Stephen Mayne's CV
January 22, 2009
INTRODUCTION
Stephen Mayne is a journalist, shareholder advocate, professional candidate, professional speaker and local government councillor. The following CV is broken down into those five categories.
THE BASICS
Date of Birth: 23/07/1969
Birthplace: Brisbane
Married to Paula with three children
Attended Templestowe Primary and Ivanhoe Grammar (Year 12 Prefect)
Melbourne University: BCom (plus half finished Arts degree with politics major)
ENTRY IN WHO'S WHO
Mayne Stephen; BCom (Melb.); Shareholder Activist; s.of: David Philip and Diana Margaret Mayne; b: July 23, 1969, Brisb.; ed: Ivanhoe Gram. Sch., Univ. Melb.; career: Founder Mayne Report since 2007, Columnist www.crikey.com.au since 2005, Founder and Ed. 2000 – 2005, Guest Host Morning Program 774 ABC Melb. 2005, Publisher www.jeffed.com 1999, Jrnlst. Aust. Fin. Review 1999, Bus. Ed and COS The Daily Telegraph 1997-99, Bus. Ed. Herald Sun 1994-97, Press Sec. to Alan Stockdale (Vic. Treas. 1992-99) 1992-94, Banking Writer The Age 1992, Fin. Reporter Herald Sun 1989-91; recipient Walkley Award 1999; m: Paula Piccinini, d. of: Teodoro and Agnes Piccinini; c: 2 d 1 s; rec.: tennis, golf, gardening, shareholder activism; clubs: Templestowe Park Tennis; address: PO Box 925, Templestowe Vic 3106.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Elected in November 2008 to serve as one of three representatives from the Heide Ward and one of nine councillors in the City of Manningham.
Serving on the following Manningham Council committees:
Aquarena Aquatic Centre
Audit Committee
Manningham Recreation Association
Manningham Tourism Strategy Committee
Doncaster Hill Advisory Committee
STEPHEN MAYNE JOURNALISM CV
1989 –1990: finance cadet, The Sun News Pictorial
1990-1991 finance cadet, Herald Sun
1992: banking reporter, The Age
1992-1994: press secretary, Kennett media unit with responsibility for four Ministers: Treasurer Alan Stockdale, Finance Minister Ian Smith, Energy Minister Jim Plowman and WorkCover Minister Roger Hallam.
1994-1997: business editor, Herald Sun
1997-1998: business editor, The Daily Telegraph
Dec 1998-April 1999: chief of staff, The Daily Telegraph
July-Sept 1999: Rear Window columnist, The Australian Financial Review
Sept-Dec 1999: publisher anti-Kennett and shareholder activism website www.jeffed.com, which contributed to Kennett's electoral defeat.
Late 1999: Editor of Bitch gossip columnist, The Eye magazine
2000-2005: founder, editor, publisher and proprietor www.crikey.com.au which was sold for $1 million.
2000-2003: weekly commentator on RRR radio station in Melbourne
2000-2009: weekly business commentator 774 ABC Melbourne
2000-2008: regular commentator 702 ABC Sydney morning program (not continuing 2009).
2005: presented 20 Morning and Drive programs on 774 ABC Melbourne
2005-09: regular contributor, www.crikey.com.au
2007-09: founder and publisher corporate governance ezine, www.maynereport.com
Industry Awards
1999: Walkley Award in the category “All Media Business Reporting” for the 16-part series “AGM Season 1998” in The Daily Telegraph
2000: Highly commended in the 2000 Melbourne Press Club Quill Awards in the “Best Online Report” category for “Lion Nathan Series”
2002: Walkley Finalist in the category "Best Online Journalism" for "Democrats in Crisis".
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
As Australia's leading shareholder activist, Stephen endeavours to ask probing questions at AGM and, on occasions, run for boards to place pressure on companies to improve performance. The overall mission is to create a greater culture of shareholder pressure in Australia.
However, having just been elected as a councillor at the City of Manningham and after more than 10 years of AGM questioning and board tilts, the time has come to start working constructively inside board rooms in governance turnaround situations. That was the basis of the Centro Retail board tilt. To help engineer the governance changes at Centro, including rebuilding the board, rather than to serve as a long term director.
