The Interview Australia

Kerr Neilson - Argyle Family Office

Self-made billionaire Kerr Neilson is widely regarded as one of the most significant — and original — investors Australia has ever produced.  A contrarian thinker with a global perspective, he built not only immense personal wealth, but a legacy that reshaped the culture of investing in Australia. Born in Johannesburg in 1949, Neilson bought his first shares as a teenager, developing an early fascination with markets and the psychology that drives them. He studied commerce at the University of Cape Town before moving to London, where he learned his craft amid the inflation shocks, political turmoil, and market volatility of the 1970s. Those formative years exposed him to uncertainty early — and taught him that opportunity often appears when others are fearful. In 1983, he moved to Australia, where he would eventually leave an indelible mark on the nation’s financial landscape. A decade later, he co-founded Platinum Investment Management, a firm that challenged conventional wisdom and introduced generations of Australian investors to the power of global investing, independent research, and long-term thinking. Under his leadership, Platinum became one of the country’s most respected investment houses. But the story of Kerr Neilson is not simply one of performance, rankings, or fortune. It is a story of temperament. Of independence of mind. Of scepticism toward the crowd and a lifelong belief that price and value are rarely the same thing. While others chased momentum, Neilson searched for mispricing. While markets grew euphoric, he remained measured. While consensus became comfortable, he looked elsewhere. His philosophy was rooted in patience, discipline, and emotional control — qualities far rarer than intelligence in the world of investing. He understood that markets move in cycles, that fear and greed repeat endlessly, and that great opportunities often require the courage to look wrong before eventually being proven right. Across five decades, he has navigated crashes, bubbles, recessions, booms, and profound structural change. Through it all, he built a reputation for thoughtful judgement, calm under pressure, and the quiet courage to stand apart when it matters most. Kerr Neilson’s career is more than a financial success story. It is a masterclass in rational thinking, long-term conviction, and the enduring rewards of seeing the world differently. The Interview Australia: Australia's most watched business series. Founder & Host: Rob Langton Proudly produced & distributed exclusively by: Ready Media Group More about Argyle Family Office: https://argylefund.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVRLTUVocEF5eWJoRUg2TGZsM0pQOHBiSlRQd3xBQ3Jtc0ttRG9nTHBKTkZKeFlaMnRVSTRDNDl3YzJKSjNWa0w0RWMyZzFWRHl6LTByTjM1S2JjV0ZkNFRCUEE1VG1xVUN2UmEzVGNXNjJlZFVKUHN5V0lhS0FOV0NCY3hUcW1hTXV3N0NRVm9tQTVsT1BJdmJiaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fargylefund.com%2F&v=N7to14YK-k4] Find out about Platinum Asset Management: https://www.platinum.com.au/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXNXZ1FXSFdYYldHNjJRdXB5Tlgwc3RvZnBDQXxBQ3Jtc0trd0dsclVLZ1dCdFh0TGpDTXRGcm54MkI3TGl5ekowb3ozcDZWYkxnaGhJREUxWndxMEZVV0RfQVdkVFk0ZmZnSHMzQnpiZVhZWDQ4VEVuU3Y4bUd2RmppS0VDdC1nOEMyMEFpeDM2a2hIQlZQazRBSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.platinum.com.au%2F&v=N7to14YK-k4] Learn about Ready Media Group: https://readymedia.com.au/ #billionaire [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/billionaire] #billionaireinterview [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/billionaireinterview] #billionairemindset [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/billionairemindset] #ausbiz [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/ausbiz] #businessinterview [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/businessinterview] #businessaustralia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/businessaustralia] #fundsmanagement [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fundsmanagement] #stockbroking [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/stockbroking] #entrepreneurship [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship] #investing [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/investing] #business [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/business] #richlist [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/richlist] #platinumassetmanagement [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/platinumassetmanagement] #argyle [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/argyle] #kerrneilson [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/kerrneilson]

Sam Kennard - Kennards Self Storage

In this rare & exclusive profile, we go inside the world of multi-billionaire Sam Kennard, the man behind one of Australia’s largest & most enduring self storage empires. At 21, Sam stepped into a modest family business with just eight centres. By 24, he was running it. Three decades later, that business spans 125+ facilities across Australia & New Zealand, managing tens of thousands of units and a $3 billion+ real estate portfolio. In this conversation, Sam reveals: - The origins and legacy of the Kennard family - His upbringing and early immersion in business - How Kennards Self Storage evolved over three decades into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise - The operational discipline and long-term thinking that fuelled growth - The risks, setbacks, and failures that defined both him & the business - Key lessons in leadership, legacy, and building a company built to last This is more than just a business story — it’s a masterclass in strategy, resilience, and thinking long-term. Listen now to discover what it really takes to build a lasting empire. Founder & Host: Rob Langton Proudly produced & distributed exclusively: Ready Media Group. More about Kennards Self Storage: www.kss.com.au [https://gate.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kss.com.au&token=5a339a-1-1775150486802] Learn more about Ready Media Group: www.readymedia.com.au [https://gate.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.readymedia.com.au&token=5bcf15-1-1775150486802] #samkennard [https://soundcloud.com/tags/samkennard] #selfstorage [https://soundcloud.com/tags/selfstorage] #ausbiz [https://soundcloud.com/tags/ausbiz] #businessnews [https://soundcloud.com/tags/businessnews] #richlist [https://soundcloud.com/tags/richlist] #billionaireinterview [https://soundcloud.com/tags/billionaireinterview] #billionairemindset [https://soundcloud.com/tags/billionairemindset]

