Best Practice

You are in Business Excellence ⁄ Best Practice ⁄ Allianz Donna Walker Award winners announced

Allianz Donna Walker Award winners announced

08 Aug 2023

From ANZIIF - Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance

The Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) is delighted to announce the winners of the Allianz Donna Walker Awards.

The awards shine a light on individuals who have contributed significantly to the development of insurance professionalism and promoting diversity and inclusion throughout the industry and were announced at ANZIIF’s Diversity and Inclusion Seminar 29 June.

2023 Allianz Donna Walker Awards Winners

Inspiring Leadership

Natalie Perez, Manager, Internal Audit at IAG, Board Member and Professional Development Director, at ISACA Melbourne Chapter.

Emerging Talent

Kate Murray, Underwriter, Executive and Professional Lines at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance.

The Allianz Donna Walker Awards honour individuals like Natalie Perez and Kate Murray, who exemplify dedication and passion, elevating the insurance industry. ANZIIF congratulates the winners and values all nominees for shaping a stronger and more inclusive industry.

Words from the winners

Kate Murray

Reflecting on her achievement, Emerging Talent winner Kate Murray expressed her heartfelt gratitude, stating, “Winning this award has a very special place in my heart.” Murray watched the live stream of the award announcements with her father, a longstanding and well-respected commercial insurance broker, whose own rewarding insurance career inspired Murray to join the industry.

“This was a lovely moment I got to share with him. He was very proud,” she recalled. Watching the awards ceremony together is one of the last memories Murray has with her father, as he sadly passed away from a terminal illness the day after the award was announced.

Having been truly inspired by winning the Donna Walker Award, Murray encourages others to apply. “I’ve had so many people reach out to tell me that they worked with Donna and what an incredible woman she was,” she says.

Natalie Perez

“I am delighted and honoured to receive the Donna Walker Inspiring Leadership Award. Donna is fondly remembered by my IAG colleagues as a well-loved and highly respected leader who worked passionately to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across the industry,” states Perez.

“As the insurance industry becomes more dynamic through the continuous evolution of technology, this increases the need to consider DEI more thoughtfully as we introduce new products and innovate in engaging our customer,” she adds.

Tags:Kate Murray Natalie Perez

Earn CPD Points

CPD: The Two-Chapter retirement – a framework for understanding retiree psychology
Introduction Why do financially secure retirees still hesitate to spend, or commit to strategies that would clearly improve their outcomes? This article sets out the Two-Chapter Retirement framework, a new [...]
CPD: China’s next phase – what persistent supply-side growth means for global markets
China’s economic trajectory is shifting, but not in the way many had once expected. Consumption-led rebalancing has not materialised. Instead, economic policy continues to emphasise industrial modernisation, aligned with a [...]
CPD: Ethics and client best interests
In financial advice, acting in a client’s best interest isn’t just a regulatory rule, it’s the foundation of a trusting, successful partnership. This article, proudly sponsored by GSFM, examines the [...]
CPD: Capitalising on global growth in the decarbonisation era
Few themes rival the scale, urgency and long-term significance of climate change. Consequently, regions, countries, companies and individuals are taking positive action to decarbonise the planet and work toward net [...]
CPD: Decoding the compliance signals within AFCA’s Lead Decisions
Introduction In February 2026, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), reached a significant milestone when it issued its 1,000th Dixon Advisory determination[1]. Up until that point, this represented the single [...]