BRW has today published its Rich List 200 outlining the fortunes of Australia’s richest people, and just 14 women were able to squeeze their way in – down from 16 last year.
Ten women were listed as individual entries and there are no prizes for guessing who came out on top: Gina Rinehart is still the richest person in Australia, despite losing $7 billion in the past year according to BRW.
Meet the woman on BRW’s rich list, and see how they managed to secure their wealth.
Gina Rinehart
Job: Chairman, Hancock Prospecting
BRW estimated worth: $22.02 billion
Key talent for getting rich?
Though her wealth has dropped a staggering $7 billion in the past 12 months, Rinehart remains Australia’s richest person with her total wealth amounting to more than triple that of her next richest competitor. The fifth richest person in the world (and the woman more powerful than Beyoncé, according to Forbes) she inherited the Hancock Company from her father and now owns several stakes in Australia’s coal and iron mines, and continues to explore her options in media. The mother of four remains embattled in a very public clash with three of her children over access to family trust funds.
Angela Bennett
Job: Resources, Wright Prospecting
BRW estimated worth: $1.54 billion
Key talent for getting rich?
Australia’s second richest woman, Bennett’s wealth stems from the same source as Gina Rinhart’s. Their fathers did plenty of business together, and the two have been battling it out in court for several years over both their family empires. Married with seven children, the notoriously media shy Bennett’s wealth dropped from $2.06 billion in the past year.
Vicky Teoh (with David Teo)
Job: Digital Entrepreneurs, TPG
BRW estimated worth:$ $1.06 billion
Key talent for getting rich?
When Malaysian-born Vicky Teoh and her husband David Teoh moved to Australia in 1986 they founded TPG Telecom – originally as a computer equipment business selling hardware such as printers and PC’s. In 2005 the equipment production ceased and TPG became a rapidly growing Internet Service Provider. The company continues to grow, in part due to the continued rise of the technology sector. The Teo’s, parents to four sons, were amongst the highest risers on BRW’s Rich List, with their personal wealth almost doubling in the past 12 months. Both Vicky and her husband are extremely media-shy, with the rarely seen entrepreneurs only coming to wide public knowledge after first appearing on BRW’s rich list.
Charlotte Vidor
Job: Toga Group
BRW estimated worth: $700 million
Key talent for getting rich?
Together with her husband Ervin, Vidor established Toga Group, one of Australia’s pre eminent hotel chains, after they migrated to Australia from Poland and Hungary in 1968. The group owns and manages four hospitality brands — Medina Apartment Hotels, Adina Apartment Hotels, Vibe Hotels and Travelodge Hotels — and has 1800 employees.
Yenda Lee & family
Job: Spokeswoman for Bing Lee
BRW estimated worth: $455 million
Key talent for getting rich?
Migrating to Australia from China after World War Two, Yenda Lee and her husband first opened a fruit shop before changing gears and focusing on electrical goods, founding one of Australia’s first price-matching ventures. After her husband Ken passed away in 2007, Yenda became known as the voice of Bing Lee, ending radio advertisements with the company’s slogan “Come and meet our team”. Her wealth has dropped more than $20 million in the past 12 months, in part owing to tough competition from the online retail market. However, she is the newest addition to the Rich List. Both her sons also have stakes in the company, with her eldest Lionel the company’s chief executive and Greg working in the HR department.
Mary Fairfax
Job: Property,
BRW estimated worth: $435 million
Key talent for getting rich?
Polish-born Mary Fairfax opened several dress shops in Sydney before marrying solicitor Cedric Symonds. After divorcing him, she became the third wife of the late Sir Warwick Fairfax in 1969, becoming part of Australia’s oldest media family. Now in her 90’s, the mother of four is the director of the Opera Foundation of Australia and remains devoted to philanthropic causes, particularly the health and educational sectors.
Naomi Milgrom
Job: Owner & CEO, Sussan Group
BRW estimated worth: $430 million
Key talent for getting rich?
While Milgrom’s parents Marc and Eva Besen were responsible for much of the development and expansion of Sussan Group, she personally took control in 2003 after buying out her parents and siblings. The twice-married, mother of three, continues to face a tough retail climate, with her personal wealth taking another hit this year. Despite the tenuous nature of fashion retail, Milgrom has put her own stamp on the Sussan Group, particularly in cultivating a workplace that supports women. Of the group’s 4500 staff, 99% are women along with a majority of the senior management. The chief executives of the three retail brands are women. In 2011 Milgrom said: “99% of my staff are women and mostly working mothers. I believe that the best way to manage this workforce is through consultation and having flexible working hours.”
Imelda Roche
Job: Property, co-chair Roche Group
BRW estimated worth: $425 million
Key talent for getting rich?
Roche was one of the first female entrepreneurs in Australia, launching the first Nutrimetics venture in Australia with her husband Bill before selling the company in 1998 for $150 million and turning their focus to property investment. Roche has been recognised as one of the world’s leading entrepreneurs, was awarded an Order of Australia in 2005 and recently shared her advice to other women entrepreneurs with Women’s Agenda: “[My grandmother told me] you can do whatever you want to do if you really are focussed and dedicated enough. That little focus I shared with everyone today: If it’s to be, it’s up to me. It’s not for somebody else to do it for you. You’re in charge of your own life.”
Patricia Illhan
Job: Investment
BRW estimated worth: $320 million
Key talent for getting rich?
After losing her husband John Illhan, the founder of Crazy John’s in 2007, Illhan has continued to build her family’s wealth (after the company was shut down by Vodaphone), with the $150 million she made from selling her 75% stake later invested in property. Since selling the company she has devoted much of her time to the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation, a foundation started after one of their four children was diagnosed with a severe nut allergy.
Nicole Kidman
Job: Actress
BRW estimated worth: $320 million
Key talent for getting rich?
Nicole Kidman is one of Australia’s best-known exports as an Academy award-winning actress. While her film credits took a back seat this year, her personal wealth rose $20 million in the past twelve months, thanks in part to the sale of her property in New York and lucrative advertising campaigns for Swisse and Chanel. The twice-married star has four children – she adopted two with Cruise and has two with Keith Urban — Kidman’s continued to pick up acting gigs with two films in post-production, and has just been announced as the face of Jimmy Choo’s Fall campaign.