Leading the next generation
Corporate intrapreneurs, AI founders and purpose-led entrepreneurs are reshaping South Australia’s business landscape — and the 40 Under 40 Awards are helping make their stories visible.
When the InDaily 40 Under 40 Awards open each year, they do more than spotlight individual achievement. They capture a snapshot of modern leadership in South Australia – who is shaping it, how they’re doing it and why ambition no longer fits a single mould. Among the program’s alumni are women who have built global companies, led at regional and international levels and redefined what influence looks like from this state.
For Stephanie McConachy, founder of Nine Lemons Feng Shui, recognition came during a very different chapter of her career. Before launching her consultancy, she spent 16 years in corporate marketing, most recently as director, Asia Pacific clients and markets at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“I was building and leading an Asia Pacific function from Victor Harbor, working remotely across time zones and cultures,” she says. “I wanted to demonstrate that high-level global leadership can be driven from regional South Australia. It felt important to put forward a different model of leadership – one that combined global impact with regional living.”
Named in the 40 Under 40 during her corporate tenure, McConachy says the recognition was deeply validating – particularly because it acknowledged leadership within an existing structure rather than a start-up story.
“It validated that you can build something just as meaningful inside a big organisation as you can starting your own company,” she says.
The application process itself proved powerful. “I didn’t assume I would be selected, but I felt proud of the work I had done and wanted to put in my application,” she says. “Writing my application made me pause for a moment and look at the impact and what I had done. We so often just move onto the next things without that reflection.”
That reflection became a throughline in her next chapter. After more than a decade-long interest in feng shui – deepened while living in Singapore, where the practice is integrated strategically into business, architecture and city planning – McConachy formally trained as a certified practitioner following her return to Australia.
In July 2025, she established Nine Lemons Feng Shui full-time, bringing together corporate strategy, lived experience and classical feng shui principles. “We often talk about mind, body and soul, but what about our environment?” she says.
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Today, she works with high-performing women and business leaders who want their homes and workspaces to support clarity, leadership and growth.
She credits the 40 Under 40 alumni network as one of the program’s most enduring benefits.
“Access to other founders, executives and decision-makers across the state has been incredibly valuable,” she says. “It expanded my visibility beyond my industry and created credibility when launching Nine Lemons. The recognition gave me confidence to pivot industries, knowing I had already proven my leadership capability at scale.”
For McConachy, the awards remain vital. “ They shine a light on people doing important work who might not otherwise get seen,” she says. “They highlight leadership happening inside corporates, start-ups, regional areas and family businesses. They’re changing the conversation about what leadership can look like – and who gets to lead.”
Michelle Perugini’s story reflects another dimension of that narrative – globally ambitious, deeply technical and commercially scaled from South Australia.
Perugini was recognised for her work as co-founder and CEO of Presagen, an Australian artificial intelligence company applying advanced machine learning to healthcare and life sciences. One of its flagship products, Life Whisperer, was an AI-based embryo selection platform used in IVF clinics to support clinical decision-making.
Developed and commercialised from South Australia, Life Whisperer was adopted by clinics in more than 40 countries. In 2024, following international expansion, it was successfully acquired. Presagen subsequently merged to form Qubigen, focused on applying federated AI to drug discovery while preserving data privacy. Perugini now chairs the board of Qubigen and serves as director of research translation and commercialisation at Adelaide University, as well as CEO of AU Ventures.
“I applied because I believed strongly in the work I was doing at the time and wanted to help shine a light on the kind of globally ambitious, innovation-driven businesses being built in South Australia,” she says.
“It was also an opportunity to step outside my comfort zone. Like many women, I didn’t automatically see myself as someone who ‘should’ apply – which is exactly why I felt it was important to do so.”
Her expectations were modest. “I saw it as a chance to meet other driven people, hear different stories and be part of a broader business community. I didn’t go in expecting recognition so much as connection and learning.”
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What stood out most was the cohort itself. “It felt less like a competition and more like a celebration of ambition and contribution,” she says.
While there were more men than women overall, she found the female cohort “strong, visible, and influential”, spanning diverse industries and leadership styles that challenged narrow stereotypes of success.
Being named in the 40 was, she says, “deeply affirming”.
“Building innovative companies, especially in complex, technical fields can be isolating, and external validation can matter more than we sometimes admit. It also felt like recognition not just of me, but of the teams, collaborators and ecosystem that made the work possible.”
Like McConachy, Perugini points to network and credibility as tangible outcomes. “It expanded my network significantly, both within South Australia and beyond,” she says.
“The credibility that comes with the recognition opened doors to conversations, partnerships, and leadership opportunities that might otherwise have taken much longer to access. On a personal level, it helped me back myself more confidently in senior and strategic roles.”
Both women believe the awards play a broader role in shifting perception – particularly for women building ambitious careers from this state.
“Programs like 40 Under 40 play an important role in visibility and confidence-building,” Perugini says. “They help people see what’s possible, connect across industries and realise that ambition doesn’t require leaving South Australia. They also help shift the narrative particularly for women around who gets to be seen as a leader.”
McConachy agrees. “Most high achievers underestimate their impact because they are focused on what’s next rather than what they’ve built,” she says. “Even if you don’t make the final 40, the process clarifies your own story.”
As nominations open for the 2026 cohort, their advice is simple – and emphatic.
“Apply,” McConachy says.
“Apply, even if you’re unsure, even if you feel ‘not ready’ – especially if you feel that way,” Perugini adds. “Your story, impact and leadership style matter.”
Nominations for the 40 Under 40 Awards close on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Nominate someone or submit you application today.
