From investment banking and HR generalist to the brains behind Bumble‘s market launch across the APAC region, Michelle Battersby has never been one to take the traditional career route. So, when she accepted the role of President at Peanut – one of the world’s fastest-growing femtech platforms – she did it her way. 30 weeks pregnant, with zero intention of slowing down.
For Battersby, that timing isn’t a side note – it’s the story. It’s proof that women don’t have to press pause on ambition just because life is in motion. If anything, she’s showing that the messy, unfiltered reality of pregnancy and career can co-exist – and even thrive – when the mission matters.
And at Peanut, the mission matters a lot. Founded in 2017 by Michelle Kennedy (another Michelle. Another former Bumble board member. And, another women in tech powerhouse), the app has become a global lifeline for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, motherhood, and menopause. It’s the space where women whisper their deepest fears – IVF setbacks, miscarriage grief, postnatal depression, identity loss – and instead of silence, they find support. With over 5.5 million users, Peanut proves that when women have room to connect, they don’t just talk – they transform the narrative.
Battersby joining as President isn’t just a strategic hire – it’s a reunion. She and Kennedy go way back to Bumble’s breakout years. Kennedy helped shape the brand globally, while Battersby became the very first hire in Australia, building its APAC empire from the ground up. Later, Kennedy backed Battersby’s own startup, Sunroom, a bold creator platform designed for women and non-binary voices, which went on to be acquired by Fanfix. Now, the two Michelles are back together, steering Peanut into its next era across the US and Australia.
And, Battersby isn’t shy about how personal this feels. “Leading Peanut’s growth while pregnant feels empowering and deeply personal. It reflects what Peanut stands for – supporting women through every stage of life,” she says. “I’m passionate about elevating women in tech. And, Peanut is a platform that gives them not just a voice, but a real community and support system.”
That drive is backed up by hard data. Peanut’s Australian State of Motherhood Survey revealed just how heavy the load still is: 69% of women experience anxiety during pregnancy, 88.5% feel lonely or isolated as mothers, and almost 60% are pressured back into work before they’re ready. Even more telling? Over 40% of women admit to hiding a pregnancy at work. Numbers like that make it crystal clear: the conversation about motherhood and identity isn’t just overdue – it’s urgent.
Kennedy believes Battersby is exactly the person to take that conversation global. “Michelle is the kind of leader tech needs – purpose-driven, vulnerable, sharp, and deeply connected to the realities women face,” she says. And the fact that she hired her at 30 weeks pregnant? That wasn’t just a leadership decision, it was a statement.
Together, the two Michelles are redefining what leadership in tech looks like. Forget the hoodie-clad Silicon Valley archetype. This is leadership fuelled by lived experience, emotional intelligence, and a refusal to pretend that the personal isn’t professional. It’s a version of leadership where women show up exactly as they are – morning sickness, sleepless nights, hot flushes and all – and still get to call the shots.
Battersby’s career has always been about building communities where women feel seen. Bumble changed the way women date. Sunroom gave women creators a safer platform. And now, Peanut is changing the way women connect across some of life’s biggest transitions. Under her leadership, it’s not just about scaling user numbers. It’s about ensuring that women have a seat – and a support system – at every stage of their journey.
Because if Battersby’s story tells us anything, it’s this: women don’t have to wait for the perfect timing to lead. They don’t need to shrink themselves to fit the old mould of success. They can take up space – in tech, in boardrooms, in communities, in their own lives – exactly as they are.
And maybe that’s the most powerful thing about her appointment. Battersby isn’t just leading Peanut into the future. She’s reminding women everywhere that ambition doesn’t have to be delayed, muted, or hidden. It can grow right alongside them – bumps, babies, and all.
