The Top 100 Women in Construction 2026 list has recognised a wide-ranging group of senior professionals whose leadership is helping shape the direction of Australia’s construction industry.
Now regarded as one of the sector’s most significant honours for female talent, the list highlights individuals from across the country whose work spans engineering, project management, commercial strategy, operations, legal affairs and executive leadership.
This year’s list underscores just how varied the paths to leadership in construction have become. Rather than following a single career trajectory, the women recognised have reached senior positions through a broad mix of technical, operational and strategic roles, reflecting the many ways influence can be built within the industry.
Among this year’s honourees are several long-serving Board directors from the Australian Constructors Association (ACA), whose inclusion on the list reflects years of contribution to the peak body representing major construction contractors.
ACA President Annabel Crookes said the recognition was a source of pride for the organisation, not because of the seniority of the positions the directors hold, but because of the influence they continue to have across the sector.
“The fact that the long-standing women on the ACA Board have been recognised is something we’re incredibly proud of, not because of the positions they hold, but because of the impact they are having across our industry,” said Crookes.
She noted that the ACA directors honoured this year bring expertise from a wide range of disciplines, including chief executive roles as well as leadership in engineering, project management, legal, commercial, operational and people functions.
This breadth, she said, illustrates the many different routes women have taken to reach senior levels within the industry.
“It shows there are many pathways to leadership in construction,” said Crookes.
The ACA introduced a requirement in 2019 that member companies appointing two representatives to its Board nominate at least one woman, a policy formally embedded into the ACA Constitution in 2025.
The growing presence of women in leadership roles across ACA member companies has also coincided with the Culture Pledge, an industry commitment launched in 2023 to improve workplace culture, gender diversity and flexibility across the sector.
With several leaders from a single organisation featured on this year’s list, the 2026 Top 100 Women in Construction recognition highlights how sustained commitments to diversity can translate into visible, national-level outcomes for the individuals and companies involved.
