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Business People of the Year

This Month

Meet our Business People of the Year | GDP grumpiness | CBA’s rare slip

This week on the Chanticleer podcast, James and AFR Editor-in-Chief James Chessell take you inside the AFR’s Business Person of the Year awards, examine business’ angst over the economy and look at an uncharacteristic political blunder by the Commonwealth Bank.

The (ex) tax man and the billionaire: Robin Khuda says he’s tackled his ATO kerfuffle.

Trophies and sequins as Australia’s business leaders gonged

A $70,000 Rolex and a sequined jacket show life is sweet for the victors, though the path isn’t always smooth.

  • Updated
  • Myriam Robin and Mark Di Stefano
Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary and former jockey Michelle Payne.

What Cleary and Payne can teach us about winning (and Armstrong can’t)

Penrith Panthers head coach Ivan Cleary, Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne and mindset coach Ben Crowe share their secrets to success.

  • Campbell Kwan and Joanne Tran
The founders of Chemist Warehouse, Jack and Sam Gance, on Wednesday night.

The one key lesson for family firms from Chemist Warehouse founders

After building a $30 billion pharmacy giant, brothers Jack and Sam Gance say the secret to a thriving business comes down to decision-making.

  • Joanne Tran
Khuda

Khuda’s plan to turn AirTrunk into a $100b-plus company

Robin Khuda believes injecting billions into Asian economies will open more doors to exponential growth for the data centre behemoth.

  • Campbell Kwan
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Robin Khuda.

He’s inked a $24b deal but AirTrunk’s Robin Khuda is only getting started

The AirTrunk founder, who shares the Business Person of the Year title, came from nowhere to inking the global deal of the year in nine years. But he’s not done.

  • James Thomson
Leah Weckert, Coles chief executive,
has been named one AFR Business People of the Year.

Weckert stamps her mark on Coles amid tumultuous year for supermarkets

Leah Weckert, one of the Business People of the Year for 2024, has fared well amid a barrage of criticism from politicians over grocery prices.

  • Carrie LaFrenz
SGH’s Ryan Stokes has deleted the “Seven” from the group’s name, reflecting just how small its media business is relative to its mining, infrastructure and construction materials interests.

Ryan Stokes out-works, out-earns rivals to take SGH to new highs

The SGH chief, one of The Australian Financial Review Business People of the Year for 2024, is renowned as one of the hardest-working CEOs in Australian big business.

  • Anthony Macdonald
Matt Comyn, CEO of CBA, is one of the AFR Business People of the Year.
Supplied

Matt Comyn finds his voice – and delivers for shareholders

The CEO has driven the Commonwealth Bank from strength to strength, propelling him on to the 2024 The Australian Financial Review Business People of the Year list.

  • James Eyers
Greg Goodman has made a big pivot towards data centres.

Greg Goodman turns his company into a data centre powerhouse

The billionaire’s push to meet the booming demand for data storage lands him a place on the 2024 The Australian Financial Review Business People of the Year list.

  • Larry Schlesinger
Canva’s Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht have made important changes that should set it up for a big public listing.

Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht take Canva to the next level

The founders were busier than ever before their bumper US listing, nailing some early challenges to propel them onto the Business People of the Year list.

  • Paul Smith

‘Focused, consistent’: How milk bar kids built $30b Chemist Warehouse

Chemist Warehouse founders Mario Verrocchi and Jack and Sam Gance have been named joint Business Person of the Year, alongside AirTrunk’s Robin Khuda.

  • Anthony Macdonald
Back row, from left: Ryan Stokes, Robin Khuda, Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, Matt Comyn. Front row from left: Leah Weckert, Greg Goodman, Jack Gance, Sam Gance and Mario Verrocchi.

Business Person awards celebrate founder success

AirTrunk and Chemist Warehouse’s founder stories underline the importance of innovative and risk-taking entrepreneurship, perceptiveness, and persistence to build wealth- and job-creating enterprises.

  • The AFR View

Humble starts, billion-dollar deals unite Business Person of the Year winners

Founders of Chemist Warehouse Jack Gance, Sam Gance and Mario Verrocchi, and AirTrunk’s Robin Khuda take the top prize for 2024.

  • James Thomson

December 2023

Boris Johnson at the Business Person of the Year awards.

Why Boris Johnson thinks a Trump win would be good for the world

Former British PM talks about his biggest regret, political ghosts and a host of other topics at The Australian Financial Review Business Person of the Year event.

  • Jennifer Hewett
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Gina Rinehart is the Australian Financial Review’s Business Person of the Year.

Rinehart calls for tax cuts, criticises renewables and ‘eyesore’ solar panels

Gina Rinehart, named The Australian Financial Review Business Person of the Year, demanded a cut to taxes, while Boris Johnson spoke in defence of Donald Trump.

  • Edmund Tadros and Maxim Shanahan
Sam Hupert says it’s not in Pro Medicus’ DNA to act like a big corporate.

How Sam Hupert turned Pro Medicus into an understated giant

With a team of just 115 people and an understated approach to business, the healthtech co-founder has created an Australian success story. 

  • James Thomson
Gina Rinehart is The Australian Financial Review’s Business Person of the Year for 2023.

Gina Rinehart looks to life beyond the rivers of cash from iron ore

The mining magnate, crowned The Australian Financial Review Business Person of the Year, is recognised for the role she has played in shaping Australia’s economy.

  • Brad Thompson
Robin Khuda launched AirTrunk in 2015, fuelled by a vision of the tremendous growth inherent in the data storage sector as demand for computing power skyrocketed.

AirTrunk’s Robin Khuda super-charges the data centre sector

In the space of eight years, AirTrunk has built 11 data centres in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, with more in the pipeline.

  • Nick Lenaghan
Mark Delaney’s restless spirit has helped him grow AustralianSuper to $310 billion in assets under management.

AusSuper’s Delaney ready to re-shape capital markets

AustralianSuper is a pioneer, builder and now a stirrer after blocking the takeover of Origin Energy. Chief investment officer Mark Delaney has seen it all.

  • Anthony Macdonald

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/business-people-of-the-year-1ncn