5 minutes with: Craig Wing, Citizen Kanebridge Ambassador

Can you share your background & journey?

Well, I suppose most people remember me from my days playing rugby league for the Roosters, Rabbitohs, and NSW.
I was fortunate enough to become a dual international after moving to Japan to play rugby union, and I thrived under the pressure that came with competing at the highest level of sport.

These days, the game has changed, but the fundamentals of how I apply myself remain the same. I now navigate Sydney’s most exclusive property markets—the CBD, Eastern Suburbs, and Lower North Shore. I work behind the scenes to secure some of the city’s most coveted homes. Given the nature of my client base, my work also extends into commercial property. While the mechanics differ, the same principles of access and discretion apply.

You started investing in property as a teenager. How has your approach evolved?

As a young athlete, I was encouraged to invest early, and property seemed like a safe bet. My first purchase was a terrace in Paddington in the late ’90s when I was 19. I focused on blue-chip assets from the start.

Over time, my portfolio grew, and I experimented with some speculative property investments, which led to tough but invaluable lessons.

Rather than walking away, I refined my approach and developed a deep passion for property. Now, I guide and invest based on first-hand experience, focusing on long-term value to ensure that decisions are grounded in fundamentals rather than fleeting trends.

As someone who has spent years in the media spotlight, how do you ensure discretion for your clients?

I’ve experienced the discomfort of having personal affairs turned into headlines. Many of my clients are high-profile individuals who prioritise discretion just as much as I do.

For me, privacy isn’t just a promise—it’s a discipline. I carefully control the flow of information, work only with trusted professionals, and secure most deals off-market to ensure confidentiality.

Some of the biggest transactions I’ve facilitated have gone entirely unnoticed because that’s how my clients prefer it. While some suggest I should publicise my work more, I build my business on trust and referrals from those who appreciate true discretion.

What do you focus on when helping your clients find the right property?

The first step is understanding why my clients are buying—whether they’re upsizing, downsizing, or investing—and defining their non-negotiables. Some prioritise privacy, others want ocean views or proximity to top schools. When multiple decision-makers are involved, aligning expectations early is key.

I also encourage long-term thinking. Will this property suit them in five or ten years? Is it a stepping stone or a legacy asset? For downsizers, is it truly future-proof?

Beyond finding the right property, I ensure it stacks up— analysing zoning control, other development, and potential risks. If needed, I bring in architects, planners, builders, or legal experts to provide a complete picture before any decisions are made.

My network provides access to off-market opportunities that most buyers will never hear about. It is a world built on discretion, relationships, and knowing what’s coming before the market does.

At this level, time is as valuable as money. My clients are high-performing individuals who can’t afford inefficiencies, so I manage every aspect of the process—from sourcing and inspections to negotiations—so they can make confident decisions without distraction.

What are some of the perks of working in the ultra-prestige property space?

One of the biggest perks is working with incredible properties—waterfront estates, architectural masterpieces, and homes most people only see in magazines. Equally rewarding is collaborating with top professionals in sales, development, design, and finance, and gaining insight into how they solve problems. Their experiences sharpen my own and ensure the best outcomes for clients.

What is most fulfilling, though, is working with self-made, highly successful individuals whose drive and discipline remind me of elite athletes.

It is a privilege to help them make one of their most significant financial decisions—securing a dream home or a strategic investment. It’s about aligning every decision with their vision and long-term goals.

What are you most looking forward to in 2025?

I’m really looking forward to our annual family trip to the Basque Coast in France to visit the in-laws. My daughter is four, my son is one and a half, and I’m amazed that my daughter is now completely fluent in French. I can’t wait to see her fully immersed in the language and culture for a few weeks. Plus, nothing beats the batter and good food, family time, and a European beach summer!

From Scotch whisky and luxury retreats to fashion collaborations and world-class hospitality, Ross Blainey has spent years shaping high-end experiences around one idea: modern luxury is no longer just about what you own.

It is about access, connection and moments money alone cannot buy.

As Citizen Kanebridge continues to grow as one of Australia’s most sought-after private members’ clubs, Blainey, the club’s new Head of Membership, says the future lies in creating experiences members cannot find anywhere else.

“The ultimate memorable experiences are the money can’t buy moments,” Blainey said.

