timely outcomes. The technology at Bartier Perry is a great enabler for this kind of mobility. My official office hours are from 8am to 4pm daily. My husband and I both hold demanding roles and his requires frequent overseas travel. We have two young, busy boys and they are our priority. The challenge is to balance our professional and personal lives – flexible working goes a long way in achieving this.
