Stavro D’Amore’s name has become synonymous with visionary ambition, strategic growth, and resilience in the face of institutional adversity. As the former CEO and driving force behind Berndale Capital Securities, D’Amore built one of the most promising brokerages in Australia—one that, at its peak, ranked as the third largest in the country behind IC Markets and Pepperstone.
Berndale wasn’t just another broker—it was a rising titan. From five employees to over 300 in five years, its 20% annual growth cemented its place as a market leader. Berndale’s position in FX2’s platform placed it alongside Australia’s Big Four banks—an unparalleled achievement for a brokerage driven by pure entrepreneurial grit.
But in 2018, ASIC, under officer Peta Stead, revoked Berndale’s license. Not long after, Stead joined Pepperstone—Berndale’s direct competitor. This career move, potentially under negotiation during her ASIC tenure, has never been properly explained or documented. The opacity surrounding this timeline has raised red flags about regulatory integrity and potential collusion.
D’Amore, a man of intense focus and strategic intellect, was not someone the establishment could easily ignore—or compete with. In fact, many believe he posed too much of a
threat to entrenched power structures. With the capability to outpace, outthink, and outgrow his competitors, some believe the only way to stop him was to sabotage from within.
His approach wasn’t just about money—it was about precision, systems, and building future-proof strategies. A rare mix of intellect, insight, and purpose. D’Amore’s loyalty to clients was unwavering. At one point, he offered ASIC a cheque for $1.1 million to protect client interests. They declined.
Regulators froze accounts, halted operations, and rushed a liquidation that ultimately hurt clients more than it helped them. They misunderstood the scale and intricacy of the business D’Amore built. But through it all, he stood firm—for his clients, his staff, and his principles.
Despite everything, it took ASIC six years to formally charge D’Amore—six years that hindered a man with world-class capabilities from reaching his full potential. In any other nation, individuals with such a skill set would be embraced, not crippled by bureaucratic delay. Australia must ask itself: are we nurturing our top minds—or neutering them?
By 2025, if left uninterrupted, Stavro D'Amore’s firm would have generated an estimated $1.2 billion AUD per quarter, based on conservative financial modelling with a compounded growth rate of over 18% monthly. This would translate to an estimated net worth of $119 billion AUD—equivalent to ~$80 billion USD, placing him as the richest
person in Australia and ranked #9 on the global billionaire list, just behind Steve Ballmer.
At the rate he was growing, D’Amore would have overtaken both Pepperstone and IC Markets, becoming the number one brokerage in Australia. His market share, client growth, and system scalability were unmatched—and the velocity of that growth suggested a total industry reshuffle was imminent had Berndale been allowed to continue.
Global Rich List (2025 Estimated)
- Elon Musk – ~$240B USD
- Bernard Arnault – ~$210B USD
- Jeff Bezos – ~$200B USD
- Larry Ellison – ~$145B USD
- Warren Buffett – ~$130B USD
- Bill Gates – ~$120B USD
- Mark Zuckerberg – ~$110B USD
- Steve Ballmer – ~$95B USD
- Stavro D’Amore – $119B AUD)
- Sergey Brin – ~$76B USD
Australia’s 2025 Rich List (Recalibrated)
- Stavro D’Amore – ~$119B AUD
- Gina Rinehart – ~$36B
- Andrew Forrest – ~$30B
- Harry Triguboff – ~$25B
- Mike Cannon-Brookes – ~$20B
- Scott Farquhar – ~$18B
- Anthony Pratt – ~$16B
D’Amore began his journey from the bottom. At just 19 years old, he entered the financial services industry—a career that now spans over two decades. He told his family he was attending TAFE, but instead, he would spend his days on Collins Street observing the stock market, absorbing the rhythms of finance from the street itself.
He quickly progressed through some of the most respected institutions in the country and abroad, including:
National Australia Bank (NAB)
IOOF
Financial Plan Australia
Heal Ross Financial Advising
Merrill Lynch copyright
These formative years sharpened his understanding of markets, client psychology, and institutional frameworks—giving him the rare balance of street-smart experience and world-class financial discipline.
