There are few women like Belinda Drew in the Australian media and marketing landscape. There are fewer still who have been so successful at B&T’s longstanding and illustrious Women in Media Awards.
Drew won her awards whilst serving as the chief client officer at Droga5 (formerly The Monkeys). Last year, she moved to the ABC as its head of marketing.
She has been recognised five times over the past five years as one of the industry’s most influential leaders, most recently winning the Client Service award in 2025 for her work that year, including leading a landmark campaign for SBS, ‘The Uncensored Ad’, that reclaimed the broadcaster’s position in Aussie culture.
Entries for B&T’s Women in Media Awards, presented by Are Media, are open now!
This involved selling in a provocative idea and getting plenty of bang out of a tight budget.
Outside of her day job, Drew has a long-term partnership with UN Women Australia where she has led several gender equality campaigns.
The 2025 award added to her remarkable portfolio of Women in Media award wins including Account Management (2023), Client Service (2022), Account Management (2021) and Account Management (2020).
With entries now open for this year’s B&T Women In Media Awards, presented by Are Media, Drew has described how winning at the awards “never gets old” and has described the importance of winning an award in front of a room filled with women.
Enter B&T’s Women in Media Awards, presented by Are Media!
We asked Drew to re-live her first win in 2020, in the midst of the Covid pandemic.
“I remember accepting the award via a Zoom and ensuring the frame didn’t show my bed—it wasn’t glamorous,” she told B&T.
“What I remember was a bit of a blur of thoughts all at once. Years of work, the women and men who’d backed me, the industry I love—it all converged in that moment.
“I held it together on the outside, but inside it meant a great deal.”
When asked how being in the room physically felt a year later in comparison, she said “you’re very present, aware of the room and the people around you”.
She admitted being called out to come up on stage was a big moment.
“There’s a split second where you hear your inner monologue say something like “OMG”.
Enter B&T’s Women in Media Awards, presented by Are Media!
Asked by B&T how her emotions feel in the moment when winning a Women in Media award, she said she “wouldn’t call it nerves” but rather “a deep sense of gratitude”.
“For the people who supported the work, for an industry that takes the time to recognise it, and for being in a room full of majority women who genuinely celebrate each other,” she said.
“That part never gets old.”
She said the feel of being in the room is “a vibe”.
“It’s one of the most genuinely warm rooms I’ve experienced in this industry. There’s a generosity of spirit that you feel. Women celebrating each other’s wins without reservation, sharing in the electricity of the evening, being moved by each other’s stories,” she recalled.
“It’s a powerful reminder of what this industry looks like at its best and why events like this matter.”
In this industry, it can be incredibly rare to win awards at the same event five times, let alone all within five years.
When asked if Drew ever saw herself reaching this milestone, she admitted: “Not at all”.
“I think the moment you start chasing an award, you’ve lost the point of it. The work must come first, always,” she said.
“What I have been deliberately building is a legacy of work I’m proud of and a culture that brings out the best in people.”
“If that gets recognised, it’s wonderful.”
Enter B&T’s Women in Media Awards, presented by Are Media!
And as many in the industry wonder what the impact of winning a Women In Media award has on their careers and personal ambition, Drew admitted to B&T it’s sharpened her sense of purpose.
“Recognition like this comes with responsibility to use the visibility well, to advocate for others, to make sure the door stays open behind you,” she explained.
“I’m conscious that in my career there have been women who made space for me, and that shapes how I think about my role.”
She said she feels lucky to have a board of female directors in her career, who continue to advocate for her.
“They show up, check in, give me the eyes in the meeting, share the meme in the group chat- ultimately have my back. They know who they are.”
Drew said more than anything, she hopes her wins have “helped shift what’s seen as possible and expected” for women in the industry.
“If even a small part of that has contributed to more women being heard, backed and trusted with big ideas, then that’s what matters.”
