Meet our 2026 Entrepreneur Of The Year judges

Naomi Simson is one of Australia’s foremost business leaders, having founded the experience retailer RedBalloon in 2001. In 2017, she co-founded the Big Red Group (BRG), which is the largest experience platform in Australia and New Zealand.

Naomi is passionate about sharing her expertise. A blogger and commentator, she appeared in four seasons of Shark Tank Australia. Her podcast, Handpicked with Naomi Simson, enables her to provide business mentoring for others.

Naomi sits on a number of boards, including Australian Payments Plus, WeebitNano Limited [ASX:WBT] and the University of Melbourne Faculty of Business and Economics. She is a governor of the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation.

Ben Gray is the founding partner of BGH Capital, an Australian businessman and pioneer in the private equity industry. 

BGH Capital is a leading Australian private equity firm, and partners with entrepreneurs and management teams in Australia and New Zealand to help them build market-leading businesses. In addition to providing its portfolio companies with capital for growth, BGH Capital supplies analytical, strategic and operational resources, achieving attractive risk-adjusted returns for investors.

Previously, Ben was a managing partner at TPG, where he served as Joint Head of Asia, Head of Australia and New Zealand and as a member of the Global Management Committee.

Janine Allis is a trailblazing entrepreneur. In 2000, she launched Boost Juice Bars, building it into an international brand with over 900 stores across 13 countries. Her collaborative approach helped shape Retail Zoo, which brings together brands like Betty’s Burgers and Salsa’s Fresh Mex Grill. Janine is also the co-owner of Yo-Chi, Australia’s leading frozen yogurt brand, expanding the reach of innovative retail concepts.

Her impact has been recognised with accolades including the Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year award, a place in BRW’s top 15 business revolutionaries of the past 25 years, and induction into the Australian Business Women’s Hall of Fame.

A bestselling author and familiar face on Shark Tank, Australian Survivor, Celebrity Apprentice, and Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, Janine now mentors aspiring leaders through The Business Academy, her online education platform.

David Hyman is the CEO and co-founder of Lendi Group, Australia’s premier home loan platform and retail brokerage. With a network of over 1,300 brokers, a head office team of 600 experts, and a loan book exceeding $100 billion, Lendi Group has established itself as a leader in the mortgage industry. 

Hyman's visionary leadership has been instrumental in the company’s growth, including the strategic acquisition of Aussie Home Loans which created a powerhouse in the mortgage market. Under his direction, Lendi Group has achieved significant milestones, including a $100 billion loan book and tripling Aussie Home Loans' lodgement penetration. 

Hyman’s entrepreneurial attitude has been recognised with Aussie being named the #1 overall brokerage by The Adviser’s Top 25 Brokerages in 2024.

Téa Angelos is a best-selling author, advisor, speaker, expert media commentator and founder of Smart Women Society (SWS) and Vivlo Learning.

SWS is an online education company providing innovative products and tools for women to grow their independence with money, career, wellbeing and love. With half a million followers on social media, SWS reaches over five million people a month with their advice and tips. Angelos is now on a mission to engage, retain and upskill employees through her pioneering learning programs and advisory services at Vivlo Learning.

Her ability to simplify complex topics into engaging, actionable and easy-to-understand steps has led her to create innovative solutions in the learning space and help hundreds of thousands of people globally.