The five most powerful Australian tech leaders in 2025
AFR Magazine’s hotly anticipated Power issue includes lists of the key players across five industry sectors. Here are the nation’s leaders in tech this year.
Scott Farquhar, Robyn Denholm and Melanie Perkins.
The rise of increasingly capable artificial intelligence has been the big business and societal story of the year, and Australia’s most influential techies are still figuring out the rules of engagement.
Australia doesn’t have an AI company of globally significant proportions, but the local sector’s leading lights are doing everything in their power to climb aboard the train to ensure they are winners, not victims, in the new era. Funding for local technology companies has begun increasing again after a few fallow years. Australia’s venture capital sector is still anxiously awaiting a United States listing at Canva, which would confirm it had birthed its first global star.
Paul SmithTechnology editorPaul Smith edits the technology coverage and has been a leading writer on the sector for 20 years. He covers big tech, business use of tech, the fast-growing Australian tech industry and start-ups, telecommunications and national innovation policy. Connect with Paul on Twitter. Email Paul at psmith@afr.com
