The Chairman's Lounge

‘Riveting’ – Leigh Sales
‘A masterclass in investigative journalism and a gripping, must read. Aston’s blistering exposé of Qantas is a scathing, unflinching takedown of greed, delusion and a shameless abuse of power, both jaw-dropping and brilliantly incisive.’ – Adele Ferguson
‘A cracking read … Joe Aston is a once-in-a-generation adornment to business journalism with fearless resolve, razor sharp intellect and remarkable writing skills.’ – Hedley Thomas
‘Helmets are required for this book, the zingers never stop.’ – Kate McClymont

Joe Aston is one of Australia’s most influential commentators on business, finance, and politics. For 12 years, he struck fear into the hearts of the nation’s political and corporate leaders with his must-read column “Rear Window” in The Australian Financial Review. He interrogated some of the country’s biggest business stories, including Rio Tinto’s Juukan Gorge scandal; CPA Australia and its “Naked CEO” Alex Malley; and the decline and fall of both Magellan Financial Group and Qantas.

In 2023, Joe and his AFR colleagues won a Walkley Award for their coverage of the PwC tax leaks scandal. AFR editor-in-chief Michael Stutchbury says Aston “turned a gossip column into a form of journalism like never before seen in Australia, and arguably the world.” Joe resigned from the AFR in October last year and lives in Sydney.

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