In this inspiring episode of "Dare to Be More," host Anthony Perl speaks with Ani Satchcroft, a distinguished MLC alumnae who graduated in 1998 and has gone on to build a remarkable career in global finance. Now Co-Head of Asia Pacific at Macquarie Asset Management, Ani reflects on how her MLC education — particularly her involvement in debating, public speaking, and Tournament of Minds — laid the foundation for everything that followed.

Ani's story is a powerful testament to the lasting impact of a girls' school education, and her message for current students is both clear and compelling: if you work hard and apply yourself, nothing should be impossible.

Featured Guest: Ani Satchcroft, MLC Alumnae (Class of 1998), Co-Head of Asia Pacific, Macquarie Asset Management

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

• How MLC's emphasis on communication, debating, and public speaking shaped Ani's career in global finance
• Why attending a girls' school meant that gender was never a barrier to ambition
• How Ani navigated a male-dominated industry with the confidence instilled at MLC
• What it's like to send her own daughter to MLC — and what she hopes she'll gain
• Ani's definition of "dare to be more": not having a ceiling on your potential

Key Topics Discussed:

• The value of extracurricular activities — debating, public speaking, Tournament of Minds
• How a girls' school education builds confidence and removes gender-based limitations
• Career journey across the UK, Dubai, Paris, Boston, and Sydney
• The importance of adaptability, open learning, and international experience
• Sending her daughter to MLC — and the sense of community that brings
• What dare to be more means: feeling empowered to change the world

About MLC School: MLC School is a leading independent girls' school in Sydney, committed to empowering young women through academic excellence, character development, and innovative education. Our mission is to inspire girls to dare to be more.

Connect With Us:

• Website: mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
• Instagram: @mlcsydney
• Facebook: @MLCSchoolSydney
• LinkedIn: MLC School

Hashtags: #MLCAlumnae #WomenInFinance #DareToBeMore #GirlsSchoolEducation #WomenLeaders #MLCSchool #EmpoweringGirls

What does it mean to grow up in a school where nothing is impossible?

2

And how does that shape a career at

the highest levels of global finance?

3

Today, I'm joined by Annie Satchcroft,

MLC School alumni and Alumni Award

4

winner, currently co-head of Asia

Pacific at Macquarie Asset Management.

5

In this episode, we explore Annie's

remarkable journey, including how MLC

6

shaped her confidence and communication

skills, her career across the UK,

7

Dubai, Paris, and Boston, the power

of a girls' school education in a

8

male-dominated industry, and what she

hopes her daughter, who is now at MLC,

9

will take from her time at the school.

10

I'm your host, Anthony Pearl.

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Let's begin today's conversation.

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Ani Satchcroft: Well, hello, everyone,

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Anthony Perl: and welcome to

another episode of Dare to Be More.

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And this is going to be a lot of

fun because I love it when we get a

15

opportunity to talk to some alumni,

some people who have been through the

16

school in the past, and even coming

back to be involved in it again.

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So Annie, welcome to the program.

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Ani Satchcroft: Thanks very

much for having me, Anthony.

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Anthony Perl: Well, I suppose we

better start by allowing you to

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introduce yourself to everyone.

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Ani Satchcroft: Sure.

22

My name's Annie Satchcroft.

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So, as you mentioned, I am

an old girl of MLC School.

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I graduated in 1998.

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I started there in year 4.

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Since graduating, I have gone on to do

further study, so a commerce law degree

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from the University of Sydney, and then

an MBA from Harvard Business School.

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I'm currently working as the co-head

of Asia Pacific for Macquarie

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Asset Management in Sydney, having

previously worked in a number of other

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countries abroad, including the UK,

Dubai, Paris, and studying in Boston.

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I am a mum of triplets, and my daughter

is currently in year six at MLC.

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Anthony Perl: That is just

such a long list already just

33

to get us kick things off

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but let's just start with the, you

know, back to the beginning and asking,

35

how much do you remember of year 4?

36

So

37

Ani Satchcroft: I remember y- when

I arrived at MLC in year 4 being

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incredibly impressed by both the

caliber of the teachers and the fellow

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students, as well as just the incredible

facilities that MLC had to offer.

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I couldn't believe that there was a school

that was as amazing as that, actually.

41

Anthony Perl: What was

it like coming in year 4?

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Because you're obviously then moving

into a school where there were- kids

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have already been together, some of them

since even, you know, certainly since UK.

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Ani Satchcroft: So my first

impressions of MLC was that it

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was an incredibly strict school.

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The teachers were very demanding and

had a very high level of discipline.

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We were, at that stage, still wearing

gloves and hats, even in summer.

