INSIDER: Who made the cut to get one of 100 exclusive invites to the hottest event in Perth?

Just imagine, you’re hosting the most important event in Perth but you’re only allowed 100 invites. Who makes the list? And who misses out? Insider has perused the powerbrokers, the fixers, sports stars and culture vultures to select the chosen few ... Dale Alcock The third-generation builder started out as a brickie’s apprentice in 1979 in Kellerberrin; today, he owns ABN Group, comprising 20 companies that have built more than 77,000 homes across WA and Victoria. Through his Alcock Family Foundation, the Fremantle Football Club president has also donated more than $9 million to charity since 2006. Michael and Sandy Anghie Michael is chief executive at human services giant Advanced Personnel Management, chair of Celebrate WA and a business champion for the New Colombo Plan, which gives Australian students scholarships to gain skills in the Indo-Pacific region. Sandy, a corporate lawyer turned architect, is project manager for the urban revitalisation project Historic Heart of Perth and is running for Lord Mayor. Troy and Sophia Barbagallo Troy is a director at Barbagallo Group (which sells prestige cars, luxury watches and yachts) and he and Sophia also run Pink Tank Events, which puts on Miss Universe Australia events nationwide, as well as Miss West Coast and the Royal Queensbury Championship corporate boxing event. The couple also set up children’s charity ToyBox International. Mark Barnaba Often referred to as one of WA’s best deal-makers, respected businessman Barnaba holds a coveted position on the board of the Reserve Bank, bringing a vital WA perspective to deliberations. The deputy chair and lead independent director of Fortescue Metals, he was named a Member of the Order of Australia in 2015. The career investment banker, who has a first class honours degree and an honorary doctorate in commerce from UWA, and an MBA from Harvard, spent most of his career with McKinsey & Company and Macquarie Group, including serving as chair and global head of natural resources, or in his own companies. He is also a past chair of the West Coast Eagles and Black Swan State Theatre Company. Edgar Basto Basto’s promotion to head BHP’s mineral divisions in Australia makes him responsible for the mining giant’s iron ore and nickel operations in WA, as well as its coal in Queensland and NSW and copper in South Australia. The Colombian-born executive has been based in Perth since 2016, acting in his new role since late last year and in charge of BHP’s iron ore deposits before that. Given BHP’s Australian minerals business has a workforce of more than 40,000 people and annual EBITDA of about $24.4 billion it’s a big job, but he has a reputation for wise leadership and strong relationships. He was president of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA for the past two years. Bill Beament When the executive chair of Northern Star Resources graduated as a mining engineer, he didn’t take a corner office in the city but went straight underground as a labourer, determined to get his hands dirty and learn how to mine. Since then he has risen to the top of the industry in WA, chalking up decades of experience across more than a dozen sites. Beament, who is also a trustee of the Channel 7 Telethon Trust, was recently named the WA Pinnacle Awards’ Business Leader of the Year for his work at Northern Star, which has gone from being worth less than $10 million to a $10 billion gold juggernaut. Kim Beazley and Susie Annus The former ALP leader turned ambassador to the US is now WA’s Governor. Formidably intelligent and widely respected, the Rhodes Scholar has long-running connections across Australia and globally after nearly three decades in Federal Parliament. He was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia, the highest level of recognition, in 2009 for his contributions to defence, international relations and as an advocate for Aboriginal people. Annus, born in WA to immigrant parents from Hungary, is a former teacher and television producer. Jack Bendat The 95-year-old businessman made his money in shopping centres and media, much of it in partnership with Kerry Stokes, but he is equally known for his philanthropic work. In 2006, he bought the Perth Wildcats and helped build it into the NBL’s most successful team. He later bought and rebranded the women’s team into the Perth Lynx, immediately paying them a full-time wage. He has handed the Lynx back to Basketball WA and is in discussions to sell the Wildcats but his association with the sport will live on after the WA Basketball Centre was renamed the Bendat Basketball Centre. He has also made major contributions to numerous causes, including WA Ballet, and set up a cancer care facility and housing and support services for disadvantaged young people at St John of God Subiaco. Bendat was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2009 for his charitable work. Angela Bennett She’s a must-have on any guest list but the notoriously private mining heiress is unlikely to show. She is so low profile that there are next to no photographs of her (when she was pictured at a function at Fremantle’s glamorous Blue HQ in 2016, the sighting made headlines). Bennett’s wealth stems from an iron ore royalty deal done by her father, Peter Wright, and business partner Lang Hancock, but she is also a successful investor with an extensive property portfolio. Her charitable work is done with little fanfare but the Angela Wright Bennett Foundation has donated to causes including autism research at the Telethon Kids Institute and scholarships for SAS soldiers. Julie Bishop and David Panton Now retired from politics, Bishop has free rein to use her charm, diplomatic skills and nous, honed by years as Australia’s foreign minister, to her own ends. The former managing partner at Clayton Utz has set up a boutique advisory firm, Julie Bishop and Partners, and this year was appointed chancellor at the Australian National University, Canberra. She has also been chair of the Telethon Kids Institute board since August last year and also chairs the Princes’ Trust Australia. Panton, a former pharmacist turned Sydney property developer, has publicly been Bishop’s partner since 2014. Paul and Charmaine Blackburne The founder of Blackburne property developers recently hit another sales record, selling a penthouse in Subiaco for $17 million. Not bad for someone who started his business at 26 with a $600,000 loan. His philanthropic work includes establishing the Cambodian Children’s Fund Child Protection Unit in 2013. It helps investigate and prosecute child abusers and support victims. Charmaine was a sales gun at Blackburne before becoming a stay-at-home mum. The former make-up artist founded an organic skincare line. PRIMEWEST: John Bond, David Schwartz and Jim Litis Eileen Bond, ex-wife of the late Alan Bond, calls them the “three boys”: the founding directors of PrimeWest property investors, with a national portfolio worth more than $4.6 billion. Executive chair Bond (Eileen and Alan’s son) has a background in law, investment banking, property investment and development. He is chair of Australian Doctors for Africa and on the boards of The Fathering Project and the Art Gallery of WA Foundation. Schwartz has worked in many sectors, including manufacturing and distribution, with property investments focused on retail and commercial developments. Litis has been in the Perth property industry for four decades; the music lover’s first foray into retail was opening his own hi-fi store in the early 70s. He has a pharmacy degree and is involved in science circles, including the Ear Science Institute Australia, as well as sport and music ventures. Lonnie Bossi The chief operating officer of Crown Perth is responsible for the huge entertainment complex at Burswood, including navigating through the circumstances of the past six months as COVID-19 saw its gaming floor and restaurants deserted. Bossi joined Crown Perth in 