“Nothing is Impossible”
JOHN SAUNDERS AO
23.11.1922 ― 6.12.1997
Born in Hungary, John Saunders miraculously survived a Nazi concentration camp before emigrating to Australia as a refugee in 1950 to create a better life for himself. In his luggage was an English dictionary in which he scratched out the word ‘impossible’, inspiring the guiding principle that ‘nothing is impossible’ that informed the rest of his life.
In the years to follow, John met fellow Holocaust survivor Frank Lowy; the two became firm friends and partners in residential and retail property development, pioneering the American-style shopping centre in Australia with the opening of Westfield Place in Blacktown in 1959. Westfield Development Corp then listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and the pair went on to build it into a global leader in retail centre ownership and management.
Following 30 years of successful partnership, John stepped down from Westfield to focus on building Terrace Tower Group (TTG) in Australia and the US. A passionate philanthropist, John supported many charitable organisations during his lifetime, including founding the Sydney Jewish Museum and HopeTown Special School in Wyong NSW and he was awarded an Order of Australia in 1989.
Today, John’s two daughters continue to honour his legacy as co-owners of TTG and through the Saunders Family Foundation which has supported numerous charitable organisations for over two decades.
Driven by our founder’s philosophy that ‘Nothing is Impossible’ which defined his path, foresight and success, every team member respects and embodies our firm’s core values.
◼︎Foster collaboration and connection
◼︎Act with Humility
◼︎Exemplify integrity and discretion
◼︎Operate with rigour and discipline
◼︎Continual Assessment and Adjustment
With experienced and truly collaborative teams based in both Sydney and New York, TTG is led by CEO Richard Weinberg and co-owned by second-generation family members, Monica Saunders-Weinberg and Betty Klimenko AM.
Chief Executive Officer
Currently Chief Executive Officer of Terrace Tower Group (TTG), Richard leads the privately owned investment group’s operations in Sydney and New York. While working in the commercial property and investment markets, he first joined TTG in 2007 as a Non-Executive Director before being appointed the group’s CEO in 2009. Since then, Richard has spearheaded the expansion of the company’s asset and investment portfolio, evolving beyond TTG’s commercial property legacy to diversify across the capital structure in equity and credit, private and public markets; with a particular emphasis on private-credit investing, lead-origination capabilities and a non-traditional investment allocation.
Outside of TTG, Richard is a passionate, long-time supporter and investor in the arts and sciences. He is a Board Member of non-profit film, television and digital content foundation Australians in Film, Co-Founder of production company Karlinberg Entertainment and a founding partner in Hollywood production company Material Pictures. Richard is also an Executive Advisory Board Member of disruptive biotech company Colossal Laboratories & Biosciences and an Angel 8VC Investor with technology and life-sciences firm 8VC Group. He has a Bachelor of Commerce and Law (Accounting) from the University of New South Wales.
Richard is based in Sydney and the US and is married to Monica Weinberg-Saunders; together they are parents to three teenage boys.
Co-Vice Chair
Co-Vice Chair with Monica Saunders-Weinberg, Betty Klimenko AM has been a TTG Director since the company was founded in 1989. Considered a trailblazer in the business of motorsports, Betty is the first woman to start her own V8 Supercars team Erebus Racing in 2011 (now known as Erebus Motorsport). She is also the only female owner to have won the Bathurst 12 Hour and the Bathurst 1000, twice. In 2023 Erebus Motorsport won the drivers’ and teams’ titles in the Repco Supercars Championship, a feat only achieved by five other teams in the history of the sport. A passionate leader, Betty is known for her unwavering ambition, determination and commitment to people and purpose, living by the motto: “I choose to do the impossible so I choose to win.”
In 2022 Betty followed in her late father’s footsteps in being awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to both motorsports and to charitable organisations. In addition to her dedication to The Saunders Foundation, she is also a global ambassador of the Dare to Be Different initiative, an ambassador of the Blue Datto Foundation and of Feel The Magic.
Betty resides in rural Australia on a farm where she grows produce for local food banks. She is married to Daniel Klimenko and has three sons and seven grandchildren.
Co-Vice Chair
Driven by purpose, connection and joy, Monica Saunders-Weinberg is a multi-talented visionary whose impact spans business, commercial real estate, investment, philanthropy and the performing arts. Monica is Co-Owner and Co-Vice Chair of Terrace Tower Group (TTG) where she first began as a board member, 26 years ago.
In addition to her role at TTG Monica is a longtime supporter of the performing arts with a passion for the creative process and meaningful storytelling. Through her production company Hana Black Productions, she has developed a number of projects for theatre, film and television.
In addition to her business and artistic endeavours, Monica has furthered the legacy of her philanthropic late father John Saunders AO as a compassionate, thoughtful and dedicated humanitarian; supporting numerous charities both privately and The Saunders Family Foundation, directing its mission and growth for the last 26 years as the foundation’s Executive Chair. She is also a founding partner and Director of The Growth Project which connects business leaders with charities to help maximise their impact on the world and is a founding angel and dedicated Director of Feel The Magic: a charity that helps support grieving children and families.
Monica is based in Sydney and the US and is married to TTG CEO Richard Weinberg; together they are parents to three teenage boys.
