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Australia’s top female financial professionals have been celebrated in style, with the winners of the Women in Finance Awards 2026 officially revealed at a glittering black-tie gala at the Hyatt Regency Sydney on Friday evening (13 November 2026).
Hosted by Momentum Media’s financial services brands, including Broker Daily, the national awards program brought together nearly 600 industry leaders to recognise and honour the women driving change, innovation and excellence across Australia’s financial landscape.
Celebrating its milestone 10th year, the Women in Finance Awards has become a defining celebration of female achievement – spotlighting the trailblazers, mentors and innovators who are shaping the future of the industry.
This year’s program saw 27 exceptional winners selected across individual and group categories spanning the full breadth of financial services – from broking and banking, accounting and financial advice, to superannuation and the fintech industry.
However, the mortgage and finance broking industry dominated the winners on the night. Individual award winners included:
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Caroline Jean-Baptiste of Mortgage Choice Fortitude Valley, Ashgrove & Surrounds, who was crowned Thought Leader of the Year, as well as taking home the pinnacle Excellence Award (given to the highest-scoring individual winner on the night).
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Kerri Buurman of the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA), who was honoured as Non-Executive Director of the Year.
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Deslie Taylor of Mortgage Choice Ormeau & Yarrabilba, who took home the coveted Mortgage Broker of the Year award.
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Julia Paton of Go For Broker, who was named Commercial Finance Broker of the Year.
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Rachael McKenzie of Loan Gallery Finance, who was recognised as Young Leader of the Year.
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Ashleigh Pakis of Panache Financial, who was named Regional Professional of the Year.
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Matina Howes of Amara Mortgage Brokers, who won Entrepreneur of the Year.
Those working at the aggregators, lenders and service providers were also celebrated.
From the aggregators, Vanessa Lewis of National Lending Group was recognised as the Mentor of the Year, Julie Andersson of Connective Group was named the Executive/Personal Assistant of the Year, while Nita Sreedharan of Mortgage Choice (REA Group) was celebrated as the Marketing Professional of the Year.
Victoria Coster of Credit Fix Solutions took home the award of Chief Executive Officer of the Year.
From the non-banks, Bluestone Home Loans’ Grace Munro was awarded Business Development Professional of the Year and Bridgit’s Amber Johnston was named Fintech Leader of the Year.
The awards didn’t just recognise individual brilliance – they also celebrated businesses and initiatives empowering women to thrive.
Group categories honoured standout employers, training and development programs, wellness initiatives, and women’s community programs making an impact across the profession.
Major organisations from the mortgage and finance sector were recognised for their commitment to empowering women, with Liberty Financial Group named Employer of the Year and ANZ Bank taking home Training and Development Program of the Year.
With a room filled with nearly 600 professionals, the evening was both a celebration and a call to action, uniting Australia’s financial community in championing diversity, inclusion and leadership.
For a decade, the Women in Finance Awards has served as a powerful platform for recognition, helping winners elevate their profiles, inspire emerging talent, and drive meaningful change within the industry.
Click here to view the full list of 2026 winners.
To learn more about the awards program, click here.
[Related: Women in Finance Awards 2026 finalists revealed]
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