Profile
Morgan van Rumund had always known she wanted to work with people and across the different parts of a business. HR was not on her radar at all until a part-time job at university introduced her to the company’s HR manager, and the work looked like exactly what she had been after. “I can’t believe someone is paid to do that,” she says. “Sign me up!”
van Rumund has since spent six years at Zembl, where she is now head of people and culture. For her, working in a smaller organisation with fewer than 200 team members gives early-career professionals rare exposure to leaders and board members and forces them to problem-solve on their own. She credits Zembl’s CEO, Jen Bell, and the board for challenging her and helping her grow, and she encourages others starting out to seek roles with that kind of access.
The achievement van Rumund is proudest of is not a single project but the culture underneath everything else. When Zembl rebranded in 2023, the team interviewed every member about what they loved and what could be better, keeping the strengths and deliberately confronting the weaknesses. Three years on, she says the things the business was once “pretty rubbish at” have become genuine strengths and the way colleagues hold each other accountable.
van Rumund’s approach draws on both sides of the role. She credits Bell with teaching her to lead with data, whatever the picture shows. “It cuts through noise and helps me understand whether a problem is as widespread as it initially feels,” she explains.
Against that discipline sits the human side of the work. “What sets this role apart is the human element: the ability to stay calm, listen with empathy and help people navigate change,” she says. “That’s something automation can’t replicate, and it’s where I find both value and reward.” The pace of her work is relentless, and she anchors herself with exercise every morning before work to stay effective when the day turns difficult.
van Rumund treats her relative inexperience as an asset rather than a limitation, staying open to change and pragmatic about discarding what no longer adds value. She has found fresh eyes especially useful during rapid scaling, when doubling headcount and integrating acquisitions surface inefficiencies in process and culture. Mentors, inside and outside the business, have kept her grounded throughout. “They tell me when I’m being precious and help me build my confidence in dealing with challenges”" she says.
HRD’s Rising Star recognition has sharpened a clear ambition for van Rumund: she wants to move into a chief people officer role and keep building high-performing people functions in scaled environments. She reads it as a sign she is on the right track and as something less tangible but no less valuable. “As a young woman, self-doubt is constant, so this recognition fuels my growth in tangible ways,” she says.
Shop 6/347 Kent St, Sydney, NSW 2000
02 9137 3377
morganvanrumund@zembl.com.au
linkedin.com/in/morganvanr
zembl.com.au
Morgan van Rumund
Head of People and Culture Zembl
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2022–2025
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2025–Present
Head of People and Culture at Zembl since 2021
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Mortgage Adviser at Vega Mortgages
2022–2025
Mortgage Adviser and Owner of Williams Mortgages
NZA 2026 Top Adviser
2025–Present
Pepper Money Adviser of the Year - Excellence Award
Honoured as one of NZA’s Elite Women
800th client helped in May 2025
2025
19 clients assisted per month year-to-date, up from 14 in FY2025
Monthly settlements increased by approximately $2m
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“At this stage in my career, I’m not trying to impress clients with technical language. I’m focused on helping them make better decisions”
William Chan,
Modern Vision Planning, Sterling Mutuals Inc.
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William Chan,
Modern Vision Planning, Sterling Mutuals Inc.
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