After an exceptional response to the 2026 Executive of the Year Awards, The CEO Magazine is proud to announce the leaders who have made it through to the finalist stage.

These executives represent some of Australia’s most impressive leadership talent – individuals who are driving growth, navigating complexity, inspiring their people and shaping the future of their industries.

Now, the countdown to the winners begins.

The 2026 Finalists

Aaron Bassin – Co-Founder and CEO, Bridgit

Adam Gringlas – Managing Director, Jadig Finance

Andrew Quinn – Founder and CEO, AVA Advisory Group

Dianne Shepherd – CEO and Managing Director, Homesafe Wealth Release

Matthew Fenning – Co-Founder, CEO and Managing Director, Esencia Wealth

Redom Syed – Managing Director, Flint Group

Talal Yassine – Founder and Managing Director, Salaam Wealth Funds Management

Tammy Barton – Founder and Director, MyBudget

Ali Mobarak – Associate Director, Decode Group

Brad Leggett – Managing Director, Layher

Cecily McGuckin – CEO and Managing Director, Queensland Steel & Sheet

Christie Tamas – Co-Owner and CEO, BetaBoard

Colin Calder – Group Managing Director, CABER Group

Mat Farmer – Director, Endfire Engineering

Peter Jones – Founder and Managing Director, Prological Consulting

Tilly Loughborough – COO, Greyhound Australia

Craig Hooley – COO, Minor Hotels Australasia

Jacine Greenwood-Drummond – Founder and CEO, Roccoco Botanicals

Laura Goldberg – COO, Hurricane’s Grill Restaurants

Michael Ramsey and Mark Armstrong – Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, STRONG Pilates

Mike Hollis – CEO, PetO

Natalie Sharpe – CEO, Oliver’s Real Food

Simon Thompson – Managing Director, Anytime Fitness Australia

Sue Badyari – CEO, World Expeditions

Thaio Tomazetti – Founder and CEO, 2Stay Accommodation Group

Winson Tan – Founder and CEO, WA Group

Alan Wong – Founder and CEO, IND Technology

Daniel Tonkin – CEO, Think Renewable

Heuson Bak – CEO, Solar Naturally

Nikhil Jayaraj – CEO, Regen Power

Peter Iancov – Managing Director, Zinfra

Sanjiv Manchanda – CEO – Projects, Hancock Prospecting

Alice Tucker – Executive Assistant to CEO, Knight Frank

Asti Swastiani – Executive Assistant to SVP Product (Global) – Mining Division, Hexagon Leica Geosystem

Candice McDonald – Executive Assistant to Regional Managing Director APNA, Mott MacDonald

Jade Burrows – Executive Assistant to Leadership Team, Alliance SI

Melissa Rutters – Executive Assistant to CEO, CBH Group

Michael Boulus – Executive Business Partner, We Are Unity

Nicole Doherty – Executive Assistant to National Director of Education, OneSchool Global

Nikki Mackin – Executive Assistant to Group CEO, Corporate Travel Management

Patrizia Iacono – Executive Assistant to Group Chief Information Security Officer, Westpac Banking Group

Robyn Grobbelaar – Executive Assistant to Chief Economist, Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Sally Caldwell – Executive Assistant to CEO, HESTA

Sophie Galvin – Executive Officer, Office of the Commissioner, Marine Rescue NSW

Stevie Weine – Executive Business Partner, KWY Aboriginal Corporation

Trudy Edwards – Executive Assistant to CFO and Executive Vice President People and Culture, TechnologyOne

