A book of this nature ideally requires the utmost commitment and candour from its subject, and I could not have asked for a more dedicated interviewee than David Morgan. Across 100 hours of conversations, no question was off-limits and no answer ever less than expansive. As a highly disciplined former CEO, he would sometimes be taken aback by my fondness for working without copious notes – as a journalist, I like to leave room for interviews to take unexpected directions – but the combination of styles has, I hope, helped produce material that is revelatory. I would like to place on record my gratitude to Morgan’s family, in particular to his wife, Ros Kelly, for being so supportive throughout the book’s development.
I am greatly indebted to Garrie Hutchinson, an author and editor of over thirty-five books and blessed with a knowledge of Australian Rules football that an Englishman could never hope to rival, for his assiduous research at every stage. Truly, Garrie has been an invaluable asset. So, too, has Sarah Robinson, Morgan’s assistant at J.C. Flowers & Co., who has coordinated everything from travel to transcription with impeccable skill and patience. Every major organisation should aspire to have somebody of Sarah’s multi-tasking talents.
I am hugely thankful to Sandy Grant and Pam Brewster at Hardie Grant for their backing of this project, to Emily Hart for guiding it so expertly to completion, and to Bernadette Foley for her exceptional editing.
If I may be permitted the indulgence of two personal mentions, I would also like to thank my parents, who are my inspiration to write for a living, and my partner, Jacquelin Magnay, for all her love, encouragement and insistence that she will make an honorary Australian out of me yet.