Suzannah Vaughan

From a sailing career that began at age 16 on the STS Leeuwin to becoming the first female and youngest ever offshore installation manager of an oil-producing facility, Suzannah Vaughan packed a lot into life. The sudden death of the two-time Business News 40under40 Award winner in October 2008 at 35 years of age, while working on an oil and gas installation off the coast of India, was a great loss to the industry and to those who knew and worked with her. Ms Vaughan's career achievements in the traditionally male-dominated offshore oil and gas sector were groundbreaking. The 35-year-old captain had been appointed by a Norway-based company to manage the first floating production storage and offloading vessel to work offshore India, leaving her position with Australia FPSO Management off WA’s north-west coast. Ms Vaughan received a number of accolades in her short career, including last year’s Veuve Clicquot Award, which recognises visionary female business leaders.