No lack of opportunities in South

• Published date: 23 July 2021
• Publication title: Oamaru Mail

Rowena Davenport used to think she would have to leave Otago for career opportunities.

But once she made a conscious decision to stay in the South and make the most of what the region afforded, she found those opportunities.

As the first woman to hold the top job at a major provincial rugby union, she was a trailblazer but she never saw herself that way.

With the benefit of time to reflect on her appointment as chairwoman of the Otago Rugby Football Union in 2019, she could now see how important it was for others, despite not thinking about it herself at the time.

That, she believed, was probably part of her upbringing in the rural coastal town of Waikouaiti where she described herself as a ‘‘bit of a tomboy’’ who did not adhere to gender stereotypes.

But she was grateful for having some fantastic role models and mentors and strong women inspiring and challenging her.

Mrs Davenport’s latest challenge has been a shift in her day job, moving from MTF Finance, where she has worked for nearly 17 years, to chief executive of law firm Gallaway Cook Allan.

Leaving MTF after so many years was a big decision. However, she found it ‘‘very hard to sit still’’ and she was always looking for learning opportunities.

While she was not actively looking for a career change, the role at Gallaway Cook Allan piqued her interest when she was approached about it.

Mrs Davenport was always excited by change, while acknowledging that many people feared it.

‘‘I go through those emotions as well. I’ve been very prepared to step out of my comfort zone, I’ve done it enough times now I know I’ll survive,’’ she said.

As well as the appeal of the culture at the law firm, there were enough challenges to keep her interested, and opportunities consistent with her skill set.

Mrs Davenport grew up in East Otago where her parents both worked in the health sector; her father ran psychiatric hospital Cherry Farm and her mother was a psychiatric nurse.

Her secondary school schooling was at East Otago High School and, after leaving school, she spent a year at teachers college, but she had not made up her mind what she wanted to do.

‘‘I actually had no idea where I wanted to take things,’’ she said.

She completed a commerce degree in finance, having always enjoyed mathematics at school, and joined Dunedin-based MTF as a treasury analyst.

It was a great business and had a great culture and people; it was an easy place to stay for a long time as there were lots of opportunities, she said.

She moved...