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The Women in Digital National Awards is back for 2026!

The Women in Digital Awards were founded in 2018 based on the idea ‘you can’t be what you can’t see.’ The awards are a celebration of incredible women within the digital industries and the organisations that support them. We believe that unless we have more visible role models in digital and technology we won’t change the status quo. By shining a light on industry leaders, we shine a light on the career pathways and possibilities that digital and technology provides to women.

Featured Judges

Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science
Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science
Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science
Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science
Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science
Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science
Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science
Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science
Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science
Anna Maria Arabia
CEO, The Australian Academy of Science

Women in Digital National Award Categories

Please note that these categories are subject to change each year.

AI Leader of the Year

This award recognises AI leaders within scaling, large organisations and enterprises who have driven the development and adoption of AI products or initiatives at scale, delivering meaningful and measurable impact.

 

More Information and Apply Now

Allyship in Action (Manbassador)

This award celebrates an impact-driven individual who actively champions gender equity by using their influence to support, advocate for, and elevate others, thus demonstrating true Allyship in Action within the digital industry.

 

 More Information and Apply Now 

Business Support Excellence

This award recognises an individual or team delivering excellence in business support functions that enable and accelerate digital outcomes. Whether through operations, finance, legal, people and culture, project management, or any other enabling function, this award celebrates those who work behind the scenes to make great digital work possible.

 

 More Information and Apply Now 

Champion of Change

This award celebrates an impact-oriented individual who is driving meaningful change within the digital industry, whether through innovation, leadership, advocacy, or transforming the way organisations use technology.

 

   More Information and Apply Now 

Cloud & Infrastructure Excellence

This award recognises an individual or team delivering excellence in cloud and infrastructure engineering that underpins and accelerates digital outcomes. Whether through cloud architecture, DevOps, platform engineering, site reliability, security, or network infrastructure, this award celebrates those who build and maintain the foundations that make great digital products and services possible. 

 

More Information and Apply Now 

Cybersecurity Leader of the Year

This award recognises the importance of cybersecurity and governance to keep us safe online by celebrating a dedicated and innovative cybersecurity professional. This is an individual contributor category recognising Australia’s best female cybersecurity leaders driving innovation, strengthening resiliency, and influencing industry change. 

 

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Data Leader of the Year

This award recognises a distinctive business leader who has built a revolutionary data-centric program while guiding the project (and associated teams) to outstanding achievement through vision, inspiration, creativity, and commitment.

 

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Digital Experience Excellence

This award recognises an individual or team delivering excellence in digital experience - spanning user experience, customer experience, service design, and the end-to-end journeys that connect people with products, services, and organisations.

 

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Digital Transformation Leader of the Year

This award recognises a distinctive business leader driving the transformation of an organisation through digital technology. For this category, we are looking for exceptional change, project and stakeholder management from the Digital Transformation Leader.

 

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Employer of the Year

This award recognises a distinctive business leader driving the transformation of an organisation through digital technology. For this category, we are looking for exceptional change, project and stakeholder management from the Digital Transformation Leader.

 

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Executive Leader of the Year

Awarded to Australia’s most outstanding executive leader in the digital sector, this category recognises the importance of leadership in driving digital transformation in Australia and across an organisation and industry.

 

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Founder of the Year

This is an award for Australia’s leading digital founder. Demonstrating a true entrepreneurial spirit and with vision and excellent execution, this founder and their organisation will leave an impact.

 

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Growth Leader of the Year

This award combines what was previously recognised as Digital Marketer of the Year with broader growth disciplines including sales leadership and growth strategy, reflecting the increasingly interconnected nature of these functions in modern organisations. Whether your work is rooted in data-driven marketing, brand building, revenue growth, or customer lifecycle strategy, this award celebrates those who drive meaningful and measurable growth outcomes through digital.

 

More Information and Apply Now 

Indigenous Leader of the Year

This award acknowledges First Nations voices are imperative in helping to build the technology we all use every day, but they are also uniquely placed to use technology to solve problems that are specific to their community including preserving language and culture for future generations.

 

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Innovator of the Year

Awarded to Australia's most outstanding innovator, this category recognises the most forward-thinking, innovative, and disruptive product, service, or business enhancement of the year

 

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IT Excellence

This award recognises an individual or team delivering excellence across the breadth of information technology — from infrastructure and systems administration, to IT service delivery, security, support, and the operational backbone that keeps organisations running and evolving.

 

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Product Excellence

This award celebrates the best of Australia's talent in Product Excellence. From Product Analysts, to Product Owners and Product Managers and Product Leaders - this individual or team is delivering exceptional commercial results through product strategy, leadership, stakeholder management and more. 

 

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Public Sector Excellence

 This award recognises excellence in digital transformation by an individual or team, and the critical importance of effective digital capabilities within our public sector and government organisations. This award recognises the year's most successful transformation of a government organisation or its service delivery through digital technology. 

 

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Rising Star of the Year

Recognising Australia's Rising Star in digital and technology.  This award recognises an ambitious innovator who has demonstrated an outstanding level of initiative and leadership as a digital specialist early in their career. 

 

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Software Engineering Excellence

 This award recognises an individual or team who has shown industry leadership in building and developing software. Achievements in software development completed in the Australian market during the 25/26 Financial Year will be assessed for this award. 

 

More Information and Apply Now 

Technical Leader of the Year

This award champions someone that leads the successful delivery of high-performing technology applications (or projects) and as a result, enhances commercial outcomes for an organisation.

 

More Information and Apply Now 

Can't find the right category for you?

Send us a suggestion! We're always looking at new categories to champion more people and organisations in our community. Put your suggestion here and we may just include it in next year’s awards program!

Key Dates

Nominations Open
27 May 2026 at 09:00 AM
Nominations Close
19 Jul 2026 at 11:30 PM
Finalist Judging Day
13 Aug 2026 at 09:00 AM
Finalists Announced
2 Sep 2026 at 09:00 AM
Winners Announced
6 Nov 2026 at 05:30 PM
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Supporting Judges

Alice Tang
Co-CEO
Amplify AI Group

Ariella Heffernan Marks
CEO and Founder
Ovum

Daniel Evans 
CIO
Rio Tinto

Eva Knutsson 
Senior Director, Marketing
Megaport

Kim McDonnell
Co Founder & CEO
Saveful Worldwide 
Mani Sahihi 
Co-founder & CEO
Foxo Technology 
Natalie Kradolfer 
Co-Founder & MD
Amplify Music Education

Tania Hyde
Senior Product Manager
Greencross

Tarra van Amerongen
VP of Product & Design
Thoughtworks

Join us at the National Gala

The awards gala is where the community comes together – providing a great opportunity to network with industry leaders. 

We’ll be bringing back our signature awards gala experience in 2026. With a black-tie dress code, this is your chance to frock up and get fancy with some incredible industry leaders and colleagues as we champion some of the best in the business.

Date: 6th November 2026
Time: 5:30pm – 11:00pm (AEST)
Location: Brisbane

Our Award Partners

 Interested in partnering with Women in Digital? Contact us via email to discuss partnership opportunities.

Champion Partner

Category Partners