Baking For Good

Eva Rabanal is the Chief Executive Officer of The Bread & Butter Project, Australia’s first social enterprise bakery, which provides training and employment pathways for newly arrived refugees. With strengths in continuous improvement, business strategy and finance, Eva has spent over 25 years in leadership roles within the food industry and has a proven track record of growing small to medium sized bakeries.

Eva is passionate about empowering people to reach their full potential whilst fostering cultures of inclusion, accountability and kindness.  At The Bread & Butter Project, Eva combines her love for baked goods with her dedication to helping and supporting refugees into meaningful work and successful resettlement. As the daughter of a blind refugee herself, this is a cause close to her heart. 

Describe your career trajectory and how you got to your current position.

My family circumstances didn’t afford me the opportunity to complete high school, leading me to abandon any career aspirations at an early age. With a focus on food and safety, I worked 70 – 80 hours a week in retail and hospitality, taking any opportunities to progress as they arose. This led to my first managerial role at 17 years of age – and through a mix of street smarts and grit I went on to become General Manager for a $10M food manufacturer by my mid 20’s. Acknowledging the absence of any formal education, I enrolled in an MBA as a mature aged student. I studied outside of my work hours and graduated with Distinction and the Dean’s Award. This fuelled my confidence and my aspirations. I soon discovered my knack for streamlining organisations to deliver growth and profitability, and developed my values-based leadership style whilst my love of food continued to grow.  

In 2022, having been inspired for many years by the great work of The Bread & Butter Project, I was appointed CEO. I have since built a solid team who are committed to the organisation’s mission – allowing us to increase its social impact threefold.

What drives you to do the work that you do?

Early in my career, I was fortunate to work for organisations that entrusted me with high levels of responsibility – providing me with opportunity for career advancement despite my lack of formal education. I have since found fulfilment in identifying unique strengths and abilities in individuals who lack the relevant qualifications or experience, working closely to provide opportunity and mentorship. 

By working in the for-purpose sector, I’m now able to extend my reach to support newly arrived refugees with an opportunity to develop their skills, and secure sustainable employment whilst building a strong sense of belonging in the Australian community. My family migrated to Sydney as refugees from Cyprus during the 1974 Turkish invasion, so much of what our trainees have experienced resonates with me.

If you could go back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself as you first embarked on your career?

To my younger self, I would say: “You don’t need to fit the mould to succeed, and you don’t need to be loud to have the strongest voice in the room. Authenticity is key.”

What does social sector leadership look like to you?

Social sector leadership is about leading with values and prioritising purpose and impact over profit. Focus is still required with regards to commercial discipline, in order to ensure the ongoing viability of the organisation, but this can’t be at the expense of its mission. This adds an extra layer of complexity for sector leaders to navigate. To be successful, business leaders are required to share the values of the organisation, to instil those values throughout it, and to have a genuine passion for its purpose. All in addition to having the necessary skills and experience to perform their assigned role, which can certainly narrow the pool of suitable candidates.

What are you currently watching / reading / listening to?

As a busy mother of teenage boys, my downtime is limited. My mind is busy throughout the day, so I prefer to switch off and unwind with something light. Often it will be a cooking show or stand-up comedy, but my guilty pleasure is trashy reality TV.