Maybe you’ve never entered Awards before–it can be daunting, we get it! Maybe you’re sitting on an incredible Awards entry right now. But if you don’t enter, you’ll never know. That’s why we want to show you what past winners of the B&T Women Leading Tech Awards are up to now; and how taking home a trophy has accelerated their careers.
As we gear up for our 2026 Women Leading Tech Awards, presented by Atlassian, we want to emphasise that these Awards are more important than ever. Women are still fighting for a seat at the table, and parts of the industry are still lagging behind.
Women account for only about 28 per cent of the workforce in Australia’s tech sector, with even lower representation in leadership and technical roles. Nearly 30 per cent of tech companies in Australia do not have women on their boards.
But progress is being made. Many women are carving out spaces of their own and making undeniably trailblazing moves in their respective areas of tech, and we want to recognise them.
If it sounds like someone you know, encourage them to enter!
Cassie Jordan
Cassie Jordan picked up the Delivery category at the 2023 Women Leading Tech Awards for her work at Woolworths. Since then, she’s been promoted to head of operations and community and in early 2025 she was promoted again to head of transformation.
Jordan was recognised for her work leading wiq, the advanced analytics collaboration between Woolworths Group and Quantium. Harmonising two businesses required excellent oversight, strategy, and stakeholder management, all of which Jordan balanced with expert precision.
Jordan also led a series of complex delivery forums such as Quarterly Business Reviews and Big Room Planning sessions with stakeholders from across the business to critically assess the prioritisation of initiatives within a multi-million dollar portfolio.
Her tenacity and commitment to excellence doesn’t stop in her professional role. Last year, she received the Dean’s Merit award for academic excellence in the core units of a Master of Business Administration and Management.
“My MBA was one of the hardest things I’ve taken on but has been an incredible journey. I have learnt more than I thought I would and get the chance to apply these learnings everyday,” she shared in a post on LinkedIn.
She also undertook something very different this year–she wrote a children’s book highlighting inclusivity and diversity.
“It’s not very often that I get to let my creative side out so this was very fun for me. If you want to teach your kids about inclusivity and diversity then this one’s for you. Join Poppy the Platypus as she explores all the different types of families in her Australian village,” she shared on LinkedIn.
Jordan is proof that if you can dream it, you can do it–and we can’t wait to see what she does next in her new role at Woolworths! If Jordan’s story resonates, enter now!
Sian Whitnall
In 2021, Sian Whitnall won the Product category for her outstanding work as OMD Australia’s chief digital officer. She was the youngest member of the agency’s executive team and wasted no time making a name for herself as an outstanding media practitioner and role model. In November of that year, she was promoted to become OMD’s co-CEO with Laura Nice. How’s that for instant impact?
But Whitnall’s impact is not limited to OMD, with industry contributions including globally published white papers, working as an MFA mentor, and judging this year’s B&T Women in Media Awards.
Earlier this month, the Omnicom Media Group shuffled its senior agency leaders around, with Nice becoming CEO of PHD Australia and Whitnall sole CEO at OMD Australia. While we love a gal pal duo, we’re excited for both of them to spread their wings.
“As we look to what’s next for OMD Australia, we are evolving from a position of strength with a team who care deeply about the businesses they work with, have a passion for the craft and are leaning hard into our agentic future – it’s an exciting place to be,” Whitnall shared on a LinkedIn post.
Whitnall is also part of B&T‘s inaugural Superwomen series, where she spoke candidly about building inclusive workplaces and leading with authenticity.
“I believe the most meaningful legacy we can leave is one of access, visibility, and agency. That means mentoring generously, advocating fiercely, and challenging systems that weren’t built with us in mind. I want the next generation to inherit an industry where they don’t have to shrink to fit, but can expand to lead,” Whitnall told B&T.
“That starts with us modelling unapologetic leadership – and making sure it’s not the exception, but the norm. It’s also about listening beyond our own echo chambers, ensuring everyone has a seat at the table, and creating environments where people feel safe to speak up and be heard,” she added.
It’s hard not to be inspired by these women! Take the leap and enter now!
Laura Cibilich
In 2021, Laura Cibilich picked up the Design category for her work heading up the Indigenous-led creative agency RUN as its co-founder and design director. She was recognised for her excellence in combining strategic design with creative and tech for organisations like the Auckland Council, 2degrees and the United Nations.
As one of the few female agency owners in Aotearoa, Cibilich commits to centering women’s empowerment, sustainability, and cultural diversity in everything she does. She has spearheaded Pacific-wide campaigns tackling single-use plastics in tourism, collaborating with governments, regional organisations, and local communities to design strategies that are both environmentally responsible and culturally authentic. This month, she worked with Kiwis in Climate to launch a new book featuring over 30 voices discussing how climate solutions can improve lives.
Cibilich started her career as a graphic designer, and while she’s moved beyond the “tools,” she entered Type Here 2025 earlier this year and was selected as a finalist.
“I started my career as a graphic designer and even though I now run my own agency, unfortunately I’m not really on the tools anymore. When the Type Here 2025 call for entries came out, with the theme ‘Kiwi Culchur’, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d design for it. Humbled to be selected as a finalist again, amongst many awesome entries!” she shared in a post to LinkedIn.
That excitement and curiosity to challenge herself is what sets Cibilich apart from other design directors in our industry. Her commitment to never stop experimenting and showing up for herself has supercharged her momentum–it’s what earned her recognition in B&T‘s Best of the Best Indie Creatives last week.
Hannah Moreno
Last year, Moreno was crowned Woman of the Year and won the Public Relations category, and earlier this year, she was inducted into B&T‘s Women Leading Tech Power List.
Moreno was recognised for her work shining a light on misogynistic behaviour in the tech startup sector. She is a fierce and tireless advocate for women’s causes, regularly speaking on panels. In 2024, Moreno stepped into the role of CEO at her agency Third Hemisphere.
This year, she moderated the ‘Ending violence against women’ panel at the Women’s Health & Wellbeing Summit, run by Women’s Agenda. She’s also contributed editorially to Women’s Agenda on topics including taking advantage of being underestimated as women and how domestic violence-related assaults in NSW increases on State of Origin nights, compared to other evenings.
She also spoke at an International Women’s Day panel about the impediments and opportunities facing Australian women in business.
“The first time I purposefully wore my feminist values on my professional sleeve was when I sat down to write two award applications in 2022. The broad theme of both was ‘why woke ain’t broke’, and I knew this approach would either strongly endear me to the judges, or it would result in both applications being thrown in the metaphorical bin. We won both awards, so I guess the former was correct!” Moreno told B&T earlier this year.
If we’ve learnt anything from this women, it’s to not hold back. Speak your truth and be bold! If that aligns with what you’re doing in your area of tech, enter now!