This is the full list of shareholder meetings where Stephen has asked questions or run for the board
1998:
Asked Questions at 21 AGMs: ERA, Austrim, Australian Infrastructure Fund, Centaur Mining, Foster's Brewing, Tabcorp, Commonwealth Bank, Pasminco, John Fairfax, Seven Network, Aristocrat Leisure, Mirvac, Westfield Holdings, Goodman Fielder, Infrastructure Trust of Australia, FAI Insurance, Hoyts, GIO, Amalgamated Holdings, Davids Holdings, David Jones.
1999:
Asked Questions at 16 AGMs: Housewares, CSL, Coates Hire, OneTel, PBL, Commonwealth Bank, North Ltd, News Corp, Southern Cross Broadcasting, Tabcorp, Westfield Holdings, Fairfax, Centaur mining, HIH Insurance, Hudson Conway, AGL.
2000:
Asked Questions at 46 AGMs: AXA, MYOB, Amcor, Pacifica, Colonial (EGM), Cable & Wireless Optus, Lend Lease (EGM), Downer Group, AGL, News Corp, Fairfax, Central Equity, Lend Lease, FXF-CPH, Skilled Engineering, Southern Cross Broadcasting, Ecorp, PBL, Spotless, Tempo Services, Boral, OneTel, Phoneware, Pineapplehead, Qantas, Seven Network, Harvey Norman, King Island Cheese, CDS Technologies, Challenger Financial Services, Solution 6, Athur Yates, Sino Securities International, Keycorp, HIH Insurance, Westpac, Lion Nathan, Orica, AMP, ASX, Commonwealth Bank, Westfield Holdings, Telstra, Woolworths, NRMA Insurance, David Jones, National Australia Bank.
Ran for 10 Boards: AMP, ASX, Commonwealth Bank, Westfield Holdings, Telstra, Woolworths, NRMA Insurance, David Jones, WA News, National Australia Bank.
2001:
Asked Questions at 25 AGMs: Infosentials (creditors' meeting), Australand, Bonlac, Rio Tinto, BATA, Hutchison Telecommunications, STW Holdings, Cumnock Coal, AMP, BHP (EGM), Austar, Macquarie Bank, Brambles, Sofcom (EGM), News Corp, BHP Billiton, Seven Network, Southern Cross Broadcasting, Austereo, Computershare, Smorgon Steel, PMP, ANZ, Orica, Essendon Football Club.
Ran for 7 Boards: AXA, ASX, Fairfax, PMP, Southern Cross Broadcasting, Telstra and Spotless.
2002:
Asked Questions at 20 AGMs: Richmond Football Club, first Ansett creditors meeting, Multiemedia (EGM), second Ansett creditors meeting, Australian Shareholders' Association, Woodside Petroleum, Toll Holdings, SMS Technology, Austrim Nylex, Skilled Engineering, BHP-Billiton, News Corp, ASX, Southern Cross Broadcasting, John Fairfax, Computershare, Mayne Group, Coles Myer, Data & Commerce Ltd, National Australia Bank.
Ran for 2 Boards: ASX and News Corp.
2003
Asked Questions at 15 AGMs: AMP, WMC Resources, Alumina, Macquarie Bank, Gunns, News Corporation, Adelaide Bank, Foster's, Globe International, Premier Investments, Computershare, Bluescope Steel, Spotless, BHP-Billiton, OneSteel and IOOF.
Ran for one Board: AMP
2004: Asked questions at 1 AGM: News Corp
2005: Asked questions at 13 AGMs: National Australia Bank, Alumina, Babcock & Brown, Macquarie Bank, News Corp, Seek.com, Gunns, Southern Cross Broadcasting, IOOF, RACV, John Fairfax, Macquarie Leisure and Primelife.
