The Doyenne program is back, and stronger than ever.
ANZ's Doyenne Women in Broking, a professional development initiative for female brokers, recently wrapped up its 2025 edition. Originally launched in 2018, and revamped in 2024 with the help of Jane Counsel, founder and chief coach at Sydney-based coaching firm Thrive4Women, the program is designed to empower and accelerate the careers of female brokers.
This year, female brokers from all over Australia met for a series of events during a seven-week period, to network, share insights and gain new strategies for excelling in the country’s male-dominated finance sector.
The program was free to attend. Yet, ANZ handpicked just 30 of the strongest applicants from hundreds who applied.
In a multi-part series, Australian Broker caught up with the people driving the program, starting with Natalie Smith, general manager, retail broker at ANZ. We sat down with Smith to find out how the 30 standout female brokers made the cut from a sea of applicants, why the program is a must for ambitious brokers, the biggest lessons from this year and what’s next for the program.
Natalie Smith, general manager, retail broker at ANZ.
NS: ANZ launched Doyenne in 2018, to shine a light on women in broking and bring more balance to the voices in the industry. At the time, there was a sense that women rarely featured in industry publications and on panels, even though many were highly successful. The idea was simple: to connect like-minded women, help them to navigate the media landscape and give them the tools to share their stories. Since then, we’ve seen a shift in how women in broking are represented and valued. But the industry keeps evolving. So in 2024 we partnered with Jane Counsel of Thrive4women to refresh the program content and take it to the next level.
NS: Doyenne is about meaningful cultural change within the broking industry. It’s about contributing to a more inclusive and supportive environment, where women feel that they belong and see real opportunities to lead, grow and succeed. This includes creating a standout business brand, adopting a business owner mindset and building the confidence to thrive in uncertain times. For those newer to the industry, it’s a safe space to build a profile and deepen industry knowledge. For progressing their career or growing their business, it’s empowering to share best practice with other dedicated professionals who understand the unique journey that we’re on.
NS: This year, we ran a seven-week program that started with a full-day launch event in Sydney and wrapped up with a full day in Melbourne. In between, we also hosted a series of exclusive virtual masterclasses and small-group coaching sessions. Participants had the opportunity to hear from some incredible guest speakers and Doyenne alumni. To get the most out of the program, it was important that participants were prepared to commit the time to themselves and their business.
NS: This year we received around 250 expressions of interest and narrowing it down was tough. We were able to offer 30 places in the program. Our 2025 participants really stood out in terms of their leadership ambition and initiative, clarity of purpose and appetite for innovation, as well as a willingness to contribute to the broader community. What’s exciting about this year’s participants is their diversity of experience. Some have deep banking and finance backgrounds, but are new to broking. While others are experienced brokers looking to take their business to the next level. A few were already part of their aggregator’s own women-in-broking initiatives, so Doyenne gave them the chance to connect with peers across different groups and states.
NS: We've just wrapped up the 2025 program. When we can, we’ll share details about what’s next, including dates and how to apply, through the ANZ broker portal. Accredited brokers can also reach out to their ANZ residential broker manager with any questions.
NS: This year, what really stood out was the care and support participants showed each other. There was a genuine willingness to be vulnerable, share challenges and exchange ideas, without seeing the industry as a competition. It was all about lifting each other up. We were also blown away by the feedback we received: how participants were able to make changes in their businesses and start seeing results, even before the program had finished. That level of action and impact was incredible.
NS: If you’re thinking about participating in a future program, my advice is to do it. This is a rare opportunity to step out of the day-to-day and invest in yourself and your business. You’ll gain visibility, confidence and practical strategies to grow, all while connecting with an incredible network of peers who understand the unique challenges and opportunities in broking. Until we share what’s next for Doyenne, there’s plenty of content, tools and insights available through Brokerology on the ANZ broker portal to help all brokers elevate their business, support their customers and stand out in the market.
