INAUGURAL AWARDS
Business in Colour Awards 2025
The inaugural Business in Colour Awards were hosted by MindTribes on the 13th of November 2025 to recognise people, organisations and staff-led collectives advancing cultural diversity, First Nations inclusion and anti-racism in Australian workplaces.
2025 winners
Meet the changemakers we celebrated! Our five winners across the categories reflect the very best of that work: from shaping national policy for migrant and refugee women and dismantling systemic barriers in universities, to creating sustainable employment pathways for First Nations youth, setting a national benchmark in community-led research, and turning employee-led networks into organisation-wide change. Each of them shows what leadership, allyship, and anti-racism look like in practice.
See the 2025 winners below, along with the interviews we filmed with each of them on the night.
Exemplar Award
Malini Raj
Executive Director, Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance
Sponsor Award
Betty Exintaris
Associate Dean Learning and Teaching, DEI, Monash University
Research Excellence Award
Azadeh Dastyari
Centre for Western Sydney
Click Here for Azadeh’s Winner Speech
Finalists
These were 26 incredible finalists across the five categories.
Exemplar Award Finalists
Role models who have used their race, ethnicity and cultural background as a strength and helped other diverse people succeed.
- Malini Raj, Executive Director, Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance (winner)
- Chika Onyeogaziri, Superintendent Contracts, BHP
- Sam Muir, Indigenous Affairs Manager, Coles Group
- Quynh Nguyen, Senior Advisor DEI, Development Victoria
- Abdirasak Yusuf, Senior Adviser, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)
- Cass Tratt, Head of First Nations Talent and Culture, ANZ
- Diana Paez Ortiz, Senior Project Coordinator, Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
Collective Impact Award Finalists
Staff-led networks, employee resource groups and committees driving change from the ground up.
- AGL Cultures, AGL (winner)
- CALD Working Group, La Trobe University
- Women of Colour Network, Victorian Public Service
- CALD Network, Austrade
- EmBRace, BHP
- People of Colour Network, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR)
Sponsor Award Finalists
Allies and advocates who have used their influence to advance CALD employees and build inclusive cultures.
- Abigail Sullivan, Associate Director DEI, Victoria Legal Aid
- Betty Exintaris, Associate Dean Learning and Teaching, DEI, Monash University (winner)
- Pritida Vinod, Head of Technology Fincrime and Fraud, ANZ
- Dina Ward, Head of Culture and Inclusion, Bupa APAC
Research Excellence Award Finalists
Research from universities and education institutions that deepens our understanding of cultural diversity.
- Azadeh Dastyari, Centre for Western Sydney (winner)
- Pearl Subban, Monash University
- Rani Nandan, Michael Page
- David Evans, Watermark Search
Inclusive Companies Award Finalists
Organisations that have made a real investment in racial and cultural diversity and inclusion.
- BHP
- Michael Page
- Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)
- Lion
- Young Guns Container Crew (winner)
Judges
Fifteen judges reviewed this year’s submissions. Thank you for your time, expertise and care.
Exemplar Award judges
- Tarla Lambert-Patel, Women’s Agenda
- Rana Hussain, Good Human
- Jeswynn Yogaratnam, NT Anti-Discrimination Commissioner
- Sara Stuart, Coles
Sponsor Award judges
- Russell James, 15timesbetter
- Vivienne Nguyen, Commissioner, Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC)
- Ben Hill, Mars
Inclusive Companies Award judges
- Ro Allen, Commissioner, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC)
- Robyn Batson, Sussan Group
- Farzeen Anwar, MinterEllison
- Jamad Hersi, Victorian Multicultural Commission
Research Excellence Award judges
- Dr Niki Vincent, Commissioner, Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector (CGEPS)
- Laura-Jane Singh, Victorian Aboriginal Children & Young People’s Alliance
- Donald Betts, Betts Law Co.
Collective Impact Award judges
- Scott Mullaly, formerly Telstra
- Katie Wyatt, BHP
- Rosie Thyer, The Foundation for Young Australians
- Lavania Parker, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria
Sponsors and partners
The 2025 Business in Colour Awards were made possible by our incredible event sponsors and event partners.
Event sponsors
Supporting sponsors and partners
Photos and event booklet
Explore the official Business in Colour Awards 2025 Digital Booklet, your complete guide to this year’s event. Inside, you’ll find the story behind the awards and why they matter, profiles of our incredible finalists and winners, and insights into how they’re driving lasting inclusion and cultural change in their organisations and communities. Also see photos from the night that capture the spirit of the awards — celebrating impactful leadership, allyship, and the power of antiracism and racial diversity in workplaces.