“The things that you can’t just put together anytime or any place. They make up something that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

On June 4, Blainey will bring that philosophy to life when he hosts an exclusive whisky evening for Citizen Kanebridge members at Sydney’s Royal Automobile Club of Australia.

Titled A Journey Through Whisky, the intimate event will see Blainey guide members through a curated selection of rare and unreleased whiskies drawn from his personal archive, alongside stories gathered across years working at the highest levels of the Scotch whisky world.

The evening will also include reflections on Blainey’s induction as a Keeper of the Quaich at Blair Castle in Scotland last year, one of the whisky industry’s rarest global honours.

A career built around experience

Before joining Citizen Kanebridge, Blainey built a career spanning luxury hospitality, Scotch whisky, premium lifestyle brands and experiential events.

But he says one industry above all others shaped the way he thinks about people and community: Scotch whisky.

“At its core, at its heart and throughout its whole history, Scotch has been about sharing, enjoyment, telling stories, meeting people and generally having a good time,” he said.

“Whisky can be that shared moment of laughter, and it can also be a shared moment of just slowing down, taking stock and contemplating. These are so key to building community.”

Blainey’s deep involvement in the whisky world culminated in 2025 when he was inducted as a Keeper of the Quaich at Blair Castle, a recognition is reserved for a select group of individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to Scotch whisky internationally.

“I was inducted last year, 2025, an incredible honour,” he said.

“There were a couple of teary-eyed moments as I stood in Blair Castle, on historic ground, realising that this was a moment I would remember forever.”

The next chapter for Citizen Kanebridge

Looking ahead, Blainey says Citizen Kanebridge will continue to focus on highly curated experiences, exclusive access, and bringing together like-minded members from Australia’s property, finance, and investment sectors.

“Our baseline of Car of the Year is already one of the most impressive events on the social calendar of Australia,” he said.

“My job is to find a way of raising the bar, taking things to the absolute top level for access, experiences and events.”

Blainey said the long-term goal was not simply to create another networking group or luxury club, but to build a community centred around meaningful relationships and unforgettable experiences.

“We provide the access, the money can’t buy memories, and we will be making those happen regularly,” he said.

“If we start with how amazing Car of the Year is and the only way is up, we are going to have some mind-blowing moments for our members.”

Hospitality at its absolute best

Another major influence on Blainey’s thinking came through his connection with world-famous New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park, once named the best restaurant in the world.

He says two concepts from the restaurant’s owners still shape the way he approaches luxury experiences today: “enlightened hospitality” and “unreasonable hospitality”.

“Enlightened hospitality is a way of doing business that looks at not just the product of what you serve, but how it makes people feel,” Blainey said.

“Unreasonable hospitality is more about striving for the absolute best all the time. If you’re going to do something, do it to an unreasonable level that blows everything else out of the water.”

It is a philosophy, he says, which aligns closely with where Citizen Kanebridge is heading next.

“That’s what we’re doing here with CK, taking members’ experiences to another level,” he said.

Fashion, whisky and creative collaborations

Blainey’s career has also included working with Glenfiddich as a Creative Collaborations Lead, where his role centred on bringing luxury experiences and partnerships to life through designers, chefs, artists and bartenders.

Among the projects were runway collaborations with leading Australian fashion designers, with pieces from the partnerships now housed inside Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum.

“My job was to find a creative way of bringing the brand to life,” he said.

“How do we make something that none of us could make on our own? Searching for the things that will resonate with people.”

What luxury consumers want now

Beyond whisky and events, Blainey also played a key role in building Blackbird Byron, the boutique Byron Bay hinterland retreat later recognised in Tatler’s Top 101 Hotels list.

The property, known for its dramatic views, minimalist architecture, and secluded atmosphere, helped shape his understanding of how luxury consumers are changing.

“I think I learned that people looking for luxury in hotels want memorable moments, considered design and the ability to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life,” he said.

“To feel at home without being at home is important.”

More broadly, he believes today’s luxury consumers are increasingly driven by authenticity and emotional connection.

“For luxury consumers overall, I think it comes down to craft, story and connection,” he said.

“The product itself has to be impeccable, the story behind it builds your reason for looking at it, and then you need to make a genuine connection with people.”

Interested in becoming a member of Citizen Kanebridge? You can contact Ross here.