THE 2012 wealth creators’ list would not be complete without acknowledging the fortunes generated by the development of the Little Creatures brewery and subsequent listing of Little World Beverages.
The $5.30 per share offer by brewing giant Lion meant a big windfall for Little World founder and director Adrian Fini, whose stake was worth nearly $58 million, well above the $5 million valuation at listing in 2005.
Other founders, Howard Cearns and Nic Trimboli, both linked to Matilda Bay Brewing Co, made about $21 million each from the deal. The stake of another director, David Martin, was worth $22 million.
All three had sold shares much more cheaply during the past year.
Matilda Bay founder Phil Sexton, who was also a key player in Little World, had 3 million options exercisable at $1.63, which netted him more than $11 million at the takeover.
Not quite selling out was Automotive Holdings Group’s founder and former director Vern Wheatley and his family. In July they struck a deal to offload a 16.33 per cent stake in the company to AP Eagers in a cash and share placement deal.
AP Eagers agreed to pay $41.1 million cash and issue 10.19 million shares to the Wheatley Family. A further $47 million in cash was payable by July 2013.
Other sellers were Mineral Resources directors and management. Director Chris Ellison, raised around $41 million in March selling down his stake. Around the same time, executive chairman Peter Wade sold $25 million worth of shares, and fellow directors Mark Dutton ($6.2 million) and Joe Ricciardo ($5.3 million) were also big sellers. Another executive, Bob Gavranich, sold nearly 25 per cent of his stake.
Michael Malone, founder of iiNet, sold more than 22 per cent of his stake in the ISP to realise $13.2 million in August.
