How the CEO of Oporto Builds Trust and High-Performing Teams
In this episode of Making Work Work for Humans, Sallina Jeffrey sits down with Therese, the CEO of Oporto and former CEO of Mad Mex, to explore what trust, humanity, and real leadership look like at the very top of an organisation.
Therese’s leadership journey began on the restaurant floor at age 15, working shifts at KFC, learning to serve customers, run teams and understand people long before stepping into the C-suite. Today, she leads one of Australia’s most recognisable brands with a style grounded in humility, presence and leading with heart.
In this conversation, Therese shares how her views on trust have evolved from simply “getting the job done” to defining trust as a two-way relationship where people know you’ve got their back, even when you disagree. She speaks to the power of dropping one's ego, saying what’s real, and building credibility by being fully oneself, not wearing an executive mask.
We explore practical leadership behaviours that deepen trust: listening without defensiveness, understanding the different need states of franchise partners, frontline workers and support office teams, and creating environments where everyone feels safe to speak up, not just agree.
Therese also shares why she spends time on the restaurant floor, packing chips during a rush, observing workflow, learning from franchisees and hearing what customers really experience. These grounded moments shape decisions in store design, operations, and culture, proving that trust is built through actions, not announcements.
We unpack psychologically safe environments, the damage of silence, and how staying quiet can erode trust just as quickly as poor decisions. Therese shares honest reflections on the times she’s worked in toxic cultures, and how environments either bring out the best in people or slowly dim who they are.
Her advice to leaders is simple and powerful:
- Listen.
- Understand people’s motivations.
- Back yourself.
- Lead with heart, not ego.
- Be the change you wish to see, even when you’re not at the top.
Therese also talks openly about supporting her executive team to lead with humanity, cascading human-centred leadership across all levels, and ensuring culture isn’t shaped by hierarchy but by consistent, everyday interactions.
This episode is a grounded, generous and human conversation that shows what modern leadership can look like when trust is treated not as a concept, but a daily practice.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
- How trust evolves from working on the restaurant floor to the CEO role
- The power of dropping ego and being fully yourself as a leader
- Trust as a two-way relationship: “I’ve got your back even when we disagree”
- Listening as the foundation of human-centred leadership
- Understanding the different needs of franchise partners, frontline teams and support office staff
- Why Therese still works in stores - and how 30 minutes on the floor can inform strategy
- Creating psychologically safe environments where silence is not seen as support
- How negative cultures shape behaviour and how to stay grounded in your values
- Leading with heart at scale and cascading care through the leadership team
- The role of extreme ownership in repairing or exiting toxic workplaces
- “Everything in life is temporary” - Therese’s advice to her 15-year-old self
- How leaders can build credibility quickly when stepping into a new executive role
- Using small, everyday interactions to strengthen trust and belonging
- Why coffee conversations can be more powerful than formal meetings
