Winners of the HR Awards 2025 announced

Celebrating excellence in human resources, the HR Awards 2025 brought together industry leaders and rising stars to recognise outstanding achievements and leadership.

The Australian HR Awards 2025 recognised the individuals and teams who have made contributions to the HR profession in the past year. From successful leadership development strategies to innovative inclusion initiatives, the event showcased the role HR professionals play in shaping successful organisations.

Finalists and winners were recognised across a range of categories, reflecting the diverse remit of today’s CHROs and people leaders—from employee health and wellbeing and leadership development to technology adoption.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

AUSTRALIAN HR DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR  

WINNER   
Ben Mansour, Anglo American 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Charmaine Loratet, Altis Consulting 
Francesca Calandra, Nexon Asia Pacific 
Sarah Novelli, BGIS 
Sharon Dunn, ASI Solutions 
Snezana Bakalovski, CyberCX 
Zemeel Saba, Oral Health Victoria 

AUSTRALIAN HR MANAGER OF THE YEAR  

WINNER  
Hannah Timcke, LMG (Loan Market Group) 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Correne Vorster, FTI Consulting Australia 
Elizabeth Pasoski, Benedict Group 
Gemma Russo, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation 
Laura Gay, Suncare Community Services 
Maria McGrath, Austroads 
Nadia Achie, Vitex Pharmaceuticals 
Renae Carter, Airservices Australia 

AUSTRALIAN HR RISING STAR OF THE YEAR  

WINNER  
Riki Tanaka, Hilton 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Damien Atkins, The Tassal Group 
Jasmine Hartwig, Kestrel Coal Resources 
Lynette Cardinal, Vertical Scope Group 
Sarah Carvalho, Konica Minolta 
Sarah Thompson, BGIS 
Tasha McCallum, Capgemini 

AUSTRALIAN HR CHAMPION OF THE YEAR (CEO)  

WINNER  
Susan McKee, Oral Health Victoria 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Andrew Alcock, HUB24 
Colette Giha Carella, iCare Support Services 
Dr Aniss Chami, Vitex Pharmaceuticals 
Drew Morland, IOR 
John Burns, Abano Healthcare 
Peter Maloney, Lextech 
Tony Clark, NTI 

COMPANY & TEAM AWARDS  

AUSTRALIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (<1000 EMPLOYEES)  

WINNER 
Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Adecco 
ASICS Oceania 
Edwards Lifesciences 
Freedom Furniture 
Heinemann Oceania 
Infrastructure Australia 
LMG (Loan Market Group) 
Oral Health Victoria 
Richard Crookes Constructions 

AUSTRALIAN HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (>1000 EMPLOYEES)  
Sponsored by: PageUp

WINNER  
Abano Healthcare 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Amart 
BGIS 
Capgemini 
City of Parramatta 
CyberCX 
The Disability Trust 

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (1-99 EMPLOYEES)  

WINNER  
Daiichi Sankyo Australia 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Australian Physiotherapy Association 
Australian Scaffolds Access 
Corporate Technology Services (CTS) 
Fastmail 
Information Quality 
Infrastructure Australia 
Trideca 

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (100-999 EMPLOYEES)  

WINNER  
Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Adica Insurance 
Adobe 
Edwards Lifesciences 
Freedom Furniture 
HUB24 
HNECC Primary Health Network 
Munich Re 
NTI 

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (>1000 EMPLOYEES)  

WINNER  
Westpac Banking Group 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Allianz Australia 
Amart 
BGIS 
City of Gold Coast 
Colonial First State 
CyberCX 
Metso Australia 
Village Roadshow 

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE (PUBLIC SECTOR & NFP)   
Sponsored by Dayforce

WINNER 
Inclusee 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Infrastructure Australia 
Latrobe Health Services 
Our Watch 
The Disability Trust 
Wesley Mission Queensland 
Windermere Child & Family Services 

BEST GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 

WINNER  
Powerlink Queensland 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Capgemini 
FDM Group Australia 
HUB24 
MYOB 
Oral Health Victoria 
Westpac Group 

BEST HEALTH AND WELLBEING PROGRAM  
Sponsored by Humpty Dumpty Foundation

WINNER  
TAFE NSW 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Adobe 
Commonwealth Bank 
Edwards Lifesciences 
Johnson & Johnson 
Metso Australia 
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council 
Publicis Groupe 

BEST LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM  

WINNER  
Aurecon 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Brisbane Catholic Education 
Bunnings Group 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia 
Kinetic 
KPMG Australia 
Linfox 
NSW Premier’s Department 
QBE Insurance Group 
TPG Telecom 

BEST LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM  
Sponsored by: linkABLE

WINNER  
NBN Co 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Airbus 
Australian Association of Social Workers 
Capgemini 
FDM Group Australia 
KPMG Australia 
Mirvac 
Queensland Performing Arts Centre
The Salvation Army- Salvos Stores 

BEST RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN
Sponsored by Referoo

WINNER  
Coles Group 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Abano Healthcare 
ASICS Oceania 
Boston Consulting Group 
Coxons Group Australia 
DLA Piper Australia 
Liverpool City Council 
Trideca 

BEST REMOTE WORK STRATEGY  
Sponsored by: Deel

WINNER  
Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Fluent Commerce 
Inclusee 
NTI 

BEST REWARD & RECOGNITION PROGRAM  

WINNER  
Edwards Lifesciences 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Amart 
ghd Hair 
Krispy Kreme Australia 
Rio Tinto 
Story House Early Learning
Suncorp 
Village Roadshow Theme Parks 

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY  
Sponsored by Referoo

WINNER  
Orora 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Abano Healthcare 
Colonial First State 
El Jannah 
Metso Australia 
Norton Rose Fulbright 

BEST WORKPLACE DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION PROGRAM
WINNER
Australia Post 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Deloitte Australia 
Dentons Australia 
Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service 
Jumbo Interactive 
Merck Australia 
WithYouWithMe 
Vertical Scope Group  

BEST WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY PROGRAM  

WINNER  
John Holland 

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES  
Daiichi Sankyo Australia 
Nexon Asia Pacific 
Our Watch 
Oz Hair and Beauty 
Systra ANZ 
Telix Pharmaceuticals 

Congratulations to all of the winners and excellence awardees