This Month
This M&A lawyer does deals by day – and Christmas lights by night
To calm nerves during negotiations, Tony Damian talks about his surprising hobby – Christmas lights. In December, you can see his house from a plane.
- Lisa Murray
November
How skills learnt playing chess have helped this business owner
When jewellery designer Alina Barlow’s dad taught her to play, she loved it straight away.
- Lauren Sams
October
This Young Rich Lister loves psychedelics, crypto – and art
Prash Puspanathan, an early adopter of cryptocurrency, has commissioned a giant robot for his pool.
- Michael Bailey
August
‘Get scared, you crash’: The fashion boss who races in a Porsche
He’s been obsessed with motor racing since he was a young child. Now Cue’s Justin Levis is a regular on the racetrack – but there have been scary moments, too.
- Lauren Sams
July
This designer has 300 indoor plants (but there’s one he can’t grow)
David Flack of Flack Studio has filled his office with greenery. So at the end of days, you’ll find him there – with a watering can in hand.
- Lucy Dean
June
‘I can taste what I’m drawing’: Why this chef sketches his meals first
People say food is art, says Ross Lusted, but he reckons it’s craft. Picturing dishes beforehand “fast-tracks a lot of the experimental process”, he says.
- Matthew Drummond
May
‘It’s very rich’: The billionaire who loves to bake her specialty cake
Nechama Werdiger is known for her 14-layer Napoleon cake but it’s her streusel cake that her 28 grandchildren and almost 100 great-grandchildren love best.
- Lauren Sams
April
This BDO boss is a poet (and most of his colleagues don’t know it)
Accountant Grant Saxon’s love for writing poetry started when he was a young child and grew as he became known for his messages in going-away cards.
- Patrick Durkin
March
Why Princess Diana’s hairdresser loves gardening (but not hedges)
Sam McKnight famously chopped off the royal’s Sloane Ranger bob for a slicked-back ’90s cut. These days he’s cutting a different path.
- Updated
- Lauren Sams
‘Power to control’: why this chef is hooked on jiu-jitsu
Aside from the kitchens at his three restaurants, Alessandro Pavoni’s other happy place is the gym.
- Updated
- Philippa Coates
February
This boss loved skydiving. Then she took it a step further
When not leading the Asia-Pacific division of global tech company, Charlie Hales likes jumping out of small planes – and learning to pilot them.
- Philippa Coates
January
How tarot cards help this company founder (even when hiring)
For Savage River writer and producer Polly Staniford, tarot card reading has parallels to the craft of storytelling.
- Philippa Coates
December 2022
Lessons learnt kiteboarding that this Polestar boss takes to work
As an evolving sport, it attracts innovative people with sustainability in mind, says Samantha Johnson.
- Samantha Hutchinson
October 2022
Why Elvis was an early disruptor, according to a Young Rich Lister
To Aaron Hornlimann, Elvis Presley was someone who was willing to think differently, act differently, and break the mould radically. That’s why he’s a fan.
- Julie-anne Sprague
August 2022
‘Old-school sportsmanship’: how a retro game hooked this company owner
Hagon Workroom director Edwina Hagon reckons playing squash has honed her business acumen.
- Lauren Sams
July 2022
Designer travels the world to surf, but says the best waves are here
Adam Goodrum started surfing as a child by making his own leg rope and a billycart to get his board to the beach. He has no plans to abandon the waves yet.
- Stephen Todd
June 2022
This leader’s retirement dream includes a room-sized train set
In her future, soprano and composer Deborah Cheetham sees a shed or a barn or a room “completely and utterly devoted” to a Middle Earth locomotion extravaganza.
- Philippa Coates
May 2022
- No.175
- Rich List
How meditation helped this Rich Lister decide to sell a $3.1b company
West Australian mining entrepreneur Kerry Harmanis has been practising the calming technique since the 1970s.
- Julie-anne Sprague
April 2022
How sailing helped this business leader navigate the boardroom
Nicola Wakefield Evans forged a successful career in a traditionally male domain. And she puts much of it down to having learnt yachting as a girl.
- Philippa Coates
March 2022
This fashionista invests in perfume (and a $1k scent is on her list)
Fashion designer Desiree Deravi says scent is both an accessory and an investment – especially when it comes to her two “holy grail” fragrances.
- Lauren Sams
