Former Billabong boss says he regularly signed his wife’s name on documents

FORMER Billabong boss Matthew Perrin admitted he regularly signed his wife’s name on legal documents, because he was the “business person”.

Former Billabong boss Matthew Perrin arrives at the District Court in Brisbane on Wednesday. Picture: Dan Peled/AAP

FORMER Billabong boss Matthew Perrin has admitted he regularly signed his wife’s name on legal documents.

The former CEO is on trial in the Brisbane District Court for fraud and forgery after he allegedly faked his wife’s signature on bank documents in 2008.

Perrin allegedly used their family house in Surfers Paradise as security for $13.5 million credit from the Commonwealth Bank to fund his failing business investments.

His former wife Nicole Bricknell accused him of mortgaging the $15 million waterfront property on Cronin Island behind her back.

He said he had her permission to sign on her behalf and would give her a “general overview” of what he was doing.

“Nicole wanted to be a homemaker and a mother and I was to be the business person, and it was generally discussed that they were our roles,” he said.

Nicole Bricknell.

Matthew Perrin. Picture: Dan Peled

Perrin added that he signed her name on important documents throughout their relationship, including on share sales in her name and a planning permission application.

“If Nicole was available and convenient she would sign them ... if she wasn’t I would sign them for her,” he added.

The jury was shown a document which Perrin said gave him authority to act on Ms Bricknell’s behalf in respect of their finances, including debts in her name.

Perrin said they made a total of around $57 million from their investment in Billabong before he resigned as CEO in 2003.

By 2009 they had lost it all and he was declared bankrupt, the court was told. Perrin is also accused of faking his brother Fraser Perrin’s signature as a witness on the paperwork.

Yesterday his wife broke down in court and said he was never allowed to sign her signature on anything.

“This man has taken from me and my children without my permission and knowledge, that’s worse than having an affair in my opinion,” she said.

Perrin denies nine charges of forgery and three of fraud.