Vinnies CEO Sleepout 2025: Whose bosses raised the most in field of CEOs, pollies and media
They came with beanies, sleeping bags and above average salaries – but their hearts and wallets were in the right place. Here’s who raised the most in this year’s Vinnies CEO Sleepout
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As you open this column, there are people opening bleary eyes and rubbing stiff backs after waking from a cold night on cardboard under an icy sky.
Sure, they had beanies, sleeping bags and above average salaries – but their hearts and wallets were definitely in the right place.
I am, of course, talking about the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout, held at the Gabba overnight.
Of all the events that bring out the competitive streaks among the Brisbane corporate set – and their PR agencies – it has got to be this.
What happens at the CEO Sleepout stays on the CEO Sleepout (although my email address is below for the things that don’t. We did hear they had to ban alcohol from the Gold Coast event a few years back – but that’s probably just a nasty rumour).
Anyway – which of our esteemed bosses raised the most money to help the real homeless people across Australia?
While the top of the table was dominated by corporate types, media and reality stars also made an appearance - divisive Married at First Sight contestant Lauren Hall raised $3493 of her $10,000 goal while journalist Kendall Gilding had hit $5012 of her $7000 goal.
Politicians got in on the act too - Sunshine Coast Councillor Taylor Bunnag had raised $210 of his $5000 goal as of yesterday, Federal LNP candidate for Oxley Kevin Burns had rustled up $339 of $5000 and Southport MP Rob Molhoek had raised $9804 of $8000.
As of yesterday, Anthony Ryan, boss of the Brisbane Economic Development Agency, was leading Queensland with $46,151 – more than double what he raised last year.
He was just ahead of Matt Kratiuk, Sleepout ambassador and chief growth officer at property firm Tactic, who had raised $42,306.
Kratiuk knows more than most about the difference kindness can make in people’s lives.
He’s previously shared his story of being a homeless ice addict living on the streets who managed to turn his life around and pay it forward.
With donations of $36,507, Terry Smith, listed for the sleepout as representing his family trust, was in third spot headed in to the sleepout. Smith is also executive director of ASX-listed tyre company NTAW Holdings.
Accountant Michael Kerwin was in fourth with $34,236 and Philip Ryan (pictured), founder and executive chairman of property finance and investment group Trilogy had raised $33,500 as of yesterday.
Just scraping into the top 10 was Flight Centre boss Andrew “Starky” Stark, who’d raised $26,321.
Brisbane’s sleepers were among 1519 nationwide who, as of yesterday, had raised almost $7.6m this year, with funds to go towards the charity’s quest to build 500 homes.
Speaking of CEOs
Beleagured State Government-owned coporation CS Energy has appointed Brian Gillespie as its new CEO - effective next week.
Chairman Tony Bellas said Gillespie brought a wealth of experience, including from his most recent role as group executive and president of Latin America for mining and infrastructure group Orica, which he departed in February.
Bellas described the appointment “as a pivotal moment in CS Energy’s transformation journey”.
And what a journey it could be.
There aren’t many new jobs where the KPIs include “not letting anything blow up” and it means avoiding actual explosions.
Bellas is confident Gillespie is up to the task with a “track record in leading high-risk operations”.
Gillespie replaces Emma Roberts who has been acting CEO since the latest “incident” at the company’s Callide power station, which saw a huge chunk of hardened ash fall off a boiler wall, damaging equipment and forcing a shutdown.
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Originally published as Vinnies CEO Sleepout 2025: Whose bosses raised the most in field of CEOs, pollies and media
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