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.

NUMBERS 100-81

100. Sam O’Connor (NEW)

POLITICS

The State Member for Bonney has cemented his reputation as a solid worker for his community, not afraid to take on the Gold Coast Council when it comes to issues which affect his constituents.

The 28-year-old organised a groundswell of opposition to the Council’s plans to rezone parts of Labrador and Biggera Waters to allow big increases to height and density as part of the City Plan amendments.

While Bonney is a marginal seat, it is not one that Labor are seriously taking a look at in next year’s election thanks to O’Connor’s growing reputation.

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99. John Ramsden (NEW)

LAW

The managing partner of Ramsden Lawyers has had a big year. Not only did the firm launch Evolve Legal – an arm designed to cater to retail rather than corporate clients – Mr Ramsden was named Managing Partner of the Year at the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards.

98. Alfred Slogrove (NEW)

EDUCATION

The Study Gold Coast CEO has been in the top job for just one year but has already made a strong impact. Mr Slogrove’s advocacy was crucial to getting the Federal Government to reverse a controversial decision that would have stripped the Gold Coast of its status as a regional centre. This would have limited the number of international students that came to the Gold Coast to study and less money for the local economy.

97. Hans Torv (87 in 2018)

MEDIA

Longtime Gold Coaster and well-connected media man, Hans Torv sold Hot Tomato earlier this year to Grant Broadcasters, a family-owned company which has 52 stations across the country. Mr Torv has a number of property interests across the city, and is tight with an influential group of GC heavyweights including Tom Tate.

96. Prof Ned Pankhurst (80 in 2018)

EDUCATION

Fresh from retiring from his role as Griffith University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Pankhurst has been appointed for a four-year term as Chairman of HOTA replacing Robyn Archer. Despite his science-based academic and later management background, the arts have long been a focus of his interest and he will see the first part of the City of Gold Coast Cultural Precinct Master with the overhaul with the opening of the $60m gallery, slated for February next year.

95. Bill Barry Cotter (96 in 2018)

BUSINESS

Bill Barry-Cotter is in many ways the father of the Gold Coast’s boatbuilding industry. He moved to the Gold Coast 35 years ago to set up boat builder Riviera, which he sold in 2002. He started Maritimo the following year. This year the luxury boat builder said it had doubled its revenue, helped by a renewed push into the lucrative US market. Maritimo’s new X60 sport yacht, launched with great fanfare at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, as well as its X50, M51 and M59 models boosted sales. It has been a year of achievement for Mr Barry-Cotter both in terms of sales and in a personal sense. He recently restored a 115-year-old ketch, owned by his father in the 1960s, which he intends to compete with in the famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race next month.

94. Geoff Smith (NEW)

LAW AND SPORT

Having spent 40 years working as a lawyer on the Gold Coast, Geoff Smith is well-connected and is using that influence to further sport on the Gold Coast. He formed Sports Gold Coast in 2016 to act as a conduit between local sporting organisations and business. He believes we will continue to grow as a sporting powerhouse and advocates the formation of more national teams here (netball, basketball et al) and is also working to build a new stadium. Geoff currently sits on the board of the Gold Coast Eisteddfod, Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame, Connecting Southern Gold Coast and the Gold Coast Innovation Hub.

93. John Hicks (NEW)

ACTIVIST

As chairman of the ACE Alliance, a peak body representing 15 community groups, Mr Hicks is at the forefront of activism regarding development on the Gold Coast. He played a key role in the latest round of consultation on the City Plan and is expected to be just as outspoken during next month’s round. He has been critical of council’s development approvals, saying the Coast had become a “Gotham City by the sea”.

92. Andrew Clarke (NEW)

CONSTRUCTION

Construction industry veteran Andrew Clarke is one of the leading industrial and commercial builders on the Gold Coast. His Arundel-based company Clarke’s Design and Construct, which shortly will move to new premises at the Logos estate, doubling its footprint, provides a “one-stop shop” for clients from design through to construction. It currently has $30 million of projects on its workbooks ranging from small retail premises through to large factories. The new premises, to accommodate a growing team now comprising 46 staff, is to provide room for further growth.

91. Bill Potts (NEW)

LAW

The veteran lawyer, currently completing his second term as Queensland Law Society president, is a strong advocate for the Gold Coast legal system. When it comes to fighting for a permanent Supreme Court or legal hub, Mr Potts is at the forefront and represents one of the strongest voices on the Coast.

