Planes, pains & automobiles: Mike Cannon-Brookes defends owning a private jet & backing F1 racing

Nobody really understands the torment of being a billionaire, especially those very mean people at the AFR.

After luxury jet-shaming Mike Cannon-Brookes and outing him as the owner of a Bombardier 7500 – you can pick one up for around $100 million on Facebook marketplace – the Atlassian CEO felt compelled to defend himself on LinkedIn about being a high flyer and his company’s recent naming rights sponsorship of back-of-the-grid Formula One team Williams.

“I can appreciate the double-take on Atlassian’s F1 sponsorship because…cars = fuel,” he wrote.

“I’ve had conversations with the FIA [we don’t think he means the Fundraising Institute of Australia, but rather, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, the governing body of motor sport], and am impressed with their plans to get to net zero. They’ve shown consistent commitment (the 2026 cars are 50% electric, 50% combustion engine, and running on sustainable fuel),” he said.

“Atlassian Williams Racing is even further along (see their Sustainability Report). Their drive to net zero mirrors Atlassian’s own journey.”

Given the number of times Williams Racing cars retired early in race during the 2024 Formula One season, you could argue they did quite a bit for sustainability in the sport.

Mike Cannon-Brookes

“F1 can set a global example for sustainability in sports – and I believe it will,” Cannon-Brookes wrote.

Then he turned to the elephant in the room, or “the ultimate combination of speed, range and spaciousness” as Bombardier calls its 982km/h 4-cabin jet with room for 19 people.

The AFR reported that the plane, with a distinctive green tail – perhaps a nod to MCB’s environmental credentials – has been seen Essendon and Sunshine Coast airports, and is registered in Utah, where if owns a slice of the local basketball team, the Utah Jazz.

His flights “actually have a net negative carbon footprint” Cannon-Brookes said “using direct air capture and sustainable fuels for the carbon and contrails, to far exceed my flight footprint” and “my commitment to climate is as strong as ever”, but there are other issues at play.

“I’m not denying I have a deep internal conflict on this,” he wrote.

“There’s (sic) a couple of reasons I’ve purchased a plane. Personal security is the primary reason (an unfortunate reality of my world), but also so I can run a global business from Australia, and still be a constantly present dad.

“So, this is a hard, continual trade-off I’ve decided to make.”

We get the family thing 100%, but unless you’re an old boy of Scots College who hasn’t forgotten the day Cannon-Brookes came into the ruck from the side in a schoolboy rugby game 25 years ago, who the hell is trying to beat the crap out of a former Cranbrook student in the Chairman’s Lounge or first class cabin?

Aviation is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise due to the distance of flights and the energy density of fuel, Cannon-Brookes added.

“I’m still pretty damn focused on making an impact at a large scale, removing huge volumes of emissions through active investments and philanthropy…and have the proud, scars to prove it,” he concluded.

“I am determined to help transform Australia into a renewable energy superpower. I am still a deep believer that decarbonisation is the single greatest economic opportunity for Australia.”

If you’re a founder keen to spend more time with your kids, learn more about the Bombardier 7500 here.