Katie Page – The woman behind Harvey Norman’s Success
CEO of Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd, Katie Page, is one of Australia’s most influential and inspiring business leaders. Page has transformed Harvey Norman, the retail giant, into a well-known global company. She is often credited as the driving force behind Norman’s expansion and success. Her vision, strategic planning, leadership, and hard work have played an important role in making Harvey Norman a big and renowned company around the world. Her journey, which started from humble beginnings to leading one of Australia’s biggest retail companies, is nothing short of inspiring.
From Small-town Beginnings to Big Business Dreams
Katie was born in 1956 in Mareeba, Queensland. Her full name is Kay Leslie Katie Page, and she has 3 sisters. Due to her father’s job as a bank manager, Page’s family had to move around a lot. She has lived in different places like Brisbane, St.George, and more, instilling in her a deep understanding of adaptability.
In school, Page was a very bright student. She graduated from Brisbane State High School in 1973. In the initial days, Page wanted to become a surveyor, but because this industry was completely male-dominated, she changed her decision. Instead, she completely turned her focus towards business, a decision that made her what she is today, CEO of Harvey Norman.
Taking a Step into the Retail World
Page’s journey into the retail sector began in 1983. This year, she joined the first Harvey Norman store as an assistant. Harvey Norman was co-founded by Ian Norman and Gerry Harvey in 1982. There is also a little story behind her role – Page completed an intelligence test when she was 19 years old to raise funds for children with autism, and Gerry Harvey was one of the judges. After 6 years, he offered her a position as an assistant at a new Harvey Norman store.
Katie started her role in advertising and marketing, quickly showing her business learnings and ability to understand consumer behaviour. Her initial responsibilities consisted of marketing, sales, advertising and publicity, or promotions. All these multifaceted roles, from sales to ads, helped her gain a lot of experience and understanding of the retail industry.
Taking Charge – Becoming the CEO
By 1999, Page showed excellent dedication and growth, and rose through the ranks as she was appointed as CEO of Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. After becoming the CEO, she did not waste any time and shaped Norman’s future in the retail sector, leading it towards growth, innovation, and success.
Under her leadership, the company worked on a very successful expansion strategy. It moved beyond Australian borders, establishing a stronger International presence. New stores were opened in multiple places like New Zealand ( 1996 ), Singapore ( 2000 ), Malaysia, Slovenia ( 2003 ), and then in Ireland. This global expansion put Harvey Norman on the map as a global retail industry. Page’s ability to understand the markets and adapt to consumer requirements of different places helped Harvey Norman create dominance in the global retail sector.
Even before e-commerce and online shopping became mainstream, Page recognized their potential. She led Harvey Norman into the global online marketplaces in 2001, making it one of the early adopters of digital retailers in Australia. This showed her way of thinking and understanding the market, which led to the company’s expansion in the digital marketplace. Katie positioned Harvey Norman ahead of its competitors.
Financial Performance and Growth
Page’s strategies, thinking, and leadership have been the reason for the consistent financial success of Harvey Norman. By 2015, the company had 277 stores across 8 different countries, a net profit of AUD 165 million, and an annual revenue of AUD 4.9 billion. Her marketing strategies and operational thinking have helped Harvey Norman make profits and expand into multiple countries.
A Leadership Style that Inspires
Katie is different from others because of her team-oriented leadership approach. She strongly believes a company can become successful because of its people. She once said in an interview, “A whole lot of people make up a company like ours, and when everyone is working together and humming, there is nothing better”. This way of thinking has been the secret sauce of Harvey Norman’s success and a good corporate culture for all its employees. In 2015, Katie ranked 4th on the list of “50 most powerful women in business”.
Supporting Women in Sports and Business
Apart from corporate success, Katie is a vocal advocate of women in sports. She became the first woman to be elected to the Board of the National Rugby League (NRL) in 2004. Katie openly promoted gender equality in sports, which led her to launch Women in League in 2007. This is a program that helps in increasing the visibility and participation of women in rugby.
She has encouraged more women to take leadership positions in sports. Because of her, women’s teams have found better funding and sponsorships. Katie has helped change public thinking about women’s participation in rugby and other sports that are highly male-dominated. All her contributions are noticed and appreciated as she continues to be a big supporter of women in sports.
Recent Developments
In recent years, Harvey Norman has been expanding internationally. In November 2024, they opened their first store in Merry Hill, England, near Birmingham. This shows how the company is still expanding and opening more stores around the world under Page’s leadership.
Personal Dide of the Business Icon
Gerry Harvey, the co-founder and executive chairman of Harvey Norman, is the husband of Katie Page. She is Harvey’s second wife, and they have 2 children. Both Gerry and Katie share a similar passion for business and horse racing. They also co-own Magic Millions, one of the biggest and most prestigious thoroughbred auction houses in Australia. She also loves playing badminton. Despite being a big personality in business, Katie has sustained a very low profile in her personal life.
Katie Page, the Legacy of Strength, Vision, and Inspiration
Katie Page’s journey from a little town to the CEO of a billion-dollar e-commerce company is very inspiring, motivating, and extraordinary. Her leadership, style of working, mindset, adaptability, and resilience have been the backbone of Harvey Norman’s success. She has transformed it into a global retail company. Even beyond business, her avid support for women in sports, good work culture, innovation, and hard work have made Katie one of Australia’s most inspiring women. Her work and legacy are a big reminder that success comes from hard work, resilience, and right thinking.
