Kerry Packer

Kerry Packer was one of the most powerful media owners in Australia.

He lived during the twentieth century and ran many large companies. His family owned the Nine Network and a publishing company called Australian Consolidated Press. These two businesses later merged to form a huge company named Publishing and Broadcasting Limited, or PBL. Packer was also famous for starting World Series Cricket. By the time he died, he was the richest man in Australia. He was known as a very influential person in many different industries.

His business life worked through owning many different types of companies. He controlled television networks, radio stations, and popular magazines. He also had interests in things like casinos, coal mines, and even a ski resort called Perisher Blue. Packer was known for being a very smart businessman. One famous example happened in the 1980s with the Nine Network. He sold the network for $1.2 billion in 1987. Then, he bought it back just three years later for only $250 million. This move helped him make a very large amount of money.

Packer did not start his business empire alone. His grandfather, Robert Clyde Packer, helped build the family holdings. His father, Sir Frank Packer, was also a famous media owner. Kerry started his work at the very bottom. His father had him work on the loading dock for The Telegraph newspaper. He had to load the papers by hand to learn the industry. He eventually took over the family business in 1974 after his father passed away. This happened because his older brother, Clyde, had left the family company.

There are many interesting facts about his life and wealth. He was born on 17 December 1937 in Sydney, Australia. His family estate was worth $100 million when he inherited it in 1974. In 2004, magazines estimated his total net worth at $4.6 billion. He even owned large amounts of land. In 2003, workers found a deposit of rubies on one of his properties. He also helped fund the World Rugby Corporation in 1995. These numbers show just how large his reach was across the country.

Many things we see today link back to his work. The Nine Network remains a major part of Australian television. His work with cricket changed how people watch sports on TV. He helped make professional cricket a much bigger global event. Even though he was sometimes involved in arguments with the government, people respected his business skills. He was a major part of how news and sports reached people in Australia. His life shows how one person can change many different industries.