We’ve lost some, we’ve gained some. Some have fallen in ranking, not because they’ve lost power but because others on the list have made greater gains.

GOLD COAST POWER 100 2019: NO. 100-81

GOLD COAST POWER 100 2019: NO. 80-61

GOLD COAST POWER 100 2019: NO. 60-41

NUMBERS 40-21

40. Bob East (was 41 in 2018)

HOSPITALITY

After selling Mantra Group to AccorHotels for $1.2 billion, former CEO Bob East has kept his Gold Coast base and was appointed Chair of Australian Venue Co. Earlier this year, AVC inked a deal to buy 78 Coles hotels and pubs taking the total portfolio from 70 venues to 148, ranging from chef-hatted restaurants to suburban pubs. East thinks AVC can be an even bigger success than Mantra.

39. David Crisafulli (50 in 2018)

POLITICS

The Member for Broadwater is arguably the Coast’s most ambitious politician. If leader Deb Frecklington fails at the 2020 poll, Mr Crisafulli is expected to put his hand up. If she wins, he will be in a Ministry. Either way he will be building his profile.

38. Marion Charlton (42 in 2018)

TRANSPORT

With massive investment upgrading the Gold Coast Airport, COO Charlton is confident our gateway to the Coast will be open to more destinations, bringing more tourists to our shores. She’s also been busy opening new direct routes with locations such as Darwin and Townsville opening up, as well as increased flights to NZ. The airport also won two major awards – Best Regional Airport and Best Airport Staff in the Australian Pacific region at the 2019 Skytrax World Airport Awards in London in March.

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37. Stewart Dew (34 in 2018)

SPORT

The Coach of the Gold Coast Suns is under extreme pressure to turn the lacklustre team around and start winning games. AFL pundits from down south are already calling for the AFL to hand the license for Gold Coast’s team over to Tasmania, a football-mad state which doesn’t have a team of its own. Some draft concessions during the off season and a promising roster of young players coming through may turn the tide.

36. Andrew and Greg Bell (36 IN 2018)

PROPERTY

With more than 40 years experience in real estate, 33 of those here on the Gold Coast, the team behind Ray White Surfers Paradise have seen more boom-and-bust cycles than most agents have had hot breakfasts. Operating the largest RW office in Queensland, their 270-strong workforce continues to attract a large slice of the residential, commercial and development market.

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35. Justin Fung (38 in 2018)

DEVELOPMENT AND RACING

THE Australian boss of Aquis Group and son of Hong Kong-based founder Tony Fung, which has studs in Queensland and NSW, plus naming rights at the Gold Coast Turf Club. The Aquis Farm racehorse stud has enjoyed growing success at the Magic Millions, but made headlines this April when it announced it would not race any of its horses in Queensland due to integrity concerns. One month later, the company said it was happy with moves Racing QLD had made in reinstating an integrity commissioner and investing in better drug testing facilities. The company also has a six-star hotel, Pacific Point, under development at Surfers Paradise. The group also part owns a whole block in the same suburb at Cypress Ave.

34. Pat Gennari (NEW)

HOSPITALITY

With the shock exit of Simon Gloftis from the Gold Coast restaurant scene, selling off his stake in Nineteen at The Star and this week, his Nobby Beach noshery Hellenika – the stage is set for Gennari to be the city’s most high-profile restaurateur. Gennari has a stable of proven performers including Broadbeach’s Loose Moose, the Roosevelt Lounge and Koi as well as Main Beach’s Glass and GGs Eatery and Bar, with more to come.

33. Justin Holbrook (NEW)

SPORT

The new coach of the Gold Coast Titans certainly has his work cut out for him. The Englishman was recruited from Super League Premiers St Helens to take on the task of lifting the Coast’s rugby league franchise out of the cellar. Just how many kids sign up for junior league action in 2020 could depend on what the highly rated Titans coach can do in his rookie season. His impact is likely to go well beyond the NRL level.

32. Gary Carroll (31 in 2018)

BUSINESS

Carroll heads up childcare giant G8 Education with more than 500 centres around Australia. The company has struggled recently with an oversupply in the sector. Shares in the Varsity Lakes-based childcare company dropped recently following the news it had reduced its underlying pretax earnings forecast for the calendar year from between $140 million and $145 million to between $131 million and $134 million. Earlier this year the company’s chief pocketed a $100k payrise to take home $905k per year.

31. Dennis Watt (25 in 2018)

SPORT

The Executive Chairman of the Gold Coast Titans has had a year he’d probably rather forget – at least when it comes to rugby league. The team finished the year with the wooden spoon and it was Watt who fronted the media and the fans to announce coach Garth Brennan had been sacked. Like all Titans fans, Watt is hoping for a rosier 2020 with new coach Justin Holbrook taking the reins.

