Each year, marie claire’s Women of the Year Awards shine a light on the visionaries, the rule-breakers, the women rewriting the rules. The ones who don’t wait for permission. Who lead with purpose. Who move the needle for equality, courage and change. There’s still a way to go – but let’s take a moment to see how far we’ve come.
From every corner of Australia, this year’s nominees embody progress in motion. We’ve seen breakthroughs in women’s health funding. Bold reforms in domestic violence policy. A record number of women stepping into leadership across business, media and parliament. On the world stage, women have inspired through sport, science and storytelling. At home, others have led powerfully – changing systems, shifting narratives and demanding equality with grace and grit. Now, it’s time to celebrate them. The women who make us proud every single day.
On November 20, marie claire will hold a glittering night of recognition and inspiration, presented by Georg Jensen and supported by VOLVO, Olay, F5 Collective and Constellation Brands.
Now, it’s time to meet the incredible 2025 nominees for the marie claire Women of the Year awards.
The Changemaker
A driving force who has tirelessly advocated for change and been successful in their pursuits
Emma Mason
When Emma Mason lost her 15-year-old daughter, Tilly, to suicide after relentless online bullying, she vowed no other family would endure the same heartbreak. That promise led to one of the world’s most significant digital safety reforms: Australia’s ban on children under 16 using social media. From Bathurst, NSW, Mason’s advocacy has reshaped national policy, inspired global leaders and even reached the United Nations, where she received a standing ovation for her story of turning grief into action. As the law takes effect on December 10, Mason’s legacy stands as proof that one mother’s voice can change the world.
Katherine Bennell-Pegg
When Katherine Bennell-Pegg was growing up in Sydney, she told anyone who asked that she wanted to be an astronaut – even though Australia didn’t have a space program. This year, she made history as the first Australian to qualify as an astronaut with the European Space Agency, and the first under the Australian flag. An engineer with two master’s degrees across spacecraft engineering, science and technology, she’s also the director of space technology at the Australian Space Agency.
Tracey Corbin-Matchett
Tracey Corbin-Matchett OAM still remembers missing her Year Seven camp because her family couldn’t afford it — a moment that sparked a lifelong drive to create opportunities for others. Now CEO of Bus Stop Films, she leads a social enterprise transforming the film industry through inclusive education, employment and storytelling. Under her leadership, Bus Stop partners with schools and studios nationwide, training creatives with disabilities and showcasing their work at global festivals. Hard of hearing and mother to a deaf daughter, Corbin-Matchett champions inclusion on and off screen — proving that empathy and determination can turn barriers into pathways for change.
Bianca Marchi-Simon
Biànca Marchi-Simon is a dynamic force in Australian hospitality, celebrated for reshaping Brisbane’s dining scene with creativity, leadership and vision. As co-founder of the Anyday collective, she’s helped create acclaimed venues including Agnes, Hôntô, sAme sAme and Biànca – each defined by innovation, warmth and uncompromising quality. Originally from Milan, she brings European sensibility and entrepreneurial drive to everything she builds. Beyond cuisine, Marchi-Simon champions collaboration, inclusivity and excellence, setting new standards for the industry. Her success embodies the power of creativity, integrity and perseverance – and her influence continues to shape how Australia dines, leads and celebrates together.
The Creative
A female creative who has pushed the boundaries of her chosen medium
Bobbi Lockyer
A proud Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru woman, Bobbi Lockyer, is a leading force in Australian art. Rooted in her Pilbara heritage, her vibrant works span painting, photography and design, celebrating Country and culture. Named both NAIDOC Artist of the Year and the Australian Open’s 2025 Artist of the Year, Lockyer’s art has reached global audiences. Beyond her creativity, she’s a passionate advocate for social justice, using her platform to highlight issues like domestic violence, racism and birth trauma.
Suzie Miller
In 2025, playwright Suzie Miller cemented her status as one of Australia’s most powerful voices in theatre. Following the global success of Prima Facie, her new play Inter Alia starring Rosamund Pike explores justice, feminism and modern masculinity through the story of a judge whose son is accused of sexual assault. Praised for its emotional depth and sharp social insight, Inter Alia sold out its season and was filmed for worldwide release. Miller now turns to her next project, Strong is the New Pretty, with Sydney Theatre Company.
Marg Horwell
Marg Horwell has made 2025 a remarkable year in theatre with her work on The Picture of Dorian Gray. Her costume designs played a key role in bringing the production to life, helping actor Sarah Snook transform seamlessly between 26 distinct characters, earning Horwell widespread acclaim including a Tony Award.