2011 from Cannery Casino Resorts in Las Vegas and has been described as having a “quiet influence ... appreciated by few outside government and the gambling industry” but an impressive contact book. Doug and Roma Brooks Anyone running a charity auction knows you must have Brooks on the guest list. Doug built his business, Brooks Hire, from two compressors bought on his Bankcard in 1979 to Australia’s largest privately owned construction equipment hire business. He likes to splash some of that cash on a worthy cause, particularly if it can double as a gift for his beloved wife, who he affectionately calls Mama. He once spent $61,500 on a 2.3 carat Rosendorff diamond necklace at a Ronald McDonald House charity ball. Rebecca Brown Brown took on the challenging role of acting director-general of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in March, as the pandemic took hold and after her predecessor stood down suddenly. Brown has worked across State and Federal government agencies, most recently holding the dual roles of chief executive of Tourism WA and director-general of the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation. Alexandra and Julian Burt The daughter of mining magnate Michael Wright runs Voyager Estate with her husband, a descendant of WA’s first chief justice. The publicity-shy family went through a public court battle in 2015 when Alexandra’s half-sister, Olivia Mead, contested their father’s will. Mostly the Burts work behind the scenes, developing the winery and investing in property, including Bullo River Station in the Northern Territory, where they have reduced cattle numbers and returned some grazing areas to bushland (they have partnered with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy). Alexandra is patron of private giving for WA Ballet; last year she announced a record donation of $2.5m, insisting it had “earned every penny” with its valuable artistic work. Michael Chaney and Margrete Helgeby Chaney Described as arguably the sharpest business mind in the country, WA-based Chaney has been chairman of Wesfarmers since 2015, helping to guide the WA company through the COVID-19 crisis with trademark calm. He was previously its managing director, 1992-2005. Chaney’s focus on corporate integrity and community investment has helped Wesfarmers become one of Australia’s most respected and philanthropic companies. The former petroleum geologist has had a number of prominent board positions, including at BHP and chair of Woodside and NAB. He has been chancellor of UWA, chair of Scitech and John XXIII College and a council member at the National Gallery of Australia. He currently chairs the National School Resourcing Board and is a governor of the Forrest Research Foundation and holds science and MBA degrees from UWA. Oslo-born Helgeby Chaney began her dance training at age five, going on to become an award-winning professional dancer. She spent years with WA Ballet and other leading companies here and overseas. She is chair of Co:3, Perth’s leading contemporary dance company. Since returning to Australia, she has performed and directed independent projects, including Loaded, taught at WAAPA and restaged productions for State opera companies in WA, Queensland and South Australia. She has two bachelor of arts degrees and will complete her MBA at UWA this year. Jenna Clarke The assistant editor of The West Australian also runs the agenda-setting The West Live podcast, delving into the stories behind the headlines and interviewing WA’s most influential people (Julie Bishop was a recent co-host). Peter Coleman The CEO and managing director of Woodside has been at the helm for almost 10 years. He has had more than 35 years in the global oil and gas industry. The rural-Victoria born engineer started his career with ExxonMobil, spending more than 25 years there before joining Woodside. He is on the board of the Business Council of Australia, is chairman of the Australia-Korea Foundation and is an adjunct professor in corporate strategy at UWA. He is also a vice-president of the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee. Alec Coles Anticipation is at fever pitch for the opening of the $400 million revamp of the WA Museum in November and chief executive Alec Coles, who has been driving the project, wants to make sure it is admired around the world. Roger Cook and Carly Lane The Deputy Premier and his wife are a formidable duo. Cook has the responsibility of overseeing the mental health and health portfolios and Lane is curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the Art Gallery of WA. Cook was CEO of a number of Aboriginal land councils, as well as national president of Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation, and worked for Labor heavyweights Stephen Smith, Jim McGinty and Chris Evans. Lane, a Kalkadoon woman from Queensland, has first class honours in anthropology from UWA. Her first museum job was at UWA’s Berndt Museum of Anthropology. Mathias and Hayley Cormann The WA senator is about to retire from politics but make no mistake, his network of connections will remain the envy of many. He is a long-time Liberal Party powerbroker, serving as finance minister since 2013, under three PMs. Born in Belgium, he fell in love with Perth on his first visit in 1994 and decided to emigrate, to find his law degree was not recognised. He ended up as a school gardener but worked his way into political circles, including as a senior adviser for then WA premier Richard Court and Federal justice and customs minister Chris Ellison. After working for HBF, Cormann was elected to represent his adopted State in 2007. Hayley is a barrister at Quayside Chambers, specialising in commercial disputes, personal injury and professional negligence claims. She is a past president of the Law Society of WA and on the board of the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation. Anthony De Ceglie The Seven West Media Editor-in-Chief oversees news coverage in two major newspapers, The West Australian and The Sunday Times, their websites and the company’s 19 regional publications, giving him a reach like no other. He is also the youngest editor of the newspapers, joining SWM at age 33 after a stint as deputy editor of The Daily Telegraph in Sydney, where he won a Walkley Award for headline writing. Fiona Drummond The first female managing partner for WA at audit and advisory giant Ernst & Young (and only the second woman to head a Perth office of a big four accounting firm), Drummond took charge of 60 partners and 650 staff. She is also on the board of the Telethon Kids Institute. Chris and Tia Ellison The Mineral Resources managing director has been working in the industry for almost four decades, after leaving school at 15 in New Zealand and arriving in the Pilbara, via Darwin, just in time to work on the construction of the North West Shelf. Renowned as a tough negotiator, last year he secured the Koolyanobbing iron ore mine and finalised a $1.3 billion joint venture deal with American chemicals giant Albemarle for MinRes to become the first Australian producer of lithium hydroxide. They own what is believed to be WA’s most expensive mansion, bought for $57.5m from iron ore heiress Angela Bennett, and are among WA’s biggest donors to charity. Chris maintains his Kiwi links as an honorary consul at NZ’s Perth consulate. Ben Elton and Sophie Gare Elton, the British comedian, author, playwright, actor and director is famous for co-writing 1980s TV shows such as The Young Ones, plus novels and musicals. For some, his wife Sophie Gare is just as familiar. She was part of all-girl rock quartet the Jam Tarts, whose Sunday gigs at the Seaview Hotel in the 80s are the stuff of legend. They play the occasional show, including Highway to Hell at Perth Festival this year. Elton’s first Australian tour in 15 years was thrown off course by COVID-19 but he toured the UK last year. They split their time between WA and England. Paul and Elissa Everingham Head of the