When a billionaire co-founder of a software giant steps down to focus on family and giving back, it raises a natural question: what comes next? Scott Farquhar, who built Atlassian alongside Mike Cannon-Brookes over twenty years, announced in April 2024 that he would leave his role as co-CEO by the end of August.

4 related posts

Net worth: $7.7 billion (Forbes 2024) ·
Age: 45 (born December 1979) ·
Co-founded Atlassian: 2002 ·
Resignation as co-CEO: 2024

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
  • 2002 – Co-founded Atlassian (Atlassian official company announcement) (Bloomberg (financial news agency))
  • 2015 – Atlassian IPO on NASDAQ (Forbes billionaire profile) (Bloomberg (financial news agency))
  • March 2024 – Atlassian lays off 1,600 employees (Bloomberg (financial news agency))
  • 2024-08-31 – Last day as co-CEO (InDaily South Australian news outlet) (Bloomberg (financial news agency))
4What’s next
  • Transition to non-executive director and special advisor (Atlassian official company announcement)
  • Focus on philanthropy through Skip Foundation and Pledge 1% (InnovationAus Australian tech news)
  • Mike Cannon-Brookes becomes sole CEO (Atlassian official company announcement)

Eight facts about Scott Farquhar, one pattern: his journey from a dorm-room startup to a multi-billion dollar fortune mirrors the rise of the Australian tech sector itself.

Fact Value
Full name Scott Farquhar
Born December 1979 (age 45)
Nationality Australian
Occupation Entrepreneur, philanthropist
Known for Co-founding Atlassian
Net worth $7.7 billion (Forbes 2024)
Spouse Susan Farquhar (Forbes billionaire profile)
Children 3 (Forbes billionaire profile)

Why is Scott Farquhar leaving Atlassian?

Scott Farquhar announced on that he would step down as co-CEO of Atlassian and remain on the board as a special advisor (Atlassian official company announcement). His last day in the role was , after which Mike Cannon-Brookes continued as the company’s sole CEO.

In his own words, Farquhar framed the move as a desire to spend more time with his young family and to improve the world through philanthropy (Atlassian official company announcement). Bloomberg (financial news agency) reported the resignation as a surprise that rattled investors, highlighting the abruptness of the transition.

Despite leaving the day-to-day, Farquhar will continue as a board member and serve as a special advisor to the company (Atlassian official company announcement). He also remains a major shareholder, so his financial future is still tied to Atlassian’s performance.

The trade-off

Farquhar swaps daily operational control for full-time philanthropy work, but retains significant influence as a board member and shareholder. For investors, this means his departure is not a clean break — his voice will still be heard at strategy meetings.

What is Scott Farquhar doing now?

  • Focusing on philanthropy through Skip Foundation and Pledge 1% (InnovationAus Australian tech news)
  • Continuing as a non-executive director at Atlassian (Atlassian official company announcement)
  • Co-founding Skip Capital, an investment firm, and investing in startups like Startmate, SafetyCulture, and Blackbird Ventures (InnovationAus Australian tech news)

What are his future plans?

Farquhar has not detailed specific philanthropic projects, but the Skip Foundation and the industry initiative Pledge 1% (of which Atlassian is a founding member) are his main channels (Forbes billionaire profile). He also intends to help further the technology industry globally, though exact ventures remain unannounced.

Bottom line: The pattern: Farquhar is trading a predictable executive schedule for the freedom of a philanthropist-investor, following a path similar to other tech billionaires who step back in their 40s.

How did Scott Farquhar get rich?

Farquhar’s wealth comes almost entirely from his stake in Atlassian, the enterprise software giant he co-founded with Mike Cannon-Brookes in 2002 (Atlassian official company announcement). The company went public in 2015 on the NASDAQ, and its share price has grown substantially since.

What is Scott Farquhar’s net worth?

Forbes (billionaire profile) estimates his real-time net worth at $7.7 billion as of 2024. The Australian Financial Review Rich List, as cited by InDaily South Australian news outlet, pegged his wealth at AU$18.16 billion in 2023. The difference reflects currency variations and stock price fluctuations.

How did Atlassian’s IPO contribute to his wealth?

Atlassian’s 2015 IPO turned Farquhar and Cannon-Brookes into multi-billionaires. The company retains dual-class shares, giving the founders control despite holding a minority economic stake. Farquhar has sold some shares over the years but remains one of the largest individual shareholders.

The catch

Almost all of Farquhar’s $7.7 billion net worth is tied to a single stock. If Atlassian falters, his fortune could shrink dramatically — a risk that leaving the co-CEO role does not eliminate.

Who is Scott Farquhar?

Born in December 1979 in Sydney, Australia, Forbes billionaire profile describes him as a self-made entrepreneur. He studied at the University of New South Wales, where he met his future co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes.

What is Scott Farquhar’s educational background?

  • Attended the University of New South Wales, studying computer science (Forbes billionaire profile)
  • Left before completing his degree to start Atlassian

When did he co-found Atlassian?

Farquhar and Cannon-Brookes founded Atlassian in 2002 with a AU$10,000 credit card debt (Atlassian official company announcement). The first product was Jira, a project-tracking tool that remains a core offering.

The implication: Farquhar’s story is a classic Australian tech success — a university dropout who built a global enterprise from a borrowed credit card, now worth billions.

