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Sylvia Falzon, is the winner of the National Australia Bank's inaugural award for "Women in Banking and Financial Services - Leadership and Innovation". The award is one of nine organised by the Swinburne University of Technology's National Centre for Gender and Cultural Diversity, which honours achievements of women in non-traditional areas. A Bachelor of Business and a Masters of Industrial Relations, Sylvia began her career in the financial services industry at AXA in 1983. She joined Melbourne-based Alpha Investment Management three years ago where she is responsible for client services, business development and operations and is also company secretary. National Bank EGM, People & Culture, Peter McKinnon, said the award reflected the important role played by Ms Falzon in moving Alpha from a start-up company just three years ago to a $750 million funds manager and her depth of experience in the financial services industry. In addition to her role at Alpha, Ms Falzon is active in numerous professional bodies. These include membership of the Victorian State Government Finance & Consultative Committee, chair of the Funds Management and Superannuation Sub Committee, and deputy director of the Emergency Services Superannuation Scheme and member of the Melbourne Financial Services Task Force. Ms Falzon's role as an advocate for women also contributed to her win. "In 2000 she was appointed to the Victorian Women in Super Management Committee and chairs the Breast Cancer Committee of the Peter MacCullum Cancer Institute," says Mr McKinnon. "More recently, her decision to develop her Master of Industrial Relations thesis, Retirement Incomes: Will women have enough? as a handbook in schools is another example of her desire to improve the financial well-being of women. "The National is committed to becoming a more diverse organisation and association with these awards is part of that process," he said.
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