Tom Leis Awarded Young Achiever Award 2025
Every two years, Ausure awards the Young Achiever Award to one of its aspiring ARs who have shown exceptional growth, drive and passion in their roles and the industry as a whole. The award is reserved for Ausure ARs under the age of 35 who are active within the Insurance industry and the Ausure community.
The 2025 recipient, Tom Leis from Reg Leis Insurance Services, located in Gympie, was recognised for not only the above but the continued personal and professional development Tom has exhibited over the past two years, which has been noted by the Ausure head office team, along with other leaders in the insurance industry.
Adam Sloan, General Manager – Development at Ausure along with Steve Talbot of QNect/ QBE, presented Tom with the award on the awards gala evening.
“Massive congratulations to Tom Leis on winning the Ausure Young Achiever Award. From where I sit, watching his journey in insurance has been incredible. He’s built such a strong reputation among his peers, insurers, and other industry leaders. The future’s definitely bright for Tom, and his drive—especially his motivation to do right by his clients and his family—is truly inspiring.
“This year, we had an amazing pool of emerging talent to choose from, and it’s awesome to see that Ausure’s future is looking so strong. Just 10 years ago, it was rare to find under-35s with real promise—now we have over 40 people in the group showing just how much talent is out there.
I also want to give a shout-out to Michael Hooper and Lachlan North, who were also finalists and definitely stood out. It was tough to pick between such talented individuals. I’m excited to see what the future holds for these young achievers and where this award goes in the coming years.“
Tom spoke with the Ausure team after accepting the award at the Ausure 2025 conference, sharing,
“Not many kids grow up dreaming of working in insurance; honestly, I didn’t either. Growing up, I was very fortunate to have parents who were happy to support me with any career ambition… Except teaching. Mum (teacher) said I definitely shouldn’t be a teacher. I started helping out here and there while finishing uni and was really lucky to learn a lot from my experienced colleagues about all things insurance.”
When asked what has motivated him to succeed in the industry, Tom continued,
“The standard set by my family before me. Since 1968, our family has been doing insurance in Gympie. We have many long-term clients, and I want to deliver the same level of care to them that my grandparents Reg and Jeanette, and my parents Reg and Nikki, have for the past 57 years.
My colleagues at Reg Leis Insurance Services, Kath, Lachie and Yve, are fantastic, and they make for such a brilliant work environment where we are genuinely pushing each other to deliver value. My wife, Zara, is also very accomplished in her own field and still very ambitious for her future. “All of these (and a mortgage) make for great motivation to go to work.”
Tom’s continued growth within the industry and his professional success throughout the years have not been without challenges.
“It would probably be easy to say not being taken seriously due to age has been challenging; however, the amount of support and encouragement Michael Hooper, Lachlan North [in spirit], and I received on the Ausure awards night shows just how keen the industry is to get behind its young members,” Tom said.
“The Insurance industry has typically been for someone with a few more years of wisdom [read: older], but that seems to be shifting. The 2025 Ausure Conference was a great example of that, with many young professionals attending and engaging. Experience is so important in insurance broking, especially with so many niche parts to the industry. There is a colossal amount of information to be learnt, which is a continual challenge, so jumping in the deep end as a young entrant to the industry is the best thing you can do.
“As far as unique challenges go, probably not too many people work with their parents, which has been the last 7 years for me. Luckily, our office is a decent-sized Queenslander, and we can all spread out. In all seriousness though, I do enjoy the family dynamic at Reg Leis Insurance Services and am proud to be a part of the team.” Tom continued.
Perspectives for the Future
The experience that Tom has gained through working in the family business at a young age, as well as the exposure he has had through the Ausure network and industry events, has provided Tom with a modern approach to the industry as a whole.
When asked what fresh perspectives he could bring to products, services or general client care, Tom highlighted, “A name change for CTP (Compulsory Third Party) or much better advertising on its coverage would be highly beneficial. It is mind-blowing how misunderstood CTP is and how under-utilised Third Party Property Damage cover is. Additionally, more advertising focus on coverage & customer experience as opposed to price. How many people do you hear boasting about how cheap their helmet, parachute, brakes, airbags were?”
When asked what advice he would give to other young professionals looking to make an impact in insurance? Tom shared, “You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to be real.”
Previous winners of the Young Achiever Award include Ausure Insurance Services’ Rutherford Street Insurance Services Principal Josh Legudi and Ausure Insurance Solutions – NSW’s Managing Director Josh Watson.
Thank you also to the 2025 finalists:
Lachlan North (ABICO Insurance Brokers)
Michael Hooper (Bridgewise Insurance Brokers)