Forget tall poppy syndrome, corporate Australia is a second-chance saloon

October 19, 2026 — 3:18pm

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

No gift articles left

You've used all of your gift articles. 3 more will become available on the 1st of every month.

For all the platitudes about Australia’s tall poppy culture, the country’s corporate sphere is starting to look more like a second-chance saloon.

Vik Bansal, a former boss of waste management business Cleanaway who departed in 2021 after bullying allegations and a review that found he had engaged in “overly assertive behaviour”, is now on several prestigious corporate boards. John Cheston, the global chief executive of jewellery chain Lovisa , faced allegations of “serious misconduct” from his previous employer, Smiggle, on the way out the door. He’s called those “false” and “vindictive” and doesn’t look to be going anywhere.

Then there’s Anthony Heraghty. Only 13 months ago, Heraghty was sacked from his last job as chief executive of Super Retail Group, which operates Rebel Sport and Supercheap Auto, among other brands. The board had backed Heraghty to the hilt after whistleblowers alleged he had an affair with the company’s HR boss, before in a staggering about-face, conceding “Mr........

© Brisbane Times