Elephant in the Room Consulting Founder and Managing Director Jenni Walke, a proud Bundjalung woman, has been awarded GOLD in the First Nations Leadership category at the 2026 Women Changing the World Global Awards, announced this week in Paris.
The prestigious global awards attracted more than 1,500 nominations from 97 countries, recognising women creating meaningful, lasting impact across leadership, advocacy, sustainability, education, health and innovation.
Ms Walke’s win places her among an extraordinary group of women shaping change at the highest level and marks a significant moment for Australian Indigenous leadership on the global stage.
The First Nations Leadership Award recognises leadership grounded in culture, community and outcomes, not performance alone.
“This recognition isn’t about individual success. It affirms that Indigenous leadership is not just local knowledge, it is global wisdom with relevance in leadership conversations worldwide,” Ms Walke said.
Held as part of the Women Changing the World Global Summit, the Paris event brought together purpose-driven leaders committed to leadership that delivers impact beyond borders.
“As an Indigenous leader, being in global spaces like these matters deeply,” Ms. Walke said.
Ms Walke is the Founder and Managing Director of Elephant in the Room Consulting, an Indigenous-owned and led consultancy working with organisations across Australia and internationally to embed cultural intelligence into leadership, strategy and transformation.
The complete list of winners can be found at: wcwawards.com
