Yesterday
Lean profits, leaner CEO: Inside the Novo Nordisk miracle
The global chief executive of weight loss drug giant Novo Nordisk, Mike Doustdar, lost 25 kilos – but he did it the old-fashioned way.
This Month
Meet the go-to lawyer for Perth’s elite for the past 50 years
Martin Bennett sleeps four hours a night, has an eidetic memory and plenty of stories. “’If I was in deep doo-doo, I’d want Martin,” says a former colleague.
Pizza, pasta and science with the physicist electrifying Ferrari
Benedetto Vigna worked on the Higgs boson, has 200 patents and explains why Jonny Ive and Marc Newson will deliver an all-electric Ferrari people want to buy.
Don’t worry, friends, Trump is toast and America will bounce back
Famed Democrat strategist James Carville says the rest of the world underestimates the ability of America to recover from Donald Trump’s presidency as his power ebbs.
February
The woman with a $370b responsibility
Kathy Vincent got the Australian Retirement Trust top job seemingly out of nowhere, but the responsibility for 2.4 million super accounts rests easy on her shoulders.
Qiao Ma on life in the ‘Darwinian’ world of funds management
The globetrotting stock picker, who reads dense corporate history books for fun, says AI will only replace those people who don’t know how to use it.
How repeating first grade drove Christian Beck towards a circa $6b IPO
A lifelong desire to prove he wasn’t stupid drove the ATI Global founder to build an international legal tech firm. He’s now asking markets to value his work.
AUSTRAC boss Brendan Thomas’ unlikely road to the top
The man who runs our national financial crime watchdog left school at 14 and was told he couldn’t get an apprenticeship because he was Aboriginal. It was a mighty motivator.
January
Frank sold his last company for $180m. Now he’s tackling your bulging inboxes
After his father went bankrupt, Realbase co-founder Frank Greeff grew up talking about money every day. Now, he’s using those lessons to build his next AI venture.
Inside the mind of one of Australia’s best winter Olympians
What does it take to win gold? It’s having the kind of mindset that got aerial skier Alisa Camplin-Warner onto the podium just six weeks after breaking both her ankles.
Inside the secret weapons-making lair tucked away in Sydney
David Goodrich has done something unheard of – delivered a submarine program on time and on budget. And it all started at North Sydney Boys High School.
The professional punter who made more than $1m on the Sydney Roosters
Kingsley Bartholomew is a rock star in the world of gambling, where followers seek his advice for a winning edge. His main tip? Learn to deal with the losses.
December 2025
The 10 most memorable Lunches with the AFR of 2025
From a former chair of the Federal Reserve to a star cook, a television icon and an eminently quotable judge, these were the year’s top 10 Lunches with the AFR.
The could-have-been billionaire who turned down Google
Australian Hugh Williams ran Google Maps and invented the tech behind “doomscrolling”. His take on the AI future is surprisingly upbeat.
Four hours (and 18 drinks) in the lion’s den with Michael Lee
The Federal Court judge who sits on all the big cases said he would “eschew the somewhat prim abstemiousness” of other lunch guests. He was true to his word.
Rock star economist dishes on crypto, comedy and complex Aussie menus
Irishman David McWilliams’ history of money has placed him in the same ballpark as the likes of Piketty, Harari and Gladwell. But he struggles with Australian menus.
Singer Budjerah trusts star-making process, despite its frustrations
The Indigenous artist has been hailed as a prodigy for his blend of soul, R&B and pop, but playing the “big music” game has its limitations.
November 2025
Mark Cavendish is ready to shake up cycling’s business model
The former world champion always knew where to position himself to win a race, now he wants to bring that ruthless edge to the business side of the sport.
The Australian running Disney+ is ready to talk about it
Once a PR staffer, Alisa Bowen now oversees one of the world’s biggest streaming platforms. In a rare interview, she outlines her vision for its future.
He made hair removal and Botox popular. Now he’s enjoying his wealth
Laser Clinics Australia co-founder Babak Moini spends his time at the gym, socialising, ensuring he sleeps enough – and making a classic Sydney property play.
