AFR Young Rich List 2017: Tech remains booming sector for young wealth

The AFR has revealed the names topping the 2017 Financial Review Young Rich List, which records Australia’s wealthiest self-made citizens aged 40 and under. The list will be published in The AFR this Friday October 27.

Atlassian co-founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar top the list with combined wealth of $4.6 billion. Cannon-Brookes and Farquhar’s wealth total as of 2017 equals more than 10 times the wealth of the next two placegetters.

At #3 and #4 are Dave Greiner and Ben Richardson ($607m), co-founders of email marketing firm Campaign Monitor. The US$250 million share sale by the company in 2014 remains the biggest investment deal involving a privately held Australian technology firm to date.

Other media and marketing people on the list include WME founder Nick Bell (#19, $543m), Appster co-founders Josiah Humphrey and Mark McDonald (#38 & #39, $63m), fitness guru Kayla Itsines (#40, $46m) model Miranda Kerr (#62, $44m) and global health star Emily Skye (#83, $32m).

The 100 members of the 2017 Financial Review Young Rich List have enjoyed a stunning rise in wealth this year, with a booming property sector, technology market and beauty industry boosting overall wealth to a record $13.2 billion.

Technology remains the dominant sector for 2017 with 38 people on the List, followed by financial services with 12 and retail with eight.

There are 27 debutants on the 2017 Young Rich List, including Emily Skye and Airtasker co-founders Tim Fung and Jonathan Lui (#66 and #67, $41 million).

The Financial Review Young Rich List has been published annually since 2003.