powerful Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA, Paul Everingham is a former lobbyist with deep connections. He took the top job at the chamber in 2018 after more than 10 years as founder and CEO of his own company, GRA Everingham, described as one of Perth’s most influential lobbying groups with a client list that read like a “who’s who” of business. He has strong political ties; he was director of the Liberal Party in WA when John Howard was prime minister and now PM Scott Morrison was director of the party in NSW. He grew up in a political family in the Northern Territory and says he has just as many friends in the ALP. Paul was a favourite to run for the Senate seat to be vacated by Mathias Cormann. He ultimately said no, to stay close to his wife and family. Elissa grew up in Perth and was a diplomat with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra when she met Paul 20 years ago. She gave up that career to dedicate time to her young family. Barry Felstead The chief executive of Crown’s Australian resorts oversaw the revamp of its Perth offering. He was in charge of gaming at Crown Perth (then Burswood) from 2005, before becoming chief executive in 2007, and then his current role in 2013, where he also oversees Crown’s Melbourne resorts. He is chair of FutureNow (the Creative and Leisure Industries Training Council) and a long-running participant in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout, raising more than a million dollars. Jody and Damian Fewster The daughter of Alan and Eileen Bond got an MBA from Harvard and founded and sold a management consulting firm in Sydney before coming home to set up Ray White Cottesloe Mosman Park. Now, she specialises in Perth’s most exclusive suburbs, including managing the listing of childhood home, the “Bond mansion”’ last year. Damian is known for being the bowman on the America’s Cup winning Australia II. Maryna and Stephen Fewster The chief executive of Seven West Media WA oversees a huge range of news operations, including two Statewide newspapers, plus community and regional publications, websites and Seven Perth. The former iiNet chief operating officer is a Telethon trustee and a non-executive director of Crown Resorts Perth and on the board of Celebrate WA. Stephen, a chartered accountant with more than 20 years experience, has been chief financial officer at WesTrac since 2017. Before that, he had a range of roles with Fortescue Metals Group and has worked for iiNet and Southern Cross Electrical Engineering, as well as for Ernst & Young’s corporate finance team. Adrian and Michela Fini The influential property developer’s career has spanned more than 35 years, largely as principal of private investment company Fini Group. He spearheaded some of Perth’s most progressive projects, including Fremantle’s Little Creatures and the heritage regeneration of the State Buildings on St Georges Terrace and Barrack Street. Fini recently merged his company with Ben Lisle’s Linc Property to form Hesperia, combining the strengths of the long-time collaborators. Fini was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the arts in 2014 and was Western Australian of the Year in 2016 for his contribution to shaping the city. He is associated with the Snowdome Foundation, supporting blood cancer research, and the charity Historic Heart of Perth, which he founded to revitalise Perth’s east. Fini serves on the boards of the UWA business school and Perth Festival. Michela is an accomplished philanthropist, co-founding the White Swans giving circle with Sandy Honey and Sallie-Anne Manford to support Black Swan State Theatre Company. She is on the board of the Art Gallery of WA and the Sheila Foundation, which champions female artists. Andrew and Nicola Forrest Since stepping down as chief executive at Fortescue Metals Group in 2011, Andrew and Nicola have been making good on a pledge to give away most of their wealth. Much of this happens through the Minderoo Foundation, which has $2 billion committed globally, including supporting the arts, cancer research, ocean conservation and ending disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. It also encompasses Walk Free, directed by their daughter Grace, which aims to end modern slavery. Since 2014, they have given $130 million to the Forrest Research Foundation, for scholarships to young people to do research at WA universities. In 2019, Nicola, chair of Black Swan State Theatre Company, was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for support for education and the arts, business and the community. Andrew received an AO in 2017 and remains chairman of FMG. Neale Fong Fong is chief executive at Bethesda Health Care, chair of the WA Country Health Service and the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention, as well as president of the Australasian College of Health Service Management. A medical doctor, Fong also has long-running ties to WA’s football community, as president of the West Perth Football Club and former chairman of the WA Football Commission. Nat Fyfe and Elli Brashaw The Dockers captain and dual Brownlow medallist is one of Aussie Rules’ suavest, twice strutting the catwalk at Perth Fashion Festival and partnering with Adidas. Fyfe grew up in Lake Grace and often spends his breaks working on the family property. Fyfe has said Brashaw, an exercise physiologist, keeps his “feet on the ground”. Apart from stunning turns on the red carpet, Brashaw, who graduated from Murdoch University with honours, mostly eschews the limelight. Her LinkedIn profile suggests she started a job as health and rehabilitation co-ordinator at engineering company Monadelphous late last year. Elizabeth Gaines Gaines became the first female CEO of a big Australian miner when she took the reins at Fortescue Metals Group in 2018, which recently became WA’s biggest company. Gaines went to Perth Modern on a music scholarship for the French horn but ended up in the corporate world instead, graduating with a commerce degree from Curtin University. She has worked in banks here and in London and in 1997 was appointed to Janet Holmes a Court’s Heytesbury, where she helped restructure the business. She has also held senior roles at Entertainment Rights in the UK and Stella Group in Australia. Equality continues to be a passion; she noted at a recent mining conference that there were more presenters named Peter on the program than there were women. Gaines’ stewardship of Fortescue has been exemplary; Fortune Magazine recently ranked her second on its prestigious list of global business leaders, behind Microsoft boss Satya Nadella, noting during her first full financial year, revenues jumped 45 per cent and profits 263 per cent, among other positive indicators. Tony Galati Most recognisable for his eyebrows, Galati has built an empire from the Spearwood market garden his family farmed in the 1960s. Galati and his brothers, Vince and Sam, grew up helping their Sicilian parents run the 2ha plot, picking beans or harvesting potatoes after school. In 1998, the first Spudshed opened — literally in a shed on the Baldivis farm — and today, there are 15 stores, selling fresh produce, mostly from Galati farms, meat, dairy and groceries. Simon Garlick The new chief executive of Fremantle Football Club brings vast experience, on-field and off. As well as playing 181 games for Sydney and the Western Bulldogs, Garlick is a talented administrator who worked most recently as head of marketing firm Bastion EBA, which has strong ties to AFL heavyweights Hamish and Gillon McLachlan. Russell Gibbs Gibbs has been at property company Hawaiian since 1996 and at the helm since 2000, growing the company’s extensive portfolio. Described as having an “approachable nature and big picture vision”, Gibbs is chairman of the West Coast Eagles and on the boards of Satterley Property Group and St Ives. He has also had a long association with Youth Focus. Adam and Mel Gilchrist Since retiring, the much-loved former Australian wicketkeeper- batsman has made a name for himself