The Australian Financial Review Magazine has marked its 30th anniversary with a 120-page special edition featuring a cover story with OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman, a look at the vision for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a feature on Monica Lewinsky on how the world has changed from when she worked in the Oval Office 30 years ago.
“When AFR Magazine launched in 1995, it effectively created a new format for insert magazines in Australia, utilising the highest quality paper and bigger, more luxurious pages,” AFR Magazine editor Matthew Drummond said.
“After three decades of sitting down with prime ministers, blue-chip corporate leaders, creative trailblazers and the entrepreneurs of sport, it’s still in a league of its own. It’s the home of the Rich List, the Young Rich List and the Power list. AFR Magazine enjoys great support from advertisers, and its articles are among the most-read stories on afr.com. According to Roy Morgan, its print readership is over three times larger than that of our main competitor,” Drummond added.
The profile interview with Altman was written by the Financial Review’s technology editor, Paul Smith, who travelled to the company’s office in San Francisco. Altman discusses his brief sacking as CEO of OpenAI, the advent of general artificial intelligence when machines can out-think humans and the future of work.
In his extensively researched 5800-word feature, Smith explores how Altman is simultaneously viewed in tech circles as a flawed leader who tells different things to different people, and also as a visionary who is building the most consequential technology since the advent of the internet.
Matthew Drummond takes a look at the vision for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics with a host of Queensland leaders, including organising committee president Andrew Liveris, Olympics powerbroker John Coates, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli and Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.
Drummond’s piece looks at how Brisbane, the smallest city to be awarded the Olympics since Helsinki in 1952, is going through changes to become a global city and how it will progress to host the world’s largest sporting event.
The edition also features Monica Lewinsky, who spoke to the Financial Review’s US correspondent Jessica Gardner about how she took back control of the story of what happened in the Oval Office in 1995. Lewinksy discusses surviving shame and how she’s built a career in media production, including the launch of her new podcast series, Reclaiming.
“The calibre of the people who want to sit down with AFR Magazine is proof that even in the digitally-fuelled AI era, a printed magazine sets the standard for journalism, for storytelling, for creative inspiration and enjoyment,” said Drummond.
The 30th anniversary issue features a gold-foiled cover with gatefold partner Rolex as well as special execution by Range Rover.
It contains advertisements from luxury brands as well as a 44-page Watch supplement created by the Financial Review’s watch editor, Bani McSpedden and watch writer Luke Benedictus. The Watch supplement marks the official launch of the Financial Review’s About Time Watch Weekend, involving 12 prestige brands. Now in its 3rd year, the event is exclusive to Financial Review subscribers.
“For 30 years, local and international advertising partners have recognised and aligned themselves with the balance of substance and style brought to life in AFR Magazine. The size and strength of our 30th anniversary edition is testament to our enduring partnerships with leading luxury brands,” Chloe Moo, Nine Publishing’s client director of luxury said.
The issue was launched at a celebration dinner held at Bennelong at Sydney Opera House on 22 July and co-hosted with Range Rover, which was among the first luxury brands to advertise in AFR Magazine.
Among the 100 guests were members of the Rich List, Young Rich List, Power List and leaders from across business, finance, design, hospitality, the arts and sport as well as senior Nine executives.
Select guests were driven to and from the event in Range Rovers. Bennelong was the venue partner and House of Arras was the beverage partner. During the dinner, Drummond hosted a talk with Andrew Liveris AO about his vision for the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics.
