Mark Beyer

Bruce McFadzean says mining executives need to rethink their remuneration structure, after joining Sheffield Resources on a package that ties most of his income to development of the Thunderbird mineral sands project.

Fortescue Metals Group is home to two of Western Australia’s wealthiest company directors, or so it was believed until a surprise disclosure last month.

SPECIAL REPORT: For the second year running, the value of shares held by company directors in WA has fallen sharply, though some operators defied the trend.

Australia’s competition watchdog believes the planned global merger of oilfield services companies Halliburton and Baker Hughes could give the combined group, and current market leader Schlumberger, too much power.

Two years after joining Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s Minderoo Group as chief operating officer, Grant Vernon has moved onto a new challenge at fast-growing cooking appliance company Thermomix.

South African fishing company Sea Harvest Group has committed to take its maximum possible entitlement under a planned $16 million-plus capital raising by Perth company Style.

The major shareholder in Octagonal Resources is planning to privatise the company after concluding there is no value in its ASX listing, and has proposed a capital reduction that ties in Andrew Forrest-backed A1 Consolidated Gold.

From mining to agriculture, technology and finance, 40under40 award winners have been making news this year.

Western Australia’s largest health insurer is aiming for more growth in interstate markets to offset an expected loss of market share in its home state, after reporting a slide in its annual surplus.

Perth tech entrepreneur Rob Newman has replaced Sydney-based Simon Crowther as managing director of loss-making aerial imagery company nearmap.

Woodside Petroleum has fine-tuned its project portfolio as it deals with the impact of weak oil prices, selling one of its mature assets, deferring a new oil field development but proceeding with evaluation of another new development.

The state government has engaged former minister Cheryl Edwardes and former Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA chief executive John Langoulant to lead a review of the 11 state training provider

The billionaire Rinehart and Wright families have scored a multi-million dollar High Court win against mining giant Rio Tinto over iron ore royalties derived from the Pilbara.

Bannister Downs Dairy Company managing director Sue Daubney is aiming to rebuild Azzura Gelati to its former glory after striking a deal this week to buy the local ice-cream manufacturer.

Global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has selected its Perth office to trial an ‘insourcing’ centre that will recruit up to 30 graduates to work in tandem with a similar centre in Dublin.

The winner of a new innovation program has combined gaming technology with its traditional focus on process control data to create a product that has attracted keen interest from some of the state’s biggest companies.

The median salary paid to chief executives at Australian mining companies fell by 12 per cent over the past two years, and is set to decline further after recent cost-cutting moves by the likes of BC Iron, Sundance Resources, Paladin Energy and Poseidon Nickel.

The recently appointed boss of BHP Billiton’s Nickel West division has presented a rare positive message for the unloved business, saying there was “nervous excitement” after a series of internal changes.

Perth-founded online design company Canva has raised $US15 million ($20.8 million) from venture capital investors and Hollywood stars in a deal that values the business at $US165 million.

KPMG’s Energise accelerator has delivered an immediate return for the eight start-up companies participating in the program, with pilot projects and prizes worth more than $650,000 being awarded.

South Africa’s Sibanye Gold is poised to acquire Aquarius Platinum, which has been struggling for several years to deal with weak commodity prices.

NRW Holdings has had a legal win over Samsung C&T, with the Supreme Court upholding a $17 million adjudication in favour of the Perth-based contractor.

Thirteen peak industry groups in Western Australia have backed the establishment of an infrastructure advisory group, in a move designed to give the business sector a unified voice and more weight in policy setting.

The surge in backdoor listings on the ASX hit new highs in the September quarter and is attracting more entrepreneurs with Silicon Valley experience.

A series of major trade sales and the prospect of one of WA’s biggest-ever IPOs were highlights in what remained subdued capital markets in the September quarter. Also in our special report, how a surge in backdoor listings is attracting Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.

Business groups in WA are taking the lead on forming a peak infrastructure council after state government failure to support the concept.

Karratha has become the second regional centre in Western Australia after Onslow to complete a major airport upgrade this year, with Busselton and Port Hedland set to commence projects that will lift total spending to about $240 million.

Former Sirius Resources managing director Mark Bennett said there has been a “tidal wave” of offers from other groups wanting to work with his new exploration company, as he seeks to replicate the

Struggling miner Mirabela Nickel has been placed in the hands of administrators, 15 months after the company completed an innovative restructuring to emerge from its first stint in administration.

Building materials manufacturer Brickworks has disclosed that intense competition in the local market meant Western Australia was the only state where it was unable to lift prices for bricks during the past year.

BGC has returned to its traditional position as Australia’s largest home builder, with the latest data from the Housing Industry Association showing six Perth-based builders among Australia’s top 20.