Twenty-one women-led Australian businesses have been named finalists in the 2026 Stevie Awards for Women in Business, collectively earning 70 nominations—roughly one in every 14 of the more than 1,500 entries received from 56 nations and territories. The finalists will learn whether they have won gold, silver, or bronze Stevie trophies at a ceremony in New York City on 16 November, which will be broadcast live and is expected to draw more than 400 women and their guests.
The scale of the Australian presence underscores the rising influence of women entrepreneurs from the region in a competition that has been hailed as the world's premier business award. Raquel Manning of Blue Diamond Property Group leads the group with eight Stevies, including Lifetime Achievement and Woman of the Year in Real Estate. Shelly McElroy of Dream Culture follows with seven, then Katrina Wurm and Michelle Wollaston with six each. Malini Raj of the Australian Multicultural Women's Alliance has five, and Kerry Bolton's Caring Lotus has four.
Annette Densham, an award strategist and founder of Award Writing Services, which itself is a finalist in six categories, said the recognition provides a crucial moment of reflection. "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 recognised for its Breadcrumb Method, a system for turning expertise into visible, verifiable authority. She noted that for many of her clients, the most significant outcome is not the trophy but the process of articulating their achievements. "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.
The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honour the achievements of women executives, entrepreneurs, employees and the organisations they run worldwide. Named after the Greek word for crowned, the Stevie has become a benchmark for excellence. Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards, said, "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. 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 full list of finalists spans diverse industries, from property and media to health and social change. Notable nominees include Michelle Wollaston of Syzygy – Life Directionist, who is up for Woman of the Year – Media and Entertainment, and Kerry Bolton of Caring Lotus, nominated for Best Female CEO of the Year. Together We Can International is a finalist for Achievement in Diversity & Inclusion, while Beam in Business is recognised for Event of the Year for the Fuchsia Festival 2026.
Details about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the full list of winners are available at http://Women.StevieAwards.com. Entries for the 2027 awards open in May. More information about the Stevie Awards is available at http://www.StevieAwards.com.
