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Thorney Investment Group
Alex Waislitz established Thorney Investment Group in 1991. Initial capital came from dividends and liquidity events tied to the Pratt family's Visy packaging...
Thorney Investment Group
Alex Waislitz established Thorney Investment Group in 1991. Initial capital came from dividends and liquidity events tied to the Pratt family's Visy packaging businesses. Waislitz had previously worked inside the Pratt Group and for Robert Holmes à Court in New York. The firm invests in listed Australian equities, unlisted venture and growth companies, real estate and credit. It commits to direct co-investments and SPVs alongside public-equity positions. Confirmed vehicles include Thorney Opportunities Ltd, focused on small and mid-cap Australian companies, and Thorney Technologies Ltd, which targets early-stage technology across fintech, robotics, AI and medical sectors. Geographic reach covers Australia, the United States and Israel. Thorney Opportunities and Thorney Technologies operate under long-term management agreements with the private group. Roughly 20 investment and operations professionals work from the Melbourne headquarters. The firm also maintains property holdings in Chicago and multiple Australian development sites. Adjacent structures include the Waislitz Foundation. April 2024: Jack Cronan joined as Investment Manager from Kinetic Investment Partners. Thorney's listed investment companies create a hybrid structure that combines permanent capital with external shareholder oversight. This setup allows the family office to maintain control of mandates while subjecting performance to public-market scrutiny and regulatory reporting.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
1991
Location
Region
Oceania
Country
Australia
City
Melbourne
Corporate office
Level 45, 55 Collins Street, Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia
Principals
Alex Waislitz
Executive Chairman
Peter Landos
Chief Operating Officer
Martin Casey
Chief of Staff
Craig Smith
Chief Financial Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Thorney Investment Group?
Alex Waislitz serves as Executive Chairman and sets overall direction. Peter Landos as COO and a team of investment managers execute day-to-day allocations across equities, venture and property.
How does Thorney source proprietary deal flow?
Waislitz and the team draw on networks built through prior roles at the Pratt Group, Holmes à Court and Australian listed companies. Additional flow comes from relationships in Australia, Israel and the United States.
Is Thorney structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
It functions as a single-family office that also manages two ASX-listed investment companies under long-term agreements. The structure blends permanent family capital with external mandates.
Does Thorney participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The firm focuses on direct co-investments, SPVs and listed positions. It does not run external fund commitments as a primary activity.
What investment stages does Thorney typically target?
Thorney covers early-stage venture through public equities and PIPE transactions. Its listed vehicles allow exposure across the full lifecycle in technology and small-cap Australian companies.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
Capital originated from liquidity and dividends generated by the Pratt family's Visy packaging businesses. Richard Pratt seeded the firm; Alex Waislitz has directed it since 1991.
Does Thorney maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
The Waislitz Foundation sits alongside the investment group. It operates as a distinct vehicle focused on philanthropic activities separate from investment mandates.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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