The 10 most powerful people in corporate Australia in 2026

James ThomsonColumnist
Sep 23, 2026 – 11.45am

1. Matt Comyn

‍At a time when many chief executives are hesitant to wade into big public policy debates, the Commonwealth Bank chief executive remains the business community’s most prominent and most effective communicator.
His views carry weight in Canberra. He frequently wades into policy matters in the media; you could call him the treasurer-at-large. Six years in at the helm of the country’s second-biggest company, he is the country’s most recognisable CEO. As Australia prepares for the potential of widespread disruption from the deployment of artificial intelligence, Comyn and CBA have staked out an important leadership position, setting up internal processes and negotiations with unions to manage the bank’s own rollout, and set an example for others.

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• AFR Magazine
• Power List
• Subscriber exclusive
• Matt Comyn
• Ryan Stokes
• Gina Rinehart
• Ross McEwan
• Robin Khuda
• Matthew Grounds
• Scott Farquhar
• Vicki Brady

James ThomsonColumnistJames Thomson is senior Chanticleer columnist based in Melbourne. He was the Companies editor and editor of BRW Magazine. Connect with James on Twitter. Email James at j.thomson@afr.com

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