Devine and Leightons

David Devine, who founded the Devine development company, no longer owns part of it. He sold out as part of a legal dispute involving a long time personal assistant. Devine developed lower quality high rise apartments, primarily sold to offshore and interstate investors. David Devine has established Metro Property Group, and is back in business building large highrise buildings with small apartments in B-grade locations. David Devine, and his marketing manager Ken Woodley (also ex-Devine) both live in very large apartments not built by Devine.

David Devine recently has been critical Leightons who owns 49% of Devine. Extract from The Australian:

"In February 2007, Leighton paid $94.7m for a 40 per cent stake in Devine but the two groups fell out during the GFC.

"At Devine, they weren't interested in the fundamentals of the business. They just thought you do it and it happens," Mr Devine said. "I have a lot of respect for Wal King but I can't say the same for the other Leighton representatives on the Devine board while I was there."

A Leighton spokesman said Mr Devine's comments were no longer relevant to Leighton and its investment in Devine.

"Mr Devine would be better placed to look at his own performance and that of Devine when he was there rather than a company that he no longer has anything to do with," he said."