as a commentator and advocate for causes including World Vision, where he has been a goodwill ambassador since 2004. He and Mel, a dietitian, have three sons and a daughter. Richard and Janine Goyder The kid from Tambellup who became one of Australia’s most successful business leaders, Goyder is chair at Woodside, Qantas and the AFL Commission — the first based outside Victoria. Goyder worked his way up at Wesfarmers after starting in 1993 as manager of its business projects and in 2005, succeeded Michael Chaney as managing director. Two years later, he led the acquisition of the Coles Group for $19.3 billion. He retired from Wesfarmers in 2017. Goyder is also chair of Telethon, the WA Symphony Orchestra and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (son William was diagnosed with the condition at eight). Janine, described as effervescent, is a footy fanatic who has organised fundraising galas for the JDRF. Iain Grandage The newly minted artistic director of Perth Festival got most of his inaugural program away, including the successful Highway to Hell closing event, just before COVID-19 restrictions put paid to public gatherings. Ticket sales were at a record high of almost $6 million, even with cancelled events taken into account. Grandage, an acclaimed composer and music director, will have three more Festivals to build on that success, with the Festival’s impact report noting its potential to kickstart confidence in WA’s post-pandemic recovery. Andrew Hagger Hagger resigned from NAB after criticism from the banking royal commission but was picked up by Andrew and Nicola Forrest to be the inaugural chief executive of Minderoo in March last year. He was put in charge of Minderoo’s philanthropic and commercial activities. Hagger is a talented musician, learning classical piano at age three, releasing albums and performing to sold-out audiences across Australia. Sales from his music have raised funds for causes including the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, Kids Under Cover, Leukaemia Foundation and Australian Children’s Music Foundation. Kerry Harmanis A former lawyer, Harmanis amassed his fortune from nickel company Jubilee Mines, which he founded and built, before it sold to resources giant Xstrata for $3.1 billion in 2007. He has recently re-entered the corporate world, becoming non-executive chair of Talisman Mining, but his passion is meditation. The dedicated philanthropist is the founder and president of Mindful Meditation Australia. Clive and Carolyn Hartz After the SweetLife founder stopped eating sugar for health reasons, she came across the sweetener xylitol in the US in 2000 and began importing it. Now, she has cookbooks, a cookie mix, gum and mints. Clive’s private investment company has a diverse portfolio including retirement villages, shopping centres and gold and coal projects in WA and Africa. He is a life member of Variety WA. Liza Harvey The Opposition Leader was elected in the seat of Scarborough in 2008 and served as deputy premier and police minister in Colin Barnett’s government. She was elected unopposed to replace Mike Nahan as Liberal leader last year. Warwick Hemsley The chairman of boutique valuation firm Hemsley Paterson, Hemsley has been in the property industry for decades, serving as chief executive of Peet for 17 years. He is a patron of the arts and won the Western Australian of the Year arts and culture award in 2016. Last year, he was awarded life membership of the Chamber of Arts and Culture, where he was chair for three years. He is a life member of WA Opera and chair of the Art Gallery of WA Foundation council. Fiona Hoang and Josh Reed The owners and creative directors of Stefan Diamonds travel the world sourcing gems from the diamond houses of Antwerp, New York and Tel Aviv for their Hay Street showroom. When the Queen visited Perth in 2011, Hoang commissioned an 18-carat diamond tiara worth more than $250,000 from an Israeli jeweller to commemorate the occasion; the piece, with more than 650 diamonds, was put into the private family collection. They have a long association with Rafiki Surgical Missions, as well as Variety WA, White Ribbon and Duchenne Foundation. Janet Holmes A Court One of Australia's wealthiest businesswomen, Holmes a Court was behind the revival of Heytesbury Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s largest private companies, which owns Vasse Felix winery and a booming cattle company. The former science teacher turned it around after her husband Robert died in 1990, running it until 2008, when her son took over (she remained chair). Holmes a Court is a Companion of the Order of Australia, awarded in 2007 for services to business, particularly in construction, wine and cattle, and her commitment to WA’s arts community, and received the Western Australian of the Year arts and culture award in 2018. She is founding patron of Black Swan State Theatre Company, chair of the Art Gallery of WA and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation and on the board of the Australian National Academy of Music. She owns the world renowned Holmes a Court Collection of more than 4000 artworks. Denis and Tricia Horgan In 1969, then-accountant Denis Horgan bought a plumbing company that came with farmland. He and wife Tricia sold the business, keeping the land, which was near his favourite surf breaks. In 1972 Napa Valley winemaker Robert Mondavi identified the site as ideal for producing premium wine. He mentored them as they transformed the land into Leeuwin Estate, one of the area’s five founding wineries. The 1981 Art Series chardonnay thrust them into the limelight, when Decanter Magazine gave it its highest recommendation. Today, Leeuwin is known for wine, its restaurant and events, notably its famous concert series Bronte and Colleen Howson Bronte tried to retire after leaving Automotive Holdings Group and its 115 dealerships at the end of 2016 but it didn’t stick. In 2018, he bought back into the industry with a 60 per cent stake in Perth’s only Audi dealership. Howson started his career as a postal clerk at NAB but his love for cars led him to buy into an auto parts business, then into a wholesaler. That business was bought by AHG and Howson stayed on, becoming managing director in 2004, leading it through a major expansion and public listing. He is also president of the East Perth Football Club and he and Colleen have raised significant amounts for charity; he is a life member of Rocky Bay. John and Margarita Hughes The legendary car dealer worked his way up from clerk for a panelbeater to salesman to his own car yard where he still works six days a week, vowing to never retire from his $283 million company. He and Margarita, a former air hostess and his wife of almost 40 years, also have a longstanding relationship with Telethon, donating cars, and for many years, organising the Big Walk to raise money for PMH. David Jeary The Lexus of Perth managing director and his team are responsible for the must-attend Lexus Ball which raises millions for Telethon. In 2006, when Jeary had just bought the luxury car dealership, Channel 7’s Jeff Newman, aka Mr Telethon, came to him with the idea of a fundraising ball that coincided with and raised funds for Telethon; it is now the most influential networking and philanthropic social event on the Perth calendar. Jeary has a long history in the automotive industry. Ray and Paula Kuka Ray is news director of Seven Perth, overseeing the production of the State’s most influential news bulletin. Paula is the illustrator behind the popular Common Wild series on motherhood, who has created content for Facebook and Google, been interviewed by Kelly Clarkson and has a weekly column and illustration in The West’s PLAY magazine. Melissa Karlson The daughter of Rhonda Wyllie is a long-time executive at the family company, Wyllie Group. In 2018 she branched out to buy Porte-a-Vie, the online high-end adult store. She is senior buyer for the website, which sells lingerie and intimate accessories