Atlassian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and his wife Annie SPLIT weeks after buying a $14.25 million home next to their $24.5 million estate
- Mike-Cannon Brookes splits up with wife
- Andrew and Nicola Forrest broke up last week
One of Australia’s wealthiest businessmen has reportedly split from his wife.
Sources close to the family of Mike Cannon-Brookes, co-founder of Atlassian, have confirmed that he is divorcing his wife Annie, according to the Australian financial statement.
Mr. Cannon-Brookes, who has a fortune of about $19 billion this year according to the Financial Review Rich List, was married to Annie in 2010.
The divorce follows the high-profile split of Fortescue Metals executive chairman Andrew Forrest and Nicola Forrest.
The billionaire couple, who had been married for 31 years, said last week they will now be living separately, but stressed that this will not affect the direction of their mining empire or philanthropic interests.
Mike Cannon-Brookes (left) is reportedly splitting up with his wife Annie (right)
Mining magnate Andrew Forrest and Nicola Forrest announced their separation last week
The Australian Financial Review’s annual Rich List for 2023 revealed in May that Cannon-Brookes and his Atlassian business partner, Scott Farquhar, had each lost more than seven billion since 2022.
Mr Cannon-Brookes and Mr Farquhar lost 31.7 per cent and 31.2 per cent respectively of their wealth after the software company suffered a share price fall and lost jobs
Mr Forrest, also known by his nickname ‘Twiggy’, was Australia’s second richest person this year – after rival mining magnate Gina Rinehart – with a whopping $35.21 billion.
Also in May, Mr. Cannon-Brookes defeated Mr. Forrest in a battle for control of Sun Cable, a development that promised to carry solar-generated electricity from the Northern Territory outback to Singapore.
Mr. Cannon-Brookes and Mr. Forrest had been involved in a bidding process for the $30 billion project after a disagreement over the direction’s future and the company, also known as Sun Cable, voluntarily went bankrupt.
Mr. Cannon-Brookes bought a house (right) next to his old property on the left in Newport for $14.25 million
The Cannon-Brookes family owns a large real estate portfolio, including the 3-acre Fairwater estate, the home of the late Lady Mary Fairfax, which they purchased in 2018 for $100 million.
In June, Cannon-Brookes and his wife spent $14.25 million to buy a home in Newport, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, adjacent to the $24.5 million estate they purchased in 2020.
The five-bedroom home sits on a 3,000-square-foot lot and features a 1,000-square-foot swimming area.
In March, the couple also purchased a $2.55 million property in Great Mackerel Beach, a property only accessible by boat.
The house was also located three doors down from one of their other residences, which was acquired in 2020 for $2.35 million.
Mr. Cannon-Brookes, who was formerly a fashion designer, was born in the United States.
It was previously reported that Mr and Mrs Cannon-Brookes met in a Qantas lounge while traveling between Sydney and San Francisco.
Mr and Mrs Forrest have three adult children – Grace, Sophia and son Sydney – and it is clear they have no plans to divorce.
Last April, Ms. Forrest said she and Mr. Forrest would give away their fortunes because they don’t want their children to be “burdened” by handouts.
“Children don’t benefit from thinking they’re going to inherit a huge amount of money,” she said.
In June of this year, it was revealed that the former couple donated $5 billion worth of shares in his mining company to his charity, the Minderoo Foundation.