Law firm MinterEllison facing heat over Adelaide Festival sponsorship; Andrew Forrest’s FFI departures continue
Law firm MinterEllison is in damage control and facing internal ructions from partners over its sponsorship of the Adelaide Festival and the platforming of two writers known for their unabashed hatred of Jews.
Margin Call has confirmed that MinterEllison chief executive Virginia Briggs has ordered the removal of all the firm’s branding from the Adelaide Festival’s Writers Week, despite its role as a major partner, following internal and external complaints over its funding of the event.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has already spared no time vowing to boycott the speakers’ events and condemned the festival’s decision to host them; Briggs’ response, by comparison, is a meek and timid gesture.
The CEO did not respond to this column’s inquiries on Monday and, despite being urged to do so, has not issued a public statement outlining MinterEllison’s position on the hateful rhetoric of the speakers.
On Tuesday morning, MinterEllison confirmed it was removing its “presence and involvement” with the Adelaide Festival’s Writers Week, while axing its branding from the broader Festival program.
Margin Call understands that concerns had been raised by two partners at the firm who were supportive of taking action. Numerous Jewish employees, particularly among the graduate intake, are also understood to be displeased with the arrangement.
Briggs has also received formal complaints from Jeremy Leibler, partner at Arnold Bloch Leibler and president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, along with prominent business executive Jillian Segal, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, who spoke to Briggs directly about the matter.
It’s understood that Briggs was considering a move to direct funding away from Writers Week and channel it instead towards other festival programming.
Over at PwC, similar considerations are being weighed about its support for the festival following what an official called a “wide range of feedback” about the line-up of speakers. PwC is the festival’s pro-bono auditor, but unlike MinterEllison it is not a director sponsor.
A spokesman declined to comment when contacted.
The speakers in question, Mohammed El-Kurd and Susan Abulhawa, routinely publicise a malignant contempt for Jews on Twitter and, in the case of El-Kurd, a propensity to condone violence and celebrate terrorist attacks carried out on civilians.
El-Kurd’s gouts of bile include the detestable fabrication, outlined in 2021, that Israelis “harvest organs” of Palestinians; in a separate tweet that year he said: “I hate these pigs. I hope every one of them dies in the most torturous and slow ways. I hope that they see their mothers suffering.”
One would think these views might jar with the commitment to a safe working space championed on the MinterEllison website.
Surely this isn’t the brand of inclusivity that Briggs is hoping to amplify with her firm’s funding.
Meanwhile, Abulhawa routinely carries water for every edgelord on the internet by describing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “depraved Zionist trying to ignite World War Three”, and cleaving to the belief that Ukraine should be de-Nazified.
She has described Zelensky as “more dangerous than Putin”.
Over to you, Briggs.
Playboy escapades
Closer to home, invitations have been dispatched for the 50th birthday party of Tom Fennell, managing director at Tama Capital Partners. The theme is a “A Night at the Playboy Mansion”, which is already promising to be a dignified affair. Has he heard of Jeffrey Epstein or the #MeToo movement?
Perhaps giggling masses of bunnies isn’t the wisest look for a working professional; in the current era, even a cocked eyebrow isn’t safe from a harassment claim.
It’s being held in May at the Ivy Penthouse in Sydney. Should we expect silk pyjamas and brocade robes? Jars of Viagra? Forgive us for thinking this is going to be the spivviest event of the season.
The Ivy is no stately 1920s mansion, of course, but if the two venues have anything in common it’s that both are past their prime. No zoo, either, unlike Heff’s palace, although Saturday nights are known to attract exotic creatures and a few unsightly beasts.
Fennell’s profile has been given something of a kicking after he began dating Annabelle Price, estranged wife of banker Fredrik Blencke; he’s serving a 12-month community release order over some physically violent behaviour last year.
They certainly seem to be happy after only a few months; why else would the invitation be sent from a joint email account?
The card isn’t so bad. It features the classic cover of supermodel Kate Moss posing for Playboy’s anniversary issue. On that occasion the magazine turned 60 and she’d turned 40. With Fennell hitting his half-century, he’s old enough to know he should keep his clothes on. And if not him, at least his lawyers.
FFI exit list grows
More departures to report from Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Future Industries.
Stan Knez, whose recruitment was feted with a press release in January 2022, has cut short his time as chief technology officer at FFI. Based in the US, his exit took effect from December; he made it to 11 months with the company.
Knez’s resignation apparently leaves FFI’s US-based operations slightly short of manpower – that’s despite CEO Mark Hutchinson talking up the region as a high-value target for the company. Better get hiring!
Melbourne-based Kim van Hattum, FFI’s manager of east coast operations in Australia, similarly quit the company this month, lasting 17 months in her role. According to her LinkedIn, van Hattum is now head of development at Mint Renewables.
Elsewhere in the empire, Jeremy Meynert, head of corporate development at Fortescue Metals Group, has jumped ship for Greatland, where he’s now chief development officer.
Word going around is that he’s taken two other team members with him. Remember, it was Meynert who led FMG’s acquisition of Williams Advanced Engineering, and haven’t we heard Forrest crowing about it since.
Not that the executive chairman is short of bodies; replacements can always be drawn from his suite of private businesses. They’re even starting to look like feeder groups.
Felicity Gooding, formerly of Minderoo, is now the acting chief financial officer at FFI, while Eva Hanly, formerly CEO of Squadron Energy, was moved back into FFI over the summer.
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