GQ Australia has celebrated its 20th anniversary and the 12th annual GQ Men of the Year Awards. Twenty awards were presented at a black tie gala at The Star in Sydney, with winners appearing in the special GQ Men of the Year issue, now on sale.
The GQ Men of the Year Awards, presented by major sponsor Audi for the second year, recognise and honour extraordinary men and women who lead by example, striving for positive change and achieving great success in their chosen field.
Hedley Thomas
International stars walking the GQ red carpet in Sydney for an excited media pack included: GQ Man of the Year Joel Edgerton, Naomi Watts, who presented an award to GQ Creative Force recipient Cameron Bloom, GQ International Man of Style Lucky Blue Smith, GQ International Woman of the Year Emily Ratajkowski plus GQ Actor of the Year Keiynan Lonsdale and TV Actor of the Year Dacre Montgomery.
The evening started with welcomes from News Corp Australia’s publisher of the News Prestige Network, Nicholas Gray, and the editor of GQ, Michael Christensen.
They had plenty of colleagues in the audience including the chairman of the Herald & Weekly Times Penny Fowler, the editors of The Australian Christopher Dore and The Daily Telegraph Ben English, and the new CEO of Sky News Paul Whittaker. Executives from the magazine side of the business included editorial director of Conde Nast titles Edwina McCann, editor-in-chief of delicious. Kerrie McCallum and director of communications Sharyn Whitten.
Mike Christensen; Edwina McCann; Nicholas Gray (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images for GQ Australia)
Two former Australian magazine editors-turned-publishers visiting from their overseas posts were Nick Smith, now CEO of Buro Global, and Grant Pearce, editorial director GQ Asia Pacific.
Other guests last night included models Jarrod Scott, Jordan Barrett and David Jones ambassador Jessica Gomes, GQ Legend Michael Clarke, GQ Sportsman of the Year Robert Whittaker, actors Jonathan LaPaglia, Ryan Corr, Rodger Corser, Jackson Gallagher and Ben Mingay, GQ Media Personality of the Year Todd Sampson, Nova’s Ryan “Fitzy” Fitzgerald and Michael “Wippa” Wipfli who joked about presenting an award so late in the evening, GQ Sporting Icon Kurt Fearnley, Adam Goodes and Michael Klim, comedian Joel Creasey, band The Rubens who performed three tunes, Atlassian’s Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes, multimedia journalist and social media influencer Melissa Hoyer and #hotAlbo Anthony Albanese MP.
Emily Ratajkowski,
Winners of the 2018 GQ Men of the Year awards:
• GQ Man of the Year in association with Audi Joel Edgerton
• GQ Woman of the Year Elizabeth Debicki
• International Man of Style Lucky Blue Smith
• International Woman of the Year Emily Ratajkowski
• Actor of the Year Keiynan Lonsdale
• TV Actor of the Year Dacre Montgomery
• Creative Force Cameron Bloom
• Sportsman of the Year Robert Whittaker
• Team of the Year Australian Invictus Games Team
• Sporting Legend Kurt Fearnley
• GQ Legend Michael Clarke
• Media Personality of the Year Todd Sampson
• Breakthrough Sportsman of the Year Ben Simmons
• Social Force Andy Ridley
• Breakthrough Fashion Brand of the Year Double Rainbouu
• Special Humanitarian Award Walk Free Foundation
• Outstanding Achievement in Journalism Hedley Thomas
• Breakthrough Artist of the Year Jamie Preisz
• Innovation Award in association with Audi Seabin Project
• Breakthrough Chef of the Year Josh Niland
• Supporting partners of the 2018 GQ Men of the Year Awards include David Jones, Grey Goose, Paco Rabanne, Qantas and The Star.