and says it was not an industry she thought she’d find herself in but there was a gap in the market. Mother-of-two Karlson is also a philanthropist, something passed down from her mother and late father, businessman Bill Wyllie. In 2016, she set up Be Giving, a group of women who raise money and volunteer for Perth Children’s Hospital. Last year she hosted an A-list dinner that raised $450,000 for PCH. Justin Langer The coach of the Australian cricket team was one of Australia’s most lauded batsmen, playing 105 Tests and making 7696 runs, before retiring in 2007. He continued to play domestic cricket in WA, then was appointed batting coach to the Australian team in 2009. He coached the Western Warriors and Perth Scorchers from 2012 and was then offered the top coaching spot of the national team in 2018. He was named a Member of the Order of Australia in 2008 and is on the board of the West Coast Eagles. He is ambassador or patron for a number of charitable organisations, including Make a Difference WA, Solaris Cancer Care, Children’s Leukaemia & Cancer Research Foundation and The Fathering Project. Ben Lisle Lisle recently co-founded property development company Hesperia — a merger between Adrian Fini’s Fini Group and Linc Property, established by Lisle in 2002. Before the merger, Linc was WA’s biggest locally owned private developer of industrial land. Prior to branching out on his own, he was co-founder of corporate advisory firm Azure Capital and a director of Poynton and Partners, where he worked in capital raisings, project finance and mergers and acquisitions. He graduated from UWA as a mechanical engineer with first class honours and has done postgraduate studies at Harvard Business School. HIs philanthropic work includes ties with Youth Focus, Black Swan State Theatre, the Noongar Charitable Trust and SAS Resources Fund. He is a Perth Festival board member and on the council of Christ Church Grammar School. Luc Longley and Anna Gare The former Chicago Bulls champion was once part of the most recognisable basketball teams in the world but these days, he keeps a low profile, living in the quiet town of Denmark with his wife, chef Anna Gare. Longley won three championships with the Chicago Bulls, alongside players including Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen, and represented Australia at the Olympics three times. Last year, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia. Gare is a celebrity chef who has cooked for the Queen, written three cookbooks and hosted and cooked on TV shows including Junior Masterchef and The Great Australian Bake Off. Alannah MacTiernan The feisty politician is the comeback queen — she resurrected her State politics career in 2017 to join the McGowan Government’s Cabinet and is in remission from the breast cancer she was diagnosed with last year. She has served in local, State and Federal politics, so her connections are far reaching. Before politics, MacTiernan worked in employment and training for Aboriginal people, and was a partner at law firm Dwyer Durack. She was elected to State Parliament in 1993, later serving as planning and infrastructure minister, but resigned in 2010 to contest the Federal seat of Canning. She lost but then successfully ran for mayor of the City of Vincent. After two years, she was elected to Federal Parliament, in the seat of Perth. MacTiernan decided not to recontest Perth in 2016 and rejoined WA Labor in the Upper House. She is the Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Ports; and Minister Assisting the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade Sanjiv Manchanda An electrical engineer with an MBA, Manchanda was appointed as chief executive at Atlas Iron in 2018 after it was acquired by Hancock Prospecting, after spending much of the previous decade at the helm of the Roy Hill project. At Roy Hill, he worked as project director and chief operating officer, claiming a “significant influence in leadership” as the business grew. He also recently raised more than $150,000 for homeless Australians as part of the Vinnies CEO Sleepout. Wayne Martin Martin filled one of WA’s most powerful roles — Chief Justice of the Supreme Court — for 12 years until his retirement in 2018. The formidable legal mind, who now practises privately, was admitted to legal practice in 1977 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1993. Martin has served as chair of the Law Reform Commission and spent two years in Sydney as counsel assisting the HIH royal commission. In his role as Chief Justice, Martin sought to modernise the courts, including doing away with traditional wigs and jabots, broadcasting some cases online and allowing journalists to use electronic devices when covering court cases. The passionate footy fan was elected chairman of the WA Football Commission this year and has been the chairman of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research since January 2019. Martin is also a Companion of the Order of Australia. Mark and Sarah McGowan The Premier has been lauded for his staunch leadership during the COVID-19 epidemic, sending his approval rate through the roof. He grew up in country NSW, studying arts and law at the University of Queensland, before joining the navy as a lawyer and rising to the rank of lieutenant (he was awarded the Governor-General’s commendation for bravery for rescuing a driver from a burning car in 1995). McGowan arrived in WA in 1991 and was deputy mayor in Rockingham before winning the seat in State Parliament in 1996, serving in portfolios including education, environment, racing and gaming and tourism. He led Labor in Opposition from 2012-17, when he and the party were elected in a landslide. He has three children with Sarah, a teacher, who he has described as a “very good adviser”. She was instrumental in his initial campaign for election. They married the weekend after he won the seat in 1996. Malcolm and Tonya McCusker Malcolm McCusker’s contributions as a philanthropist arguably equal his achievements as a barrister — no mean feat. The well-respected QC is known for representing people wrongfully convicted; he was Andrew Mallard’s lawyer. He also recently headed a successful appeal by Scott Austic against his murder conviction (there will be a retrial). But McCusker, who was the 31st Governor of WA and donated his salary to charities, is also chairman of The McCusker Charitable Foundation, through which his family distributes up to $5 million a year to medical research and education, the arts, aged care and youth programs. He has long been involved in surf lifesaving and was given a bravery award for helping to rescue Brian Sierakowski and John Hanrahan from a shark attack in 1997. McCusker was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2012 and was WA’s Australian of the Year in 2011. Tonya is a former Australian Ballet dancer and has a law degree; she is a Member of the Order of Australia and holds positions at numerous community groups. She is director of The McCusker Charitable Foundation, patron of Fremantle Press, an ambassador appointed by the Commissioner for Children and Young People and on the Minderoo Foundation board. Murray McHenry McHenry is deeply ingrained with the business side of two popular pastimes — pubs and footy. He owns Nedlands institution Steve’s, created a chain of fine wine stores and started McHenry Hohnen wines in Margaret River with his brother-in-law, David Hohnen. He is the immediate past chair of the WA Football Commission and a former chairman of the West Coast Eagles, where he served on the board for 13 years. James McMahon McMahon is a decorated soldier who commanded the elite Special Air Service regiment, earning two medals for distinguished service for his leadership in Afghanistan, Iraq and in Timor-Leste. He left the military in 2007 to pursue an MBA and a finance career. He worked in the corporate world until 2013, when he took the role of commissioner for the department of corrective services, focused on reforming prisons. McMahon