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And the thing that really struck me

was I found that quite unusual and

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a little bit difficult to adjust to.

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But there were a lot of girls there that

not only seemed to know each other quite

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well, although we did have an intake in

year four, so there were a few new ones.

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But they didn't, it wasn't just that

they knew each other, it was also that

53

they seemed to know the system very

well and seemed to think that level of

54

discipline was quite a normal thing.

55

That was probably the thing

that struck me the most.

56

Anthony Perl: Yeah, I can

imagine that would be.

57

That's, you know, coming from

any environment and then to

58

wearing hats and gloves, it would

feel very, very different, and

59

particularly if that's something

that you hadn't really seen before.

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Ani Satchcroft: Yes, that's right.

61

Yeah, exactly.

62

Anthony Perl: And so tell me what

it was like then in terms of for

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you as coming from the outside.

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Did you feel like it had to be super

competitive to prove yourself, or

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did they accept you straight away?

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Ani Satchcroft: I didn't feel like

coming in externally meant that

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there was pressure to be competitive.

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It was actually more basic than that.

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It was almost a real

scramble to try and keep up.

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I felt like the learning was at

a higher level, both in terms

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of volume and also quality.

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And so definitely the first few months

there was an adjustment period, just

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as I was getting used to the higher

levels of work, the higher levels of

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homework, the higher expectations.

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Yeah, there was definitely

an adjustment period.

76

Anthony Perl: And w- tell me about some of

your favorite memories from those times.

77

Is it, is it the classes?

78

Is it the other kids?

79

What's the things that struck you from

those early days, and particularly then as

80

you started graduating into high school?

81

Ani Satchcroft: What struck me most

from the early days was actually

82

the number of extracurricular

activities that were on offer.

83

So I found it mind-blowing that if

you wanted to play a sport, it didn't

84

matter how many people wanted to play

a sport, MLC was going to actually

85

have the capacity to let everyone

have a go and let everyone try.

86

Like, I found that was incredible.

87

I also really loved that there were

a range of extracurricular activities

88

which were probably a little bit unusual.

89

So for instance, I got quite heavily

involved in Tournament of Minds when

90

I was in primary school, which was

a really interesting competition

91

which combined sort of drama with

intellectual problem-solving.

92

And uh, the fact that MLC offered

something like that, but also that

93

the teachers were willing to put in

the extra effort to train teams in

94

activities like that, I found phenomenal.

95

Anthony Perl: Yeah, I mean, that's

such a, an interesting thing to do.

96

And what do you remember of that kind of

competition and being involved in that?

97

Ani Satchcroft: The thing that I liked

about things like Tournament of Minds,

98

and I did a lot of debating and public

speaking while I was at MLC as well,

99

is I think there was a real emphasis on

the importance of children, and girls in

100

particular, being able to articulate the

ideas that they had and also turn their

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minds to the best ways to solve problems.

102

And I liked that MLC was doing that in a

way which made it fun and entertaining.

103

I mean, it was extracurricular, so we

were doing it outside of school hours.

104

But I liked that it was an environment

where girls thought that was a

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good way to be spending your time.

106

Like, why not?

107

Why not challenge yourselves?

108

Why not try and communicate your ideas?

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So I found that, I found

that really empowering.

110

Anthony Perl: And I know that you

also achieved a fair amount of honors

111

as far as debating is concerned as

well, and clearly between debating

112

and this, it had a big influence on

how your career's been shaped as well.

113

Ani Satchcroft: One of the things that

I think about in retrospect was, I

114

mean, A, I was incredibly lucky to be

able to go to a school like MLC, but

115

also incredibly lucky to be able to

get involved in things like debating,

116

public speaking, performing arts.

117

It has had a massive impact on

my career, but more broadly, I

118

think my ability to participate in

education outside of MLC as well.

119

I think we often underestimate

how important communication skills

120

are, and so to have the chance to

practice those, uh, at a young age

121

ha- has made a massive difference.

122

Anthony Perl: Yeah, you're

absolutely right there, aren't you?

123

It's one of those things that the

emphasis isn't really placed on

124

communication so much, and so when

you have those opportunities, and if

125

you do excel in those, as clearly you

have, then that gives you a real boost

126

in your career because you can stand

out from other people simply by your

127

ability to communicate different ideas.

128

Ani Satchcroft: Yes.

129

Well, it's not just the ability

to communicate different ideas.

130

I think it's also the ability to, when

you are solving problems or trying to

131

persuade or convince large groups of

stakeholders, it's also that ability to

132

understand other people's perspectives

and then synthesize them into a solution

133

which meets the needs of lots of

people and a diversity of perspectives.

