Cathy Morcom, the 128th person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, is exceptional in three areas.

First, Cathy is an exceptional businesswoman.

Cathy runs a consulting business and has 25 years of senior management experience, including serving as CEO of Scouts Australia and holding important roles at KPMG, NAB, Westpac and Commonwealth Bank. 

Second, Cathy is an exceptional traveller.

She grew up in Ireland, began her career in Belfast, enjoyed stints in London and Hong Kong, and has called Sydney home for the past 20 years. Over the years, she’s travelled to many other countries.

Third, Cathy is an exceptional musician.

Cathy studied piano, violin, flute and singing at an elite level when she was growing up – and, if life had turned out differently, she might’ve been a professional musician.

Those experiences have helped turn Cathy into a worldly person with a sharp mind and a keen understanding of human behaviour.

Sometimes, work, travel and music have a magical way of coming together.

One of the reasons Cathy moved from Hong Kong to Sydney was to fulfil her lifelong dream to see the Opera House. Soon after, she got a job at that famous venue.