Ragtrader Hemmes left $2m to manager

A TRUSTED lieutenant of the Hemmes empire is the only non-family member to inherit part of the estimated $800 million fortune of Sydney food and fashion icon John Hemmes.

A TRUSTED lieutenant of the Hemmes empire is the only non-family member to inherit part of the estimated $800 million fortune of Sydney food and fashion icon John Hemmes.

Kerrie Lea Boylett, Merivale’s general manager of administration, was written into the late rag-trader’s will to receive $2 million from his estate.

Ms Boylett, 60, is understood to have worked for Merivale since 2001 and has become an integral member of the Hemmes inner sanctum.

She was one of four beneficiaries to his estate. The others are John Hemmes’ son Justin, daughter Bettina and wife Merivale, whom he named his business empire after.

Pagewood man David Ian Mead, who is listed on business records as being the secretary of Hemmes Finance Holdings No 2, was chosen as the executor of the estate but was not a beneficiary of the will.

Mr Hemmes died in March following a lengthy battle with cancer.

According to the will, Hemmes left his famed Vaucluse mansion The Hermitage to his wife. The family bought the property in 2009 for $2 million and later made $750,000 worth of alterations to it, property records said.

Bettina and Justin Hemmes

$2million: Kerrie Lea Boylett

The “residue” of his estate was to be divided equally between Justin and Bettina, the will said.

Ms Boylett was an office manager for a law firm in the late 1990s before she joined Merivale.

While her job title suggests a similar role at Merivale, her duties have extended beyond that.

In 2010, she posted $100,000 bail for tax cheat and former Demtel man Michael Milne, replacing John Hemmes as the person putting up bail.

Signed off

Ms Boylett has witnessed and signed off on sensitive documents tendered to two recent court cases involving Justin Hemmes.

One involved the Hemmes organisation being sued by former employee Danny Luu after he was strip searched on the orders of Justin Hemmes, who suspected him stealing money while on duty at his city night spot, Establishment. Mr Luu did not have the money and was never charged with stealing.

Ms Boylett has also registered numerous trademarks for the Hemmes family.

After Mr Hemmes’ death she posted a tribute on the Merivale website, which read: “There may be millions of Misters in this world but there is only one Mr John who can never be replaced nor forgotten. Loved by all. We will keep you in our broken hearts until we meet again.”