Sydney’s iconic Restaurant Hubert set the stage for an evening with some of Australia’s most influential women gathered for the final Women in Travel Power List dinner of 2025.
A final soiree and celebration of the year before the new list is announced at then Awards on 3 December, the subterranean glow of the French-style brasserie proved the perfect backdrop.
Among the guests was Karen Merricks, a trailblazer who reshaped the Australian travel landscape long before flexible work was fashionable. As the co-founder of Mobile Travel Agents (MTA), Karen built a model that gave advisors – especially mothers – the chance to combine professional ambition with family life. Decades later, her foresight has been validated many times over. Following the recent full sale of MTA to Helloworld Travel Limited, Merricks remains a symbol of innovation and tenacity – proof that one visionary idea can transform an industry.
The guest list read like a who’s-who of the Australian travel trade. Deb Corbett, CEO of Ponant Australia, ever the raconteur, brought her signature energy; Shelley Poten, managing director of Albatross Tours, hosted the evening with her trademark generosity and charm. Around the table sat Lisa Pile, managing director of Regent Seven Seas Cruises; Michelle Black, managing director of Viking Cruises Australia & New Zealand; Danni Galloway, managing director of Luxury Brands, Flight Centre Travel Group; Kara Glamore; Karen Deveson, managing director of Collette Travel Australia; Yvette Thompson, general manager – Sales & Marketing ANZ at Intrepid Travel; and Anne Wild, founder of Anne Wild & Associates, one of the country’s most respected communications consultancies.
Also in attendance were Penny Spencer, managing director of Spencer Travel; Anastazia Uglow, director of The Misfits Media Company and founder of the Tsi Tsi Foundation, a not-for-profit empowering women globally, and Haley Janssens, partnership manager at Travel Weekly.
This was the perfect prequel for the upcoming Women in Travel Awards – the industry’s “Night of Nights” – on 3 December. The annual celebration shines a spotlight on the women whose work continues to elevate the sector, from front-line advisers to global CEOs.
Sharing dinner with these women reminds us that leadership is not about title and status. And if this gathering at Hubert was any indication, the future of travel in Australia remains firmly and brilliantly in the hands of women who know exactly where they’re headed.
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