Africans in Australia are emerging as a powerful economic force, reshaping the nation’s business, mining, finance, healthcare, and technology sectors.
From global commodity trading to pharmaceutical manufacturing and frontier technology, African-born executives and entrepreneurs have built outsized influence within Australia’s most strategic industries.
African migration to Australia accelerated in the late 20th century, driven by education, professional mobility, and geopolitical shifts across Southern and West Africa.
Today, Australians of African descent are among the country’s fastest-growing diaspora communities, contributing billions of dollars in enterprise value, employment, and intellectual capital.
Their influence is especially pronounced in mining, investment management, healthcare, infrastructure, and advanced technology, sectors critical to Australia’s long-term growth and global competitiveness.
What distinguishes this cohort is not only commercial success, but resilience. Many navigated structural barriers, racial bias, and highly competitive markets to secure leadership roles or build category-defining businesses.
Several maintain deep ties to Africa, reinvesting capital, shaping global commodity flows, and redefining African excellence on the world stage.
Below, Shore Africa profiles seven prominent Africans whose careers reflect scale, endurance, and lasting economic impact in Australia.
1. Ivan Glasenberg
South African/Australian
Networth: $13 billion
A South African-born businessman who moved to Australia in 1986 to head up Glencore’s Asian coal division. He served as the CEO of Glencore for two decades and is considered one of the wealthiest people on the Australian rich list. The South African-born dealmaker rose to global prominence as CEO of Glencore, one of the world’s largest commodity trading and mining firms. His career spans Australia’s mining ecosystem and the commanding heights of global resource capitalism.
2. Stephen Saad
South African/Australian
Networth: $1.2 billion
South African pharmaceutical billionaire Stephen Saad, who famously became a millionaire in dollar terms at the age of 29 after he sold his share in the drug business Covan Zurich for $3 million, has expanded Aspen Pharmacare’s footprint into Australia, embedding African capital and expertise into the country’s healthcare supply chains and life-sciences ecosystem. Founder of Aspen Pharmacare, Saad has strong connections to the Australian pharmaceutical sector. He and his partner Gus Attridge have been recognized for building a massive, multinational, and, as of January 2026, selling a large portion of their business interests in a deal worth over R26.5 billion (approx. AUD2.3 billion).
3. Kerr Neilson
South African/Australian
The South Africa-born hedge fund pioneer co-founded Platinum Asset Management in Australia, transforming it into a global investment powerhouse and cementing his legacy as one of the country’s most influential fund managers.
4. Gus Attridge
South African/Australian
Networth: $410 million
A seasoned investment professional of African heritage, Attridge has built a reputation in Australia’s asset management and advisory space, backing growth-stage businesses and infrastructure plays critical to long-term capital formation.
5. Aicha Evans
Senegalese/Australian
Born to Senegalese parents, Evans built a global tech career culminating in the $1.2-billion acquisition of autonomous-vehicle firm Zoox by Amazon. Her influence resonates strongly within Australia’s tech and innovation networks.
6. Matthew Latimore
South African/Australian
An African-born corporate executive, Latimore has held senior roles across Australia’s financial and services sectors, contributing to governance reform, capital strategy, and operational scale in competitive markets.
7. David Muchacha
Zimbabwe/Australian
A rising African-Australian business figure, Muchacha has built influence across entrepreneurship and community leadership, representing the next wave of African excellence shaping Australia’s economic future.