Who is Scott Farquhar’s wife?

Scott Farquhar is married to Susan Farquhar. The couple has three children and lives in Sydney, Australia (Forbes billionaire profile).

How many children does Scott Farquhar have?

He has three children. Farquhar has occasionally mentioned his family as a key reason for stepping down from the co-CEO role (Atlassian official company announcement).

Why this matters: Farquhar’s decision to prioritise family over a high-profile CEO job signals a broader shift among tech founders toward work-life balance, especially after two decades of building.

Is Atlassian going downhill?

Atlassian laid off 1,600 employees in March 2024 — roughly 7% of its workforce — citing a shift toward AI and restructuring (Bloomberg financial news agency). The company continues to generate strong revenue, but growth has slowed. Farquhar’s resignation adds to the sense of transition.

What caused the 2024 layoffs at Atlassian?

  • Restructuring to invest more in AI-powered features
  • Reducing duplicate roles after years of rapid hiring
  • Part of a broader tech-industry trend of cost-cutting

How is Atlassian adapting to AI?

Atlassian has integrated generative AI into its products, including Jira and Confluence, to automate tasks. The company views AI as a growth driver, but the market remains competitive with players like Microsoft and Salesforce.

The trade-off: Atlassian is betting big on AI to reaccelerate growth, but the departure of its co-CEO and the layoffs create leadership uncertainty that could dampen investor confidence in the short term.

Bottom line: Scott Farquhar is a self-made billionaire exiting day-to-day leadership of the company he co-founded. For investors: the stock retains a founder-influencer on the board, but the growth story now rests on Mike Cannon-Brookes and AI. For philanthropists: a major new donor is entering the Australian charity space with a multi-billion-dollar war chest.

Timeline: Scott Farquhar’s key milestones

  • 2002: Co-founds Atlassian with Mike Cannon-Brookes (Atlassian official company announcement)
  • 2015: Atlassian IPOs on NASDAQ (Forbes billionaire profile)
  • March 2024: Atlassian lays off 1,600 employees (Bloomberg financial news agency)
  • 2024-04-25: Farquhar announces resignation as co-CEO (Atlassian official company announcement)
  • 2024-08-31: Last day as co-CEO (InDaily South Australian news outlet)

What we know and what we don’t

Confirmed facts

  • Net worth of $7.7 billion (Forbes 2024) (Forbes billionaire profile)
  • Resigned as co-CEO effective 2024-08-31 (Atlassian official company announcement)
  • Married to Susan Farquhar with three children (Forbes billionaire profile)
  • Co-founded Atlassian in 2002 (Atlassian official company announcement)

What’s unclear

  • Exact future philanthropic projects post-resignation (InnovationAus Australian tech news)
  • Whether he will reduce his Atlassian shareholding over time
  • Atlassian’s long-term growth trajectory under sole CEO Cannon-Brookes (Bloomberg financial news agency)
  • How Farquhar’s departure will affect Atlassian’s workplace culture
  • The specific financial details of Farquhar’s shareholding reduction plan

What people are saying

“I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of Atlassian’s journey… Now it’s time for me to focus on my family and philanthropy.”

— Scott Farquhar, in Atlassian official company announcement

“Farquhar will step down as joint CEO but remain on the board as a non-executive director.”

— Bloomberg financial news agency

“Scott Farquhar is worth $7.7 billion, primarily from his stake in Atlassian.”

— Forbes billionaire profile

Farquhar’s departure marks the end of an era for Atlassian. For the Australian tech ecosystem, his full-time pivot to philanthropy means a fresh flow of capital into social causes. For Atlassian employees and shareholders, the bet is that Mike Cannon-Brookes alone can steer the company through its next phase. The stakes are high: if Atlassian stumbles, Farquhar’s fortune — and his philanthropic capacity — shrinks with it.

For profiles of other tech leaders, see our pieces on Sam Altman or Emma Grede.

Additional sources

fundraisingresearch.com.au, linkedin.com, facebook.com, techzine.eu, youtube.com, events.atlassian.com, linkedin.com

For a deeper look at Scott Farquhars departure from Atlassian, including his $7.7 billion net worth and philanthropic plans, explore the full story.

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Frequently asked questions

Where was Scott Farquhar born?

He was born in Sydney, Australia, in December 1979.

What university did Scott Farquhar attend?

He studied at the University of New South Wales but left before graduating to start Atlassian (Forbes billionaire profile).

How much of Atlassian does Scott Farquhar own?

His exact stake is not public, but he remains one of the largest individual shareholders, with a net worth primarily tied to Atlassian stock.

What philanthropic causes does Scott Farquhar support?

He is focusing on the Skip Foundation and Pledge 1%, an initiative that encourages companies to donate 1% of equity, time, or product to charity (Forbes billionaire profile).

Is Scott Farquhar still involved with Atlassian?

Yes, he remains on the board as a non-executive director and serves as a special advisor (Atlassian official company announcement).

Who is Mike Cannon-Brookes?

He is the co-founder of Atlassian and became the sole CEO after Farquhar’s departure (Atlassian official company announcement).

What is Scott Farquhar’s age?

He was born in December 1979, making him 45 years old as of 2024 (InDaily South Australian news outlet).

How did Farquhar and Cannon-Brookes meet?

They met while studying at the University of New South Wales and bonded over the idea of creating better software tools.