Jumping Ship

Jumping Ship

'It's the story of how a group of financial high-fliers, driven by their social conscience, found a way to run a multi-million dollar business devoted entirely to the creation of social good rather than profit." - Hugh Mackay AO

As an ambitious, competitive kid from a public school who grew up in country town Victoria, Michael Traill converted privileged education opportunities in the hallowed halls of Melbourne University's Trinity College and the -West Point of Capitalism' at the Harvard Business School, into a high paid and successful career at Macquarie Bank. But at the peak of his career in his early forties he decided to leave that behind.

In 2002, after 15 years in merchant banking and as a co-founder and executive director of Macquarie Group's private equity arm, Macquarie Direct Investment, Michael decided to -jump ship' and joined Social Ventures Australia as founding CEO, reshaping the Australian philanthropy and not-for-profit landscape.

In partnership with other not-for-profit organisations, Michael was one of the architects behind the establishment of the Goodstart Childcare chain, created out of the ashes of ABC Learning, and now one of the largest social enterprise organisations in the world.

In Jumping Ship Michael tells the candid and inspiring story of this journey that took him from Morwell, to the millionaire's factory, to founding a unique Australian non-profit success story, and being a key driver behind of one of the biggest social enterprises in the world. In the process he shares how he reconnected to the values of family and community that shaped his childhood.

Jumping Ship is a manifesto, built on the work of Social Ventures Australia, to reshape the Australian non-profit landscape addressing social disadvantage.

Michael Traill is currently chair of Goodstart Early Learning, the SVA Social Impact Fund, Assetic Pty Ltd, and a director of M.H. Carnegie & Co, Sunsuper, Australian Schools Plus, Australian Philanthropic Services and the National Museum of Australia.

Jumping Ship
Hardie Grant Books
Author: Michael Traill
RRP: $45