Andrew Forrest, the ‘Moroccan minister’ and a lot of pent-up energy

Who’s that girl? Andrew Forrest and his mysterious new flame in Paris.

A photograph of Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest necking with a woman in Paris didn’t exactly set hearts aflutter when it was published by The Daily Mail over the weekend – but it triggered runaway speculation as to the identity of the mysterious flame.

Margin Call’s sleuthing has led us to believe the woman concerned is Moroccan Energy Minister Leila Benali, who keeps serendipitously finding herself in Twiggy’s orbit – whether that be formally receiving Forrest and a Fortescue delegation in the Moroccan capital of Rabat in February, or indeed bumping into him at Davos one month earlier.

Leila Benali, Morocco's Energy Transition Minister pictured with Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest at a meeting in Rabat, Morocco.

Benali had been in Paris just over a week ago on ministerial business and at roughly the same time as Twiggy was being papped mid-embrace in the 4th arrondissement.

According to her social media postings, she was in town notionally to strengthen French ties in the field of energy transition, something we all know Twiggy feels rather invigorated about.

And it just so happens that Fortescue’s activities in Morocco have picked up since that meeting with Benali in Rabat, the company announcing a joint-venture with OCP Group in April to supply green hydrogen, ammonia and fertilisers, domestically and to Europe.

Was it all that steamy discussion of electrolysers that sent the sparks flying?

Who knows, but surely the awkward photograph of Forrest sucking face will speed along talk of an actual divorce from wife Nicola Forrest; they’re separated but still, technically, married. And, of course, we put all this to Forrest’s team of flaks, a spokeswoman declining to comment altogether. So make of that what you will.

Supportive crowd

A sizeable crowd turned up at Rivoli Cinemas in Hawthorn for a pre-screening of Josh Frydenberg’s documentary on anti-Semitism, due to air on Sky News on Tuesday night.

In attendance were a swag of political figures, including former senator Nova Peris, Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto, Goldstein hopeful Tim Wilson, Lord Mayor Sally Capp, Caulfield MP David Southwick, Kew MP Jess Wilson and former Victorian governor Linda Dessau (who turned up on time!)

There was a sighting of Gill McLachlan, now apparently on the fence about taking up the chairmanship of Racing Victoria, as well as Yarra Capital’s Dion Hershan, that Gruen guy Russel Howcroft and former competition chief Graham Samuel.

Not to mention ABL senior partner Mark Leibler, Anti-Defamation chairman Dvir Abramovich, the Financial Services Council’s Spiro Premetis, a former Frydenberg adviser, and his old colleague Joel Labi, now with GRACosway.

Crennan’s birthday

Speaking of guest lists, you couldn’t miss Justice Michael Lee raising a glass at the 18-Footers in Sydney’s Double Bay on the weekend in honour of former ASIC deputy chair Daniel Crennan, who turned either 51 or 52 years of age (he wouldn’t confirm either way when we asked, so let’s go with 52).

Lee and Crennan are old chums and were celebrating with Crennan’s mother, former High Court justice Susan Crennan KC.

There, too, was Philip Crutchfield KC, who came up from Melbourne and was said to be in the running for the annual raffle-battle for the meat tray.

Wine and parfait were given out as consolation prizes this year, we’re told.

Among the eclectic mix was Matt Lee of Burford Capital, TV host Deborah Hutton, Crennan’s local butcher, Dave, Brian and Tom Price of FEX Global (where Crennan works part-time), Channel 7’s Katie Finney and artist Mark Schaller.

Vaping clash

Word has reached us of a very angry phone call between Australian Medical Association president Steve Robson and Theo Foukkare, CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores.

Their beef is over the legalisation of vaping.

Foukkare’s mob of corner stores and food marts are eager to see that happen, of course; the AMA and the government aren’t as enthusiastic.

One account we heard was of Robson calling up Foukkare and blasting him for pedalling Red Bridge polling results that the AACS had funded, and which were clearly favourable to the vaping campaign.

The results – that some 85 per cent of Labor voters are in favour of regulation, and would deliver a tax windfall for governments – were plastered all over newspapers and television on Monday morning.

Apparently this enraged the AMA president. “We are on to you. I see you,” Robson is said to have seethed at Foukkare, hanging up on him shortly after. We hear Foukkare tried to call back but wasn’t successful.

Nerdy taunt

No rush from Scott Farquhar or Mike Cannon-Brookes to return serve at Mike Dorrell over his needling of their real estate wealth over the weekend.

Dorrell confirmed himself as the buyer of a $227m private island mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, and remarked upon the purchase in amusing fashion.

“It was a national embarrassment that our most expensive real estate until now belongs to those two computer nerds who bought matching homes next door to each other. Someone had to do something about it,” he said.

Neither of the said computer nerds wanted to respond to the assault.