Posted: 11 February 2025
2025 Women in Leadership Awardees announced
On the 10th UN International Day of Women and Girls in STEM, the 2025 BioMelbourne Network Women in Leadership Awards marked an extraordinary milestone: ten years of recognising and celebrating women driving innovation and progress in healthtech.
With almost 180 attendees joining in person and online, this year’s event highlighted not only the exceptional calibre of leadership in the sector but also the importance and benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion in science and technology.
Honouring the women leading change
The Victorian State Government’s Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions proudly sponsored the 2025 Women in Leadership Awards, reinforcing the State Government’s commitment to fostering leadership, innovation, and inclusivity in the healthtech sector.
In presenting the awards, the Honourable Colin Brooks, Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, and Minister for Creative Industries, reflected on the importance of recognising and supporting women leaders:
“We celebrate the women who have taken strategic risks, tenaciously pursued goals, and become role models in their field, making exceptional contributions to the healthtech sector.”
With 30 outstanding women recognised over the past decade, the prestigious BioMelbourne Network awards continue to highlight the power of leadership in transforming industries, advancing innovation, and shaping the future of healthcare and improving people’s life globally.
2025 Award recipients
This year, three exceptional women were recognised across distinct leadership categories:
Emerging Leadership Award – Dr Anne-Laure Puaux, Head of Business Development at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) and the inaugural CEO of WEHI Ventures
Awarded to leaders that have stepped onto a new career path during the last two to four years and who are stars in the industry.
Dr Anne-Laure Puaux has been recognised for her exceptional ability to forge partnerships, unite stakeholders across disciplines and continents, and transform cutting-edge scientific discoveries into real-world health solutions by driving access to capital, foster investment and ensuring that Victoria’s world-class discoveries are transformed into impactful outcomes for the benefit of patients worldwide.
She played a key role in conceptualising the fund’s governance and operational framework, getting Board approvals and initiating the activities of WEHI Ventures, the investment company established by WEHI to manage its new strategic investment fund “66ten.” This fund is investing $66 million over ten years to translate and commercialise WEHI scientific discoveries into healthcare products and services.
Her work exemplifies the power of collaboration in driving progress for improving global health.
Inspiring Leadership Award – Sally Kinrade, Vice President at Medicines Development for Global Health, Project Leader, Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis
Awarded to a leader who has played a pivotal role in delivering a project, partnership, or collaborative initiative with a significant impact over the past 5–10 years.
Sally Kinrade has shown extraordinary leadership in tackling critical market gaps and ensuring innovative treatments reach underserved communities globally. Her ability to bridge cultural and systemic barriers has advanced access to life-saving medicines and set a new standard for global health impact.
Sally has been responsible for leading her team to progress moxidectin, a medicine to treat onchocerciasis (river blindness), affecting more than 200 million people globally, from US FDA approval through all the processes necessary to bring it to patients to change their lives. Moxidectin is the first new drug for onchocerciasis in 30 years.
Distinguished Leadership Award – Dr Jane Oppenheim, Scientific and Operations Director at Ego Pharmaceuticals
Awarded to a senior leader with a long-standing career in healthtech who has made a sustained impact on the industry.
Dr Jane Oppenheim is honoured for transforming an Australian family-owned business into a global pharmaceutical leader, championing local innovation while expanding manufacturing and patient impact worldwide. Her work underscores the importance of keeping advanced manufacturing on shore to drive innovation and economic growth.
Decades of exceptional leadership and vision, driven by an unwavering thirst for excellence, a deep commitment to people, and transformative contributions to the healthtech sector, define Dr Jane Oppenheim’s extraordinary trajectory. Her ability to create a profound and lasting impact across the life science sector and on many lives has earned her the honour of being named our 2025 Distinguished Leadership Award recipient.
A celebration of leadership and collaboration
BioMelbourne Network’s CEO, Karen Parr, who facilitated the event, reflected on what makes these awards so powerful:
“By honouring women in leadership, we amplify voices and inspire others through each nominee’s passion, resilience, and vision that is driving our industry forward.”
This year’s awards were made possible by the incredible dedication of so many:
- The nominators and nominees—for recognising and supporting outstanding leadership.
- The pre-screening and judging committees—for their careful and thoughtful selection process.
- The Victorian Government—for their ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion in the sector.
Looking ahead: Who will we celebrate next?
As we celebrate this milestone year, we look to the future. The leaders we honour today are shaping the next decade of healthtech – who will be next?
Nominations for the 2026 Women in Leadership Awards will open later this year. Start thinking about the inspiring leaders around you – who deserves recognition for their impact?
Learn more about the awards and past recipients here.
