2026 EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Award Categories

RHODIAN AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVE NETWORK OF THE YEAR

IB_0178_email

Josh Hamill, Insurance Advisernet; Presenter: Simon Lightbody, Rhodian 

Winner: Insurance Advisernet

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Belinda Vlasenko, Trinity College Beenleigh
  • Jessica Remi, Joseph Banks Secondary College
  • Joni Cameron, Coombabah State High School
  • Katherine Blake, Loganlea SHS
  • Kathryn McKenna, MacGregor State High School
  • Katrina Dalglish, Clairvaux MacKillop College
  • Lauren Askin, Yeronga State High School
  • Rebecca Isakson, Park Ridge State High School

Sponsored by

RHODIAN-BLACK-RGB-300DPI-768x118

AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR

IB_0422_email

Winner: Sonia Christou, All Star Insurance Brokers

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Abbie Wilson, National Insurance Brokers
  • Belal Atmar, Grace Insurance
  • Irene Zhu, Keyinsure
  • Jaron Bresland, Bresland Insurance & Risk Specialists
  • Lachlan Hastings, Austbrokers Countrywide
  • Spencer Hon, Eternity Insurance and Financial Services
  • Sumit Sopori, Fortuna Insurance Services 

BDM OF THE YEAR

IB_0338_email

Winner: Andreanna Murphy, UAA Group

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Alex Kerti, Emergence
  • Connor McKay, Coalition Insurance Solutions
  • Ian Dennis, Allianz Trade
  • Lynn Roehrig, Descartes Underwriting 

BEST SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR – CLAIMS

IB_0204_email

Cameron McCullagh, EML  

Winner: EML

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Crawford & Company
  • DXC Technology
  • EF Trees, Trading as Enviro Trees
  • Five Sigma – AI Claims Management
  • Gallagher Bassett
  • Insurebuild
  • Sedgwick
  • Tapanda 

BEST SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR – INSURTECH

IB_0382_email

Louise Andrews, Curium

Winner: Curium

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • BizCover Australia
  • ChainThat
  • ENData
  • Entsia
  • Kanopi
  • myVal
  • Xceedance 

AUSTRALIA UNDERWRITING BROKER OF THE YEAR

IB_0591_email

Presenter: Akshay Anderson Vincent, Australia Underwriting; James Still, Still Insured 

Winner: James Still, Still Insured

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Frans du Plessis, Grace Insurance
  • Harpal Singh, Insure Today
  • Irene Zhu, Keyinsure
  • Tanushree Arora Sopori, Fortuna Insurance Services
  • Zoe Evans, Gallagher 

Sponsored by

Logo-1-768x469

XCEEDANCE CEO OF THE YEAR

IB_0577_email

Presenter: Prateek Vijayvergia, Xceedance; Lisa Carter, Clear Insurance 

Winner: Lisa Carter, Clear Insurance

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Frans du Plessis, Grace Insurance
  • Michael Wood, Woodina Underwriting Agency
  • Rowan Watson, Proplab 

Sponsored by

Xceedance_Horizontal_logo-Gray-Yellow-768x123

AAMC CLAIMS TEAM OF THE YEAR

IB_0217_email

Mairead McKendry, NTI; Presenter: Luke Hill, AAMC 

Winner: NTI

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Allianz GI Claims Team
  • Arch Insurance Claims
  • CHU Underwriting Agencies
  • FM Claims Team
  • Martello Law (formerly Woodina Law)
  • Zurich Insurance Australia 

Sponsored by

164521_AMMC_LOGO_RGB-01-768x312

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE

IB_0517_email

Letizia Fusina, EML 

Winner: EML

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Allianz Australia
  • Arch Insurance
  • BizCover Australia
  • McLardy McShane Partners 

EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

IB_0168_email-1

Sonia Christou, All Star Insurance Brokers 

Winner: All Star Insurance Brokers

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • BizCover Australia 

CONSOLIDATED INSURANCE BROKERS INSURER OF THE YEAR

IB_0488_email

Deborah Allan, HDI Global SE; Presenter: Jeff Forbes, Consolidated Insurance Brokers 

Winner: HDI Global SE, Australia

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Allianz Australia
  • Berkley Insurance Australia
  • FM
  • HDI Global SE, Australia
  • Vero Insurance 

Sponsored by

CIB-Logo-768x285

ARCH INSURANCE AUSTRALIA LARGE BROKERAGE OF THE YEAR

IB_0488_email

Presenter: Joseph Donovan, Arch Insurance Australia; Shannan Gardner, Guardian Insurance Brokers 

Winner: Guardian Insurance Brokers

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Consolidated Insurances
  • McLardy McShane Partners 

