Oswals love their dog Coco

Illustration: Rod Clement.

Having shaken $200 million-plus from Shayne Elliott’s ANZ, Pankaj and Radhika Oswal are living it up as global citizens — as is their pug, Coco.

With his career as an ammonia manufacturer firmly behind him, Pankaj has become something of an expert on canine jetsetting.

Not for the Oswals the indignity experienced by Johnny Depp, having pets seized after forgetting to put them through quarantine.

While poolside in Singapore, Pankaj explained as snappers fussed over Radhika for the cover of today’s The Weekend Australian Magazine, canine companions don’t have to spend time in the lockup if they have travel papers from a jurisdiction that doesn’t have any rabies.

Naturally, Coco therefore has Swiss papers. Nothing but the best.

Meanwhile, as wife Radhika is busy planning a mooted charity for women, Pankaj seems to have plenty of time on his hands.

Asked what he planned to do next, he said: “Nothing” — although Radhika has other plans, urging him to find a new venture.

At least Pankaj’s love for his wife seems to have survived a bruising court battle, during which she accused him of forging documents.

As shutters snapped his missus, he inspected proofs of the shots on a photographer’s iPad.

“She’s so beautiful,” he said.

Bankers’ birthdays

The Oswals’ nemesis, ANZ boss Shayne Elliott, was in a festive state of mind yesterday, approaching the first anniversary of his ascension to the top office and celebrating his 53rd birthday.

Proud Kiwi Elliott is the oldest of the four pillar bosses.

National Australia Bank chief Andrew Thorburn is 51 and the only Aussie-born of his big four counterparts, while it’s shaping up as a mega-year ahead for ­Elliott’s fellow Kiwi Ian Narev from the Commonwealth Bank and native New Yorker Brian Hartzer.

They both hit their milestone 50th birthdays next year, in ­February and April respectively, which makes former child actor Narev the baby of the elite group.

Meanwhile, Elliott could be forgiven for some distraction from the Asian divestment strategy he is unfolding with former banker and now chief number cruncher Michelle Jablko.

Elliott is part way through a major renovation on his already expansive Toorak home, which is near Royal South Yarra Tennis Club and which he shares with his wife and young daughter. The family paid $4.5m in 2012 for the home when Elliott was a mere CFO.

Murdoch meetings

News Corp co-chair Lachlan Murdoch jets into Sydney next week, with his visit headlined by what has become his annual Christmas drinks with business and community leaders. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is not expected to attend, with other Labor representatives likely to fly the flag for the Left.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has also been invited and remains a possible yes with a shifting schedule.

Backbench ring-in

The life of a backbencher is somewhat different to that of a prime minister.

Free from a bulging schedule of back-to-back meetings, events and media appearances, there’s more time to roam the real world of voters.

What a delight then to hear “Tony from Warringah” call in to 774 ABC in Melbourne yesterday morning to wish veteran broadcaster Jon Faine congratulations on his 20 years behind the microphone.

Of course the “first-time caller, long-time listener” was former prime minister and enduring member for Warringah Tony Abbott.

Faine was suitably shocked.

Abbott admitted to robust interrogator Faine that he’d got the better of the pollie in most of their engagements over the years. Remember Abbott’s wink to Faine on taking a talkback call from sex worker Gloria?

“But you’ve done it to all of us,” Abbott admitted.

Medical marvel

First it was mining companies going hi-tech. Then some turned themselves into food companies to escape the gloom of the resources sector.

Now former Australian oil and gas explorer David Goughnour has gone one better, launching a new listing on the local NSX to raise $2m for an American-headquartered company called NuCannaCo that sells hemp extract-infused body-care products.

But just don’t mention the word pot.

“Let us be clear about NuCannaCo — it is not a company that will be engaging in what is commonly known as the medical marijuana industry,’’ he told us.

“Nor will the company be undertaking any activity associated with the growing or cultivation of industrial hemp.’’

Instead, there is a very personal story behind NuCannaCo. Its products — which help reduce body inflammation, provide neuroprotection and can be used in organic body products — were developed after Goughner’s wife’s brain surgery trauma and after he saw first-hand the side-effects of her post-surgery medication.