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Other Passions

January

The writer who got fired – and turned it into a cabaret show

After a career in fashion, Glynis Traill-Nash returned to her first love of singing – but made sure to bring the stunning gowns with her.

  • Lauren Sams

December 2024

The retail boss who is obsessed with Christmas

American Glen Schlehuber had to learn Australian festive traditions and embrace the warm weather. But once he did, he never looked back.

  • Lauren Sams

November 2024

Sarah Munro spends her days making fine jewellery at her company, Sarah & Sebastian. When she’s off the tools, you can find her scuba diving.

The hobby that taught this jeweller to slow down

Sarah Munro takes inspiration from her scuba diving adventures for her Sarah & Sebastian jewellery collections.

  • Daniel Arbon

October 2024

Sabri Suby in his sauna. “The ice bath is forced meditation – it’s all about the breathing and it 
really centres you. It quietens the chatter and cleans the slate.”

Why this Young Rich Lister swears by a daily ice bath and sauna

Sabri Suby’s nightly sauna and ice bath routine might sound like an ordeal, but he calls it “forced meditation”.

  • Michael Bailey

August 2024

The retro game that has this company boss hooked

Easy to understand but difficult to master, Rummikub is more than just a game for Sarah Harris Gould, co-founder of Harris Tapper.

  • Lauren Sams
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July 2024

Henrik Isaksson at the Sydney Game Fishing Club jetty in Watsons Bay. “The catching of the fish itself is fun, but it’s just part of the experience – there is no better way to experience nature.”

This managing director caught a 300kg marlin – and threw it back

During the week, Henrik Isaksson runs the local arm of podcasting giant Acast. On the weekend, he’s into casting of a very different kind.

  • Michael Bailey

June 2024

Why everyone hands this CEO the wine list at restaurants

Not everyone can tell the grape variety, age and region of a wine – but advertising executive Michael Rebelo has the sommelier certificate to prove it.

  • Sam Buckingham-Jones

May 2024

Why Shakespeare matters to Rich Lister Katie Page

“We all quote Shakespeare all the time, whether we know it or not.” The Harvey Norman CEO – and Rich Lister – has a lifelong love for The Bard.

  • Michael Bailey

April 2024

Fraser McNaughton at North Curl Curl rock pool in Sydney.

This executive just swam his first lap at 49

Fraser McNaughton can count on one hand the number of times he has swum in the ocean since he moved to Australia 17 years ago. But that’s all about to change.

  • Lisa Murray

March 2024

The greatest lesson she’s learnt from horse riding? “That horses will mirror your behaviour – and that applies to business, too.”

The Nike exec who literally jumped hurdles to climb the career ladder

After sleeping in a horse float and training for eventing, Sandra Hore finds horse riding provides plenty of lessons about life and business.

  • Lauren Sams

February 2024

Yew’s Humvee came from a fire station in North Dakota.

How movies inspire this crypto investor’s rare car collection

For Jeff Yew, founder of a bitcoin-focused fund, Humvees and Skylines get his heart racing.

  • Jessica Sier

January 2024

The surprising hobby that helps Toys R Us’ CEO shut off

High on Penny Cox’s to-do list as she returns to Melbourne to take charge of the struggling Australian toy company is finding a choir.

  • Lisa Murray

December 2023

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 2023

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 2023

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
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August 2023

Justin Levis in his custom-made Cue driving suit.

‘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 2023

David Flack in his Flack Studio office in Fitzroy.

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 2023

‘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 2023

‘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 2023

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

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/other-passions-1n40