Property tycoons dominate Financial Review Rich List with record-breaking Australian wealth
There are 60 billionaires on the 2017 Financial Review Rich List - the most ever there has been in the 34-year history of the list.
There were 53 last year.
Not unexpectedly, property remains the dominant sector on this year’s list, with 58 rich listers making most of their money in the property sector. (see list at bottom below)
Harry Triguboff comes in second overall with a boost in fortune to $11.4 billion.
The top property five included Frank Lowy, John Gandel, Hui Wang Mau and Lang Walker.
The least known is Hong-Kong based Hui Wang Mau, who holds most of his wealth in the Hong Kong-listed Shimao Property Group which owns 175 Liverpool Street in Sydney.
He is included as he has Australian citizenship after studying for an MBA at the University of South Australia in the early 1990s. His fortune is $6 billion.
The much-awaited BRW Rich List is out on news stands on Friday, but the top of the top richest in Australia have been announced.
Anthony Pratt, the packaging and recycling tycoon, tops the Financial Review Rich List with $12.60 billion in wealth, swapping places with apartment developer Harry Triguboff.
Anthony Pratt’s Visy cardboard box manufacturing and recycling business dominates Australia, but his rising wealth is mainly due to the huge growth of Pratt Industries in the United States.
He was last #1 on the list of Australia’s 200 wealthiest people in 2009, just months after his father Richard Pratt died. He has since more than doubled the size of the Visy and Pratt Industries businesses in Australia and the US.
Last year’s no. 1 and Australia’s top apartment builder Harry Triguboff is #2 on the list with wealth of $11.45 billion. In spite of losing the top spot, Triguboff’s wealth is a record figure.
Mining tycoon Gina Rinehart is #3 with a wealth of $10.41 billion, up from $6.06 billion last year as commodity prices rise and iron ore production improves.
Her estranged daughter Bianca Rinehart, who controls 23 per cent of Hancock Prospecting, is also among the billionaire ranks (#15, $2.74 billion).
The Rineharts are two of 22 women making appearances on the 2017 Rich List, with 10 of them hitting the billionaire mark. The Rineharts, whose combined wealth equals $13.15 billion, are the top two women on the list and the richest people in their respective states (Perth and Brisbane).
Westfield chairman Frank Lowy is #4 on the list with $8.26 billion in wealth, followed by Glencore boss Ivan Glasenberg at #5 with $6.85 billion.
Glasenberg’s wealth rose from $3.33 billion a year ago as the commodity trading giant’s share price surges following a tough few years.
The list’s highest ranked debutant is Tim Roberts, son of the late Multiplex founder John Roberts. Tim Roberts, aged 46, debuts at #62 with wealth of $986 million. He operates the Perth Jet Centre and hedge fund manager Warburton Group.
Actress Nicole Kidman is the highest entertainer of this year’s Rich List at 97, with wealth of $347 million.
Long-time rich lister and owner of Canberra airport, Terry Snow, is the newest billionaire.
Melbourne property developer, Larry Kestelman, is ranked the second highest debutant on the list.
The combined wealth of the top 5 male Rich Listers more than doubles the combined wealth of the top 5 female Rich Listers, totalling $46 billion compared with $18.37 billion.
Many on the list that have made money in other industries have poured their proceeds into property development or management businesses.
Property is followed by investment (21), resources (18), retail (18) and financial services (16), with agriculture, manufacturing, technology, media, healthcare, entertainment, travel, transport, telecommunications and education also featuring in the list.
Property is followed by investment (21), resources (18), retail (18) and financial services (16), with agriculture, manufacturing, technology, media, healthcare, entertainment, travel, transport, telecommunications and education also featuring in the list.
Other highlights:
- This year is the first in the 34-year history of the Rich List that three names are above the $10 billion mark.
- Total wealth of the Rich List is up to $233.1 billion, from $197.3 billion last year.
- The average wealth per person on the Rich List rises to a record $1.16 billion, up from $987 million last year.
- There are 22 women on the 2017 Financial Review Rich List.
- The combined wealth of the top 5 men on the list is more than double that of the top 5 women.
- There are 8 female billionaires.
- There are 10 new names on the list this year.
- Departures from the Rich List include the late James Fairfax and Michael Crouch.