134

The communication, yes, is incredibly

important, but it's also that more

135

general broader-based skill of, of

encouraging, I guess, large groups of

136

people to see a solution of a problem.

137

Anthony Perl: And what other areas do

you see as MLC having had an influence?

138

What were some of the other things that

you were involved with in the school,

139

both in terms of the compulsory stuff,

but also the elective stuff that you did?

140

Ani Satchcroft: I mean, I think the

other thing that's been fantastic for

141

me is actually I wouldn't consider

myself to be a particularly good

142

sports person, but a real love of

actually just having a go at some of

143

that physical activity was important.

144

Actually, interestingly, I think

probably because I don't consider

145

myself to be a sports person, had I

been in a school where the access to

146

team sports was more limited, I probably

wouldn't have gotten into it as much.

147

Now I think exercise is actually

quite an important part of my life.

148

It's a great stress release.

149

It keeps you healthy.

150

You know, it's encouraged a very

healthy lifestyle, but I think even

151

just things like that real attitude of

just giving things a go and everyone

152

participating has been really important.

153

Anthony Perl: I imagine running around

after triplets certainly- ... that

154

would have come in handy having

a little bit of physical ability.

155

Ani Satchcroft: Yes.

156

No.

157

Well, yeah, it's definitely been a

good stress release, but I think that

158

having triplets has also helped me

draw on some of the organizational

159

skills and staying calm under pressure

skills that MLCSC helped foster.

160

Anthony Perl: And, and tell me

as well, I mean, now you're back

161

involved with the school because

you've got a daughter in year six.

162

I mean, what was that like making

that decision in the first place?

163

Was that just a straight away,

"Yes, that's where she's got to go"?

164

Ani Satchcroft: So with our

daughter, we actually had her down

165

for a number of schools in Sydney.

166

I think the thing with children that's

been really an interesting learning

167

experience for me is you can have

preconceptions about what they're going

168

to turn out like and what environment,

what learning environment is going to

169

suit them, but you don't really know

until they actually make a choice for

170

themselves or have a chance to experience

those environments what's going to work.

171

And with our daughter, actually

she went and did the open

172

day just before she entered.

173

She entered in year one, I think it was,

and it just really seemed to fit her.

174

She's got a great group of friends.

175

She loves the environment.

176

She loves the intellectual stimulation,

the range of extracurricular activities.

177

So it certainly wasn't a, a slam dunk.

178

It was something where we

wanted her to see if she enjoyed

179

the environment, and she did.

180

So that's where we are.

181

Anthony Perl: Does it have a

special buzz to it when you think,

182

"She's following in my footsteps"?

183

Ani Satchcroft: I definitely

find it familiar going back to

184

this school, and I do like that.

185

It feels like you're coming back

to a community that you knew well.

186

Anthony Perl: How much

has the school changed?

187

Because I've spoken to other alumni, and

what's interesting is in some of them

188

they, you know, the buildings have...

189

In some cases, the buildings that

they remember were torn down, rebuilt,

190

and torn down again and built again.

191

So, you know, how much has

physically changed in the school?

192

How much do you recognize?

193

Ani Satchcroft: There's definitely been

physical changes in terms of the building.

194

The sports fields and the aquatic center

has improved immensely since I was there.

195

Even the primary school

has changed quite a lot.

196

We used to be down at Kent House.

197

So there's definitely been physical

changes- I'm not sure that the spirit

198

of the school has altered dramatically.

199

It still has that real sense

of young women being bold,

200

trying to achieve things.

201

Anthony Perl: Yeah, and I think

that's an important aspect, isn't it?

202

I mean, that's what the draw is to

the school that makes it special.

203

Tell me what it's like for your

daughter, Asma, at the moment in the

204

school and, you know, a- a- indeed,

have you, have you struck any other

205

former students that, uh, you know,

also have children in the school?

206

Ani Satchcroft: Yeah, this- there do

seem to be a number of people actually

207

in my year, in the years either side,

that have sent daughters to the school.

208

And I think it's an interesting

reflection, I guess, both of the

209

experience that they must have

had, but also the standing of

210

the school now and in general.

211

'Cause as I say, I think people do make

decisions based on where their kids

212

fit in, so clearly it's still a very

attractive place to send young women.

213

Anthony Perl: I mean, talk to me a

little bit more about s- some of the

214

influences that you think the schooling

years have had in terms of the way you've

215

gone about things in your career and

the way you think and work these days.

216

Ani Satchcroft: So I think the thing

that's been most important for me in

217

terms of having the education at MRC

is you learn from an early age that

218

if you set your mind to something and

you work hard, there's no reason why

219

you shouldn't be able to do something.