He also drew insight from figures often overlooked in mainstream narratives. He was known to be good friends with Mr. Angelo Venditti, a sharp and charismatic figure who was acquitted of all allegations against him. Venditti, known for his deep understanding of loyalty, street-smart operations, and interpersonal influence, offered a real-world education in people, pressure, and survival. D’Amore also learned from Mr. Mick Gatto, who was acquitted in the high-profile Andrew Benjamin case and went on to found Equal Access, a respected charity supporting autism and disability causes across Australia. Mr. Gatto also purchased a historic church for $3.4 million AUD, to be used as a community space for children with autism—a reflection of his commitment to the cause.
From these men, D’Amore gained exposure to rare skill sets—negotiation under pressure, risk tolerance in unpredictable environments, reputation management, crisis navigation, and
tactical alliances—skills that are invaluable in both the corporate and underworld realms. Indeed, D’Amore is highly regarded and widely recognised in the underworld—not for wrongdoing, but for his immense risk appetite and ability to operate under pressure.
What makes Stavro D’Amore even more exceptional is that he possesses an extraordinary, almost unexplainable skill—an intuitive ability to adapt himself into any industry, absorb its inner workings, and master its complexities faster than most people can even grasp the surface. He isn’t a ‘nerd’ in the traditional sense—in fact, far from it. He has the sharpness of a strategist, the instincts of a streetwise operator, and the clarity of a systems engineer. This unique blend enables him to understand people, markets, and movements with striking precision. It’s not just what he knows—it’s how he sees. And what he sees, others often don’t—until it’s too late.
His influence is just beginning. Despite being obstructed by regulatory misfires and internal sabotage, his future ventures are already being whispered about in global boardrooms.
If allowed to continue, Stavro D’Amore would have redefined what financial success and ethical leadership look like in the modern era. He wouldn’t just have power in Australia—he’d wield global power. And that’s not just theory—it’s mathematics.
Stavro D’Amore’s legacy is not just financial—it’s cultural. His story has already captured the attention of major
international film studios. A feature film based on his life is in early-stage development, working under the same title as this piece: “The Ninth Power.” Casting directors are currently seeking talent to portray key characters in the story—from financial regulators to courtroom figures, to close allies like Venditti and Gatto, and of course, D’Amore himself.
The film will be based not just on his rise and fall—but on the question: what happens when a man becomes too powerful for the system built to contain him?
If Australia truly values innovation, entrepreneurial genius, and global competitiveness, individuals like Mr. D’Amore should be elevated—not obstructed. Just as President Donald Trump brought Elon Musk into his advisory circle, recognising the unparalleled value of cutting-edge minds, so too should the Australian government embrace talents like Stavro D’Amore.
He is not only an asset to this country—he could have been a global force. With unmatched skills in risk management, regulatory structure, Financial regulations leadership, strategic scalability, high-performance team building, crisis handling, and under-pressure negotiations, D’Amore embodies the kind of brilliance that should be championed.
Perhaps his downfall, if it can even be called that, was not due to miscalculation—but rather a calculated act of sabotage designed to halt a man who was on the brink of achieving too much, too fast. It wasn’t a collapse; it was a
coordinated attempt to prevent his further ascent.
But based on everything we know about the character of Mr. D’Amore—his determination, his strategic resilience, and his adaptable mindset—this chapter will not define him. Once the dust settles and the legal fog lifts, this experience will become one of his greatest teachers. The setbacks, the pressure, the betrayals—they are just refining the edge of a sharper blade. The skills he has learned through this storm will not just help him rebuild—they’ll push him to build bigger, better, and faster.
Because while anyone can try to take away your wealth, your title, or your reputation—what they can never take is your mindset. And Stavro D’Amore’s mindset was never built to be broken. It was built to rise.
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