Living your legacy: Creating impact that endures

One of Australia’s most respected cricket captains, Mark Taylor is a sporting icon whose leadership helped lay the foundation for Australia’s dominance in world cricket. Off the field, the father of three’s legacy extends into philanthropy and community impact. Through his work with Sporting Chance, a charity he founded to support children with cancer, and his ongoing contributions to Australian sport, Mark continues to inspire the next generation. Recognised as 1999’s Australian of the Year, Mark’s leadership—both in sport and in life—demonstrates the power of leaving a meaningful legacy.

Founder and Managing Director of Pinnacle Investment Management Group, Ian has spent over 30 years shaping the investment management industry. A pioneer of the boutique fund manager model, he built Pinnacle into Australia’s largest multi-affiliate group, managing over $150 billion across 18 global affiliates.

Ian also founded Perennial Investment Partners, Australia’s first multi-boutique firm, and served as CEO of Queensland Investment Corporation. His visionary leadership has left a lasting legacy, one that will continue to shape and influence the investment landscape for years to come.

Bobby Yazdani is Founder and Managing Partner of Cota Capital, an early-stage investment firm that builds and invests in technology companies addressing “Net New” challenges in the enterprise. Cota believes knowledge is the true capital. Bobby works full-time on the development and support of entrepreneurs and is known for his active, impactful approach to building and engaging with portfolio companies. Before forming Cota Capital, Bobby spent 20+ years investing in technology companies individually and through his family office, Signatures Capital, which he founded in 2006. Via his family office and Cota Capital, Bobby has invested in more than 200 private companies. In 1997, Bobby founded Saba Software, which he took public in 2000.

Bobby has endowed the American Legacy Fund in partnership with U.S. Soccer, the Berkeley Changemaker Endowment and the Signatures Innovation Fellowship at University of California, Berkeley; the Maryam Mirzakhani Endowed Professorship at Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute; and the Yazdani Family Endowed Scholarship, the Parivash Yazdani Research Fund, and the Maker Space at University of Southern California. Bobby serves on the President’s Leadership Council at University of Southern California and the Board of Trustees at Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute.