15 Famous Companies in Brisbane
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Brisbane is the capital of the Australian state of Queensland and the most populous city in the state. Considered a center of research and innovation in Asia-Pacific, Brisbane is a global city.
After covering Famous companies in Sydney, Famous companies in Adelaide and Famous companies in Perth, this blog will discuss the top 15 companies based out of Brisbane.
A city of 2.4 million people, Brisbane has a thriving economy. It produces almost half of Queensland’s GDP ($170.5 billion in 2017-18) and approximately 9% of the national GDP.
(Source: SGSEP)
Historically, Brisbane has been one of Australia’s most important port cities in Australia. It is the third most busy in Australia for the value of goods. (Source: Wikipedia)
The top five industries of the Brisbane economy are:
- Health care and social assistance (176,594 employed persons)
- Professional, scientific and technical services (114,680 employed persons)
- Retail trade (119,409 employed persons)
- Education and training (100,450 employed persons)
- Construction (113,310 employed persons)
(Data as of 2018, Source: Official Queensland Website)
Tourism, education, and good exports through Brisbane Airport and Brisbane Port are the major export industries of the city.
Other than these industries, mining, banking, insurance, transportation, IT, real estate, and food sectors are the backbone of the city’s economy.
Now without further ado, let’s look at the 15 famous companies in Brisbane.
Suncorp Group
CEO: Steve Johnston
Year of Establishment: 1996
Market Cap: $15.04 billion (2022)
Industry: Insurance, Banking
Topping the list of Brisbane-based companies is Suncorp Group Limited, which though founded not long ago (1996), has gathered quite a market share through its various subsidiaries.
But, the roots of the Group are older than its current face.
The group came into being with a merger between Suncorp, Metway Bank, and the Queensland Industry Development Corporation (QDIC).
The oldest one of the groups was the Queensland Agriculture Bank which opened its first branch in 1902 and later became part of the government-owned QIDC in 1986.
The face of Suncorp Group is its Bank, one of Australia’s mid-size banks.
Insurance Australia and Suncorp New Zealand are another two subsidiaries of Suncorp Group.
Suncorp Group covers all the financial sectors involving wealth and banking, including life insurance, general insurance, commercial insurance, and agricultural banking.
It is one of the largest banking and insurance corporations headquartered in Brisbane. (Sources: Suncorp, Wikipedia)
Orocobre Limited (Allkem)
CEO: Mr Pérez de Solay
Year of Establishment: 2005
Market Cap: $9.1 billion (2022)
Industry: Mining
Orocobre Limited is a Brisbane-based mining-resource company with major operations in lithium and borax mining.
It is one of the major global lithium carbonate suppliers and an established producer of boron.
Though previously known as Orcobore, the company changed its name to Allkem in November 2021.
Orocobre recently opened the world’s first commercial, brine-based lithium operation constructed in approximately 20 years in partnership with Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC).
One of the key supplies for the production of modern gadgets, lithium is used in the manufacturing of batteries.
A few of the company’s main projects are
Olaroz Lithium Project near Salar de Olaroz lake in Northwest Argentina
Three open pit mines in Northern Argentina known as project Borax Argentina
Naraha Lithium Hydroxide Plant in Japan
(Source: Orocobre, MarketIndex, MarketScreener, Wikipedia, Sedar)
Aurizon Holdings Ltd
CEO: Andrew Harding
Year of Establishment: 2004
Market Cap: $6.88 billion (2022)
Industry: Rail Transport
Formerly known as QR National, Aurizon is a freight rail transport company. The company was government-owned for almost six years. In 2010, the government privatised it and listed it in the ASX.
The Queensland government established the company by combining the coal, bulk, and container transport divisions from Queensland Rail under one structure QR National.
It is one of the major freight and transportation companies in the region. It moves 770,000 tons of coal, iron, and agricultural and general freight each day.
Apart from bulk mineral freight, Aurizon delivers retail goods and deliveries across many towns and cities of Queensland.
Being one of the experienced dealers in freight, Aurizone provides comprehensive supply chain solutions across multiple tiers of producers, consumers, and manufacturers.
(Sources: Aurizon, Wikipedia)
ALS Limited
CEO: Raj Naran
Year of Establishment: 1863
Market Cap: $6.02 billion (2022)
Industry: Testing Services
Number 4th on the list is ALS Global, a company from a unique industry to feature among our lists of Australian-origin companies.
ALS is a Brisbane-based multinational company that provides testing, inspection, certification, and verification services in 65 countries.
But unique or not, the company is one of the oldest in Australia.
The company was established in 1863 as a small soap manufacturer. It took almost 90 more years for the company to get listed in ASX in 1952. Back then, it was known as “Campbell Brothers”.
Campbell Brothers’ shift towards lab testing services occurred after the acquisition of Australian Laboratory Services in the 1980s.