is now chief operating officer at Australian Capital Equity, as well as serving on the boards of the Australian War Memorial and St John of God Health Care. He is a trustee of the SAS Resources Fund, ambassador for The Fathering Project and was named Western Australian of the Year in 2019. Andrew Miller The head of the AMA has been very visible — and at times very critical — during COVID-19 but even when there isn’t a global pandemic, the head of the doctors’ lobby is a powerful position. The specialist anaesthetist, law graduate and company director assumed the presidency in mid-2019 and led through a “whirlwind 12 months”, responding to voluntary assisted dying laws and then COVID-19. Miller also volunteers in developing countries with Rafiki Surgical Missions and Interplast. Glen and Harmony Moltoni The luxury superyacht dealer and his designer wife move in exclusive circles; they spent New Year’s Eve entertaining tennis champion Rafael Nadal and his wife with a lavish party on their $1.5 million Fairline Targa 45 Open yacht. They would usually spend up to four months of the year travelling around Europe — Glen, dealer principal of One Brokerage, sold a 56m Perini Navi there last year for $27.5 million — but have been in Perth due to travel restrictions. Harmony is behind the clothing label Harmony & Lawson. Ben Morton The former bus driver and senior manager at home builder BGC was elected as the Federal member for Tangney in 2016 and has grown close to Scott Morrison, who appointed him as Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Cabinet last year. His ascension to the inner circle of the Federal Liberal Party builds on his extensive network in WA, where he was the State director of the party between 2008 and 2015. Nic Naitanui Probably the country’s most recognisable footballer and one of WA’s favourite sons, Naitanui draws a crowd of fans wherever he goes. The towering ruckman, known as Nic Nat, made his debut in 2009 and quickly became a fan favourite. Born in NSW to Fijian parents, Naitanui was raised by his late mother Atetha, who he credited with instilling strong values and a tireless work ethic. A multicultural ambassador for the AFL, last year he also became an author when he wrote a children’s book, Little Nic’s Big Day, which celebrates diversity. He has spoken out against bullying and racism and last year, backed a Telethon Kids Institute research project into youth mental health. June Oscar The celebrated activist is a force to be reckoned with, hailed for courageously leading a female-driven campaign to dry up the “rivers of grog” in her home town of Fitzroy Crossing, where it was fuelling violence and suicide. Despite some fierce opposition, the ground-breaking initiative went ahead in 2007 with far-reaching positive impacts — restrictions are still in place today and have been adopted in other communities, including Halls Creek. Oscar, a Bunuba woman, has a business degree and is now Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission. She is devoted to advocating for Indigenous languages and culture, with a particular interest in children’s and women’s issues; she has been instrumental in facilitating research into foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Oscar was made an officer in the Order of Australia in 2013 and three years later, won the prestigious Desmond Tutu Reconciliation Fellowship. Joe O’Dea O’Dea keeps a low profile but he is an integral part of the fabric of the community, conducting funerals for loved ones from countless West Australian families, including some of our most beloved public figures. O’Dea is managing director of the family company, funeral directors Bowra & O’Dea, like his father and grandfather, in a line that extends back to when blacksmith Michael O’Dea and wheelwright William Charles Bowra forged a partnership in 1888. He is a past president of the Australian Funeral Directors Association in WA and deputy chair of the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board. During his time at the helm, O’Dea has overseen growth and rejuvenation at the company, including a ‘memorial grove’ program where a tree is planted on behalf of bereaved families, in memory of their loved on, at one of 10 special sites (the idea was sparked by a conversation in 1994 with taxi driver Tim Lawrence, a life member of Trillion Trees). Kevin Parker The talented multi-instrumentalist behind musical sensation Tame Impala splits his time between Los Angeles and his home and studio in Fremantle. The psychedelic rock project is, at heart, a Parker solo venture, although when he plays live — such as headlining Coachella last year, alongside Ariana Grande and Childish Gambino — he has loyal bandmates by his side. Elizabeth Perron The daughter of Stan Perron, the late businessman and philanthropist, has taken on the responsibility of continuing his legacy as chair of the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, which he set up in 1978. The Perron Group empire encompasses shopping centres, office towers, shares, real estate, lucrative iron ore royalties and WA distribution rights to Toyota vehicles, all of which contribute to funding the foundation. Recent charitable contributions include a commitment of $10 million for research to find treatments and cures for diseases such as muscular dystrophy, motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis as well as $5 million to Perth Children’s Hospital’s Centre of Excellence in Childhood Burns. Rose and William Porteous The Perth socialite and her real estate agent husband keep a relatively low profile these days but whenever Rose reappears she is always at her extravagant, eccentric best. She was known for her lavish lifestyle during and after her marriage to mining magnate Lang Hancock — and for the acrimonious fight with his daughter, Gina Rinehart, after his death. Canadian William came to Australia in 1970 for a job with Bond Corporation, managing various development projects. He started his own property development business before joining Acton. A well-known auctioneer, he left in 2008 to start William Porteous Properties International, specialising in prestige properties. Nev Power The former Fortescue boss is splitting his time between Canberra and Perth after being tapped by Scott Morrison to take on one of the biggest jobs imaginable — to lead Australia’s recovery from the coronavirus crisis. The man credited with helping FMG grow from an ambitious start-up to a force in iron ore, Power was asked to chair the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission in March. He has stepped back from his roles as chair of Perth Airport and gas company Strike Energy in an attempt to avoid conflicts of interest. Described as widely respected in the business community and by both sides of politics, Power is also chair of the Foundation for the WA Museum and of the RFDS. Tim Roberts One of three heirs to the $1.2 billion Multiplex fortune, Roberts invested his share through his Warburton Group, including his aviation services company, AVWest Aircraft. Roberts, who also owns Perth Jet Centre, began as a foreman on a Multiplex site and worked his way up to be a director. He now has a highly diversified investment portfolio at Warburton. Roberts became a “million dollar partner” of Telethon in 2012 (he is also a trustee), and helped establish a surf sports academy at North Cottesloe Surf Lifesaving Club. He is also patron of the Perth Symphony Orchestra. John Poynton and Di Bain The respected company director and investment banker is known for his connections to Perth’s upper echelons of business and politics — a far cry from his reported beginnings as a complaints officer at Consumer Affairs. Since then, he has worked at Perth stockbroking stalwart Hartley Poynton, founded Poynton and Partners and Azure Capital and chaired energy giant Alinta and Celebrate WA. Poynton chairs Crown Perth, as well as advisory company Jindalee Partners and gas producer Strike Energy. Poynton, who was made an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2016, is also on the board of guardians of the Future Fund, Australia’s sovereign wealth fund, and is the chairman of Giving West. Bain, a former ABC journalist, is running for the role of Perth Lord Mayor. A keen pilot, Bain runs marketing agency Bain Media and sits on the boards of Tourism WA and Perth Zoo. She is also the chair of Activate Perth, which champions renewal and vibrancy in the city. Peter and Debra Prendiville The owners of WA’s biggest private hotel and accommodation empire are behind countless iconic establishments — the Cottesloe Beach Hotel, Hotel Rottnest, the Tradewinds and Norfolk in Fremantle and the Mangrove in Broome — and are known for hosting star-studded events and for their philanthropy. The couple own and run Sandalford Wines in the Swan Valley and host annual Polo in the Valley events at their stunning private estate, Duncraig Stud, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for causes including Youth Focus and Telethon. Michelle Reynolds The former Rottnest Island Authority boss has been named the City of Perth’s new CEO, in preparation for its long-awaited council elections in October. