Woollahra founder takes out top honour at 40u40 Awards

By Elisha Newell

02/05/2025 - 22:30

Events, Free to read

Christopher Schmid took home the highly coveted First Amongst Equals award as 40 emerging business leaders were named the ones to watch in 2025.

The 2025 40under40 award winners. Photo: Matt Jelonek

Woollahra Group founder Christopher Schmid has been honoured as the First Amongst Equals at this year’s 40under40 business awards gala.

The business leader and proud Mandandanji man came out on top following a rigorous interview and application process, edging out three other finalists to take home the highest honour at this year’s Business News event.

More than 600 members of Perth’s business elite came together on Friday night to celebrate as 40 emerging business leaders were named the ones to watch.

The 24^th iteration of the awards program went off with a bang thanks to performances from Sophie Foster, Lux Events, Williams Creative Co and Gemini, who entertained guests before and after the evening’s formalities.

Business News senior journalist and chief judge Mark Pownall said all of this year’s applicants were of an extremely high calibre.

“Our 40under40 awards program never ceases to amaze me in the people it turns up and the great stories they tell of overcoming the odds,” he told the crowd on Friday night.

“I have been a 40under40 judge for most of the 24 awards held since it started in 2002, each year offering a window into the business talent of Western Australia.

“This year is no different.”

2025 First Amongst Equals winner Christopher Schmid relocated to Perth in the early 2000s when he saw an opportunity to help First Nations people servicing the mining, construction and maintenance sectors.

He founded Woollahra, which is 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned, to distribute cleaning products and other consumables to mining camps and other customers around the country.

Woollahra’s sister company, Surekleen Products, is also the only 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned manufacturing business in Australia.

The two companies have achieved rapid growth over the past year, translating to financial support for Indigenous communities as a percentage of every sale is redistributed.

Receiving the highly coveted First Amongst Equals and Indigenous Business awards on Friday night, Mr Schmid told the crowd he wanted to empower First Nations communities by promoting employment, education and sustainable business practices.

“It takes an absolute village to get to where we are,” he told the audience after receiving the award.

“The magic comes in bringing a number of people together and inspiring them to succeed.”

Mr Schmidt said he left a life in corporate to start Woollahra Group, and that it took nine months to work up to earning a wage.

“It takes some failures and lessons learnt to come out the other side better … but our ‘why’ is built on respect, and we truly believe what we do benefits traditional Aboriginal communities.”

Mr Schmid edged out three other First Amongst Equals finalists – Ashlee Harrison, Swarup Afsar and Ian Meachem – to take out the top gong on Friday, although no one walked away empty-handed.

Ms Harrison, who leads the mental health and suicide prevention charity zero2hero, won the Community Business award in recognition of her work with more than 270,000 young Western Australians.

Pharmacy 777 owner Swarup Afsar also took home an accolade, winning the Large Business award amid his efforts to champion mental health services in the local pharmacy space.

And Constructive PD managing director Ian Meachem secured the Medium Business award after growing his company to a 90-person workforce and starting his own charity to fund cancer research.

HR Elements director Caryn Jones was also recognised for her work championing workplace flexibility in the wake of the pandemic, taking home the APIL People’s Choice award on Friday night.

The other major category winners include: