Is divorce good for philanthropy? This could be the year Australia finds out. Nicola Forrest, who split from former husband Andrew in 2023, now gives through both the Minderoo Foundation and her own Coaxial Foundation. And while Coaxial didn’t make the Philanthropy 50 list this year, it will almost certainly next year.
Likewise, Mike and Annie Cannon-Brookes’ divorce may lead to greater levels of giving from both, through Mike’s Boundless Earth and the Cannon-Brookes Foundation, which is led by the former couple. It’s all been pioneered globally, says JBWere’s John McLeod, by MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, who set in motion a wave of impressive philanthropic giving in 2020, currently totalling $US19 billion ($31.7 billion). Next year’s Philanthropy 50, in other words, could be quite different from 2025’s.