Ran for two Boards: Gunns and Fairfax
2006: Asked Questions at 22 AGMs: Australian Energy, AXA, GPT, Oxiana, Alumina, Macquarie Bank, SFE Corp, Aristocrat Leisure, Rio Tinto, Central Equity, AMP, Nexus Energy, Melbourne IT, STW Holdings, Babcock & Brown, ABC Learning, PBL, Transurban, RACV, Tabcorp, Tattersall's, Funtastic
Ran for three Boards: Macquarie Bank, Telstra and Woolworths
2007
Asked Questions at 52 AGMs: NAB, James Hardie, AWB, Promina, Magellan Financial Group, Everest Babcock & Brown, Mitchell Communications, Repco, AXA, Alumina, Indophil Resources, Oxiana, Hutchison, Melbourne IT, APN News & Media, Babcock & Brown, Austar, Sunraysia Television, Oceana Gold, Macquarie Bank, SP Ausnet, Zinifex, Smorgon Steel, Nexus Energy, Symbion Health EGM, AV Jennings, Mirrabooka, Rio Tinto, Djerriwarrh, AFIC, The Reject Shop, Australia United Investment, News Corporation, Allco Finance Group, Becton, Macquarie Bank (EGM), Perpetual, Coles, MFS, Fortescue Metals, Qantas, Woolworths, Macquarie Radio, Gunns, PBL, Symbion Health, Nufarm, Allco Finance Group EGM, HFA Holdings, Incitec Pivot and Orica, WA News.
Ran for one Board: West Australian Newspapers
2008
Asked questions at 63 AGMs: Nufarm, Centro Properties, BHP Billiton, Centro Retail, REA Group, Symex, Costa Exchange, Telstra, Tatts, IOOF, AED Oil, Slater & Gordon, Fairfax Media, CBA, Seven Network, Credit Corp, B&B Power, IMF, Seek, Allco Equity Partners, B&B Infrastructure, Platinum, ConnectEast, Toll, Macquarie Media, Consolidated Media, Crown, Transurban, Amalgamated Holdings, Boral, Energy World, Everest Babcock & Brown, (EGM), Amcor, Tabcorp, Reece, Asciano, AWB (EGM), Pacific Brands, Australian United Investments, AFIC, ASX, AMCIL, Incited Pivot (EGM), AWB (EGM), James Hardie, Macquarie Capital, Macquarie Bank, Village Roadshow (EGM), Lion Selection, Babcock & Brown, Everest Babcock & Brown, Austar, Westfield, Macquarie Airports, Bell Financial, Alumina, Iress, Rio Tinto, WA News (EGM), Oxiana, Axa, MFS (EGM), Timbercorp and AWB
Ran for five boards: Alumina, WA News, ASX, Centro Retail, BHP Billiton
PROFESSIONAL CANDIDATE
As a shareholder activist and professional candidate, I run for boards to try and pressure companies to change their practices. Here are the results from 32 tilts at public companies, ranked from highest to lowest in terms of votes in favour:
1. Woolworths, 2000: 54.74%
2. NRMA Insurance, 2000: 45.59%
3. CommBank, 2000: 39.71%
4. AMP, 2000: 33.89%
5. WA News, 2000: 28.41%
6. Centro Retail, 2008: 25.69%
7. John Fairfax, 2001: 20.58%
8. ASX, 2002: 18.70%
9. Macquarie Bank, 2006: 15.49%
10. WA News, 2007: 15.44%
11. Gunns, 2005: 14.70%
12. Telstra, 2000: 14.65%
13. ASX, 2000: 13.52%
14. News Corp, 2002: 12.89%
15. BHP Billiton, 2008: 12.38%
16. David Jones, 2000: 11.46%
17. AMP, 2003: 11.41%
18. PMP, 2001: 11.24%
19. ASX, 2001: 10.69%
20. NRMA Insurance, 2001: 10.61%
21. Telstra, 2006: 9.53%
22. NAB, 2000: 9.14%
23. WA News, 2000 (EGM): 8.26%
24. Fairfax, 2005: 7.85%
25. Spotless, 2001: 7.69%
26. Alumina, 2008: 6.12%
27. ASX, 2008: 5.05%
28. Telstra, 2001: 4.7%
29. Southern Cross, 2001: 3.85%
30. Woolworths, 2006: 3.00%
31. Axa, 2001: 1.1%
32. Westfield, 2000: 0.37%
Average: 15.26%
CANDIDATE FOR NON PUBLIC COMPANY ELECTIONS
Stephen has also run for various other bodies to campaign for better governance and experience different types of elections. The full roll call is as follows:
President Doncaster Chess Club, 1988 (unopposed)
Jeff Kennett's seat of Burwood, 1999 (6.7%, 3rd of 5)
Melbourne Lord Mayor, 2001 (2.5%, 13th of 19)
RACV, 2002 (7.54%, 4th of 6)
Melbourne Press Club committee, 2002 (17th and last)
Copyright Agency Ltd, 2002 (19.5%, 3rd of 4)
RACV, 2005 (4th of 4, 14.5%)
President Yarra Valley Pre-School, 2005 (unopposed)
Victorian election, Southern Metro district, 2006 (1.33%, only beat DLP)
Peter Costello's seat of Higgins, 2007 (2.98%, 4th of 8)
City of Manningham, 2008 (elected Heidi ward with 19% primary, 2nd of 10)
PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER
