NBAA September 2025: Event Recap

On Thursday, 4 September 2025, the September Northern Business Achievement Awards (NBAA) welcomed over 165 attendees to a dynamic breakfast event at Novotel Melbourne Preston, a gathering that combined sharp political insight with heartfelt business recognition.

The hosting councils for this breakfast were Darebin City Council and Hume City Council. A heartfelt thank you to our event sponsors: Kangan Institute, Pitcher Partners, and The Fair Co. – your continued support helps make these events possible.

Thank you to our NBAA Naming Rights Sponsors:

Victorian Government, Inner North Community Foundation, Kangan Institute, La Trobe Business School, Macpherson Kelley, Melbourne Polytechnic, New Epping, Pitcher Partners, The Fair Co. and Yarra Valley Water.

Thought-Provoking Keynotes

The breakfast featured two distinguished keynote speakers:

Kosmos Samaras, Director of Strategy and Campaigns, delivered a captivating address as part of the session titled “Reading the political tea leaves – reflections on the 2025 Federal Election and the forthcoming 2026 State Election.” His talk offered a deep analysis of voter sentiment, emerging policy directions, and their effects on business strategy and regional development.

Tony Barry, Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications at RedBridge Group, joined Kos for this timely conversation that unravelled the layered political landscape. Together, their expertise offered attendees a richer understanding of the evolving climate as the nation transitions from federal outcomes to the approaching Victorian state election

Celebrating Excellence Across the Region

We extend our warmest congratulations to the outstanding Business Nominees and Young Business Achievers (YBAs) from Darebin City Council and Hume City Council:

A Blanck Canvas
Your Community Health
Huracan Fabrication
Animal Land Children’s Farm
Anastasia Sarikizis – New Plumbing Solutions (YBA)

We also acknowledge the incredible Mary Agostino and Frances Coppolillo, who did a fantastic job as MCs of the event, bringing warmth and energy to the morning. And to JT. Production Management, thank you for your exceptional work behind the scenes to ensure everything ran smoothly.

The NBAA December Grand Finale Gala, in conjunction with NORTH Link’s 30th Anniversary, will take place on Thursday, 4th December 2025 at Novotel Melbourne Preston. We look forward to seeing you there! Stay tuned for more updates.

Click here to Book your Tickets for the December Finale Event