Kerry Stokes tops the 2018 Rich Bosses list as company founders set the pace

James Thomson and John Stensholt

Jul 11, 2018 – 11.00pm

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Founder chief executives are a different breed. Just ask Jamie Pherous, the founder and CEO of Corporate Travel Management, who ranks ninth on the 2018 Rich Bosses list with a fortune of $507 million.

When the global financial crisis hit in 2008, Pherous could see that while his business was travelling OK, his staff were doing it tough. He made a quick and, he says, easy decision. "I had no problem cutting my bonus and giving it to staff to help them through a tough year."

James Thomson is senior Chanticleer columnist based in Melbourne. He was the Companies editor and editor of BRW Magazine. Connect with James on Twitter. Email James at j.thomson@afr.com

John Stensholt is a former editor of the BRW Rich 200 and Young Rich Lists.