The event was organised by the not-for-profit organisation Advance, which is funded by companies and individuals and encourages links between the Australian diaspora and their homeland. Mr [Margaret Whitlam] said the room contained some of the greatestAustralians. “It is great to see them back,” he said.

Peter Doherty, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine for his research into the function of T-cells and the relation with thehuman immune system, said the event “is a way of getting really heavy-hitting Australians with power and knowledge to put what they have learned back into Australia”.

THEY truly were the brightest and the best.

Nobel Prize-winners mingled with some of the world’s leading scientists. Multi-millionaire businessmen mixed with some of Australia’s best-known authors.

Gough and Margaret Whitlam were sandwiched between a woman with 24 honorary degrees and a winner of a Nobel Prize for Medicine.

More than 150 expatriates gathered at the Art Gallery of NSW last night, where the compere was barrister Geoffrey Robertson andthe guest speaker author and television host Clive James.

Guests were served 1997 Grange, which retails at $475 a bottle.

The event was organised by the not-for-profit organisation Advance, which is funded by companies and individuals and encourages links between the Australian diaspora and their homeland. Mr Whitlam said the room contained some of the greatest Australians. “It is great to see them back,” he said.

Peter Doherty, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine for his research into the function of T-cells and the relation with thehuman immune system, said the event “is a way of getting really heavy-hitting Australians with power and knowledge to put what they have learned back into Australia”.

Research scientist Dame Bridget Ogilvie, who sat next to Mr Whitlam, said: “We are all high-achievers. We have amazing networks internationally and we can help the next generation through our contacts and we are very willing to do so. This event is one way to do that.”

Ken Allen, chairman of Advance, said a million Australians lived abroad. “There are so many incredible people here,” he said. “Theconcrete benefit is to create links.”

Mr Robertson said Australians abroad were remarkably creative. “We have made quite outstanding achievements in every walk of life,” he said.

David Nunan from the University of Hong Kong, whose English textbooks outsold JK Rowling last year, said the inaugural Advance 100 event was a fascinating exercise in networking.