Tabakoff laughs last; Diary skills with AdNews; Todd’s work-life balance; Be cool the Adam Ferrier way

Of all the people to be aware of Mark Twain’s adage: “Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel”, you’d have though it would have been Fairfax Media’s management.  

But they learned the lesson last week after chairman Ron Walker and CEO Brian McCarthy patronised Nick Tabakoff from The Australian at the company’s financial results press conference.

After being asked about plans for a capital raising, Walker said: “Nick, are you listening?”, before McCarthy joined in with “Hope you’re listening. Hope everyone’s listening.” Then the pair read out a statement about the company seeing “no present need to raise equity”, with Walker adding: “Want to repeat that again?”

Of course, three days later, the company’s shares were suspended as it started its capital-raising process. The Australian naturally republished the transcript of Monday’s exchange.