Highlights from ARN WIICTA 2025. Credit: Ash Mar More than 500 attendees gathered at Doltone House on Jones Bay Wharf in Sydney on 15 May, placing a spotlight on female achievement and accomplishment across the IT industry. Mirroring the entire local ecosystem, 186 finalists made the shortlist from a pool of over 102 organisations and more than 300 nominations submitted, spanning partner, vendor and distributor businesses. Following an intensive judging process — selected by an executive panel of more than 170 industry judges — 26 winners were selected across eight categories, in addition to 18 highly commended acknowledgements. Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Editorial director Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar NTT Data vice president of strategy and transformation Kristy Simpkin presenting sponsor of DE&I Champion categoryAsh Mar Cathy O’Sullivan, Nicole Holmes, Kristy Simpkin and Julia TalevskiAsh Mar DE&I Champion Partner winner: Nicole Holmes First FocusAsh Mar Ash Mar Cathy O’Sullivan, Julie Canepa, Kristy Simpkin and Julia TalevskiAsh Mar DE&I Champion Vendor winner: Julie Canepa – CiscoAsh Mar Ash Mar DE&I Champion vendor winner: Ash Tyszkiewicz – Okta accepted by Hollis ScogginAsh Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Editorial director Cathy O’Sullivan and ARN Editor Julia Talevski presenting the Graduate categoryAsh Mar Ash Mar Cathy O’Sullivan, Stephanie Lloyd and Julia TalevskiAsh Mar Graduate Partner winner: Stephanie Lloyd – DatacomAsh Mar Ash Mar Graduate vendor winner: Winnie Soemargo – HPEAsh Mar Cathy O’Sullivan, Winnie Soemargo and Julia TalevskiAsh Mar Ash Mar Natasha Lambert presents Innovation Category sponsored by Palo Alto NetworksAsh Mar Ash Mar Innovation Partner winner: Renata Di Stefano, blueAPACHEAsh Mar Cathy O’Sullivan, Natasha Lambert, Renata Di Stefano and Julia TalevskiAsh Mar Innovation Distributor winner: Rachana Shah – Ingram MicroAsh Mar Cathy O’Sullivan, Rachana Shah, Natasha Lambert and Julia TalevskiAsh Mar Dave Stevens presents Technical Category sponsored by BrennanAsh Mar Ash Mar Technical Multinational Partner winner: Reinal Shetty – NTT DATA Ash Mar Cathy O’Sullivan, Reinal Shetty, Dave Stevens and Julia TalevskiAsh Mar Technical Partner winner: Hanieh Madad – Patient ZeroAsh Mar Cathy O’Sullivan, Dave Stevens, Hanieh Madad and Julia TalevskiAsh Mar Ash Mar Technical Vendor winner: Natalie Mead – Snowflake (accepted by Kate Power). Ash Mar Cathy O’Sullivan, Kate Power, Dave Stevens and Julia TalevskiAsh Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Yvette McEnearney presents Entrepreneur category sponsored by GoToAsh Mar Entrepreneur Partner winner: Maryanne DemeryAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Yvette McEnearney, Maryanne Demery and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Entrepreneur Vendor Winner: Nicole Nixon – Five FacesAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Nicole Nixon, Yvette McEnearney and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Ash Mar Astrid Groves presents Rising Star category sponsored by Schneider ElectricAsh Mar Rising Star Multinational Partner winner Alicia Stark accepted by Kylie Blair – CognizantAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Kylie Blair, Astrid Groves and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Rising Star Partner Winner: Kate Rawinski – Blackbird ITAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Kate Rawinski, Astrid Groves and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Rising Star Distributor winner: Sunny McPhillips – NEXTGENAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Sunny McPhillips, Astrid Groves and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Rising Star Vendor winner: Lily Fay – NetSkopeAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Lily Fay, Astrid Groves and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Shining Star presenter John Walters sponsored by NEXTGENAsh Mar Shining Star Mulitnational Partner winner: Kellie Nuttall – Deloitte Ash Mar Julia Talevski, John Walters, Kellie Nuttall and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Shining Star Partner winner: Cecilia Huang – ASI SolutionsAsh Mar Julia Talevski, John Walters, Cecilia Huang and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Shining Star Distributor Winner: Julie Armstrong – NEXTGENAsh Mar Julia Talevski, John Walters, Julie Armstrong and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Shining Star Vendor Winner: Emma O’Sullivan – LenovoAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Emma O’Sullivan, John Walters and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Shining Star Vendor winner accepted by Aarti Magpal on behalf of Cassie Wallace – KiandraAsh Mar Julia Talevski, John Walters, Aarti Magpal and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Laura Malcolm presents Achievement category sponsored by DatacomAsh Mar Achievement Multinational Partner winner: Lisa Fortey – LogicalisAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Lisa Fortey, Laura Malcolm and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Achievement Partner winner: Angela Logan-Bell – InteractiveAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Angela Logan-Bell, Laura Malcolm and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Achievement Distributor winner: Roshantha Pillay – Dicker DataAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Roshantha Pillay, Laura Malcolm and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Ash Mar Achievement Vendor winner: Astrid Groves – Schneider ElectricAsh Mar Julia Talevski, Astrid Groves, Laura Malcolm and Cathy O’SullivanAsh Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar ARN Editor Julia TalevskiAsh Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar The WIICTA TeamAsh Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar Ash Mar SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. 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