Welcome to the Power 500 for 2026, our list of the individuals who wield power and exert influence in Western Australia’s increasingly complex operating environment.

These are the people who guide the state amid geopolitical uncertainty, commodity price volatility, productivity challenges, regulatory red tape and inflationary pressure.

The 2026 Power 500 marks the fifth edition of the publication produced by the Business News editorial, research and production teams.  

In this year’s book, 83 people made their debut among the state’s most powerful business leaders, parliamentarians, philanthropists, and many other achievers. 

The categories of the Power 500 cover all parts of the WA economy, from the resources sector to property, and from agribusiness to the arts.  

The biggest shifts among the categories were recognised in the public sector section, as political operatives hit their stride in the year since the 2025 election. 

The number of entrants in the industrial and logistics and education categories also grew, as more influential individuals emerged. 

The 2026 Power 500 cohort influence a combined $1.39 trillion in market capitalisation, representing 43 per cent of the total value of the Australian Securities Exchange. 

Those Western Australians, working across 81 listed companies – heavily weighted by the resources sector – hold significant sway in the public markets. 

Analysing the past five years of data from the Power 500 paints an interesting picture of the distribution, and concentration, of power in the state. 

Since that first edition, 874 unique individuals have appeared across the pages of this publication.

Almost a quarter of the cohort have cemented themselves as mainstays in the Power 500, with 214 people appearing in all five editions. 

But power is not perpetual, and 30 per cent of entrants across the years have only made one appearance in the book.  

Out of everyone who has appeared in the Power 500 since the inaugural edition, 249 people have changed companies, and 321 have changed roles, between appearances.

Interestingly, 125 people have changed categories, such as shifting from health and social services to public sector, or from explorers and mid-cap miners to resources. 

A further 57 people have made the jump into an entirely different role, such as moving from the C-suite to the boardroom, or from academia to government.  

Again, the book depicts an overall top-10 ranking that showcases the state’s most powerful people: those whose influence extends beyond their industry. 

Each of the 19 categories also includes a top-10 ranking, with all other people appearing in no defined order. 

This edition also includes an obituaries section to remember and recognise the prominent and powerful leaders who died during the past year. 

Another constant is the endless hours and tireless debate spent on considering each individual that has appeared across all five years of the Power 500.