Horwell’s career spans a diverse range of productions, including The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Blasted, and Melancholia. Across each project, she has shown a remarkable ability to adapt her design sensibilities to different stories, creating work that is both functional and striking.
Kate Reid
As a child, Kate Reid dreamed of one thing: designing Formula One cars. By 23, she’d done it, joining Williams F1 in London as an aerospace engineer. But the high-pressure world came at a cost. Depression and an eating disorder forced her to step back – and return to Australia.
What came next was unexpected – and life-changing. Reid found joy in food, starting at a local bakery, honing craft and detail. A Paris apprenticeship at Du Pain et des Idées pushed her skills further, inspiring a French pastry revolution back home.
In 2012, she opened Lune Croissanterie in Melbourne. Today, Lune is globally renowned, with stores in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, serving thousands of croissants daily. Her signature pastries – made over three days in climate-controlled glass cubes – have won praise from The New York Times and Yotam Ottolenghi, who called them “the croissant that should act as the prototype for all others.”
Reid hasn’t stopped. Lune now has seven locations, she’s published the world’s first croissant cookbook, earned France’s Chevalière dans l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole, and released a memoir reflecting on her extraordinary journey from engineering to pastry, from resilience to reinvention.
The Advocate
A grassroots organiser who is actively advocating for disadvantaged communities
Nicole Yade
Nicole Yade, CEO of the Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC) in Sydney, leads with compassion shaped by experience. Once homeless and fleeing domestic violence with her baby, she now champions safety, dignity and hope for others. Under her leadership, WAGEC has launched transformative initiatives like From Now, supporting pregnant women leaving incarceration, and Helping Children Heal, addressing trauma for young survivors. From Now has already achieved powerful results, offering housing, education and cultural connection for Aboriginal families.
Dr Chelsea Tobin
Dr Chelsea Tobin is transforming Australia’s response to family and domestic violence. As CEO of Safe Steps since 2022, she has strengthened Victoria’s only 24/7 crisis service, overseeing 150,000 annual contacts and launching the Sanctuary Pilot Program for intensive accommodation. In 2025, she co-created Unanswered Calls, a documentary amplifying young survivors’ voices and driving national reform. With a PhD from Monash and 15 years’ leadership experience, Tobin combines evidence-based strategy with deep empathy. A Churchill Fellow and long-term foster carer, she leads with purpose – ensuring Safe Steps is not just a crisis service but a force for systemic change.
Samantha Payne
Samantha Payne’s journey began with heartbreak – the words, “I’m sorry, there is no heartbeat,” at a 2015 scan. Experiencing pregnancy loss firsthand, she discovered how isolating and stigmatised the experience could be. Determined to change that, she co-founded Pink Elephants, a national support network normalising conversations around early pregnancy loss. Under her leadership, it’s become a powerful movement offering emotional support, workplace programs and national advocacy. Payne’s “Leave for Loss” campaign led to policy reform recognising miscarriage under bereavement leave.
Grace Forrest
In 2025, Grace Forrest strengthened her global fight against modern slavery through two major international platforms: the G20 Summit in Johannesburg and the Glastonbury Festival in the UK. As founding director of Walk Free, she continues to drive systemic change and accountability in global supply chains. At the upcoming G20, Forrest urges leaders to confront the $730 billion in imports linked to forced labour, while at Glastonbury she explored how art and human rights intersect. Her advocacy blends diplomacy, creativity and activism, reminding the world that ending modern slavery demands both global collaboration and the courage to act locally.
Grace Toombs
A proud First Nations woman and founder of June Health, Grace Toombs is rewriting the rules of women’s healthcare. Frustrated by a system built without women – and certainly not for women like her – Grace launched Australia’s first at-home STI and cervical screening kits, bringing shame-free, accessible care directly to women’s doors.
A former medical student and public health researcher, she’s driven by lived experience and cultural responsibility, blending clinical insight with deep empathy. Since its 2025 launch, June Health has reached customers nationwide and partnered with Australia’s largest pathology provider. Grace’s mission is simple – to close the gap in women’s health and build a system that finally meets women where they are.
The Eco-Warrior
A woman who’s paying it forward and making a difference in the environmental space
Jamila Gordon
Jamila Gordon’s journey from a war-torn Somali village to founder and CEO of Lumachain is a story of resilience and innovation. After fleeing civil war and arriving in Australia, she learned English, earned an IT degree, and rose to senior roles at IBM, Qantas and CIMIC. In 2018, she founded Lumachain, using AI and blockchain to make food supply chains more transparent and ethical. Named among the BBC’s 100 Women and Women in AI’s Innovator of the Year, Gordon also champions refugees and diversity in STEM. Her leadership continues to redefine technology’s power to drive equity and global change.
