James Packer

 

James Douglas Packer (born 8 September 1967) is an Australian businessman.

Packer is the son of the late media mogul Kerry Packer and grandson of Sir Frank Packer. He inherited control of the family company, Consolidated Press Holdings Limited, which controls investments in Crown Resorts, Ratpac Entertainment, Zhoapin Pty Ltd and other companies. He is the former executive chairman of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) and Consolidated Media Holdings, which predominantly owned media interests across a range of platforms.

In May 2015, the BRW magazine assessed Packer's net worth at A$6.08 billion, ranked as the seventh richest Australian; having been the richest person in Australia during 2006 and 2007. Meanwhile, Forbes Asia magazine assessed Packer's net worth at US$4.7 billion in January 2015, as the fourth richest Australian.

Early life and education

Packer is the son of Roslyn (née Weedon) and the late media mogul Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer and grandson of Frank Packer.

Packer was educated at Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill, Sydney. After obtaining the Higher School Certificate (HSC) at Cranbrook, he began working at his father's extensive Newcastle Waters cattle station in the Barkly Tableland of the Northern Territory, where he drove a Holden jackaroo. Packer has stated he did not attend university as he "didn't have the marks".

His mentors, he has said, include his father and Albert J. Dunlap.

Career

Packer is chairperson of Crown Limited, one of Australia's largest entertainment and integrated resort groups. In October 2013, Crown's market capitalisation was over A$11 billion. Every year Crown's Australian resorts attract over 25 million visits. Crown also holds a 33.7 equity interest in Macau based gaming group Melco-Crown (MCE).

In Macau, MCE has two premium properties, City of Dreams and Altira Macau, it operates the Mocha Clubs, and has a 60% equity interest in Macau Studio City, and integrated resort project on Cotai. In the Philippines, MCE, through its 69.3% owned subsidiary, Melco Crown (Philippines) Resort Corporation, has an interest in a consortium that will develop and operate an integrated resort in Manila.

Personal life

Packer owns residential property in Bondi Beach and in Bellevue Hill, in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

His past girlfriends have included Tania Bryer, Joan Severance, Jennifer Flavin and Deni Hines. After breaking off a two-year engagement to Kate Fischer, in October 1999, he married swimsuit model Jodhi Meares in a luxury ceremony which was said to have cost $AUD10 million; they separated in June 2002 and then divorced.
Packer married model and singer Erica Baxter, whom he wed in the equivalent of a civil ceremony on 20 June 2007 after dating on and off for four years. The wedding was at the Antibes town hall, and the second ceremony took place at Hotel du Cap – Eden Roc in Cap d'Antibes on the French Riviera. Together, Packer and Baxter have 3 children: a daughter Indigo, born 27 July 2008, a son Jackson Lloyd, born 1 February 2010, and a daughter Emmanuelle Sheelah, born 22 September 2012. In September 2013 James and Erica Packer announced they were separating. After rumours about a relationship with australian supermodel Miranda Kerr, on summer 2015 he is reportedly related with the famous US singer Mariah Carey.

In 2002, following the breakdown of his first marriage, and the development of a friendship with Tom Cruise, Packer began attending the Church of Scientology in Australia, taking courses on the Church's Dundas business centre. He subsequently confirmed his involvement with Scientology, saying he had found it "helpful". He later distanced himself from the church.

Packer was involved in a public physical brawl at Bondi Beach in 2014 with David Gyngell, a long-term friend and head of Channel Nine. The fight caused considerable, embarrassing publicity to both parties.

Philanthropy

Packer and his family have contributed significantly to the wider Australian community through the family foundation, the Packer Family Foundation Board, which is chaired by his sister Gretel. He also is a major contributor through his majority-holding in Crown Resorts, which he chairs. Crown has its own foundation, the Crown Resorts Foundation, which provides funds to the arts, community welfare, education, health care and the environment. In July 2014 Packer launched a new initiative, the National Philanthropic Fund, to which his family foundation, and the Crown foundation would each contribute $100 million over 10 years to support community projects in Australia.

In July 2014, Packer announced the launch of the National Philanthropic Fund, funded jointly between himself and Crown Resorts, to support education, arts and other projects.


Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Packer