Michael Malone, the iiNet story

To many in Western Australia, Michael Malone needs no introduction. He is one of a handful of Australians who have set up a tech company and grown it to more than $1 billion in both revenue and valuation. Over 20 years as founder and CEO, he grew Western Australia’s first internet service provider iiNet to be #1 in WA and #3 in the country. Born in Ireland, his family moved to North Queensland, and then WA, settling in Padbury in 1978. He worked in his parents’ fencing business, did a Pure Maths degree and teaching qualification, working as a relief teacher to fund the early months of iiNet in the mid 1990s. Taking the company public in 1999, he had to steer the company through rough waters with aggressive competition from the bigger players, and an attack by the Hollywood film industry. He stepped down from the company in 2014, and it was sold a year later to TPG. He has been investing in startups, and sitting on various boards - including WA Leaders - as a professional director ever since. To get away from it all, he climbs mountains. "A lot of businesses here are often under the radar. They are businesses that – typically - have a sound product, good management team, but may not have the corporate nous to deal with lawyers, accountants, to grow the business another 5x or 10x. So they become part of WA Leaders to try and fill in that gap.” Michael Malone. ~~ Guest: Michael Malone Web site: https://perth.net.au Interviewer: Charlie Gunningham Recorded at: The Hub, Technology Park, Bentley WA 6102 For more information on WA Leaders, please visit https://waleaders.com.au