Adelaide University’s entrepreneur in residence Kristian Livolsi resigns after Wallabies lie was exposed
KRISTIAN Livolsi has resigned all of his roles with Adelaide University’s business faculty including his role as ThincLab’s entrepreneur in residence, The Advertiser understands.
- Adelaide University employed Kristian Livolsi in 2017
- He markets himself as “an authentic leader” and “an inspiration”
- But this month we revealed he was embroiled in a $30,000 dispute
- And lied about captaining an Australian junior rugby team
KRISTIAN Livolsi has resigned all of his roles with Adelaide University’s business faculty including his role as ThincLab’s entrepreneur in residence, The Advertiser understands.
It is understood from a number of sources that Mr Livolsi has sent a letter to the University resigning as of the end of the month.
In addition to his ThincLab role, Mr Livolsi was an adjunct professor in the Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre and was on the board of the business school.
Mr Livolsi has not replied to attempts to contact him and the University has made no comment at this stage.
The Advertiser revealed earlier this month that Mr Livolsi lied about captaining the Australian Junior Wallabies rugby team during a presentation he made in Adelaide, saying the “off the cuff” claim was “a silly comment on my part’’.
The Advertiser also was unable to corroborate a claim that Mr Livolsi sold a company to Google, “losing $20 million in the process’’.
The Advertiser also reported previous to that, that Mr Livolsi’s burger bar, The Taxpayer, on Victoria Square, had closed its doors over a $30,000 rent dispute with the landlord, with the landlord seizing the fixed assets of the business, and also reported that Mr Livolsi’s businesses had left each other positive reviews on Facebook.
Mr Livolsi told The Advertiser earlier this month the rugby remarks were regrettable.
“I have mentioned my rugby career in the past, however I did not play for the Junior Wallabies or captain them,” Mr Livolsi said in a statement.
“I’m sorry that I made that comment off the cuff once over 18 months ago … it was a silly comment on my part. I did however love my time playing rugby and was proud of the short career I had.”
Regarding his claim to have sold a company to Google, Mr Livolsi said he was unable to comment on specifics due to confidentiality agreements.
“I have been open about my past failures, and it is common knowledge that I had a significant financial loss some years ago,’’ he said in a statement.
“It was a total business group failure that occurred for a perfect storm of reasons, all of which I have learned from and now strive daily to contribute positively to our community, and be the best person I can be for myself and for my family.
“I have openly commented about being selling (sic) to Google, however confidentiality clauses prevent me from any specific disclosure on the subject.’’
The Advertiser cannot find any record of such a transaction. A list of more than 200 company acquisitions — with all of the companies named — by Google and parent company Alphabet, found on Wikipedia, contains just two companies from Australia from 2001 until 2018.
At the time of his appointment as entrepreneur in residence in late 2017, the University said Mr Livolsi was “by his own admission … an expert in failure and renewal”.
“In 2008, he led companies with a turnover in excess of $30 million,’’ the press release says.
“By early 2010, his fortunes had changed — he was penniless, homeless and couch surfing,
relying on the generosity of others, and seeking treatment for depression. However, by 2013, he had relaunched his entrepreneurial career and now oversees a number of successful entrepreneurial ventures and businesses.’’
Mr Livolsi and the University have been contacted for comment.
cameron.england@news.com.au