Natalie Kyriacou
Natalie Kyriacou OAM has built a career on transforming climate anxiety into action. An environmentalist, writer and founder of My Green World, she empowers young changemakers through education and conservation. In 2025, she released her debut book Nature’s Last Dance: Tales of Wonder in an Age of Extinction, a part travelogue, part rallying cry, which has been hailed as a vital contribution to the conversation around biodiversity loss. Beyond writing, she serves on the boards of CARE Australia and the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, and leads climate justice work at the W20. Named a UNESCO Green Citizens Pathfinder, Kyriacou inspires hope where others see crisis.
Anjali Sharma
At just 21, Anjali Sharma is redefining youth climate leadership. In 2024, she spearheaded a national campaign calling for laws requiring policymakers to consider future generations in climate decisions. Her activism began at 12 and gained national attention at 16, when she led a landmark class action arguing the government’s duty of care to young Australians. Though overturned on appeal, it ignited a movement for inter-generational climate justice. In 2025, her open letter to government drew national support. From her ANU dorm room, Sharma continues to mobilise young Australians.
Lisa Blair OAM
Lisa Blair OAM is a record-breaking solo sailor, author and climate advocate who has made history at sea. In 2022, she became the fastest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica, setting one of her eight world records. A recipient of the Order of Australia Medal in January, Lisa uses her yacht Climate Action Now as a platform for ocean science and sustainability, inspiring global action through her voyages, talks and best-selling memoir Facing Fear. Her story of courage and climate advocacy is also the subject of the acclaimed documentary Ice Maiden. Now preparing for her next mission – the Arctic Impact Project – Lisa continues to prove that one person’s action can change the tide.
The Champion
Celebrating a woman who’s reached new heights this year in sport
The Opals
In a year defined by resilience, reinvention and ambition, The Opals – Australia’s women’s basketball team – reminded the world of what it means to fight with heart. Fresh from their bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Opals arrived at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup with a squad almost entirely different, with 10 of the 12 Olympic medallists absent. But what could have been a rebuilding year turned into a golden one. With a fearless, largely new outfit, the Opals stunned the region by claiming the Asia Cup for the first time. After a silver medal in 2017, followed by bronze medals in 2019, 2021 and 2023, the victory could not have been sweeter. More importantly, the win secured the Opals direct qualification to the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Germany.
Alexa Leary
Few Australians embody resilience like Alexa Leary. Once a rising triathlete, her life changed in 2021 after a cycling crash left her with a traumatic brain injury. Told she might not survive, she defied all odds – returning to win Paralympic gold in Paris and multiple world titles. In 2025, she broke two more world records and released her debut dance single “Closer” as Lex Leary. Beyond sport, her MoveForLex Foundation has raised over $250,000 for brain injury recovery, inspiring Australians to move for health and hope. With unstoppable energy and optimism, Leary has redefined what comeback truly means.
Nicola Olyslagers
Nicola Olyslagers reached new heights in 2025, winning gold at the World Athletics Championships in Japan. Her 2.00m jump – just shy of her Australian record 2.04m – showcased power, grace and unshakable composure. But Olyslagers is defined by more than medals. A mental health advocate, she speaks openly about performance anxiety and purpose, inspiring young athletes across Australia. Her message – that worth isn’t measured in medals or records – resonates deeply.
Molly Picklum
In 2025, Molly Picklum cemented her place in surfing history, winning the World Surf League Finals and becoming the first Australian woman to do so since Stephanie Gilmore. At 23, she dominated the season with multiple wins and podium finishes, highlighted by a near-perfect barrel at Teahupo’o hailed as one of the best ever by a female surfer. Known for her power, precision and composure, Picklum has also been open about overcoming nerves and self-doubt.
The Entertainer
A woman who has captivated and inspired audiences in the entertainment field
Sarah Snook
Sarah Snook has never shied from a challenge. After her Emmy-winning run in Succession, she conquered Broadway in 2025 with The Picture of Dorian Gray, playing 26 characters across two hours in Kip Williams’ daring production. The performance earned her a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress, confirming her as a stage powerhouse. Snook also leads the thriller All Her Fault, a gripping exploration of trust and paranoia that showcases her emotional range and intelligence.
