A signal to the market

“If your business has enjoyed success, take the time to celebrate that success,” says Neil O’Sullivan, CEO and Founder of NOJA Power, a global leader in energy automation with operations across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Winner of the 2024 Coraggio International Business Award, O’Sullivan isn’t alone in viewing the LMBA as more than a plaque for the office. For industry leaders, the award is a calculated signal to stakeholders, talent and markets that their business stands at the forefront of innovation and enterprise.

In 2021, Watkins Steel was recognised with the ISPT Award for Investment in Brisbane and the Optus Enterprise Platinum Award. For CEO Des Watkins, the acknowledgement reinforced his company’s momentum.

“It’s a tangible endorsement that the path we’re on is the correct path,” Watkins says. “It’s all about growth, the growth of the company, the growth of the wider steel industry, the growth of the local economy. When you’re on that path of growth, of innovation, it does lead to new opportunities and to success.”

And for many winners, the award continues to open doors long after the ceremony.

“Through the award network, the Flavour Creations team and I have been introduced to members of the broader Brisbane business community,” says Bernadette Eriksen, CEO of Flavour Creations, and 2017 Product Innovation Award winner. “These connections have enabled us to support one another through introductions and shared opportunities, helping to further grow our respective businesses.”

Recognition that drives results

Elena Gosse OAM, CEO of AIS Water, knows firsthand how recognition can translate into reputation and results. After decades of building her company in Brisbane, Gosse was named The Courier Mail Business Person of the Year in 2022.

“That’s what made me feel like I had finally arrived,” she says. “When I arrived in this city nearly 30 years ago, I desperately wanted to fit in. I desperately wanted to make Brisbane my second home. So to be named Brisbane’s Businessperson of the Year… that’s the recognition that I made it.”

But AIS Water didn’t stop there. Under Gosse’s leadership, the company has become a benchmark in sustainable water treatment, saving millions of litres of water in public infrastructure and expanding internationally all while investing in local jobs and causes.

“We invest in this city. We invest in our people. We raise money for the prevention of domestic violence. That award wasn’t the end it was a recognition of everything we’re building,” Elena said.

For Llew Jury, 2012 Young Business Person of the Year, former founder of digital marketing firm Reload Media, and now Executive Chairman of Spring Ventures, the value of the LMBA extends beyond the local market.

“The award is very good at giving you a local presence,” Jury explains, “but importantly, interstate companies do look at these emerging Brisbane companies — and it is a great one to leverage greater growth.”

It’s not about ego. It’s about strategy.

For business executives, credibility isn't earned in headlines, it’s earned in boardrooms, at investor meetings and on international tenders. In those moments, the LMBA matters.

With categories designed to align with high-value growth sectors: advanced manufacturing, investment, international expansion, and sustainability among them. They don’t celebrate success, they validate strategy.

20 years in — The opportunity is yours

In its 20th year, the LMBA is more than a legacy – it’s a platform. A platform to validate your trajectory. A chance to connect with the city’s most influential leaders. And a moment to position your organisation, not just as successful, but as significant.

For those at the helm of businesses, it’s not about winning for the sake of it. It’s about what comes next: the partnerships, the visibility and the connections that follow.

Applications for the 2025 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards are closing soon.

If you’ve built something worth recognising, now’s the time to make it known.

Apply now at beda.brisbane.qld.au/our-work/lmba