Ash Barty’s surprising job at Optus is revealed

Could Ash Barty help save Optus? Tennis legend’s surprising new role with telco giant as it faces a major crisis with the data of millions of customers hacked

  • Tennis star Ash Barty is the Optus Chief of Inspiration – though her role is unclear
  • Barty said in an interview that her job is to inspire Aussies around the country 
  • She said she wants to help them Australians be ‘the best versions of themselves’ 

Ash Barty started a job at Optus just a month before 10 million of the telco’s customers saw their personal data leaked – and the company will now be hoping to use her star power to restore their reputation.

Former world number one Barty is the Optus Chief of Inspiration.

On LinkedIn, Barty described her role at Optus, as inspiring the next generation, inspiring action, inspiration in the workplace, team motivation and golf.

In an official announcement in August, Optus said the role will see Barty take part in employee engagement programs and community-focused campaigns aimed at connecting Australians together and inspiring them to say ‘yes’ to their dreams, goals, and ambitions. 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Optus for clarity on her role. 

Speaking in an interview last week, Barty said that she will work with Optus to ensure Aussies around the country can achieve their hopes and dreams

CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin hailed the appointment of Barty to the role.   

‘Thrilled to announce that Ash Barty has joined us @Optus as our new Chief of Inspiration! 

‘We are proud to partner with an inspiring Australian who shares our values and wants to encourage others to unlock the power of ‘yes’. Welcome to the Optus family, Ash!’

Barty’s appointment to the role comes after F1 star Daniel Ricciardo was appointed as Optus Chief Optimism Officer in September 2020.

The two sports stars appeared in a bizarre video on a golf course to promote Barty’s new job in August. 

Speaking at the time, Barty said she wanted to help Australians be ‘the best version of themselves’.  

‘Inspiration for me has always been my north star, helping inspire Aussies and encouraging them to be the best version of themselves – and I cannot wait to do that with Optus,’ she said on the company’s YouTube channel.

Since her shock retirement in March after a fairytale win at the Australian Open, Barty has a finger in plenty of pies. 

The telco's boss Kelly Rosmarin previously said: 'We are proud to partner with an inspiring Australian who shares our values and wants to encourage others to unlock the power of ¿yes¿. Welcome to the Optus family, Ash!'

The telco’s boss Kelly Rosmarin previously said: ‘We are proud to partner with an inspiring Australian who shares our values and wants to encourage others to unlock the power of ‘yes’. Welcome to the Optus family, Ash!’

Ash Barty retired shortly after winning the Australian Open earlier this year

Ash Barty retired shortly after winning the Australian Open earlier this year

She married long-time partner Garry Kissick, slid down the famous Fight MND slide in the AFL, did a shoey at Mick Fanning’s charity golf day, released a range of children’s books and spent plenty of time on the links. 

Barty has repeatedly said she was not interested at performing at the elite level ever again, though she is clearly capable, as evidenced by her brief Women’s Big Bash League career when she took some time away from tennis.

Instead, she’s moved into the high-flying corporate world.  

‘Whether it’s sport or the corporate world, the most important thing is to find what makes you happy,’ Barty told the Herald Sun when discussing her new role at Optus.

‘Sometimes it means that brave or courageous decision, that conscious decision to say yes (Optus’s slogan), and to feel like you are making a difference.’

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk