First Nations Economics Named Finalist in Two Categories at the Telstra Best of Business Awards

First Nations Economics was today announced as a state finalist in two categories at the highly competitive 2025 Telstra Best of Business Awards: Indigenous Excellence and Accelerating Women. This dual nomination, in combination with the organisation’s recent selection as a finalist in Supply Nation’s Supplier Diversity Awards, underscores the firm’s commitment to walking alongside First Nations communities towards their self-determined prosperity and advancing gender equity through innovative and culturally grounded business practices.

Amongst an extraordinarily talented nomination pool of more than 20,000 applications nationwide, being named a finalist places FNE in the top 1% of businesses recognised in the 2025 Telstra Best of Business Awards and affirms that organisation’s uniquely community-based operating model can shift the paradigms of Australian business towards more inclusive First Nations ways of doing, knowing and being

The Indigenous Excellence award acknowledges FNE’s success as a leading Aboriginal-led enterprise, showcasing its entrepreneurial spirit, innovative strategies, and its role in empowering future generations. The Accelerating Women nomination specifically highlights the firm’s dedicated efforts in dismantling barriers to create meaningful and lasting equity for women within the business landscape.

“Being named a finalist in not one, but two categories for the Telstra Best of Business Awards proves that shifting our focus away from revenue and towards community-determined outcomes can create lasting, sustainable and seismic shifts in outcomes for mob,” said Managing Director, Associate Professor Rick Macourt.

“This recognition is a testament to our team’s hard work and our dedication to not accepting the status quo, but revolutionising the systems imposed on us to be more inclusive and work for everyone. We believe our unique approach, which centres on cultural values and empowering women, is vital for driving true economic and social change. The quality of our work speaks for itself, and the outcomes demonstrate that investing in the community can create a lasting impact. Being a finalist reinforces our commitment to these principles and provides a platform to share our story.”

FNE’s distinctive approach integrates traditional knowledges with contemporary business acumen, ensuring that solutions are not only practical but also culturally appropriate and sustainable. This methodology has been pivotal in their work to elevate both Indigenous enterprises and women in leadership roles.

The Telstra Best of Business Awards celebrate the achievements of small and medium-sized businesses that are making a significant impact on Australia’s financial, cultural, and social landscape.

Gurminder Saro

Interim Chair

Associate Professor Rick Macourt is a proud, queer Gumbaynggirr man, lawyer, and economic specialist. He leads First Nations Economics as Managing Director of Strategy and Foundation and serves as Associate Dean of First Nations Strategy and Services at the University of Sydney.

With over 15 years of experience spanning government, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors, Rick is deeply committed to advancing the economic development of First Peoples. As the former Director of First Nations Expenditure and Outcomes at NSW Treasury, he spearheaded the state’s inaugural Indigenous expenditure reporting processes and established the groundbreaking First Nations budget process in 2021/22. Previously, Rick held an executive role at the Westpac Group, overseeing First Nations affairs, and has a rich history in government, monitoring, evaluation, and negotiation, with senior positions at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, City of Sydney, and Standards Australia.

Rick is a published author with Oxford University Press, a member of the First Nations Advisory Board of Siemens Australia, and a Non-Executive Director on the board of Barnardos Australia.