Twenty-one Australian women-led businesses have been named finalists in the 2026 Stevie Awards for Women in Business, a global competition that attracted more than 1,500 entries from 56 nations and territories. The finalists, announced in Sydney, collectively hold 70 Stevie Awards from previous years—roughly one in every 14 awards ever given in the program. Gold, Silver, and Bronze placements will be revealed at a ceremony in New York City on 16 November, with more than 400 women and their guests expected to attend and a live broadcast.
The finalist cohort includes Raquel Manning of Blue Diamond Property Group, who leads with eight Stevies, including Lifetime Achievement and Woman of the Year in Real Estate. Shelly McElroy of Dream Culture follows with seven, while Katrina Wurm and Michelle Wollaston each have six. Malini Raj of the Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance has five, and Kerry Bolton’s Caring Lotus has four. These women represent sectors ranging from property and business services to media, government, and consumer products.
Annette Densham, an award strategist and founder of Award Writing Services, which itself is a finalist in six categories, said the finalist list never fails to impress. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and it still gives me goosebumps when the finalist list drops,” Densham said. “These are women who get on with it and rarely stop to look at what they’ve built. Entering the Stevie Awards is that pause to pat themselves on the back and reflect on what they’ve accomplished.” Densham’s firm was recognized for its Breadcrumb Method, a system for turning expertise into visible, verifiable authority.
The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor the achievements of women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the organizations they run worldwide. Named after the Greek word for “crowned,” the Stevie has been hailed as the world’s premier business award. Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards, noted the significance of this year’s finalists. “As the Stevie Awards for Women in Business marks its 23rd year, we continue to be impressed by the remarkable accomplishments represented among the nominations,” Miller said. “It’s especially rewarding to see the significance a Stevie Award holds for women and the recognition it brings to their achievements, careers, and organizations. We congratulate all of this year’s finalists and look forward to revealing the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award placements on November 16.”
The recognition matters beyond the trophy. For many of these women, the awards process provides a rare moment of validation and visibility in competitive industries. Densham, who has personally won seven Grand Stevie Awards and authored over 2,500 submissions, explained that the impact is often deeply personal. “People think awards are about the trophy or ego or bragging. For most of my clients, the moment that matters is reading their story and realising they’ve done a lot more than they gave themselves credit for,” she said.
Details about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the full list of winners are available at Women.StevieAwards.com. Entries for the 2027 awards open in May. More information about the Stevie Awards is available at www.StevieAwards.com.
