The National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) has received a record 96 nominations for the Vero-backed 2026 NIBA Young Broker of the Year award, as its 2026 national awards program for brokers continues across Australia. The Young Broker nominations, submitted from across the country, follow NIBA’s February opening of entries for both the 2026 Broker of the Year and Young Broker of the Year awards.
The national winners are scheduled to be announced at the NIBA Convention on the Gold Coast from Oct. 18 to 20. NIBA chief executive officer Richard Klipin said the nomination level indicates the position the Young Broker category holds in the broking market. “Receiving 96 nominations this year is a fantastic result and a strong reflection of the elevated standing of this award across the profession. It shows how deeply our profession values the contribution of young brokers,” Klipin said.
Anthony Pagano, head of distribution at Vero, connected the nomination numbers to the insurer’s long-running involvement with the program. “For 37 years, Vero has been proud to partner with NIBA to champion emerging talent, and this yearʼs record nominations show the strong regard this award continues to command across the profession. It is exciting to see so many outstanding brokers under 35 recognised by their peers and workplaces as future leaders,” Pagano said. The Young Broker of the Year award forms part of NIBA’s framework for recognising both senior and early-career practitioners through regional and national stages.
For 2026, NIBA is again running its awards across five regions: New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia/Northern Territory, Victoria/Tasmania, and Western Australia. Entrants first compete at regional level, with each region producing a Broker of the Year and Young Broker of the Year winner who then progresses to national judging. Nominations for both awards opened on Feb. 9.
The program schedule includes written submissions, shortlisting, and state-based panel interviews around May, followed by announcements of regional winners at NIBA’s Gala Lunch Series between July 8 and 24. Attendees at the July Gala Lunches will be able to meet their state Young Broker finalists. State winners in both categories are then expected to participate in national interviews and other program activities ahead of the convention in October, where the national Broker of the Year and Young Broker of the Year will be named.
The 2026 Broker of the Year Award, sponsored by CGU and named in honour of former NIBA president and JLT Australia chairman Stephen Ball, is open to senior brokers who meet specified membership, education, and experience criteria. To be eligible, nominees must be NIBA members with Qualified Practising Insurance Broker (QPIB) or Fellow designation, hold a full Diploma of Insurance Broking, have at least three of the past five years’ broking experience in Australia, and be available to participate in key activities, including state interviews, Gala Lunches, and national events. Past entrants may nominate again, but previous state or national winners are not eligible.
The assessment framework for Broker of the Year follows defined stages: online nomination via the NIBA website, a written submission against published criteria, shortlisting, state-based panel interviews, state winner announcements, and national panel interviews. At regional level, written submissions account for 25% of the assessment, with a three-person panel interview contributing the remaining 75%. State Broker of the Year winners are also scheduled to attend the CGU On-Country Immersive Experience and Capability Building Workshop, a three-day, two-night program that includes travel to regional locations and engagement with Indigenous partner organisations. The national Broker of the Year will undertake an executive education short course at NYU Stern School of Business in the April to June 2027 intake, or a similar course at a London-based business school nominated by CGU.
The Young Broker of the Year Award, supported by Vero, is open to brokers aged 35 and under and was established in 1990 in honour of Warren Tickle, the former Insurance Commissioner associated with the Insurance (Agents & Brokers) Act 1984. The category is designed for brokers in the earlier stages of their careers. To qualify, nominees must be individual NIBA members with at least Associate status (Associate, QPIB or Fellow); hold Tier 1 in insurance broking and be enrolled in the Diploma of Insurance Broking; have at least three of the last five years’ broking experience in Australia; be 35 or under in the year of entry; and be available for the key dates in the program. Previous entrants may reapply, but former state or national Young Broker winners are ineligible.
Regional Young Broker winners are selected through written submissions and state panel interviews and then participate in a series of development and assessment activities in partnership with Vero. These activities include the Vero professional development series, delivered virtually and featuring industry practitioners, and joint work on a $25,000 Vero-funded community grant initiative in a community affected by a weather-related event. State winners also join the Vero Young Broker Alumni Experience, a three-day program held at the prior year’s grant recipient location, with sessions on leadership, resilience, and community engagement. Alumni later return with Vero to visit the funded community and review how the project has been implemented.
At national level, assessment for Young Broker of the Year combines three components: participation in the professional development program (25%), contribution to the Vero Young Broker Alumni Experience (25%) and a national panel interview (50%). The national Young Broker of the Year receives a Vero-funded learning and development package valued at $10,000, which can be used for further education or training. In the 2025 program, NIBA named Caleb Richards of Gallagher as Broker of the Year and James Still of Still Insured as Young Broker of the Year. The 2026 state and national winners will follow them when this year’s awards series concludes in October.
