Kerry Packer Australian media mogul Date of Birth: 17.12.1937 Country: Australia

Biography of Kerry Packer

Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, an Australian media tycoon, was born in 1937 in Australia. Despite a challenging childhood, Packer went on to become the richest person in Australia and the world, ranking 94th on Forbes' list of the "100 wealthiest people in the world." At the age of five, Packer began living and studying in a boarding school, and at eight years old, he was struck by polio. After spending nine months on a ventilator, Packer recovered and returned to boarding school. He completed his education at the age of 19 and began working at his father's newspaper, who was the owner of a media conglomerate. However, Packer's relationship with his father was strained, and his father reportedly considered him a "fool" and did not trust him with any significant responsibilities. Despite this, Packer admired his father in some ways and shared similarities with him. Packer inherited his father's empire in 1974 when Sir Frank Packer passed away. Taking over the company, which was valued at $100 million at the time, Packer grew it into a $5 billion empire by the early 1990s. Continuing in his father's footsteps, Packer founded the largest media empire in the country, "Publishing and Broadcasting Limited" (PBL), which included half of all magazines in Australia, including the popular newspaper "Sydney's Daily Telegraph," and the largest television network, Nine Network. Packer is famously known for the 1987 deal when he sold his two television channels to businessman Alan Bond for one billion Australian dollars (approximately $750 million USD). Interestingly, the channels were worth much less, and several years later, Bond repurchased them at a quarter of the price. However, Packer's plans to acquire the "FairFax" newspaper group were thwarted by the country's parliament, preventing him from controlling about 80% of the media landscape. Packer's $5 billion fortune made him the richest person not only in Australia but also in the world, ranking 94th on Forbes' list of the "100 wealthiest people in the world." It is known that Packer had a passion for gambling. According to legend, his love for gambling was inherited from his grandfather, who once found 10 shillings and placed a bet on horse racing, winning enough money to move from England to Australia, where he found work in publishing. As the owner of casinos, a gambling dame, and a network of casinos in Macau, Packer could not resist gambling. However, he preferred gambling establishments in America and England rather than within his own empire. Rumor has it that Packer once lost $20 million in a single weekend, setting a record for the casino's largest loss. Over time, Packer earned a reputation as one of the unluckiest gamblers in the world. Naturally, he was a highly regarded guest at any gambling establishment. However, sometimes luck was on his side, and he won big. Once, he won $26 million. Notably, Packer was known for his gentlemanly behavior in casinos, readily lending money and chips and leaving generous tips when he won. Another passion and love of Kerry Packer was cricket. In the late 1970s, he even organized an alternative national cricket championship in Australia, which he broadcasted on his own TV channels. He rightfully earned the title of the popularizer of this not-so-popular sport worldwide. Packer was also interested in horse racing and polo. He spent millions of dollars on horses and players. During a polo match, he even experienced a clinical death, with his heart stopping for six minutes until doctors managed to revive him. Naturally, he was often suspected of involvement in illegal gambling operations, drug trafficking, and other sins typically attributed to extremely wealthy individuals. However, none of these allegations were proven. In 2000, Packer underwent a kidney transplant operation, with his personal pilot and close friend, Nick Ross, being the donor. Kerry Packer passed away on December 26, 2005, at his home in Sydney at the age of 68. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his death. The press reported that, in addition to the kidney transplant, Packer had also been battling cancer. Australian Prime Minister John Howard expressed his condolences to Packer's family, calling him a great man who was "more alive than anyone else." At the time of his death, Kerry Packer was the wealthiest person in Australia and the major shareholder of "Publishing and Broadcasting Limited." He is remembered in Australia as a "man born to play."