Kat Thompson

Co-founder & CEO.

MAICD

FAIM

CPHR

Kat is a bold business leader whose expertise lies at the intersection of strategy and culture, with a proven track record of delivering high-impact initiatives. Her two decades of experience span industries like retail, finance, health and professional services, across both public and private sectors. In 2025, Business News recognised her as one of WA’s top emerging leaders, naming her one of their 40under40 winners. Driven by a bold vision and a people-first mindset, Kat aims to challenge the conventions of HR and help organisations grow in ways that actually stick.

Background

With nearly 20 years of experience  in the people and culture sector, Kat  has become a respected figure in the  industry. During her time at Zest,  Kat has led the delivery of:

Learning and Development reviews and operating model design across public and private institutions.

Strategic reviews and business support functions redesigns for public sector clients.

Tailored leadership and management programs industries including medical research and professional services.

Reimagining the organisational strategy and action plan for a Perth-based consultancy business.

Crafting the people and culture strategy, roadmap and architecture for a private hospital.

Kat’s passion for connecting and empowering the Perth HR industry has led her to chair the WA HR Leaders Summit 2023 and 2024. Her strength lies in leading with empathy while driving impact and shaping initiatives that not only make sense on paper, but actually land with people. The result? Practical interventions for thriving workplaces.

Pure pragmatism can’t imagine a bold future.  Pure idealism can’t get anything done. It’s when the two cooperate that magic happens.

Simon Sinek

Qualifications

Bachelor Of Business
Learning & Organisational Development
Certificate IV Training & Assessment
Mental Health First Aid
Print Profile Certification

Skills

Strategy Development & Execution
Complex Project & Program Management
Governance
Strategic Workforce Planning
Stakeholder Engagement
Change Management
Communications
Culture Development
Employee Engagement
Learning & Development
Mentoring & Coaching
Leadership & Management

Our team as a group of passionate, curious, and human-first thinkers dedicated to transforming workplaces and helping people and organisations thrive together.