Power 100: Full list of Sydney’s most powerful people in 2022 revealed

Hunger, ambition and belief. It’s what defines Sydney as Australia’s true power city. It also defines many of the new movers and shakers on The Daily Telegraph 2022 Power 100 rankings.

Margaret Thatcher had a fair grasp on the nature of power.

As one of the 20th century’s most significant women, the Iron Lady knew that true power spoke for itself.

“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t,’’ she observed.

The people on this list know that too, which is why we’ve dug deep to figure out who really runs this city.

In 12 months, the revolving door of influence and sway has ushered out more than a fifth of last year’s Daily Telegraph Power 100 luminaries.

There are some big-name casualties too, most notably broadcaster Alan Jones, departing Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett and, of course, Gladys.

READ THE FULL POWER 100 MAGAZINE HERE

Hers is without doubt the most shocking Power 100 demise, given that just a year ago she sat at the top of this list as one of the nation’s most popular leaders.

Now it’s Dom Perrottet’s time to shine.

He’s had a bumpy start, with Omicron exploding almost as soon as he got his feet under the desk.

But it is likely these times, with the virus in retreat, will suit him.

Others clung on but suffered spectacular plunges down the rankings. It will displease nobody that last year’s power champion, the virus, freefell 24 places — a welcome reflection of the virus’s slowly fading hold on our lives.

Some whose fortunes rose on the pandemic have also returned to earth with a thud, including chief medico Kerry Chant and Health Minister Brad Hazzard, while the Australian chiefs of AstraZeneca and Pfizer and our contact tracing boss have vanished altogether from the list.

There’s been a dramatic transfer of power in police ranks that spilled blood — figuratively speaking — along the way, as Commissioner Mick Fuller passed the baton to the force’s first female top cop, Karen Webb.

Another forward indicator of Sydney‘s destiny is the growing number of tech tyros.

Our Harbour City is rapidly evolving into the nation‘s innovation capital, with a posse of locals now world leaders in their field, including Elon Musk’s boss, Tesla chair Robyn Denholm (daughter of Milperra service station owners), suburban billionaire Richard White (former AC/DC guitar repairer), who is using his fortune to upgrade tech education in schools, and the Warwick and Roberts brothers, who are making names for themselves in crypto.

Hunger, ambition and belief.

It’s what defines Sydney as Australia’s true power city. It also defines many on The Daily Telegraph Power 100.