A former Westfield Group Treasurer and Director of Funds Management for Westfield Trust and Westfield America Trust, Trevor Gerber has been a professional director since 2000 with expertise in property, funds management, hotels and tourism, infrastructure and aquaculture. In addition to Terrace Tower Group, he currently occupies the positions of Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Vicinity Centres and is a Director and Investment Committee member of the Judith Neilson Family Office.
A former Senior Counsel and barrister at the New South Wales Bar, Robert Goot also holds a number of senior leadership positions within the Australian and international Jewish community. A highly active and recognised member of the World Jewish Council (WJC), he has held numerous positions and is currently serving as Co-Chair of the Policy Council , Chair of the WJC Credentials Commission and a member of the WJC Budget & Finance Commission. Robert is also Deputy President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (having served two separate terms as President).
In recognition for his distinguished service to the Jewish community through executive roles with educational, cultural and social welfare bodies, Robert was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia in 1988 for services to the Jewish community and made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2020.
Currently the Chair of Keneco Pty Limited and Bitumen Importers Australia, Barry Neil has over 40 years’ expertise in all aspects of property including the acquisition, development and operation of landmark developments in multiple asset classes, in Australia and overseas. His executive career included senior property and investment roles at both Mirvac and Woolworths Limited and he is a former Director of Mirvac Limited and Stockland Group.
With over 40 years experience in finance, funds management and real estate, Warwick Negus has held leadership roles with Colonial First State Global Asset Management and 452 Capital as Chief Executive Officer and Goldman Sachs Australia, London and Singapore as Managing Director. Through his career as an executive and a non-executive director, he brings expertise in the management and governance of complex organisations, particularly in the fields of management and finance.
In addition to TTG, Warwick is Chair of ASX-listed Dexus Funds Management Limited and Chair of the Bank of Queensland and a member of all committees for both boards. A Non-Executive Director of Virgin Australia Holdings Limited, New South Wales Rugby Union Limited and Tantallon Capital Advisors, he is also Deputy Chancellor and a member of the Council of the University of New South Wales.
An advisor for the Erebus Motorsports Team, Daniel is actively involved in the title-winning team alongside his wife Betty. Daniel worked closely with the late John Saunders on his vision for the Sydney Jewish Museum which John founded in 1992.
Bill Brown has over 35 years’ investment experience as a principal and advisor. Prior to taking on his role as Chief Investment Officer at Terrace Tower Group (TTG), Bill worked for leading global investment banks Salomon Brothers, Lehman Brothers and Credit Suisse First Boston and managed more than US$1bn in alternative assets for both a multi-family and a single-family investment office.
Bill joined TTG in 2011 at a time when the group’s assets were exclusively focused on commercial real estate. Since then, he has been instrumental in helping TTG diversify its investment strategy and asset base and leads an experienced 12-person non-real estate investment team split between New York and Sydney. The team invests across a broad range of asset areas with specialties in private credit, private equity, and hedge funds. It also internally manages a portfolio of direct public equities. Private investments are made via funds, co-investments and direct investments sourced through its network. TTG lead sponsors or co-leads transactions in areas of expertise particularly in the private credit sector.
Bill serves on the board of directors of Regal Asian Investments Limited (ASX:RG8) which provides investors with access to an actively managed, concentrated portfolio, comprising long investments and short positions in Asian listed securities. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Management from Columbia Business School.
Bill is based in New York and Sydney and is married with three children.
With over 20 years’ experience in corporate finance and operations, Brian Bailison has held senior executive roles in both listed and unlisted businesses in South Africa and Australia, including Rand Merchant Bank, diversified investment group Ivany Investment Group, diversified property development group PAYCE Consolidated and ASX-listed childcare business G8 Education. Terrace Tower Group’s CFO since 2019, Brian applies an entrepreneurial spirit to the necessary rigour, discipline and compliance of his role. He has Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Accounting (Cum Laude) degrees from the University of Witwatersrand and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia.
Brian is based in Sydney and is married with two children.
Adam Shell is an experienced investor and analyst with over 17 years’ expertise investing family-office capital in both private and public markets in Australia and the US. Formerly a Principal at investment holding company Coast2Coast and a Partner at global hedge fund VGI Partners, Adam is currently Head of Investments, Australia at Terrace Tower Group (TTG) where he has been active in diversifying TTG’s investment activities outside of real estate to include a broad portfolio of investments across multiple asset classes with a particular focus on private credit.
Adam is a Director of the Sydney Jewish Museum and an investment committee member of the Museum’s Foundation. He has a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Law from the University of New South Wales and is a CFA charter holder.
Adam is based in Sydney and is married with three children.
With over 25 years’ experience in real estate and managing substantial asset portfolios, Danny Berkovits is a seasoned executive with strong capabilities in leasing, development, and asset management within the retail and commercial sectors. Passionate about the intersection of real estate, credit, and capital markets, Danny is adept at navigating complex market dynamics and has overseen Terrace Tower Group’s real estate portfolio, driving growth and maximizing value through innovative leasing strategies, stakeholder collaboration and operational excellence.
Prior to joining TTG, Danny held a similar role with a substantial private property investment group following roles with various real estate services firms. He has an Associate Diploma in Real Estate.
Danny is based in Sydney and is married with two children.