Sponsored by

Arch_Insurance_New-Logo_CMYK-768x128

MEDIUM BROKERAGE OF THE YEAR

IB_0415_email

Tony Venning, Crucial Insurance And Risk Advisors 

Winner: Crucial Insurance And Risk Advisors

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Clear Insurance
  • Fortuna Insurance Services
  • Grace Insurance
  • Simplex Insurance Solutions
  • Tony Bemrose Insurance Brokers (TBIB)
  • Trade Risk 

OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

IB_0241_email

Peter Klemt, PassportCard Travel Insurance 

Winner: PassportCard Travel Insurance

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Allianz Australia Insurance
  • BizCover Australia
  • Fortuna Insurance Services
  • Hospitality Industry Insurance (HII) 

AAMC PHILANTHROPY & COMMUNITY SERVICE – CSR

IB_0149_email

Presenter: Bridgette Scarff, AAMC; Sophie Beer, Insurance Advisernet Foundation 

Winner: Insurance Advisernet Foundation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Elliott Insurance The Green Broker
  • Gallagher Bassett
  • Insurebuild
  • McLardy McShane Partners 

Sponsored by

164521_AMMC_LOGO_RGB-01-768x312

PREMIUM FUNDER OF THE YEAR

IB_0547_email

Johan Steyn, Attvest 

Winner: Attvest

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Arteva Funding
  • IQumulate Premium Funding 

SMALL BROKERAGE OF THE YEAR

IB_0399_email

Shaneika Sutherland, McLardy McShane Partners 

Winner: Star Insurance Solutions

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Aether Insurance & Risk
  • All Star Insurance Brokers
  • Delmont Insurance Group
  • Keyinsure
  • Pinnacle Insurance Brokers
  • Risk Advisory Hub
  • Still Insured 

UNDERWRITING AGENCIES COUNCIL UNDERWRITING AGENCY OF THE YEAR

IB_0527_email

Presenter: Jenny Bax, Underwriting Agencies Council; Anita Lane, CFC 

Winner: CFC Australia

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • CHU Underwriting Agencies
  • Club Marine
  • Coalition Insurance Solutions
  • Insurance Investment Solutions
  • NTI
  • Pen Underwriting
  • UAA 

Sponsored by

UAC-Logo-high-res-768x394

ARC PROJECTS WOMAN OF DISTINCTION

IB_0363_email

Anita Lane, CFC; Presenter: Jess McCorkill, ARC Projects 

Winner: Anita Lane, CFC

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Adriana Oreskov, OSE Insurance/Advisory
  • Carol-Ann Gough, Guidewire
  • Claire Burke, CHU Underwriting Agencies
  • Paige Vincent, Hollard Insurance Australia
  • Peg Reuben, Insurance Investment Solutions
  • Stacy Finnegan, repX
  • Steph Roberts, Sedgwick
  • Tanushree Arora Sopori, Fortuna Insurance Services 

Sponsored by

ARC-Projects-Logo-768x161

ELANTIS PREMIUM FUNDING YOUNG ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR

IB_0356_email

Winner: Taylor Burstow, McLardy McShane Brisbane

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Irene Zhu, Keyinsure
  • James Still, Still Insured
  • Niki Pokala, Sureinsure Insurance Advisors 

Sponsored by

elantis_logo_RGB_full_colour-768x206

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

IB_0256_email

Winner: Dallas Booth AM

This is the highest honour at the Insurance Business Australia Awards.

This award recognises and celebrates a leading figure who has contributed much to the advancement of the insurance industry in Australia.

Though there are no defined parameters, this award will acknowledge someone with an established history and reputation of distinguished service to the insurance profession and who has exhibited leadership and provided inspiration to others in the sector and own workplace, whilst putting the interests of the industry at the top of their priorities throughout their career.

There are no finalists/excellence awardees for this category. Nominations will be evaluated by the shortlisting team. The recipient of this award will be contacted before the awards event and will be revealed at the Insurance Business Awards gala dinner.

DXC TECHNOLOGY AUSTRALIAN BROKERAGE OF THE YEAR

IB_0556_email

Presenter: Micheal Neary, DXC Technology; Shaneika Sutherland, McLardy McShane Partners 

Winner: Star Insurance Solutions

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Crucial Insurance and Risk Advisors
  • Guardian Insurance Brokers 

This award recognises the most outstanding brokerage operation in Australia. The excellence awardees in this category comprise the winners of the brokerage categories:

- Small Brokerage of the Year
- Medium Brokerage of the Year
- Large Brokerage of the Year

This category is not open for nominations. Excellence awardees will be announced on the night.

Sponsored by

DXC-Full-Color-768x214