2025

CEO and Founder / Investor / Mentor / Board Member, Financial Director,

Entrepreneur / Executive

Nicola Mills

Category

Executives & Professionals - Entrepreneur of the Year

Client's Name

Country / Region

Australia

Nicola Mills is an accomplished executive leader and the Founder and Director of the Sunny Balcony Group, a global collective of high-performing, cross-functional teams operating across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Middle East. Under Nicola’s visionary leadership, the Group has grown a diverse portfolio of ventures, including Go Brands Group (The Cheeky Beans, Go Sushi, Wasabi Warriors), Tier One Recruitment, Fundfindrs, Jacaranda Hub, and Ready Energy.

Nicola also serves as Co-Founder and Group Finance and Commercial Director of CaSE Civil and Structural Engineering and CJC Management. Her influence in the engineering sector is substantial, with CaSE and CJC delivering and consulting on major complex infrastructure projects across the globe. With 11 office locations spanning the US, Europe, the Middle East, and the Australasian region, Nicola’s strategic and financial leadership has been instrumental in the global success of both entities.

The year 2024 marked a transformative period under Nicola’s guidance. Key achievements included the international expansion of Tier One Recruitment, the launch of an AI Task Force within Jacaranda Hub, and the introduction of Impactiv—an innovative platform supporting founders with capital, operational infrastructure, and strategic mentorship. Throughout these initiatives, Nicola’s finance leadership was pivotal in navigating complex cross-border financial operations, while her focus on People & Culture drove leadership development, wellness, and inclusivity across the entire group.

Jacaranda Hub, the Group’s shared services powerhouse, exemplifies Nicola’s commitment to operational excellence. By delivering scalable systems across marketing, finance, HR, and operations, and supporting initiatives such as CABER, Jacaranda has enabled the successful launch and growth of multiple high-impact ventures globally.

Nicola Mills is a values-driven, forward-thinking executive whose leadership embodies innovation, collaboration, and a people-first approach. Her ability to drive sustainable success across diverse industries and international markets makes her a standout candidate for this Executive Professional Award.

 
2025
Joseph DeWoody
Entrepreneur

Entrant

Joseph DeWoody

Category

Entrepreneur - Professional Services

Country / Region

United States

 
2025
Senior Manager - Data, Analytics and AI, Senior Data Architect
Information Technology

Entrant

Shib Shankar Golder

Category

Information Technology - AI & Automation

Country / Region

United States

 
2025
Information Technology Future Leader of the Year
Information Technology

Entrant

Srinivas Adilapuram

Category

Information Technology - IT Future Leader of the Year

Country / Region

United States

 
2025
Visionary Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur

Entrant

Benjamin Way

Category

Entrepreneur - Engineering

Country / Region

United States