9 February 2026
HESTA Chair Nicola Roxon paid tribute to Ms Blakey’s stellar contribution as an executive at the Fund for more than 17 years, including 11 transformative years as CEO. Under her leadership, members’ retirement savings have grown by around $70 billion and the Fund has added more than 250,000 members to be now 1.05 million members strong[i].
Ms Roxon said: “Debby has made an indelible mark on HESTA, and the industry as a whole. We pride ourselves on being gutsy advocates for our members, and Debby has personified this.
“Debby took over as CEO at a critical time, delivering strong growth, with the retirement savings of members trebling to more than $100 billion.
“We greatly appreciate her service and leadership, and her unwavering commitment to our members over such a long time.
Ms Roxon said Ms Blakey’s impact had been broad-ranging, improving member engagement with the advancement of HESTA’s Future Planner digital advice platform, being a leading investor voice on the climate transition, improving the way companies partner with First Nations, and pioneering institutional investment in affordable housing.
“Debby has been a passionate and tireless advocate for a fairer super system, helping narrow the gender super gap and reduce inequalities for our members and working women across Australia. And she’s been at the forefront of HESTA’s global leadership in responsible investment and investment innovation, including helping drive greater gender equality in company Boards and executive teams, and serving as the current President of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors,” Ms Roxon said.
“Debby is rightly recognised as one of our business community’s most significant voices, with HESTA’s unique Super with impact™ approach setting the vision for how we aim to improve outcomes for our members in the years ahead.”
Drawing on her broad experience as both a director and chair, Ms Blakey will be embarking on a new chapter of her career in building a more extensive Board portfolio.
Ms Blakey said that after more than a decade in the role and 17 years at the Fund, it felt like the right time to shift her focus to a Board career, having led the organisation through a period of significant transformation.
“Leading HESTA and serving our members as CEO for more than a decade has been an incredible honour and the greatest privilege of my career,” Ms Blakey said.
“I want to thank the Board and my colleagues for their terrific support through such an impactful period for the Fund and the industry.
“I am firmly focused on delivering a seamless leadership transition to support the delivery of great long-term outcomes for HESTA members.”
The HESTA Board is undertaking a search for her replacement and expects to announce the new CEO by July, ahead of Ms Blakey’s departure.
[i] Upon Debby Blakey’s appointment as CEO in 2015, the Fund had $30 billion in assets and a membership around 800,000.
Ends.
About HESTA
HESTA is one of the largest superannuation funds dedicated to Australia’s health and community services sector. An industry fund that's run only to benefit members, HESTA now has more than one million members (around 80% of whom are women) and currently manages approximately $101 billion* in assets invested around the world.
*Information is current as at the date of issue.
