Paul Docherty’s BRC Group Pty Ltd and BRC Collective Pty Ltd companies slapped with winding up orders

Paul Docherty’s empire has taken another hit as the spectacular collapse of the once high-flying business mogul continues.

Rebels Board of Directors > Paul Docherty Chairman.Supplied

Former Melbourne Rebels director Paul Docherty’s businesses have been plunged into chaos, with one of his companies put into liquidation and another two subject to winding up orders.

Insolvency notices from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission have revealed the companies’ collapse.

Mr Docherty’s companies BRC Group Pty Ltd and BRC Collective Pty Ltd were both given winding up orders on Thursday.

BRC Management Services was put into liquidation last month, with Paul Allen of PKF Melbourne now in charge of its affairs.

BRC Group owed $1 million, according to Victorian Supreme Court documents.

Paul Dochertywas once a high flying business mogul and Australian president of the secretive powerful networking group Young Presidents’ Organisation. Picture: Supplied

It was a dramatic business collapse for Mr Docherty, who was once a high flying business mogul and Australian president of the secretive powerful networking group Young Presidents’ Organisation.

The companies were linked to Mr Docherty’s BRC Capital, which was a major sponsor of the Rebels until the club was put into administration this year with debts of more than $20 million.

Up to $8 million of that debt was owed to the Australian Taxation Office for unpaid tax.

The ATO issued director penalty notices for Mr Docherty and his fellow board members, making them personally liable for the debt.

Mr Docherty did not return calls on Friday morning but his LinkedIn profile still lauds his business achievements.

“Paul’s focus is as Executive Chair of BRC Capital, one of Australia’s leading pre-revenue Incubator Funds, helping entrepreneurs develop, build and expand their businesses,” he wrote on the corporate social media site.

“Paul has been Chairman of the Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union Club since 2017 which plays in the global Super Rugby Competition, and he is also a Director of Rugby Victoria.

“Paul is the Regional Chair of YPO Australia & New Zealand, the largest CEO and business owner networking group in the world.”

The companies were linked to Mr Docherty’s BRC Capital, which was a major sponsor of the Rebels until the club was put into administration. Picture: Getty Images

BRC Collective was wound up following an application from law firm Cornwalls, with Melissa Dawson listed as the contact on the winding up order on the ASIC website.

A hearing was scheduled for next Wednesday in the Victorian Supreme Court on the company’s finances.

The three companies linked to BRC were part of a wider collapse of Mr Docherty’s businesses earlier this year, which owed up to $70 million.

Rugby Australia chair Daniel Herbert said he was “very disappointed” with the way the Melbourne Rebels were run when he shut the club down in May.

“I think they have let rugby stakeholders down in Victoria and rugby stakeholders more broadly,” Herbert said.

“And while this is not a crack at people individually, they are people who love rugby, we are now six years away from when Rugby Australia paid $13.8 million towards rebels debts back in 2017 and gave an additional $6 million of funding.”

Originally published as Paul Docherty’s BRC Group Pty Ltd and BRC Collective Pty Ltd companies slapped with winding up orders