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Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow, the Singapore member firm of Baker McKenzie, has appointed Kelvin Poa as Country Managing Principal, effective 1 January 2026. Kelvin succeeds James Huang who successfully concluded his term on 31 December 2025, having led the office since 1 January 2023.

Kelvin is a highly regarded lawyer with more than 27 years of experience in investment funds and employment law. He currently heads the Funds and Employment practice groups at Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow, advising venture capital, private equity, and real estate clients on structuring investments, acquisitions, restructurings, and exits. Kelvin also supports asset management clients in navigating transformational transactions and complex reorganizations.

In the employment space, Kelvin provides strategic advice on non-contentious matters, including contracts, separation agreements, and restrictive covenants such as non-solicitation and non-competition terms.

Commenting on his appointment, Kelvin said: “I’m honoured to have been appointed as Country Managing Principal and thank my fellow principals for their trust in me. I would also like to express my appreciation to James for his leadership over the past years, guiding the Firm through post-COVID workplace changes and our office move. I look forward to working closely with our global and regional teams to deliver seamless client outcomes in today’s dynamic market.”

James said, “I congratulate Kelvin on his appointment. His leadership and expertise in the funds and employment space will undoubtedly take the Firm to even greater heights alongside Singapore’s growth as a regional gateway for international investments, talent development, and workplace transformation.”

Billionaires Alex and Vanessa Birkenstock, of the German leather sandal-family, are the buyers of an $85m Rose Bay mansion that sold in the days leading up to Christmas.

The last-minute purchase was the highest residential sale for 2025.

The couple, who were living in Melbourne, have been looking to buy in Sydney for several years with a budget of up to $200m.

Alex has long dreamt of sailing on Sydney Harbour. And with their daughters starting at the exclusive Rose Bay school Kambala this year, the search via top buyer’s agent Simon Cohen gathered pace in the last months of 2025.

With Cohen last spotted in the Maldives and the sales agents, Brad Pillinger of Pillinger and Steven Chen of The Agency, remaining tightlipped on their purchasers, it was left to other sources to spill the beans exclusively to News Corp.

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They’d had their eye on the five-bedroom residence known as Bayview Hill House in Bayview Hill Rd since its May listing with a $90m guide.

Vanessa, a British-German model, who had lived in Australia between 2002 and 2012 before she met her German husband, appeared in campaigns for Kenzo, Myer and Bettina Liano.

She was seen viewing the property late last year with Cohen and loved it so much that she asked her husband to jump on a plane and take a look.

The luxury home was owned by Lawrence Myers, chief executive of James Packer’s family office Consolidated Press Holdings, and his wife, Sylvia.

On a 1039sqm block, the grand property, designed by David Walker and Peter Janks, has incredible views of the Harbour Bridge from nearly every room — even the bathtub and gym.

There’s also a spectacular wet-edge pool with spa and cabana.

The Myers had bought it from retailer Brett Blundy for $43m in 2018.

The sale slotted in at No.2 in the top 20 sales across the country for the year, with Pillinger having been behind both of the two top Sydney deals, this one for $85m and the third top sale nationwide at $82.5m.

Michael Pallier, of Sotheby’s, who had $1bn in sales last year, was the agent for six of the top sales.

The Birkenstocks had also taken a look at the Barangaroo penthouse, which also appears in the top 10 at $80m.

Alex and his brother Christian were reported as having been worth US$3.4bn in 2023 after they sold a majority of their stake in the family business a $4.7bn deal two years before.

The footwear company dates from 1774, with Alex, Christian and their brother Stephan taking control from their father, Karl, in 2002.

Stephan sold his share in 2013.

Alex, 57, reportedly also owns property in New York, Miami and southern Germany.

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Ian Thorpe’s big windfall

Almost $300 million in refunds, dividends and cheques remain unclaimed by households and businesses across New South Wales, with locals urged to take action to secure the money they are owed.

Unclaimed cash is held by businesses and can accumulate when money is unable to be returned due to missing paperwork or contact information.

Money is then passed on to Revenue NSW when further attempts to return the funds are unsuccessful.

Areas with the most unclaimed cash include Sydney’s CBD and eastern suburbs, where more than $91 million in total is waiting to be snapped up by rightful owners.

About $76 million of the money is located in Western Sydney, with $22 million held in the Central Coast and the Hunter.

Some of the individual unclaimed items are valued in the millions of dollars.

Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos said there were more than 800,000 individual payments that remained unclaimed.

“This is money that belongs to residents of New South Wales, and we want to get that money back to you,” she said.

“It ranges from a few dollars to much larger amounts, but we encourage you to jump online and to check it out.

“This might be that little bonanza that you are waiting for.

“All you need to do is jump onto the website and search your name.”

Money unclaimed for years

Revenue NSW holds an additional $394 million for people registered at addresses outside the state.

Ms Houssos said some of the money had been sitting unclaimed for “many, many years”, with changes implemented to limit the amount of time businesses could hold onto cash.

“We’ve also made some legislative changes that mean businesses can only hold onto money for two years instead of six years to make it again easier for people to get access to their money,” she said.

“We think it’s really important that businesses return that money. If they’re not able to, they return it to the government, and we use our efforts to try and get that money back to residents.

“Even if someone has passed away, and you’re able to inherit that money, there is also a mechanism for you to access it.”

Last year, more than $21 million in unclaimed cash was returned to NSW households.

Anyone who suspects they may not have received money they are owed can visit the Revenue NSW website, where they will be asked to verify their identity and connection to the money.