Christian Beck - InfoTrack

For more than three decades, self-made billionaire Christian Beck has quietly built one of the most dominant vertical software ecosystems in the legal industry. He started in 1992 with LEAP Legal Software, transforming clunky, manual law firm workflows into software that became indispensable. Then he created InfoTrack, moving beyond software into the invisible rails of property, court, and government systems. Today, under ATI Global, he controls a tightly woven group of businesses that dominate the sector — all while remaining intensely private. This conversation isn’t a standard founder story. It’s a rare glimpse into the mind of someone who has built an entire ecosystem, outmanoeuvred competitors for decades, and done so with discipline, patience, and an obsession for embedding value at the core of an industry. We discuss the decisions that made LEAP indispensable, the strategic moves that turned InfoTrack into critical infrastructure, and the philosophy that guides him as he builds for the long game — not for headlines or hype. This is a masterclass in strategy, vision, and execution — from one of Australia’s most underrated business architects. Host - Rob Langton Production & Distribution - Ready Media Group #ausbiz #businessnews #richlist #christianbeck #infotrack #theinterview #theinterviewau

Chris Lucas - Lucas Collective

Chris Lucas stands as one of Australia’s most daring and influential hospitality entrepreneurs — a creator of culture as much as a creator of restaurants. Over the past two decades, he has built a portfolio of iconic venues that consistently reset the benchmark for what dining in Australia can feel like: energetic, design-led, culturally fluent and unapologetically ambitious. As the founder and driving force behind the Lucas Restaurants group, Lucas transformed venues like Chin Chin, Kisumé, Yakimono and Grill Americano into institutions that shape the way people eat, socialise and experience their city. His signature is unmistakable: theatrical concepts, world-class interiors, deep respect for global cuisines, and a relentless focus on service and atmosphere. Lucas is widely regarded as a master of brand-building — each restaurant crafted not just as a place to dine, but as a sensory, high-voltage experience that blends food, music, art, design and cultural storytelling. His influence extends beyond hospitality; he has helped define Melbourne’s identity as one of the world’s great dining capitals while continually pushing the industry forward with scale, innovation and vision. Bold, instinctive and fiercely committed to excellence, Chris Lucas has become a symbol of what modern entrepreneurial hospitality looks like: ambitious, experiential, culturally connected and impossible to ignore. In this exclusive feature profile by Rob Langton & Ready Media Group, Chris takes us on journey inside his World, from what drives his success to how he thinks about his legacy & everything in between. The Interview - Australia's most watched business program, featuring exclusive profiles of the Nation's most successful individuals. Founder & Host - Rob Langton Proudly produced, licensed & distributed by Ready Media Group. Further Information: https://readymedia.com.au/ https://lucascollective.com/ #ausbiz #businessnews #chrislucas #lucascollective #readymediagroup #readymedia #selfmade #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #sydney #melbourne #hospitality

Peter Freedman AM - Røde

Peter Freedman AM is the self-made billionaire maverick behind one of Australia’s greatest manufacturing success stories. As the Founder and Chairman of RØDE Microphones, he turned a near-bankrupt family electronics business in 1987 into a global powerhouse—now exporting to over 120 countries, manufacturing everything in Sydney, and used by the world’s leading content creators, filmmakers, musicians, and broadcasters. Bold, driven, and obsessively hands-on, Peter is more than a tech entrepreneur—he’s a fierce advocate for Australian manufacturing, design excellence, and innovation on home soil. He famously reverse-engineered his first microphone in 1990, and never looked back—building vertically integrated factories filled with robots, launching revolutionary products like the VideoMic and RØDECaster, and acquiring global brands like Mackie, Lectrosonics, Aphex and SoundField under the Freedman Group. Awarded Member of the Order of Australia in 2016, and named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014, Peter is as well known for his philanthropy as he is for his products—donating millions to arts, mental health, and design, including a record-breaking purchase of Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged guitar, which he turned into cultural capital for Australia. Blunt, brilliant, and deeply committed to legacy, he’s said: “I’m not a capitalist. I just love winning.” This is a story of grit, reinvention, and building global greatness—out of a suburban factory in Sydney. Founder & Host | Rob Langton #ausbiz #billionaire #richlist #businessnews #businessaustralia #businessau #rode #peterfreedman #rodemicrophones #theinterviewau #theinterview #readymedia