Kitty Flanagan
Kitty Flanagan has long mastered the art of saying what everyone’s thinking — with wit, warmth and precision. Her hit ABC series Fisk continues to dominate, earning Logies, AACTAs and an international following for her pitch-perfect portrayal of Helen Tudor-Fisk. In 2025, Flanagan expands her reach with Bad Company, a new ABC comedy premiering in 2026. She also delivered the 2025 Women in Media Oration, blending sharp humour with heartfelt insight, and is preparing a new national stand-up tour.
Alycia Debnam-Carey
Alycia Debnam-Carey has long been one of Australia’s most magnetic screen talents, known for Fear the Walking Dead and The 100, but 2025 marks her most defining year yet. She stars in Netflix’s acclaimed Apple Cider Vinegar as Milla Blake, a young woman with cancer drawn into the orbit of a deceptive wellness influencer. Her raw, empathetic performance has earned widespread acclaim. Debnam-Carey also shines in the indie thriller It’s What’s Inside, and will soon join Legendary’s Monsterverse franchise.
The Designer
A fashion designer who represents the new guard of style and innovation
Camilla Freeman-Topper
Camilla Freeman-Topper, co-founder and creative director of Camilla and Marc, has built one of Australia’s most influential fashion houses since 2003. Known for refined tailoring and modern femininity, the label now spans 13 boutiques and international spaces in Harrods and Galeries Lafayette. Trained in Florence, Freeman-Topper blends couture precision with effortless design. Beyond fashion, she and her brother Marc founded the “Ovaries. Talk About Them” campaign after losing their mother to ovarian cancer, raising over $2.5 million for early detection research.
Melissa Greenwood and Lauren Jarret
Mother-and-daughter duo Melissa Greenwood and Lauren Jarrett are the creative minds behind Miimi & Jiinda, a brand that celebrates Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Dunghutti culture through art, fashion and design. Winners of the 2025 National Indigenous Fashion Award for Business Achievement, they’ve collaborated with Adairs, Seed and Jurlique and featured at AFW 2025. Rooted in Jarrett’s experiences as a Stolen Generations survivor, Miimi & Jiinda — meaning “mother and sister” — transforms intergenerational stories into contemporary design.
Gabriella Pereira
Gabriella Pereira, co-founder and creative director of Beare Park, has swiftly evolved from rising talent to leading force in Australian fashion. After launching into Harrods and Bergdorf Goodman in 2023 and winning the 2024 Australian Fashion Laureate for Emerging Designer, she opened Beare Park’s first flagship in Paddington while welcoming her first child. In 2025, the brand became the Matildas’ official formalwear partner and unveiled a Fashion Week collection blending strength and softness through lace, tailoring and personal heritage.
Leslie Jermanus
Since launching in 2020, Alémais has become one of Australia’s most distinctive fashion houses, known for its artful prints, joyful femininity and sustainable ethos. Founded by Lesleigh Jermanus, the brand champions craftsmanship and conscious creativity, with collections stocked globally at Harrods, Saks and Net-a-Porter. Beyond design, Alémais has planted over half a million trees through its Forest Project with the Gondwana Rainforest Trust and Yalanji Rangers, regenerating 12 hectares of Daintree rainforest and supporting First Nations stewardship.
The Rising Star
The next big name you need to know. Fearless, fresh and fiercely ambitious – she’s defining what’s next.
Yerin Ha
When Yerin Ha landed Bridgerton, she joined one of the most-watched series on the planet ‒ and instantly became part of the cultural conversation. Her casting as Sophie Baek in the Netflix juggernaut felt like a breakthrough, not just for her career but for what it means to see an Australian actor with Korean-born parents step into a period romance once defined by rigid tradition. Back home, she’s anchoring The Survivors, Netflix’s adaptation of Jane Harper’s bestselling novel. Yerin Ha first made global waves as Kwan Ha in Halo, then stunned audiences in Bad Behaviour with her raw portrayal of teenage cruelty and vulnerability. On stage in Lord of the Flies, she proved equally magnetic. At 27, Ha’s fearless range marks her as one of Australia’s most exciting talents.
Milly Rose Bannister
Milly Rose Bannister is redefining youth mental health advocacy. As founder and creative director of ALLKND, she’s leading Australia’s first free, digital, peer-to-peer mental health first aid training for Gen Z. Bannister’s mission is deeply personal—sparked by supporting a friend through crisis as a teen. Since founding ALLKND in 2020, she’s partnered with brands like TikTok and Lululemon, reaching over five million young Australians annually. Under her leadership, ALLKND has launched national initiatives like Good Mate Training and creator-focused mental health programs. Bannister’s blend of creativity, compassion and lived experience makes her a defining voice in digital wellbeing and social impact.
