Judith Neilson


Judith Neilson is an Australian businesswoman and philanthropist with a passion for visual arts. Neilson is the co-founder of the White Rabbit Gallery in Sydney. She is a significant shareholder in Platinum Asset Management, a company co-founded by her former husband, Kerr Neilson.

Philanthropy

Neilson's financial status has supported her philanthropic initiatives, exemplified through the establishment of the 100 million Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas. Situated in Sydney, the institute fosters collaboration with international journalists and media organisations and encourages independent quality journalism. The institute is overseen by a board of directors, international advisory council and staff to manage the programs and operations. In 2015 Neilson endowed a Chair of Architecture at the University of New South Wales to develop housing solutions for displaced individuals, such as climate refugees or those affected by natural disaster or conflict. In 2017, Neilson initiated the Judith Neilson Chair of Contemporary Art at the University of New South Wales in addition to creating a Scholarship in Contemporary Art at the University of Sydney.
Neilson is also the founder of the Neilson Foundation, which sponsors chaitable and development works in Australia and globally.https://www.neilson.org.au/

Awards and recognition

Neilson was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2016 for significant service to the arts through the museums and galleries sector, and as a benefactor of cultural and educational organisations. She was named one of the Australian Financial Review's 100 Women of Influence in 2018.

Personal life

Neilson and her former husband, Kerr, divorced in 2015. They have two children.

Net worth

Since 2015, and her divorce from her billionaire husband Kerr Neilson, Judith Neilson was included on Forbes’ list of Australian billionaires. Neilson was ranked number 2057 on Forbes’ billionaires list in 2019. In 2020 it was the first year, since 2015, that Neilson was not included on the list. According to the BRW, in 2015 Neilson debuted on the Rich 200 with a net worth of 1.55 billion. Renamed as the Financial Review Rich List, Neilson's net worth was assessed as 1.23 billion. Her former husband's net worth has been reported separately since 2015.
;Notes
  • : Prior to 2015, net worth was reported in the name of Kerr Neilson only. From 2015, net worth was separated with individual listings for Kerr Neilson and for Judith Neilson.