90. Longhurst Family (97 in 2018)

BUSINESS

As the visionary behind Dreamworld, John Longhurst was a pioneer ahead of his time and with his sons, Tony and Rodney built Australia’s first theme park and over the subsequent four decades, created many thousands of jobs and positioned the Gold Coast as Australia’s premier tourism destination. Today, Rodney Longhurst is at the helm of Riviera Yachts and Tony Longhurst is at the helm of The Boat Works, helping to drive the next phase of evolution of the Coomera marine precinct with a focus squarely on jobs and input to the economy with a $100m investment to expand the area and build a dry marina, devoted to storing up to 200 boats – attracting more vessels and jobs to the precinct.

89. Dane Atherton (NEW)

PROPERTY

After transforming his small real estate office into one of the largest agencies on the Glitter Strip, Dane Atherton has cemented himself as a property heavyweight. He founded Harcourts Coastal at Broadbeach in 2011 and has grown the agency to comprise three offices – Broadbeach, Paradise Point and Robina – which were named the Real Estate Institute of Queensland’s Agency of the Year in 2016 and 2018. Dane is still active in the field with his auctioneering where he takes a dynamic and entertaining approach.

88. Mark Witheriff and Tania Moore (89 in 2018)

PROPERTY

These Knight Frank Gold Coast business partners in commercial sales and leasing are key players in the city’s property industry. The Gold Coast’s best known office buildings, including the Bulletin’s home at Seabank in Southport, are under their management, while many of the city’s most valuable development sites are among their current listings.

87. Greg Jenke (88 in 2018)

HEALTH

In order to service the growing population of northern NSW and the southern Gold Coast, John Flynn Private Hospital CEO Greg Jenke is overseeing a major expansion of the hospital worth $60 million over the next few years. The first stage of that project, a new specialty facility and treatment units welcomed its first doctor earlier this year. The facility has scope for another 24 more specialist suites while the expansion will also include the installation of a state-of-the-art PET scanner, which has the ability to detect cancers, heart disease and brain disorders, two new operating theatres, an additional 30-bed ward and seven new emergency bays.

86. Mal Meninga (NEW)

SPORT

Despite a difficult year for the Gold Coast Titans, Mal Meninga has promised to stay with the Club until the job – making the club successful – is done. One of the reasons the Titans recruited the Kangaroo’s coach in a specially created role was to capitalise on the rugby league immortal’s aura in player recruitment drives. This year he’s played a huge role trying to stabilise the club while Garth Brennan exited and they recruited new coach Justin Holbrook. Despite moving his family back to Canberra, Meninga has he will be on-hand to complete his mission.

85. Tony Hickey (76 in 2018)

LAW

Spruiked Spirit development which failed to get off the ground. Still one of the best connected lawyers on the Gold Coast and close friend of Tom Tate.

84. Ri Yu Li (75 in 2018)

DEVELOPMENT

Cashed up after selling out of the Jewel project. Mr Li is part of the consortium which bought into superpower site Spirit and maintains significant property holdings on the Gold Coast.

83. David Harper (90 in 2018)

HEALTH

David Harper continues to lead Gold Coast Private Hospital, a 314-bed and 21 surgical theatre facility located near Griffith University and the Gold Coast University Hospital and offering first-class services. It continues to attract medical professionals from around the country and continues to lead the way in caring for the community by opening the city’s first dedicated colposcopy clinic (offering services to patients without private health insurance), helping to diagnose and treat cervical cancer.

82. Mick Fanning (83 in 2018)

SPORT

He may have retired from professional surfing last year, but he’s still a hot commodity with a number of companies including longtime sponsor Red Bull, which re-signed him this year as well as Red Bull, Vertra sunscreen, cutting-edge surf accessories label Creatures of Leisure, and Mercedes Benz Vans. Bilinga-based Fanning is also taking his craft brewery Balter, a company he founded with longtime friend and fellow pro surfer Joel Parkinson, to new heights. The Currumbin brewery is going from strength to strength with the beer brand being invited to participate in @firestonewalker Invitational Beer Fest in Paso Robles, CA – one of only 50 breweries selected.

81. Matthew Schneider (NEW)

DEVELOPMENT

The Urbis Gold Coast director is acquiring a reputation as “Mr Everywhere”. Not only is chair of the Gold Coast committee of the Property Council, he also advises Gold Coast Light Rail and Bond University on the property industry. As if that is not enough, Mr Schneider, an avid country music fan, is on the advisory board for Study Gold Coast, Top 100 Women and he is a mentor for the World Economic Forum – Global Shapers Gold Coast. Mr Schneider was instrumental in facilitating discussion on the city’s most important issues during Future Gold Coast.