Shabana Azeez
It’s been a breakthrough year for Adelaide-born actor Shabana Azeez. Named to Variety’s Young Hollywood Impact List, she’s earned acclaim for her standout turn as intern Victoria Javadi in HBO Max’s The Pitt, a gripping medical drama hailed by critics and healthcare workers alike. Azeez also voiced Princess Saira in Lesbian Space Princess, which won the Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. Following her acclaimed role in Birdeater, 2025 has cemented her as one of the industry’s most exciting new talents—praised for her naturalism, emotional depth and fearless commitment to storytelling across genres and forms.
Charlotte Walker
On the day of the 2025 federal election, Charlotte Walker turned 21. The next day, she became Australia’s youngest senator, marking a generational shift in politics. Raised in Yankalilla, South Australia, Walker saw firsthand how government policies shape small communities. A former Young Labor SA president and union official, she’s campaigned for affordable housing, mental health reform and climate resilience. In Parliament, Walker has already proven both pragmatic and visionary, championing generational equity and fairer pathways for women. For many voters, she embodies the future of politics—energetic, inclusive and grounded in the lived realities of everyday Australians.
Icon of the year
A woman whose illustrious career and talents have immortalised her name for generations to come
Jessica Mauboy
Two decades ago, a teenager from Darwin stunned audiences singing Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” in Alice Springs. That moment launched Jessica Mauboy—from Australian Idol standout to one of Australia’s most enduring stars. With platinum albums, ARIA Awards and acclaimed performances in The Sapphires and The Secret Daughter, Mauboy has proven her range across music and film. She’s represented Australia at Eurovision, headlined iconic stages, and in 2024, launched her own label, Jamally. A proud Kuku Yalanji and Wakaman woman, Mauboy’s Hall of Fame induction cements her as a trailblazer redefining what it means to lead with voice, heart and heritage.
Rose Byrne
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You isn’t just the title of Rose Byrne’s latest film—it’s the performance that redefined her career. As Linda, a mother on the brink, Byrne delivers a hauntingly restrained turn that earned her the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance in Berlin. In 2025, she also stretched her range as actor and producer with Tow and The Good Daughter, while returning to comedy in Platonic. From Two Hands to Bridesmaids, Byrne has built a career on integrity, curiosity and craft—proving that her evolution is as compelling as her performances.
Naomi Watts
Naomi Watts has built a career on resilience, risk and luminous performances that linger long after the credits roll. Her breakout in Mulholland Drive (2001) cemented her as one of her generation’s most compelling actors, earning Oscar nominations for 21 Grams and The Impossible. Balancing indie dramas with blockbusters like King Kong, Watts is defined by her emotional honesty and fearlessness. Beyond acting, she’s become a vocal advocate for women’s health, founding Stripes to support women through menopause and ageing. Both on and off screen, Watts continues to redefine longevity in Hollywood with grace, depth and unwavering authenticity.
The Voice Of Now
A woman whose message captures the spirit and the tone of our time
Em Rusciano
Writer, singer, stand-up comedian and podcast powerhouse Em Rusciano has never been one to play it safe. Fierce, funny and unfiltered, she’s built a career out of saying the things women aren’t supposed to say – and saying them brilliantly. Her hit podcast Emsolation made history as Australia’s first-ever Spotify Exclusive, later reclaiming its independence under her own production company, Down the Hill Studios, where it debuted at number one on Apple’s comedy charts. A bestselling author (Try Hard: Tales from the Life of a Needy Overachiever), she’s also one of Australia’s top-selling comics, with her national Outgrown tour and Network Ten’s Rage and Rainbows cementing her as a creative force of nature.
Now, with her latest book Blood, Sweat and Glitter, Rusciano turns her trademark wit and candour inward – chronicling the wild, messy and life-altering years that redefined her. It’s a blisteringly honest account of living with the “diagnostic trifecta” – ADHD, autism and perimenopause – and a reckoning with womanhood, rage and resilience. “Like Eat, Pray, Love,” she says, “but the perimenopause remix: Bleed. Scream. Snap.”