220

And I think having that drummed into

you almost as a subconscious tenant of

221

education is really important because

I certainly got to a stage then when

222

I got to university where all of a

sudden it wasn't single-sex education

223

anymore, and I was in a reasonably

competitive course, and having people

224

then assume that you couldn't do things,

potentially because you were female,

225

was a very foreign concept to me.

226

And so I think having had that protected

education for the first 18 years meant

227

that I was better able to then almost

brush that doubt off and think, "Well,

228

actually, if I work hard and I apply

myself, I should be able to do things."

229

And I think that that has had a huge

impact on me and the way I have then

230

learnt throughout the course of both my

formal education and now also my career.

231

Anthony Perl: As in say, I mean,

you've certainly risen up the ranks

232

as to where you are and what I

suppose in the past was traditionally

233

a very male-dominated industry.

234

Ani Satchcroft: And I think one of

the ways that I've tried to do that

235

is actually focus on where is the

white space, which again, I think

236

goes back to what is it that you

learn when you're a young child.

237

So I think drawing on all those things

that we've spoken about in terms of

238

problem-solving and creative and unique

solutions to problems, but also bringing

239

stakeholders on the journey, creating

new things, building businesses, like, I

240

think that has all helped me in my career.

241

Anthony Perl: It's so

wonderful to have that.

242

Tell me what it's like as far

as friendships are concerned.

243

How many people do you still

keep in contact with, and how

244

much of those friendships from

those early days carried forward?

245

Ani Satchcroft: So I keep in touch

with, I would call it, a small but

246

quality handful of people from MLC.

247

I think I've had the benefit of then

also learning how to form friendships

248

with females in particular quickly

as I've been in new situations.

249

So I think the fact that I moved

countries a lot early on, as soon as I

250

graduated, having that friendship-forming

skill was incredibly important.

251

But I feel really lucky, actually, to have

a number of really strong female friends.

252

Anthony Perl: It'd be remiss of

me not to touch upon that as well.

253

I mean, what was that experience like,

and how prepared were you for that,

254

moving around to so many countries

as you listed in the beginning there?

255

Ani Satchcroft: So moving countries

and at that age was definitely a

256

learning experience, and it was

something that I wanted to do.

257

I think that international experience

is incredibly important for people.

258

I think it does teach a

diversity of perspectives.

259

The world is a big place.

260

Like, I think it is actually,

you know, to the extent that

261

people can, it is important to

see as much of it as possible.

262

I think that the skill set was r- really

focused around adaptability and then

263

also just an open learning mindset

because places are very different.

264

People do business very differently in

a variety of places, and I think you get

265

the most from things if you're actually

open to learning from those experiences.

266

Anthony Perl: What do you hope that

your daughter will get from her

267

time at MLC that maybe mirrors some

of the things that you learned?

268

Ani Satchcroft: So I hope that one of

the big things that my daughter gets

269

is a real self-belief that as long as

you work hard and apply yourself to

270

something, nothing should be impossible.

271

You should be able to find a

way through and find a solution.

272

So I think that real resilience and

determination piece is important.

273

I think the second thing is just

to grow up to be a intelligent

274

and articulate young woman.

275

I think that that's one of the things that

MLC does best, and so I hope that that's

276

something that she gets from it as well.

277

And then the last thing I'd say

is belonging to a community.

278

So whether that's a static or a

fluid community, just learning

279

that sense of belonging.

280

Anthony Perl: Just to wrap things

up, wanting to ask everyone who comes

281

onto the program about this Dare

to Be More, which is of course the

282

name of the podcast, and very much

involved with what the school is about.

283

But what does Dare to Be More mean to

you, and particularly not just from you

284

now, but also as a past student and as

a mother of a, of someone in the school?

285

Ani Satchcroft: For me, Dare to

Be More is all about not having

286

a ceiling on your potential.

287

So looking at the world, and if you

think that things need to change or

288

that things could be done better, if

communities could be helped in some

289

way, that you actually feel empowered

to be the person to change that.

290

Anthony Perl: Wonderful.

291

Thank you so much, Annie, for

being part of the program.

292

It's so lovely to hear a former

student that has achieved so much

293

and has her daughter back in the

school and is being involved again.

294

So thank you for sharing your stories.

295

Ani Satchcroft: Thanks very much, Anthony.

296

Anthony Perl: Thank you for

joining us on Dare to Be More.

297

If you enjoyed this episode, please

subscribe wherever you get your

298

podcasts so you never miss an episode.

299

Your likes and comments also

help more families discover

300

these valuable conversations.

301

For more information about MLC school

and their approach to girls' education,

302

visit their website at mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

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Check out the show notes for more

304

information.