Bing Lee – Founder, Director and Principal Dentist, Innova Dental

Heather McLellan-Johnson – Founder, CEO and Board Chair, HMS Medical Group

Mark O’Brien – CEO, Prestige Inhome Care

Mark Woodland – Co-Founder and CEO, Kismet

Preeti Khillan – Managing Director and COO, Western Specialist Centre

Renee Thornton – CEO, Rehab Management

Sandy Liddell – Founder and Co-Director, Total Support Services

Stephen Becsi – CEO, Apollo Care

Ajay Unni – Founder and CEO, StickmanCyber

Jon Lim – CEO Asia–Pacific, Intershop Communications

Kellie Barnes – CEO, dop

Louis Droguett – Co-Founder and CEO, Software@Scale

Rattesh Gumber – Founder and Managing Director, IT Alliance Australia

Sladen Moses – Founder and CEO, Lexin Solutions

Alan Wong – Founder and CEO, IND Technology

Amanda Hardinge – CEO, Merritt Joinery

David Antonacci – CEO, Teeny Tiny Homes

James Lancaster – Founder and Group CEO, Renew IT

Nick Carthew – Managing Director, AME Systems

Pamela Jabbour – Founder and CEO, Total Image Group

Craig Rigney – CEO, KWY Aboriginal Corporation

Deborah Thomas – CEO and Managing Director, Camp Quality

Emma Weatherley – CEO and Managing Director, FSHD Global Research Foundation

Liam Mayo – CEO and Managing Director, Comlink Australia

Luke Daly – CEO, Australian Swim Schools Association

Patima Tantiprasut – CEO and Managing Director, PetRescue

Paul O’Neill – CEO, Murray Valley Aboriginal Cooperative

Paul Savvas – CEO, Hellenic Community of Western Australia

Sarah Williams – Founder and CEO, What Were You Wearing? Australia

Sharon Callister – CEO, Mission Australia

Shaun Christie-David – Founder and CEO, Plate It Forward

Shenal Basnayake – CEO, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

Thomas Witenden – Principal, Youth2Industry College

Wayne Andrews – CFO, University of Sydney

David Gagovski – CEO and Managing Director, Cleaning Melbourne and Cleaning Brisbane

Debbie Davis – CEO, Beaumont People

Ilona Charles – Co-Founder and CEO, ShiloPeople

Louis Droguett – Co-Founder and CEO, Software@Scale

Michael John Shirley – CEO and Managing Director, Veris

Nicola Mills – Founder and CEO, Sunny Balcony

Peter Jones – Founder and Managing Director, Prological Consulting

Rebecca Petroff – Director, Sunstate Conveyancing

Ruth Hirst – Co-Founder and Director, Synergy Design Group

Sonia Majkic – Co-Founder and CEO, 3 Phase Marketing

Tamara Ryf – CEO, The Clicks Group

Tiffany English – CEO, Access Offshoring

Annie Ta – Founder and CEO, Infiniti Property Corporation

Bobby Lehane – Managing Director and Group CEO, PICA Group

Chris Christofi – Founder and CEO, Reventon

Fiona Yang – Co-Founder, Plus Agency

Lloyd Edge – Founder and Managing Director, Aus Property Professionals

Timothy Cocaro – CEO and Founder, Canibuild

Amanda Choi – Co-Founder and CEO, Nexus Early Learning

Ben King – Founder and Managing Director, Aviato Consulting

Daniel Tonkin – Co-Founder and CEO, Think Renewable

George Spink – Executive General Manager, Decoda

Jonathan Rostron – CEO, Wingman Group

Justin Vetsavong – Founder, Sport Insights

Kathryn Carter – Founder and CEO, MyPause Health

Louis Droguett – Co-Founder and CEO, Software@Scale

Louis Sisk – Co-Founder and CEO, Doccy

Moses Lim – CEO, Green Eco Technologies

Patrick O’Neill – Founder and Director, Eolas Solutions

Will Liang – Co-CEO, Amplify AI Group

The countdown is on

Being named a finalist is an extraordinary achievement. But there is still one final step.

On 11 November 2026, Australia’s leading executives will come together at the International Convention Centre Sydney for an unforgettable evening celebrating leadership, achievement and impact.

Across the night, we will reveal the category winners – before crowning the 2026 CEO of the Year.

Congratulations to all of our 2026 finalists. We look forward to celebrating with you in Sydney.