Through rapid growth in the 90s, ALS expanded its operations in Australia and beyond. Today the company operates throughout Australia, Asia, the Pacific, the Americas, Europe and Africa. (Sources: ALS, Wikipedia)
Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Group
CEO: Donald Meij
Year of Establishment: 1983
Market Cap: $5.58 billion (2022)
Industry: Food retail
Number five on the list is probably the most famous of the companies on the list.
Domino’s Pizza was founded in 1983 in Springwood, Queensland, and is currently headquartered in Hamilton, Queensland – Brisbane’s north-eastern suburbs.
Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (Domino’s) Australia represents the US origin of Domino’s brand in Australia and many other countries.
Being the biggest franchisee of the brand in the world, it holds exclusive master franchise rights for chains across New Zealand, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Japan, Germany, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Taiwan.
There are currently more than 700 Domino’s stores in Australia.
(Sources: Forbes, Wikipedia, Domino’s)
Bank of Queensland
CEO: George Frazis
Year of Establishment: 1874
Market Cap: $4.80 billion (2022)
Industry: Banking, Financial Services
Another leading Australian bank makes the list in sixth place.
Formed in 1874, it is one of the oldest financial institutions in Queensland, which began as a building society.
Bank of Queensland (BOQ) boasts of its independence from big banks and claims that most of its branches are run by local owner-managers.
With more than 160 branches in the country, BOQ is among the top 1000 Australian companies ranked by market cap on ASX.
As a financial institution, BOQ enjoys quite a remarkable track record in terms of customer satisfaction.
It recorded a customer satisfaction of 82.9% in 2021. (Roy Morgan)
BOQ’s branches are run as franchises.
The franchisees are called “owners-managers” and carefully select those who have strong community relationships for this role.
Owners-managers are granted a great degree of liberty in running the affairs of the banks in managing the branch staff.
(Sources: BOQ, Wikipedia, TradingEconomics)
NextDC Limited
CEO: Craig Ian Scroggie
Year of Establishment: 2010
Market Cap: $4.30 billion (2022)
Industry: Data Centre
NextDC is an ASX-listed data centre operator based out of Brisbane. The company was formed in 2010 by Bevan Slattery.
The age of data and computer networks has made data management a compulsory part of a company’s existence.
Capitalising on this essential need for modern-day businesses, NextDC allows companies to outsource their data management with reliability.
Not only the management of data, but NextDC also provides connectivity services and infrastructure management software solutions to the companies as well.
As of 2020, the company had 11 data centres under its management around Australia with facilities in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra.
In 2015, NextDC was named Australia’s fastest-growing tech company by Deloitte.
(Sources: Yahoo, NextDC, Wikipedia, CompaniesMarketCap)
TechnologyOne
CEO: Edward Chung
Year of Establishment: 1987
Market Cap: $4.14 billion (2022)
Industry: Software development
TechnologyOne is a Brisbane-based enterprise software company that pioneered the concept of configurable software.
Configurable software is a concept according to which the software should not need modification in its source code to configure them as per the user’s needs.
It is an application of broad-based software design in which all customers install the same source code but can configure their software differently as per their custom needs.
Founded in 1987, TechnologyOne claims to be one of the first startups in Australia that creates software based on relational database technology.
Believing in the “Power of One ” concept, the company handles the complete process of software deployment and after-sale services to ensure reliable services and customer satisfaction.
After 2000, the company expanded into New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and it is now one of the largest suppliers of software solutions to tertiary education and local governments.
(Sources: TechnologyOne, Wikipedia, Yahoo)
Flight Centre Travel Group
CEO: Graham Turner
Year of Establishment: 1982
Market Cap: $3.16 billion (2022)
Industry: Travel
The next one on the list of Brisbane-based companies is one of the world’s largest travel groups, Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG).
Founded in 1982, by Garahm Turner (the current CEO) and Geoff Harris by opening a store in Sydney.
Since then, FCTG has grown exceptionally and now provides services across 90 countries through strategic licensing agreements with independent local operators.
Twice judged as Australia’s best employer, FCTG has won many awards from within Australia and abroad in recognition of its services.
Beyond Australia, the company’s global corporate travel management network expands to New Zealand, the Americas, the UK and major countries of Europe, and major Asian countries.
(Sources: TradingEconomics, FCTG, Wikipedia)
Eagers Automotive (AP Eagers)
CEO: Keith Thornton
Year of Establishment: 1913
Market Cap: $3.09 billion (2022)
Industry: Automotive retail
Previously known as AP Eagers Limited, Eagers Automotive is a Brisbane-based Australian automotive retail group.
In 2020, after acquiring Automotive Holdings Group Limited (AHG), the company changed its name to better reflect its automobile-related business.
With core business in ownership and operation of motor vehicle dealerships, Eagers Automotive provides all services related to automobiles.
Eagers automotive runs its business through strategically clustered dealerships.
One of the highlights of the company’s business model is its preference for, what the company calls, high profile location on properties owned by the company itself.
Now, that is some really deep and strategic thinking, as like many other international brands, apart from running their business from easily accessible locations, they are also investing in lucrative property sites.
