After last year’s annus horribilis, which saw his Merivale hospitality group become the subject of damning exposés over its workplace culture, billionaire bar tsar Justin Hemmes is no doubt hoping 2026 will mark a turnaround.
And it may yet prove to be a triumph.
Construction on his ambitious Byron Bay expansion at the former Cheeky Monkey’s backpackers appears to be forging full steam ahead, despite murmurs of opposition from the local council. Parkade, his bold move into Melbourne, has secured a prime spot on Little Collins Street, along with the enthusiastic backing of Lord Mayor Nick Reece.
But what’s that old saying about being ‘behind every great man’?
Hemmes – who transformed his parents’ fashion and hospo business into a dining-precinct behemoth from the early 2000s onwards – has a handful of influential women in his inner circle who help keep the empire running smoothly.
In his personal life, those women include his girlfriend Madeline Holtznagel, with whom he shares son Jaeger, and former partner Kate Fowler – the mother of his daughters Alexa and Saachi – with whom he remains close.
Everyone in Sydney knows Justin Hemmes (left) – billionaire bar tsar and the face of Merivale. Fewer know the woman quietly controlling access to his velvet-roped world: Vanya Z Tuarau
Vanya, a former model and actress, has worked for the Hemmes family for more than a decade, serving as Merivale’s VIP and entertainment manager
An ungenerous view of her job is that she’s ‘paid to party’. In reality, her role of ensuring that Merivale’s high-rollers have all their needs met is considered essential within company ranks. (Vanya is seen on the right with Hemmes, second from left, and a group of friends)
She is best known among high-rollers for running Level 6 at The Ivy – Hemmes’ uber-exclusive penthouse nightclub reserved for VIPs
But on the business side, there are two women widely considered Hemmes’ gatekeepers. And in true Merivale style, both are suitably glamorous.
The lesser‑known – but arguably more influential – of the duo is Vanya Z Tuarau, a woman said to quietly control access to her employer’s velvet‑roped world.
Vanya, a former model and actress, has worked for the Hemmes family for over a decade, serving as Merivale’s VIP and entertainment manager.
She is best known among insiders for running Level 6 at The Ivy: Hemmes’ uber‑exclusive penthouse nightclub reserved for the most valued guests.
An ungenerous view of her role is that she’s simply ‘paid to party’. In reality, insiders say her ability to ensure Merivale’s highest-spending patrons have their every need met is considered essential within the company.
Sources say Vanya has witnessed some of the wildest untold moments in Sydney nightlife during her years at Merivale, with her greatest assets being her loyalty to Hemmes and her unwavering discretion.
Her lofty position is also believed to come with a generous pay packet.
The mother-of-one’s personal life is also closely intertwined with the Merivale world, with sources saying she regularly parties with Hemmes and his entourage in her downtime.
Her lofty position is also believed to come with a generous pay packet
Before becoming a fixture of elite nightlife, Vanya’s career followed a far more creative path
In 2011, she appeared in the short horror film House of Sticks
Most recently, she was spotted partying aboard a luxury yacht with the mogul, his girlfriend Madeline and a bevy of glamorous guests last weekend.
Before becoming a fixture of Sydney’s elite nightlife, Vanya’s career followed a far more creative path.
She studied a Bachelor of Music and English Literature at Victoria University before training at the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).
In 2011, she appeared in the short horror film House of Sticks, opposite Home and Away star Martin Dingle-Wall.
Like many on the Merivale payroll, Vanya previously worked as a model, appearing in a heavily publicised swimsuit show at the National Maritime Museum in 2009.
The other prominent woman in Hemmes’ inner circle is Holly Kaiser, formerly known as Holly Asser.
The other prominent woman in Hemmes’ corner is Holly Kaiser (nee Asser), seen centre
Her Instagram feed rivals that of any influencer on Merivale’s publicity spend, with her gallery celebrating the launch of CBD bar The Press looking like it was pulled from the pages of Vogue
In January 2023, she joined Merivale as its PR chief, though she didn’t appear to take a public-facing role in dealing with the company’s bad-press blitz last year
Holly knows a thing or two about being the right-hand woman to Sydney royalty, having served as second-in-command to Roxy Jacenko at her since-closed PR firm Sweaty Betty until their acrimonious parting in 2018.
Still only in her mid‑30s, Holly soon shuffled off the label of ‘Roxy’s chief clone’ and went on to achieve significant success in the world of public relations.
She secured an agency role at Edelman, working for clients such as Unilever, Dubai Tourism and Samsung, before moving to Crown Sydney to become its Head of PR.
She joined Merivale as its PR chief in January 2023, though she did not appear to take a public‑facing role during the company’s bad‑press blitz last year.
Instead, her role appears focused on pushing out the glossy, high-end messaging around the company’s premium venues.
Her carefully curated Instagram feed rivals that of any influencer on Merivale’s publicity spend, with a 13-photo gallery celebrating the launch of CBD cocktail bar The Press that looks as though it were pulled straight from the pages of Vogue.
New to DailyMail+? Here are our most-read stories from the last week