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Rita Vago
May 2026
With a career spanning international banking, diplomacy, and global trade, Rita Vago brings a uniquely international perspective to leadership. From serving as Hungary’s Trade and Investment Commissioner in Melbourne to now General Manager of the Australian Institute of International Affairs Victoria, her work centres on fostering global collaboration, strategic partnerships, and international dialogue.
Answers above are extracted and summarised from a dialogue with Rita Vago, with verbatim in quotation marks.
“Stay loyal to yourself, and get rid of the noise around you.”
Rita Vago
You’ve built a career across banking, diplomacy, and international affairs—how did you navigate those transitions, and what guided your decision-making at each stage?
For Rita, every transition throughout her career was driven by curiosity, openness, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. From a young age, she envisioned a globally oriented life, explaining that she “always wanted to travel and… explore the world.” Even before entering university, she already carried the dream of becoming a diplomat.
Although she initially entered banking through an internship opportunity, Rita approached each stage of her career with the mindset that opportunities are rarely linear. After nearly a decade in banking leadership roles, she made the difficult decision to leave behind an incredibly successful career in Europe and move to Australia — despite not originally seeing Australia as part of her future. Reflecting on that leap, she recalled telling herself: “You have nothing to lose and you can always move back.”
Later, when the opportunity arose to become Hungary’s Trade Commissioner, Rita recognised it as the fulfilment of a childhood ambition. Looking back, she believes that growth often comes from taking risks before you feel entirely ready: “The earlier you do it, the better.”
In your experience as Trade and Investment Commissioner, how do politics and economics interact in real-world decision-making, and what surprised you most about that intersection?
As Trade and Investment Commissioner, Rita’s role sat directly at the intersection of politics, economics, and diplomacy. She described her work as “building bridges between Australia and Hungary,” supporting businesses, fostering investment opportunities, and representing Hungary’s interests abroad.
What surprised her most was how deeply relationship-driven international affairs truly are. While economics and trade are often discussed in technical terms, Rita emphasised that trust and human connection remain central to decision-making. “You have to be a network,” she explained, noting that successful negotiations and partnerships are built through credibility, relationships, and genuine engagement with people.
She also reflected on the responsibility of representing a nation professionally while navigating complex political realities. Rather than becoming consumed by politics itself, Rita focused on acting in the best interests of the businesses and communities she represented — balancing professionalism with diplomacy at every stage.
What is one skill or mindset that you believe truly sets apart young women who succeed in competitive fields like politics, finance, or international relations?
For Rita, success begins with remaining deeply grounded in your values. In an era shaped by constant information, competition, and comparison, she believes the women who thrive are those who stay authentic to themselves rather than becoming distracted by external pressures. “Always focus on what you can be in control with,” she advised.
She also stressed the importance of resilience and perspective. Rather than chasing quick success, Rita encourages young women to embrace discomfort and challenges as necessary parts of growth: “There is nothing wrong that there are difficulties in your life… that’s when you make progress.”
Most importantly, Rita believes ambition must remain connected to purpose. One analogy she shared particularly resonated: “If there is a sailing boat and there is no destination, the sailing boat is just out on the sea.” For her, having clear goals while remaining adaptable is what allows young women to navigate competitive industries with confidence and direction.
Have you ever faced a moment where you had to assert your voice or credibility in a male-dominated environment—and how did you handle it?
Having built her career in banking and diplomacy, Rita acknowledged that many of the spaces she worked in were overwhelmingly male-dominated. One defining moment came when she became the youngest — and only female — regional director at a major bank. Entering executive meetings, she often found herself needing to establish credibility quickly in rooms dominated by older male executives.
Rather than reacting emotionally or trying to overpower others, Rita relied on preparation, honesty, and professionalism. During a critical board presentation, she refused to “paint something which sounds nice, but [wasn’t] reality.” Instead, she presented both the problems and the solutions directly and confidently.
She believes this approach ultimately earned her respect. “I would never fight back,” she reflected. “I would bring my professional confidence to the table.” For Rita, true authority comes not from aggression, but from competence, composure, and trusting your expertise.
If you could give one piece of advice to young women trying to break into global, high-impact careers like yours, what would it be?
Rita’s advice to young women is rooted in self-awareness and authenticity. “You need to know yourself,” she explained, emphasising the importance of understanding your own values, strengths, and boundaries before pursuing ambitious career goals.
She also encouraged young women to stop chasing perfection and instead focus on sustainable personal growth. “Work on your strengths,” she advised, explaining that people naturally excel faster when they build on what genuinely motivates and energises them.
Above all, Rita believes success comes from remaining genuine in both professional and personal life. “Stay loyal for yourself,” she said, while reminding young women to “get rid of the noises around you.” In a world increasingly shaped by comparison and pressure, her message was ultimately one of clarity, grounding, and courage.
I feel that leadership as a quality has been undervalued or even overlooked for young women in fields such as politics and commerce. Do you have any advice for young women who are looking to become leaders in their own respective fields?
For Rita, leadership begins with self-belief. She encouraged young women not to shrink themselves in professional spaces, explaining that women often hesitate to claim visibility in ways that men naturally do. “Make sure the room knows about you [and] what you do,” she said.
At the same time, she believes strong leadership is not about dominating every conversation or becoming “the loudest in the room.” Instead, it comes from self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and understanding how to navigate people and environments effectively. “You have to have that solid value in yourself,” she reflected.
Rita also emphasised the importance of presence and intentionality in everyday life, noting that the habits students develop at university often carry directly into their professional futures. “The way how you behave at uni, that’s the way how you will behave at work.” For young women aspiring to leadership, her advice was ultimately simple yet powerful: know yourself, stay grounded, and do not be afraid to take up space.