Ita Buttrose

Ita Buttrose didn't just work in media; she reshaped it, injecting Australian publishing with a shot of frank, feminist energy that resonated with a generation. Her rise was meteoric: at just 23, she was the women's editor for the new *Australian* newspaper, and by 30, she had conceived and launched *Cleo*, a magazine that broke taboos by discussing sexuality openly and putting a nude male centrefold on its pages. As the founding editor, she made it a commercial and cultural phenomenon. Buttrose’s sharp intellect and managerial steel saw her ascend to become the first woman to edit a major Australian metropolitan newspaper, the *Daily Telegraph*, and later, the first woman to chair the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. In her later decades, she transformed into a powerful advocate for seniors and public health, serving as the National President of Alzheimer's Australia. Her career is a masterclass in adapting to—and leading—cultural change across decades.