Baker Baynes is proud to announce Anneke Pretorius as the recipient of the Extraordinary Woman in BIM Award 2026, recognising her outstanding leadership, innovation and commitment to advancing digital transformation.  Anneke is a BIM Consultant at Zutari, where she has played a key role in advancing information management, digital delivery and BIM capability across multidisciplinary teams in all Zutari markets.

"Anneke embodies the spirit of the Extraordinary Woman in BIM Award. Her submission demonstrated a rare ability to connect people, process and technology in ways that create meaningful and lasting impact. What distinguished her was not only her technical expertise, but her commitment to mentorship, collaboration and making digital transformation more accessible to others. She is helping shape a future where information management and BIM become enablers of better outcomes, stronger teams and a more connected industry," said Jani Viljoen, Head Judge, Extraordinary Woman in BIM 2026.

The Extraordinary Woman in BIM Award celebrates women who are shaping the future of the industry through innovation, collaboration and excellence in Building Information Modelling. The award recognises individuals who are driving measurable impact while inspiring and empowering others across the built environment.

Anneke was selected for her exceptional contribution across the three pillars of the award: People, Process and Technology. Judges highlighted her ability to bridge the gap between global best practice and practical implementation, helping teams adopt BIM not simply as a software solution, but as a collaborative approach that connects people, processes and technology.

With more than a decade of experience in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction sector, Anneke has become a recognised advocate for structured information management and digital delivery. Through her work at Zutari, she has championed the adoption of ISO 19650 principles, improved digital workflows and helped multidisciplinary teams collaborate more effectively through practical, scalable and people-centred approaches to BIM implementation.

Anneke's contributions to the industry include:

• Simplifying complex BIM standards and translating them into practical ways of working for project teams.
• Developing innovative BIM execution planning approaches embedded within project delivery processes.
• Advancing collaboration through Autodesk and Bentley ecosystems, improving connectivity and information exchange across project teams.
• Creating knowledge-sharing environments and learning initiatives that empower professionals across disciplines.
• Contributing to standards, governance frameworks and best practices that improve consistency, efficiency and information quality.
• Supporting the wider industry through BIM Community Africa, Bentley initiatives and GirlCode Hackathons.

Judges were particularly inspired by Anneke's philosophy that digital transformation succeeds when people are empowered to participate in it, reflecting her commitment to mentorship, capability development and inclusive leadership.

Her work continues to push the boundaries of digital delivery through scalable workflows, automation and connected data environments that support emerging technologies, interoperability and more effective collaboration across the industry.

The Extraordinary Woman in BIM Award recognises women who are helping shape a more connected, inclusive and digitally enabled future for the built environment, and Anneke's contribution stands as a powerful example of what is possible when innovation and people-centred leadership come together.