NT News Leader of the Year awards winners for 2024 crowned
For the first time in 2024, the NT News has honoured our trailblazers and established leaders in a new advocacy campaign and awards program. See who took home a trophy.
Business
Don't miss out on the headlines from Business. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Northern Territory businessman Sean Bowden has been crowned the inaugural NT News Leader of the Year.
Mr Bowden, who first won the Corporate Leader category sponsored by NEC, was named the overall winner at a cocktail event at Mindil Beach Casino Resort on Wednesday evening.
Speaking on the night, Mr Bowden, who launched Sean Bowden and Associates in Darwin in 2000, which seven years later evolved into Bowden McCormack Lawyers, and has also served as director of AFLNT since 2012 and chairman since 2020, said reading about the other 15 finalists made him ‘believe in the Northern Territory’.
“It is so important that we have this strong civic society that we can all get around each other and its not just based on government or the normal things that are coming out of the Territory, it’s the little people who make a difference, those who build things and believe in things,” he said.
“It is a great privilege to stand here and get this award, I wasn’t sure what to expect coming in but seeing everyone here and the quality of everyone is just fantastic.”
Mr Bowden, who grew up in Central Australia and began his working career in Alice Springs, gave a special shout out to his home town.
“I just want to shout out to Alice Springs and the Alice Springs mob who are here. It is the best town in the Northern Territory,” he said.
“Alice Springs people are in the DNA of the Territory and the DNA of Darwin and if you look deep enough you will find someone from Central Australia making a difference.
“It is going to have greater days ahead and a future that is better than the past. We will stay around Alice Springs and keep an eye on it and at the same time we will keep building the north and keep building the Territory as a whole.”
The Emerging Leader category, sponsored by GTNT Group, was won by mother-of-four Caitlyn Hudson, who owns and operates Lioness Photography and Lion’s Muse Events and also co-founded Magnify Her, a community for business women which has more than 1000 members in the NT.
Upon being named the winner, Ms Hudson shared a quote with the audience that she said had gotten her where she was today.
“We are so much stronger together and the days of competition are no longer, the day of collaboration are in,” she said.
In the Cultural and Recreational Leader category sponsored by The Sunday Territorian, it was Jules Gabor, 19, who took home the trophy.
Ms Gabor is an advocate for youth mental health, equal opportunity and LGBTQIA+ people, the 2024 Darwin Young Citizen of the Year, the NT Young Ambassador for UNICEF Australia and the vice-chair of the Northern Territory Youth Round Table.
Ms Gabor said it was an honour to win the award and she loved serving the Darwin community, where she had grown up.
“It means so much to me to not only represent myself but the community, the young people who have so much to give to Darwin, the Northern Territory and beyond as well.”
Workplace Leader, sponsored by NT News Business Review, was clinched by Aaron McMaster.
Mr McMaster, the father of a young man who cannot walk, talk or see, is the director of disability support service Territory True Pty Ltd based in Palmerston.
He said on a day to day business he spent a lot of time on the floor with his staff – most of whom were at the event supporting him on the night.
He thanked them all for their support.
In the Business Pioneer Leader category sponsored by Margetic and Sitzler Consolidated Holdings, Anita Synnott was named the winner.
The long term Territory resident has grown brand Natural Territory, which formulates and manufactures skincare, haircare, body care and aromatherapy ranges packed with NT botanicals, into a thriving business with 16 stockists across Australia.
Ms Synott said the award meant a lot because it was local and backed by locals.
“This means so much to me and our team and those of you that know me know I have amazing people behind me. I’m so grateful to my friend who have become family and our customers who have become friends.
“I just can’t believe that we were able to take out the win.”
The Front Line Leader award, sponsored by Mindil Beach Casino Resort, was won by Taylah Peters.
Ms Peters has been the manager of specialist and children’s therapeutic support at Relationships Australia NT for the past three years and is the chair of Amber NT – a local organisation supporting those impacted by the loss of a child.
Ms Peters was unable to attend the event as she was in Queensland representing Relationships Australia for the National Redress Scheme, however a colleague shared a speech on her behalf.
“It’s an honour that I share this with my colleagues and the incredible teams I’ve had the privilege to lead at Relatioships Austraia and Amber NT,” she said.
“This award is not a reflection of my individual efforts but rather a testament to the power of collaboration and the unwavering commitment that we have to have to those that we support.
“Every day I witness the strength, compassion and resilience of my teams; together we have navigated challenges and celebrated victories, always keeping the needs of our clients at the forefront of our work.”
All finalists in each category were also in the running for the People’s Choice award, sponsored by the Northern Territory Government, as voted by ntnews.com.au subscribers.
The winner, as voted by readers, was Tegan Blockey who was a finalist in the Workplace Leader category.
Ms Blockey, who is the dealer principal of Lexus of Darwin and Bridge Toyota, said she was humbled to be in the room with all of the other finalists and winners.
Ms Blockey is one of few female dealer principals across the brand’s 245 dealerships in Australia and has a goal of increasing female representation at Bridge Toyota from 25 per cent to 55 per cent.
“I look after Lexus of Darwin and Bridge Toyota and we have 152 staff, 25 per cent of them are female and I won’t stop until we are close to 50 per cent,” she said.
“It’s not just about the females, it’s about the incredible people that are in our business, our incredible customers – many of you who are customers in the room – I am so humbled to be up here and thankyou for everyone for voting for me.”
‘Green shoots’: CBA shows we’ve finally hit a turning point
The banking giant is the closest thing Australia has to a real-time measure of the economy. And big investors are now betting on an important shift.
How Darwin’s rich and diverse aviation heritage started with a race
When Territorians are paying big bucks for air tickets, remember the first ever passenger was paid £10,000. Read on.