---
title: Leadership award prompts reflection for Rhianna Farnan
date: 2026-09-28T17:03:00+10:00
author: Courtney Hayles
canonical_url: "https://maib.tas.gov.au/news/leadership-award-prompts-reflection-for-rhianna-farnan"
section: News
---
#  Leadership award prompts reflection for Rhianna Farnan 

 Posted 28 September 2026 | [Article,](https://maib.tas.gov.au/news/article) [Video,](https://maib.tas.gov.au/news/video) [Community](https://maib.tas.gov.au/news/community)

 

 

For Rhianna Farnan, receiving the MAIB Excellence in Leadership Award as part of the 2026 Tasmanian Young Achiever Awards has provided a rare opportunity to stop and reflect on how far she had come.

 

 

 

 

  The Hobart businesswoman and Founder/Director of Derwent Finance was recognised for her leadership in Tasmania’s finance sector and her commitment to creating opportunities and supporting others.

“I suffer from imposter syndrome quite a lot, so I honestly still can’t believe I won the award,” Ms Farnan said.

“Now that things have started to calm down a little, I’ve been able to reflect on what an achievement it is to be recognised for leadership, particularly here in Tasmania.”

Ms Farnan started Derwent Finance with her partner Emmanuel when she was just 19, with little idea at the time of what the business would eventually become.

She said the experience had taught her that good leadership was not about having all the answers.

“Some of the best decisions I’ve made have been surrounding myself with people who are better than me at certain things and giving them the space and trust to do what they do best,” she said.

“I’ve had to learn when to step in, when to step back, when to listen and, probably hardest for me, when to let go of control.”

That people-focused approach has extended beyond the growth of Derwent Finance.

After entering what she found to be a male-dominated finance industry as a young woman, Ms Farnan became passionate about creating opportunities and connections for other women.

She credits two women from Melbourne who took her under their wing early in her career with helping her feel that she belonged in the industry.

“It made me realise how much of a difference it can make when someone simply makes an effort to include you,” she said.

“I didn’t want another young woman entering finance to feel like she had to change who she was to fit in or navigate the industry alone.”

Ms Farnan has also used her growing profile to advocate for financial education and mental health awareness.

Her personal experiences with mental health, along with learning about suicide within the finance industry, led her to establish the Let’s Be There mental health awareness and suicide prevention event.

She is equally passionate about financial literacy and helping young people better understand decisions that can have lasting financial consequences.

 

 

 

  

“I think having a platform comes with a certain amount of privilege,” she said.

“I have the time, resources and financial ability to support causes I care about and I don’t take that for granted.”

For Ms Farnan, leadership also means recognising potential in others and giving people the confidence to pursue it.

“One of the things I enjoy most is seeing potential in someone before they necessarily see it in themselves,” she said.

“Sometimes people just need someone to give them an opportunity, back them and remind them that they are capable of more.

“I’m also a big believer that you can be ambitious and still be kind. The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”

Nine years after starting Derwent Finance, Ms Farnan said the award had encouraged her to appreciate what she and her team had built.

“When I was 19, I thought we were starting a mortgage broking business,” she said.

“I don’t think I realised we were building something that would eventually allow us to create opportunities and make an impact well beyond finance.”

[**Nominations are now open for the 2027 awards.**](https://awardsaustralia.com/young-achiever-awards/tas/)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  [  #### Next post 

### MAIB turns first sod on $84.69 million Supported Accommodation Renewal Project

 
The Motor Accidents Insurance Board (MAIB) is investing $84.69 million to deliver modern, purpose-built supported accommodation facilities across four Tasmanian sites, with the first sod turned today at Kings Meadows.

 

  

 ![MAI Bsod15 Sept](https://maib.tas.gov.au/volumes/images/Images/Articles/_600x600_crop_center-center_none/14914/MAIBsod15Sept.webp) 

 

  ](https://maib.tas.gov.au/news/maib-turns-first-sod-on-84-69-million-supported-accommodation-renewal-project)