Founded in 1913 by Edward George Eager, the company obtained distribution rights for General Motors in 1930 and went public in 1957.
(Sources: APEagers, Wikipedia, TradingEconomics)
National Storage
CEO: Andrew Catsoulis
Year of Establishment: 2000
Market Cap: $2.89 billion (2022)
Industry: Self-Storage
One of the largest self-storage owner-operators in Australia, National Storage is based out of Brisbane.
National Storage provides a self-storage solution to over 90,000 residential and commercial customers throughout Australia and New Zealand.
In both countries, the company has more than 225 storage centres offering these services.
What kind of storage it provides for residential customers, you might wonder!
Well, it is a generic storage facility that offers self-storage for any belongings, including cold or climate-controlled wine storage, vehicle storage, vehicle and trailer hire, packaging insurance, and other similar value-added services.
With its wide network of storage facilities across the country, National Storage is the first publicly listed company, which is the owner and operator of internally managed and fully integrated self-storage centres.
In 2000, Stowaway Self Storage, National Mini Storage, and Premier Self Storage merged to form the company.
It is the gold sponsor of Richmond Football Club and one of the premier sponsors of the Brisbane Broncos.
(Source: Bloomberg, Wikipedia, NationalStorage)
The Star Entertainment Group
CEO: Robbie Cooke
Year of Establishment: 2011
Market Cap: $2.78 billion (2022)
Industry: Gambling, Tourism
The Star Entertainment Group Limited is a Brisbane-based gambling and entertainment company with a market cap of more than $2.7 billion.
Formerly the group was called Echo Entertainment.
Listed in ASX, Start Entertainment Group is the owner and operator of the following casinos and hotels:
- The Star Sydney
- The Star Gold Coast
- Treasury Brisbane
Other than these facilities, the group has acquired the Sheraton Grand Mirage on the Gold Coast in a joint venture.
It also manages the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on behalf of the Queensland government.
With the growth of the company’s name in business and its trust value as a government’s trusted partner, Star Entertainment Group aims to become Australia’s leading integrated resort company.
Currently, the group is managing multiple expansions of many facilities, including those owned by the government.
Also, under its supervision is an ongoing construction project of a luxury six-star hotel, two new theatres, and new rooftop dining at The Start Sydney’s site.
(Sources: Yahoo, Wikipedia, StarEntertainment)
Super Retail Group
CEO: Anthony Heraghty
Year of Establishment: 1972
Market Cap: $2.44 billion (2022)
Industry: Retail
The next famous company in Brisbane is a retail brand operator.
Super Retail Group Limited owns and operates a portfolio of retail brands across both Australia and New Zealand.
The brands operated by Super Retail Group include
- Supercheap Auto – an automotive retailer
- Macpac – an outdoor and leisure retailer
- BCF – an outdoor and leisure retailer
- Rebel – a sporting retailer
Founded in 1972, Super Retail Group started as a mail-order-based business that sold automotive accessories.
Later, the company opened multiple stores at multiple locations and changed its name to Super Cheap Auto in 1981.
However, the name was again changed back to Super Retail Group in 2010.
Over the years, the brand has acquired many brands and has also expanded into online stores.
(Sources: SRG, Wikipedia, MarketIndex)
Cromwell Property Group
CEO: Jonathan Callaghan
Year of Establishment: 1998
Market Cap: $1.87 billion (2022)
Industry: Real estate investment
Cromwell Property Group is a multi-billion dollar real estate investor and fund manager based out of Brisbane.
The group has its operations spread out over three continents.
Established in 1998, the group is listed on both ASX-200 and S&P indices.
The property group operates in 14 countries across Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.
Covering multiple avenues of real estate investment, Cromwell deals in direct property investment, wholesale funds management, and retail funds management.
With its wide-spread investment portfolio, the group has more than 2,300 tenets and 210+ assets under its management.
These assets represent a combined portfolio worth $12 billion across Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.
(Sources: Yahoo, Wikipedia, Cromwell)
Collins Foods Ltd
CEO: Drew O’Malley
Year of Establishment: 1968
Market Cap: $1.18 billion (2022)
Industry: Consumer Services, Restaurant franchises
One of the biggest restaurant franchise operators, Collins Foods is a Brisbane-based company with a global outlook.
Collin Foods has a market cap of more than $1 billion and is listed in ASX-200.
The company employs more than 15,000 people globally and is ambitious to become the world’s top restaurant operator.
The group currently operates KFC and Taco Bells restaurants in Australia, Germany and the Netherlands. It also has franchising rights for Sizzler restaurants in Japan and Thailand.
Originally a US-based company, Collins Foods was founded in 1968 by James Collins.
The company was established after winning the acquisition of the Sizzler brand from Colonel Sanders.
(Sources: Yahoo, Wikipedia, Collins)
With this, we come to the end of our list of the most famous companies in Brisbane.
We hope you enjoyed the read. 🙂
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