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a senior public servant, including as the CEO of WorkCover, and has worked with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the State Emergency Management Committee. Gina Rinehart The softly spoken, straight-talking billionaire took over her father Lang Hancock’s company and built Hancock Prospecting into a mining powerhouse, as well as diversifying its interests into coal, beef, dairy and property. Its crowning glory is the $US10 billion Roy Hill project, along with its joint venture with Rio Tinto at Hope Downs, and Hancock’s agricultural business is Australia’s second largest producer of cattle.Rinehart is a long-time supporter of the Australian swimming team. Rinehart and the company have also made significant contributions to the causes including the SAS Resources Fund and Parkerville Children and Youth Care. Andrew Robertson As WA deals with the ongoing threat of COVID-19, Robertson, WA’s Chief Health Officer, is a hugely influential figure. His advice helps shape the Government response, which in turn affects the lives of every West Australian. Robertson, a medical doctor, is vastly experienced in high-stakes public health; the former head of disaster preparedness and management at WA Health had a long career in the navy, including three tours of Iraq as a biological weapons inspector with the UN. He’s led medical relief teams into the Maldives post-tsunami in 2004 and into Indonesia after the Yogyakarta earthquakes in 2006 and managed WA Health’s response to disasters including the Bali bombing in 2005, Cyclone George and the explosion of an asylum seeker ship at Ashmore Reef. Ross Robertson The managing director and chief executive has been a loyal lieutenant at Perron Group since starting his career there in 1981. Perron Group’s holdings include shopping centres, office towers, shares and lucrative mining royalties and in 1995, as chief financial officer, Robertson was put in charge of the huge task of overseeing the group’s finance, accounting, governance and non-property related investments. Nigel and Denise Satterley The couple are well known for their philanthropy and dedication to the arts, putting to good use the proceeds of a successful property empire built from nothing. A teenage Nigel bounded into Perth from Cunderdin and by 20, somehow managed to become the WA representative for Levis Jeans. His first property transaction, while still at Levis, netted him $10,000 and allowed him to start Statesman Homes, which would eventually sell 650 houses a year. From there, he established Satterley Property Group, one of WA’s biggest land developers (estimates are that more than 250,000 West Australians live on its lots). The Satterleys support a number of charities and have been involved in more than 40 charity home auctions. Nigel is a long-time patron of Telethon Speech & Hearing and he and Denise hold regular fundraising events for the institute. He is a life member of the West Coast Eagles and in 2006, was made a Member of the Order of Australia. Rob Scott and Liz Weekes Scott, the CEO of Wesfarmers started there in 1993 and luckily, the company supported his rowing aspiration — he won a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The dual Olympian left to work in investment banking but returned to the fold in 2004, working in various roles before being appointed managing director in November 2017. The chairman of Rowing Australia has a masters degree in applied finance and studied at Harvard. Weekes is a member of the first ever Australian Olympic womens’ water polo team, which won gold at the Sydney Olympics. She began playing at 15 and soon found herself in the national team, playing in tournaments all over the world. She was a passionate advocate in the 20-year battle to get the sport into the Olympics, even storming IOC meetings with her teammates. Weekes is now a corporate speaker, model and TV personality. Luke and Danielle Shuey Shuey, a Norm Smith Medallist, has taken the reins as captain of the West Coast Eagles at a tough time, as the team tries to adapt to the restrictions put in place because of the COVID-19 crisis. He and Danielle, a publicist and former radio personality, recently announced they are expecting a sibling for son Oliver. Fiona Stanley The public health stalwart is so treasured by the WA community that a $2 billion new hospital was named after her. Stanley, along with paediatrician Lou Landau, helped to set up the WA Research Institute for Child Health; that institute grew to become the world-leading Telethon Kids Institute. While Stanley retired as director at the end of 2011, she remains patron and the chief investigator on a number of research projects. She has published more than 300 papers and made vital discoveries, including the link between a lack of folate in a mother’s diet and neural tube defects such as spina bifida in unborn babies A passionate advocate for children Stanley was named Australian of the Year in 2003 and a National Living Treasure in 2004. She is a director of the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation, a UNICEF Australia ambassador and a distinguished research professor at UWA. Diane Smith-Gander The trailblazing Smith-Gander has more hats than you can count but to list just a few, she is on the boards of Wesfarmers, AGL Energy, HBF and Keystart Loans and chairs the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA), Safe Work Australia and the UWA business school advisory board. Smith-Gander is a passionate advocate for women in business. She is a past president of Chief Executive Women and last year was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for her service to business, women’s engagement in executive roles, gender equality and the community. She has an economics degree and an MBA and has previously been an executive at Westpac and a partner at McKinsey & Company in the US, where she led major merger and transformation projects. Smith-Gander has also been active in sports administration as a past chair of Basketball Australia and the Australian Sports Drug Agency. She is also the chair of the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency. Kerry Stokes and Christine Simpson Stokes The billionaire businessman and philanthropist runs a media empire and has interests in resources, energy, agriculture, property and industrial services through his roles as executive chairman of Seven Group Holdings, WestTrac and Seven Network and chairman of Seven West Media and Australian Capital Equity. Stokes, a former chair of the National Gallery of Australia, is also a supporter of the arts; the Kerry Stokes Collection, described as one of the most important private collections in Australia, contains objects spanning 800 years, including paintings, sculpture, books and maps. Stokes is also a