Beyond the stage and the page, Rusciano is a powerful advocate for neurodivergent Australians – her address to the National Press Club on ADHD and autism was a cultural turning point, praised for its compassion and candour. With a social community of more than half a million followers, three kids, two dogs and one husband (in that order, most days), Rusciano continues to prove that imperfection is power – and that sometimes, the messiest stories are the ones that glitter most.
Melissa Leong
There isn’t much Melissa Leong hasn’t devoured in the name of understanding food, culture and courage. A Gold Logie–nominated television presenter, food journalist, author and style icon, Melissa has long been one of Australia’s most distinctive and fearless voices – on screen, on the page, and at the table.
From co-hosting MasterChef Australia, Junior MasterChef and Dessert Masters alongside pastry virtuoso Amaury Guichon, to getting lost in the backstreets of Ho Chi Minh in search of the perfect banh mi, Melissa has built a career – and a life – on curiosity, risk and unflinching authenticity.
In 2025, she added another course to her extraordinary repertoire with the release of her memoir, Guts: A Memoir of Food, Failure and Taking Impossible Chances. Equal parts raw, riveting and darkly funny, Guts explores the beauty and brutality of the food industry, the experience of racism and chronic pain, and the art of rebuilding your life from the wreckage. Critics have called it “utterly delectable” and “a love letter to food and self-belief.”
A first-generation Singaporean Australian, Melissa has spent her career championing diversity, creativity and self-determination – both within and beyond the kitchen. Her life philosophy remains her signature recipe for success: be voracious.
Noor Azizah
Born in Myanmar and raised amid displacement, Noor Azizah fled the genocide of the Rohingya people at age eight to begin a new life in Australia. Today, she is a globally recognised advocate for refugee and women’s rights, serving as Co-Executive Director of the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network. A teacher, peace scholar and UN refugee delegate, Noor has addressed the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva and advised on issues of gender, education and statelessness. Named NSW Young Woman of the Year (2024) and Global Citizen Youth Leader (2024), she has collaborated with Cate Blanchett, Craig Foster and Gillian Triggs to amplify refugee voices worldwide. Her story is one of courage, compassion and transformative leadership.
Antoinette Lattouf
Antoinette Lattouf is an award-winning journalist, author and human rights advocate whose name has become shorthand for defiance. Her surname is now a verb – Lattoufed: to be sacked or silenced for standing your ground. The term was born from her landmark case, Lattouf v ABC, which exposed the fault lines between free speech, institutional fear and moral courage in Australian media. When the Federal Court ruled the ABC had unlawfully terminated her employment after she shared a Human Rights Watch post on Gaza – awarding more than $220,000 in damages – it became more than a personal win. As co-founder of Media Diversity Australia and co-creator of Ette Media, Lattouf has long championed accountability, equality and representation. Her forthcoming book, Women Who Win (April 2026), celebrates the women who refused to sit down or stay quiet.
The Powerhouse
An inspiring trailblazer who has paved the way for other women
Jo Horgan
Jo Horgan AO has transformed beauty retail in Australia and beyond. As founder of Mecca Brands, she’s spent over 25 years redefining how people experience beauty — creating spaces of luxury, discovery and community. What began in 1997 as one boutique in Melbourne has grown into more than 100 stores across Australia and New Zealand. Partnering with brands like Nars, Drunk Elephant and Diptyque, Mecca is now a billion-dollar powerhouse. Beyond business, Horgan champions women’s empowerment through her Mecca M-Power program.
Megan Davis and Pat Anderson
Megan Davis AC and Pat Anderson AO are two of Australia’s most powerful voices for First Nations justice, human rights and self-determination. As key architects of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, they helped shape a national movement for a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament and truth-telling. Professor Davis, a Cobble Cobble woman and leading constitutional lawyer, was the first Aboriginal Australian to serve on a UN body. Anderson, an Alyawarre woman, has dedicated her career to improving Aboriginal health through the Lowitja Institute. Together, their partnership blends law, advocacy and cultural authority, redefining Australia’s path toward recognition and reconciliation.
Julie Inman Grant
Julie Inman Grant is redefining leadership in the digital age. As Australia’s eSafety Commissioner since 2017, she’s made the country a global pioneer in online safety — tackling cyberbullying, image-based abuse and holding tech giants to account. With 25 years’ experience at Microsoft, Twitter and Adobe, she brings rare insight into technology’s power and peril. Under her leadership, eSafety has introduced world-first takedown laws and industry codes protecting users worldwide. Named one of the World Economic Forum’s “Top 50 Women in Tech,” she continues to champion digital inclusion and human rights, proving that safety is the cornerstone of innovation.
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