Absolutely on the money, Foreshadow.I assume you're aware that...

Absolutely on the money, Foreshadow.

I assume you're aware that Richard made what I (quite deliberately) call his "first fortune" back with QGC based on options. The $30m (or so) that he walked away with after the BG takeover was based almost entirely upon the exercise of options that had been allocated to him as part of his executive remuneration package. But his entitlement to exercise those options only took effect when the company had reached certain pre-agreed performance milestones.

Whether or not you believe it, it happens to be true that his personal remuneration (ie. low base salary, high "at risk" component) was structured at his own insistence, and not something forced upon him. Why?

Because it is his heartfelt philosophy that executives of listed companies should only become wealthy when all shareholders become wealthy.

Another signature Cottee philosophy is that ordinary company employees should also be given the chance to become shareholders, so that they too can share in the wealth and not simply be paid for the labour they exert in order to create that wealth. That's why he introduced an employee share participation scheme at QGC. And again at NXS...

I'm quite sure Richard intends to make his "second fortune" as non-executive Chairman of AKK and at the same time make all AKK shareholders (including the shareholding-executives of AKK) as wealthy as possible.

His "third fortune" will be based on what he can cause CTP to achieve under his leadership... but that's another story...