Catherine is currently Chancellor of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and a Director of Saluda Medical Pty Ltd and The Australian Ballet. Catherine is also  a member of the CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility Advisory Committee.

Previously, she has been Chairman of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Telstra Corporation, CSIRO and the Australian Business Foundation; a Director of WorleyParsons and Macquarie Group Ltd; President of the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Museum, and Chief Executive Women. She started her career with Price Waterhouse, and then spent nearly 20 years in the field of implantable medical devices, including six years as CEO of Cochlear Ltd.

Catherine is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and the Australian Academy of Science.

In 2003 Catherine was awarded the Centenary Medal and in 2008 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.