As a professional speaker, Stephen has been spoken to the following groups:
Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy
Australian Compliance Professionals Association
Australian Davos Connection
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Australian Institute of Internal Auditors
Australian Investors Association
Australian Local Government Association
Australian Marketing Institute
Australian Shareholders Association
Australian Superannuation Funds Association
Brisbane Advertising Association
Chartered Secretaries Australia
Centre for Corporate Public Affairs
Centre for Corporate Law and Securities Regulation
Churchill Club
City of Stonnington
Conference of Major Super Funds
Conference Board
Deloittes and PwC
Department of the Senate
Finance & Treasurers Association
Information Systems Audit and Control Association
International CFO Forum
Investment and Financial Services Association
Law firms: Freehills, Minter Ellison, Corrs and Holding Redlich
Law Institute of Victoria
Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance
Melbourne Press Club
Municipal Association of Victoria
National Library of Australia
Property Council of Australia
Screen Producers Association of Australia
Society of Consumer Affairs Professional
United Nations Association of Australia
Annual breakdown of speeches given over past decade
1999: 3
2000: 3
2001: 29
2002: 23
2003: 15
2004: 18
2005: 27
2006: 35
2007: 20
2008: 32
Total: 215
Feedback to some of these speeches can be viewed here: http://www.maynereport.com/articles/2008/03/19-1204-6879.html
Testimonials
Having been outside the tent working for myself for the past 10 years, most of these testimonials date back to when I was working inside big organisations.
"I actually feel that this is a grievous loss myself. I think he has done a great job. It's going to be a bit of a worry having someone who knows more about the government than most ministers do located in one media outlet. He could never be replaced."
Former Treasurer Alan Stockdale, farewell press conference, June 1994.
"In the discussion held in early April I felt I had made clear the views of myself, the Premier and the Treasurer that you had an outstanding future with the government."
John Griffin, chief of staff to Premier Jeff Kennett, June 1994.
"TREASURY, FINANCE, WORKCOVER: No one could do this job as well as Stephen Mayne and his effort in putting in outside of hours goes largely unrecognised. Most weekends he is in the office preparing material, maintaining his reference files and the like. All without fanfare. I would like to look at his salary to see if it is adequate."
Media director Steve Murphy in memo to Premier Jeff Kennett, May 1994.
"The judges felt this piece to be innovative and of public benefit. The AGM is often overlooked as part of corporate governance and Stephen Mayne's strategy brought a new level of analysis and reporting to AGMs. At a time when there is increasing outside pressure trying to control the press, this provided a very good service to readers. The approach is provocative but a legitimate technique in eliciting news. What Mayne started should be taken up by others."
- the three judges explaining why ''AGM Season 1998'' was awarded the 1999 Walkley award for best business reporting in all media.
“It is hard to find a former colleague who criticises Mayne's abilities as a journalist. Col Allan, the editor-in-chief of Sydney's The Daily Telegraph, employed Mayne as business editor after the Four Corners program went to air in September 1997. He describes him as “very intelligent, very bright and very likeable''. Terry McCrann, the Herald Sun's associate business editor, worked closely with Mayne for three years until Mayne left in June 1997. He says Mayne has all the skills he rates highly in a journalist: ``a strong nose for a story, he's aggressive, he's determined and he understands the dynamics of business and business journalism very well''.
- The Australian, Sept 16, 1999, “The Mayne conundrum” by Andrew Dodd
Copyright © 2022 The Mayne Report. All rights reserved
