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Success stories

February

Anthony Seibold

Matt Comyn has a super skill, just ask Anthony Seibold

Manly Sea Eagles head coach Anthony Seibold has forged a close relationship with the Commonwealth Bank CEO. It is a friendship where they learn from each other’s worlds.

Scott Hartley features on this week’s episode of 15 minutes with the Boss podcast.

This CEO was made redundant at 49. Now he runs a $3b company

When Scott Hartley was let go from NAB in his late 40s it came as a shock. But he used the experience to forge a different career path.

January

The brave career move that helped propel Matt Comyn to the top of CBA

The CEO of Australia’s biggest bank reveals pivotal moments in his career – and how much sleep he likes to get.

December 2024

Why Gurner gave up alcohol – and what he learnt

The property developer and wellness entrepreneur has rarely had a drink for 18 months. He doesn’t like what he sees from people who are imbibing.

Australian Museum chief executive Kim McKay.

Why this CEO reckons networking is ‘BS’

For Australian Museum boss Kim McKay, work and life are about having meaningful conversations. Social media chit-chat doesn’t cut it.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

‘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.

November 2024

Sandra McNeil (left), Janet Menzies (middle) and Kate Gooden in Sydney.

How these top female Amazon execs are conquering Australia

Women are running three of company’s big growth areas in Australia – the retail juggernaut’s turnover is estimated to reach $6.5 billion this year.

Grant Wilckens presides over G’Day Group, a holiday parks company that owns $2 billion of property and is the largest provider of regional accommodation in the country.

This former investment banker now runs a $2b caravan park business

Grant Wilckens spent his early career raising capital for clients. Now he’s the CEO of the holiday parks company he founded, G’Day Group.

October 2024

How to have a job you love, save the world and earn up to $800k

This week BOSS speaks to four executives who are helping to save the planet. All have a high level of job satisfaction, and all earn decent money. It appears it is possible to have it all. 

Why we should all learn to be OK with embarrassment

If we let fear of failing and ego get in the way, we will stop trying and stop moving forward, says this high-profile education leader.

September 2024

Former David Jones boss on the ideal time to quit as CEO

Paul Zahra, the former chief executive of David Jones, says, as a general rule, there is a minimum and maximum amount of time the leader should be in the role.

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What this CEO learnt from Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar

Culture Amp chief Didier Elzinga met the Atlassian duo at an awards function years ago, and got an insight into scalable business models.

How this former accountant became a top music exec

Sean Warner, the CEO of Universal Music in Australia, thought he wanted to be an accountant, until he realised he didn’t.

Jon Davey.

How this former teacher became CEO of a $540m company

Jon Davey, chief executive of payments provider Tyro Payments, became a teacher after finishing school but realised it wasn’t for him.

Rajneen Aroro wants to further her studies at Harvard.

What this exec has learnt from becoming a CEO at 29

In 2022, Rajneen Arora was the GM of Best Gift Group when the hospitality gift card company fielded a buyout offer. The deal was contingent on Arora becoming its chief executive.

Vicki Doyle has recently stopped drinking coffee and alcohol.

How a tragic car accident upended this CEO’s life

Rest Superannuation’s Vicki Doyle worked at insurer Suncorp for more than nine years. Three weeks into her first general manager role, she got a phone call.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/success-stories-hwd