Women in Payments Symposium recognises leaders & rising stars

Last week marked the annual Women in Payments Symposium, held in Sydney. As part of the symposium, an awards ceremony recognised talented leaders and rising stars in the payments industry.

The awards included five categories: Emerging Leader, Innovation, Thought Leader, Advocate for Women, and Distinguished Payments Professional.

"Women in Payments has been recognising the outstanding work of payment leaders, innovators, and rising stars around the globe since 2013," comments Women in payments founder and CEO Kristy Duncan.

"Australia is a hotbed of innovation and talent, and these awards are a welcome opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the exceptional women whose work makes such a positive impact across the payments industry.

Awards and winners are as follows:

The Women in Payments Emerging Leader Award

This recognises emerging talent in the payments industry. The award pays tribute to women who demonstrate leadership, professional excellence, and a commitment to motivating others to make a positive impact on the payments ecosystem.

This year the award went to ANZ head of domestic payables, receivables and account services, Carolyn Young.

Women in Payments Innovation Award

This award is presented to a woman who has promoted payments innovation through creativity and vision.

This year the award was presented to Open Sparkz founder and COO Debra Taylor.

The Women in Payments Thought Leader Award

This award is presented to a woman who actively contributes to the payments debate by speaking publicly or publishing content about the evolution of the Australian or the global payments ecosystem.

This year, the award was presented to Commonwealth Bank head of payments representation, Lynda McMillan.

The Women in Payments Advocate for Women Award

This award goes to a man or a woman who promotes female leadership and encourages and supports the career development of all women in the workplace.

This year, the award went to GoCardless Australia and New Zealand general manager Carolyn Breeze.

The Women in Payments Distinguished Payments Professional Award

This award is a lifetime achievement award that recognises a woman who has served as a role model and contributed greatly to the overall positive image of the payments industry.

This year, the award was presented to Australia Post head of business and government, payments and financial services, Susan Nicholson.

Women in Payments was founded by Kristy Duncan in 2012 to facilitate career development, payment systems education, and community building for women working across the global payments ecosystem.

Women in Payments now holds symposiums in the UK, Canada, the USA, Australia, and Singapore. The symposiums provide a platform for women payments professionals to demonstrate and hone their leadership and expertise in various roles, including keynote presentations, executive panel discussions, and breakout sessions.