30. Billy and Jackie Cross (26 in 2018)

ENTERTAINMENT

Despite losing business partner Simon Gloftis in their successful joint venture Nineteen at The Star, this power couple continue to break new ground entertaining Gold Coasters and visitors to the city. Billy’s passion for basketball led to the development of the Gold Coast Rollers, a QBL powerhouse club which came runner’s up in both the men’s and women’s Grand Finals. The goal is to prove to the NBL that the GC deserves a second chance at a place in the national competition. Jackie also has a spot on Major Events Gold Coast, which will become fully operational in mid-2020 after the merger of Surfers Paradise Alliance, Broadbeach Alliance and Connecting Southern Gold Coast.

29. Prof Mark Von Itzstein (19 in 2018)

SCIENCE

The director of Griffith University’s Institute of Glycomics heads a team which continues to make huge leaps into new research for vaccines and treatments for various diseases including malaria and influenza. Just recently, his team announced they came up with a potential new treatment for the invasive streptococcal disease, which can result in amputations and sometimes death.

28. Criena Gehrke (NEW)

THE ARTS

Criena Gehrke is a dynamic bundle of energy, equally excited about her adopted city and investment in the arts. She’s focused on her task to reinvigorate the Arts Precinct and said that investment was reaping rewards for the city with many local artists being recognised for their work. She’s passionate about the quality of cultural events here on the GC and she wants all of us to continue to support the thriving scene.

27. Mark Evans (30 in 2018)

SPORT

While the Gold Coast Suns have had a dismal year on the field, expectations for the women’s team will be high when they join the national women’s competition (AFWL) next year. The club’s CEO was instrumental in getting the team included in the league. The game is also looking strong on the Gold Coast with the Suns incredibly active in developing female talent.

26. Margot Robbie (10 in 2018)

ENTERTAINMENT

It’s been another stellar year for the former Somerset College student. Industry pundits are tipping she may get another Oscar nod, perhaps even two, in the Best Supporting actor category for her role as Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood as well as her turn as the fictional character Kayla Pospisil in Bombshell, which details the beginnings of Fox News and the Roger Ailes scandal. Her next film is Birds of Prey and she is currently filming the sequel to Suicide Squad.

25. Karen Andrews (33 in 2018)

POLITICS

With a lifelong fascination for math and science, the Member for McPherson and the Minister for Science and Industry is a strong advocate for the Gold Coast’s ambitions to become a worldwide innovation and technology hub. As the mother of three daughters and a mechanical engineer, she’s also keen on encouraging more women into STEM careers.

24. John O’Neill (NEW)

ENTERTAINMENT / TRANSPORT

The former head of Australian Rugby Union and the Australian Football Federation now wears two hats – he was appointed Chairman of Queensland Airports Ltd, a compatible and complementary one to his role as Chairman of The Star. Of course, the common purpose of those roles is growth in visitor numbers. Mr O’Neill is working to bring more people, more tourists and more economic growth and activity to ensure the Gold Coast is putting its best foot forward. He’s flagged the need for better infrastructure in the city and the introduction of daylight saving in southeast QLD as issues we need to solve.

23. Prof Alan-Mackay Sim (24 in 2018)

SCIENCE

The Griffith University Emeritus Professor and 2017 Australian of the Year is an internationally recognised expert on stem cell research and while he has retired, his colleagues continue to build on his work. This extraordinary man paved the way for innovation that prompted successful approaches to repairing damaged spinal cords. He is a cancer survivor, a compelling speaker, an advocate for research funding and the importance of intellectual inquiry.

22. Bob Ell (23 in 2018)

DEVELOPMENT

The billionaire property developer and Budds Beach resident is in charge of Leda Development, a company with diverse residential and industrial holdings. He continues to face hurdles in his quest to build his Cobaki development. The land, west of Gold Coast Airport, involves the development of approximately 5500 residential dwellings, retail, schools and wildlife corridors and was approved in 2010. One of his company’s, Leda Manorstead, was found guilty of three breaches of their project approval process by the NSW Land and Environment Court in April earlier this year and could face a fine of $5 million.

21. Kees Weel (17 in 2018)

BUSINESS

The down to earth multi-millionaire and former mechanic cannot do any wrong in the eyes of his investors. His ASX-listed company, Yatala-based PWR Holdings, arguably the Gold Coast’s most successful listed company, set a record a net annual profit of $14.2 million and paid shareholders an 11.5 cent dividend for his products which service the world’s fastest cars. The company is expanding into the aerospace and defence industries, looking to score huge deals in the US.