Joel Thickins, head of TPG Capital's Asia branch, has been fined $1,430 and disqualified from driving for nine months after pleading guilty to negligent driving and twice refusing a breath test. The incident involved a five-car collision in Queens Park earlier this month.
During his appearance in the Local Court, Thickins was described by Judge Michael Barko as 'indignant, argumentative and obstinate' in his behavior towards police. "Without maiming someone or killing someone, it can't get much worse," Barko stated, calling the conduct "an absolute shocker."
Thickins, who lives in South Coogee, accepted responsibility for the accident. Through his lawyer, Justin Wong of Streeton Lawyers, he issued a written apology. "I would like to sincerely apologise to the police, the court and the people impacted by my reckless actions on 1 June," Thickins said. "I am fully aware of the seriousness of the matter and know that I have let down my family, my friends and the community. I accept full responsibility for the accident. I apologise again for the inconvenience and distress caused, and I will meet all costs for the damage. As I have assured the court, this will never happen again."
TPG Capital issued a statement acknowledging Thickins' actions and confirming that an unrelated third-party investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision and other allegations had been conducted. "The investigation has determined those unrelated allegations to be entirely without merit. We will be communicating directly with our stakeholders in the coming days as to the broader path forward," the statement read.
While Thickins faced legal consequences, sources suggest he is privately frustrated by the media attention, particularly his name being linked to his former associate Rob Speedie. Speedie, the ex-CFO of Novotech, was previously considered a close ally of Thickins. Leaked messages have reportedly surfaced, detailing heavy partying during a company event in 2022. Questions surrounding Speedie's departure from Novotech have become a sideshow to Thickins' driving charges, with allegations of a culture of hard partying and heavy drinking at TPG. Thickins is understood to be unhappy about being drawn into matters he feels are unrelated to his own situation.