The Rules of Investing

From a kosher butcher shop to one of the country’s largest family offices


Listen Later

The Smorgon family is one of Australia’s great wealth building stories.

The family emigrated from Ukraine in 1927, opening a Kosher Butcher shop in Carlton soon after. Through the 1930s, the family expanded into wholesale meat and canning industries and, by the time the decade was up, were exporting meat and canned fruit goods to the United Kingdom.

Victor Smorgon AC and the family established Smorgon Consolidated Industries in 1942, and this is when things really started to take off. In the 50s, the family added paper and packaging businesses to their repertoire, while the 80s saw the addition of a glass and plastic packaging company.


But it was the Steel industry where the Smorgon family displayed its appetite and aptitude for disruption, with Smorgon Steel going on to become the country’s largest vertically integrated producer of steel and steel products.

In 1995, with a heavy heart, Victor and the family divested Smorgon Consolidated Industries. In its place came Victor Smorgon Group, which is today one of Australia's premier family offices. 

In today's episode of The Rules of Investing, Livewire's David Thornton sits down with Peter Edwards – the late Victor’s grandson and CEO of Victor Smorgon Group.  

We discuss:

  • The Smorgon family’s flair for disruption
  • The way a family office invests, and
  • The multi strat fund that has recently opened its doors to outside money.   
  • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Rules of InvestingBy Livewire Markets

    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8

    4.8

    6 ratings


    More shows like The Rules of Investing

    View all
    CommSec Market Update by CommSec

    CommSec Market Update

    18 Listeners

    Motley Fool Money by LiSTNR

    Motley Fool Money

    94 Listeners

    NAB Morning Call by Phil Dobbie

    NAB Morning Call

    21 Listeners

    The Money Puzzle, with James Kirby by The Australian

    The Money Puzzle, with James Kirby

    49 Listeners

    Equity Mates Investing Podcast by Equity Mates Media

    Equity Mates Investing Podcast

    62 Listeners

    Your Wealth by NAB

    Your Wealth

    8 Listeners

    Australian Investors Podcast by Rask

    Australian Investors Podcast

    17 Listeners

    Australian Finance Podcast by Rask

    Australian Finance Podcast

    30 Listeners

    Buy Hold Sell, by Livewire Markets by Livewire Markets

    Buy Hold Sell, by Livewire Markets

    7 Listeners

    The Call from ausbiz by ausbiz

    The Call from ausbiz

    7 Listeners

    Investing Compass by Morningstar Australia

    Investing Compass

    27 Listeners

    The Money Café with Alan Kohler by Eureka Report

    The Money Café with Alan Kohler

    31 Listeners

    Chanticleer by Australian Financial Review

    Chanticleer

    26 Listeners

    The Fin by Australian Financial Review

    The Fin

    19 Listeners

    5 in 5 with ANZ by ANZ

    5 in 5 with ANZ

    8 Listeners