The 2020 Executive of the Year Awards took place as a virtual ceremony on 12 November. Hosted by The CEO Magazine Founder Chris Dutton, the online event featured inspiring video messages from the 2020 CEO of the Year winner, as well as Maserati’s Glen Sealey and the 2019 CEO of the Year winner, David Hackett.
Female leaders had a significant presence at the event this year, with Aurecon’s Chief Executive of Australia and New Zealand, Louise Adams, taking out CEO of the Year – the second-only female to win the pinnacle award in nine years. Also, for the first time in the Awards’ history, women took out more categories than men – across the 15 award categories, eight female executives were recipients (excluding the Lifetime Achievement Award which does not accept applications).
Finalists were judged by a 13-person panel: Pip Edwards, Co-Founder and Creative Director, P.E Nation; David Hackett, Former CEO and Managing Director, MLC Life Insurance; Maureen Jordan, Founder and CEO, Switzer Financial Services and Group Publisher, RUSSH Magazine; Jeremy Kodomichalos, Director of Strategy and Operations Australia and New Zealand, Google; Libby Roy, Managing Director, Small and Medium Business, Optus and Non-Executive Director, Bravura Solutions; Harry Theodore, CFO, The Star Entertainment Group; Paul Timmins, Former Global Director Microsoft, DXC Technology; Ronni Kahn, Founder and CEO, OzHarvest; Julie Babineau, CEO, Odyssey House NSW; John Karagounis, Managing Director and CEO, The CEO Circle; Glen Sealey, COO, Maserati Australia, New Zealand and South Africa; Chris Dutton, Founder, The CEO Magazine; Susan Armstrong, Content Director, The CEO Magazine.
The Executive of the Year Awards will return in 2021 as a black-tie event at The Star, Sydney on 18 November. We’d like to thank Maserati for returning as our major sponsor for the virtual 2020 event.


CEO of the Year
Louise Adams, Chief Executive – Australia and New Zealand
Louise’s revamp of Aurecon’s ANZ executive leadership team couldn’t have come at a better time. Initially designed to reconnect siloed departments and allow a united team to better meet growth and profitability targets, the value and prescience of the move became obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aurecon was able to weather the global storm and enjoy a significant uplift in profitability. It’s the kind of forward thinking that’s kept Louise at the top of her game throughout her 20 years with the engineering giant.

