Brisbane Entrepreneur Irene Muñoz Named QLD Multicultural Emerging Leader of the Year, Highlighting the Power of Migrant Resilience
Irene Lalana Muñoz, the Founder and CEO of Irela Aqua and Fitness, has been recognized as the Multicultural Emerging Leader of the Year in QLD. This significant accolade celebrates a multicultural Brisbane business leader who has shown outstanding progress early in their career and business endeavors.
The award specifically acknowledges recipients for their notable success in business innovation, the introduction of new products or services, and a commitment to giving back to the community.
Irene Muñoz’s journey to becoming a recognized leader is defined by personal growth and overcoming challenges. Born in Spain, she arrived in Australia in 2019 and achieved Australian citizenship in 2024. Although her childhood dream of competing in the Sydney 2000 Olympics as a swimmer was not realized, the principles of Olympism guided her path, leading her to complete a Bachelor’s in Sport Sciences and a Master’s in Sport Management.
Muñoz emphasizes that her multicultural background, which blends her Spanish heritage with the Australian way of life, forms a core strength of Irela Aqua and Fitness. This background shapes the business’s fitness programs, which support sustainable healthy lifestyle changes, and informs its swimming programs tailored for the migrant community.
Building a Business from Scratch
Irela Aqua and Fitness specializes in serving adult learners, particularly migrant adults, who may not have had the opportunity to learn to swim during childhood. Muñoz explained that many migrants arrive in Australia and realize that swimming is a crucial skill, given that “so much of life here revolves around water”. As a sole trader, Muñoz serves as both a fitness coach and swimming instructor, focusing on providing these adults with the chance to learn how to swim while integrating fitness training.
The business began as a side project during the COVID-19 pandemic. With isolation leading to the closure of gyms and pools, Muñoz started providing personal training, building connections, and working with private clients through online teaching and coaching. She later decided to pursue this work as a full-time career and established her brand.
Reflecting on her win, Muñoz highlighted the theme of resilience. “It is a personal achievement, but it represents all the journey for many entrepreneurs and for me, many migrant people who are right in Australia,” she said.
She noted that migrant individuals arrive in Australia with “dreams, with passion, with knowledge, with experience,” but often “have to start from scratch, and we have to work hard to get recognised and to build our profession, professional path again”. She detailed the difficulties encountered, which include facing not only a different language but also a “different culture, a different tradition, a different work culture, everything that you have to learn, apply, and modify your habits”.
The Road to Recognition
Muñoz’s journey to the award was supported by existing community initiatives. Her path began when she received a scholarship last year funded by the city council, designed to support multicultural individuals in business.
Attending the awards ceremony the previous year, where she witnessed about 300 attendees driven by dreams and passion, was incredibly inspiring. It was at this event that a friend pointed out the absence of finalists from the Latin community and urged Muñoz to apply, insisting she had to be there the following year.
Despite initial skepticism about whether a small local business like hers could compete, she completed the self-nomination process. The application required written answers detailing her work, the challenges faced, the business’s operational length, and how she promotes inclusivity, innovation, and community collaboration. Following the submission, she was shortlisted and interviewed by a judging panel.
Muñoz described the suspense as “thrilling,” noting that finalists were invited to the ceremony and advised via email to prepare a one-minute speech, just in case they won. To her surprise, she was publicly announced as one of the finalists before claiming the top honor at the ceremony.
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