military history enthusiast, who is an honorary life member of the RSL and chair of the Australian War Memorial, having bought and donated Victoria Crosses and numerous other medals. Stokes, who is a trustee and previous chairman of Telethon, was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2008. Simpson Stokes, who is also a director at ACE and has a background in media, was made a Member of the Order of Australia early this year for her commitment to philanthropy. She is on the board of the Australia Council for the Arts, a Telethon trustee, an ambassador for Legacy Australia and a patron of the Ian Potter Museum of Art. Simpson Stokes has previously been patron of Kimberley Girl, a leadership program for young Indigenous women. Phil Thick After graduating as a civil engineer, Thick worked for Alcoa’s Kwinana refinery before joining Shell, where he spent 20 years with postings all over the country and overseas, as well as a seat on the board. He is now head of Tianqi Lithium but has also moved into supporting the arts, becoming chair of the Perth Symphony Orchestra in 2018 and chair of the Chamber of Arts and Culture last year. Richard Walley An acclaimed Aboriginal performer and writer, Walley is responsible for the contemporary Welcome to Country; in 1976, he and Ernie Dingo drew on tradition to come up with the now-familiar ceremony when visiting Polynesian dancers refused to perform without a proper Indigenous reception. Walley, who is the founding patron of the Yirra Yaakin theatre group, is known for his advocacy for Indigenous culture and at 23, was chairing the Aboriginal Advisory Board. He was actively involved in the formation of the Aboriginal Housing Board, the Aboriginal Medical Service and the Aboriginal Legal Service. He is director of his family company, Aboriginal Productions and Promotions, which delivers cultural awareness programs and in 2016, was named the number one ticketholder at the Fremantle Dockers. In 1978, Walley and three friends from basketball, including Dingo, put together the Middar Aboriginal Theatre, which toured the world showcasing Noongar culture. Walley was named a State Living Treasure in 2015. John Van Der Wielen The head of WA’s biggest health fund helps guide decisions that impact on thousands of customers around the State — including the recent move, unanimously approved by the HBF board, to cancel premium increases this year due to COVID-19. Van der Weilen took the job in May 2017, after working in Europe and Australia in a variety of finance and insurance roles. He is also on the board of the RFDS WA. Rory Vassallo The Kwinana Senior High School dropout turned young businessman founded Vassallo Corporation at age 20, after sitting next to his girlfriend’s boss at the Christmas party and hearing all about the childcare industry. He bought a centre, eventually building up a portfolio of 22 Great Beginnings centres, which he sold in 2014 for a rumoured $65 million. After the sale Vassallo, who is an avid boat owner, added Perth’s R Marine dealership, which sells Riviera and Belize luxury power boats, to his corporation, which also has a property portfolio. He has been a director of the South Fremantle Football Club since 2014, and in 2018 Vassallo was part of a consortium, which included Eileen Bond, that bought the Perth Heat baseball team, where he is now chairman. ROY HILL: Tad Watroba and Barry Fitzgerald As the executive director and chief executive of the massive Roy Hill mine, Watroba and Fitzgerald are close confidants of mining magnate Gina Rinehart. Watroba, in particular, is described as her right-hand man. Also executive director at Hancock Prospecting, he has more than 50 years experience in mines of many types, from iron ore to manganese, coal, copper, zinc and gold. Watroba has been described as friendly, approachable and fiercely loyal to Rinehart. Fitzgerald was hired from his role as CEO of Citic Pacific Mining to oversee Roy Hill in 2010. Clare Watson The arrival of Black Swan State Theatre Company’s new artistic director in 2017 was heralded as a new era for the group; now she faces the unprecedented challenge of leading its re-emergence as coronavirus lockdowns subside. Tim Winton The acclaimed author’s books are so beloved many of them have sparked theatre productions and feature length movies. The writer of 29 books, Winton has four Miles Franklin Awards (for Cloudstreet, Dirt Music, Breath, Shallows) and is renowned for his evocative Australian stories; he has been declared a Living Treasure by the National Trust. He is also a passionate environmentalist, acting as patron of the Australian Marine Conservation Society and campaigning against developments near WA’s Ningaloo Reef. Fiona Wood and Tony Kierath Wood, the 2005 Australia of the Year, is one of the country’s most respected surgeons and researchers; her innovations with spray-on skin for treating burns are world leading. She has been the forefront of major global disasters, including the Bali bombings in 2002, when she co-ordinated a major response including four operating theatres, 19 surgeons and 130 medical staff who worked around the clock. Wood, the director of the Burns Service of Western Australia and a consultant plastic surgeon at Fiona Stanley Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital, has repeatedly been voted Australia’s most trusted person. Kierath is a specialist weight loss surgeon. Ben Wyatt When WA Treasurer Ben Wyatt announced in February he was quitting politics to spend more time with his young family, many were aghast that the talented operator would be lost to politics. But COVID-19 had other ideas; by March 24, the man Mark McGowan touts as a future premier reversed his decision, saying he was determined to help WA recover. Rhonda Wyllie and Jeffrey Browne When businessman Bill Wyllie died in 2006, his widow Rhonda was determined to uphold his legacy, both in his investment company, Wyllie Group, and his community work. Today, the group, which has investments including Sorrento Quay and the 1526ha Murray River Farm in Coolup, retains that family connection; Wyllie and daughter Melissa Karlson are executive directors, son Luke is a non-executive director and in 2010, her brother Wayne McGrath was appointed executive chairman. Wyllie is a long-time philanthropist and established the Rhonda Wyllie Foundation to contribute to child health causes including Telethon and Bethesda Foundation, among others. It has also worked closely with organisation Hagar to help women and children who have suffered extreme abuse. In 2018, Wyllie married former Nine managing director Jeffrey Browne in a star-studded wedding at the Coolup property, after they met on a blind date at the 2013 Logies. Close friend Neale Fong was the celebrant and Browne’s best mate, Eddie McGuire, flew in from Melbourne to be MC. Megan Wynne and Bruce Bellinge Wynne is the founder of rehabilitation services group APM and Bellinge, a pioneer in reproductive technology, owns Concept Fertility. Wynne, who set up APM 25 years ago, sold a large stake in 2017 for a reported $400 million. She remains managing director of the company, which doubled in size last year when it bought the global operations of Ingeus. Bellinge has been involved in IVF since its early days; his Subiaco-based Concept Fertility started as an IVF lab in 1982. He is also chairman of sterilisation service provider Sterequip. Vivien Yap The director of Ray White Dalkeith-Claremont, Yap describes her focus as “like a laser beam”. She speaks five languages, making her a go-to agent for overseas investors, and is now so successful that she was invited to Ferrari headquarters in Italy to purchase the latest limited-edition sports car — her sixth since 2008. Basil and Amy Zempilas Basil is a ubiquitous personality in WA media, with roles on 7NEWS, 6PR radio and a newspaper column in The West, but he may become even more high profile if his bid to become the Perth Lord Mayor is successful. Amy, a mother of three, runs lifestyle blog Absolute Amy.