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Q+A: What broke the Atlassian partnership?

Published August 20, 2026

Atlassian is one of Australia’s great business success stories. Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar built a software giant that at one point was worth more than $115 billion. But behind the extraordinary growth, their friendship and business partnership was coming under increasing strain.

Sean Aylmer speaks with business journalist John Stensholt, co-author with Perry Williams of the new book Tech Bros, about the inside story of Atlassian, the founders’ “year of not talking”, the role billions of dollars played in changing their relationship, and why partnerships between two highly driven founders can be so difficult to sustain.

Tech Bros is available now.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

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