MY CAREER IN SIX SPOTLIGHT

Lynn Hamblet

General Manager, Payments Data

Commonwealth Bank

Sharing her career journey by answering the six questions below.

Who or what has been your biggest source of inspiration throughout your career?

My mum has been my biggest source of inspiration. She is a nurse. Growing up, I saw the deep care she had for people, not just in what she did, but in how she showed up for others with empathy, patience, and quiet strength. She taught me the importance of hard work, resilience, and treating people with genuine care, especially when things are difficult or uncertain.

Would you say your success is primarily due to luck or hard work?

Definitely hard work, but also from being willing to say yes to opportunities that took me outside my comfort zone.

I have been fortunate to have had great leaders, mentors, and teams, but I have also worked hard to make the most of those opportunities. Some of the biggest growth moments in my career have come from stepping into roles where I had a lot to learn and being prepared to do the work to build credibility quickly.

What is the driving force behind your career aspirations?

The driving force behind my career aspirations is to keep learning, keep making a meaningful impact, and to do my best every day.

I am motivated by work that matters, that improves outcomes for customers, strengthens the business and creates an environment where people can do their best. That has been a consistent thread across my career.

On a personal level, I am also very motivated by being a role model for my children. I want them to see that you can have ambition, work hard, lead with care and continue to grow throughout your career.

If given the chance to do one thing differently in your career, what would it be and why?

If I could do one thing differently, I would have backed myself earlier for some of the promotion opportunities that came my way.

For a number of years, I consciously didn’t pursue some opportunities. At the time, that was a deliberate decision because of the type of mom I wanted to be and the balance I wanted for my family. I do not regret that choice, because it was the right decision for me at that stage of life. What I recognize now, with the benefit of hindsight, is that I probably questioned my readiness more than I needed to. That experience has made me very conscious of helping others recognize their potential, encouraging people to step forward before they feel 100% ready, and creating the kind of environment where people feel supported to grow.

What was your most favourite job/role and why?

One of my favourite roles was when I stepped out of product marketing and moved into a finance role.

It was a significant stretch for me at the time but it accelerated my growth enormously. I was very fortunate to have a very supportive leader who helped me through the learning curve, but also challenged me in ways that made me realize what I was capable of. That combination of support and stretch was incredibly powerful and the commercial acumen I developed in that role has stayed with me and helped shape me into a more rounded business leader.

Do you have a favourite motto or quote that guides your professional life?

Yes — “Back yourself, stay curious and bring others with you.”

Backing myself has not always come naturally, but some of the best opportunities I have had have come from saying yes before I felt completely ready, and then doing the work to learn and deliver.

I have always enjoyed learning new areas and stretching into roles that give me a broader perspective, whether that has been moving into finance, leading products, or more recently getting much deeper into data and AI. I want people in my team to feel supported, trusted and challenged, and I get a lot of energy from helping others grow and seeing teams come together around a shared purpose.”