James Packer

$3.68 B

Ranked #1141 in World

About James Packer

Australian billionaire James Douglas Packer, born in Sydney on September 8, 1967, has a net worth of A$4.95 billion. He inherited the Packer media legacy, including stakes in Crown Resorts and has seen successes like his early internet ventures in Seek and Carsales.com. Despite controversies from the One.Tel collapse to Crown's operations scrutiny, Packer has remained a key figure in the global gambling landscape. His philanthropy includes substantial contributions to Indigenous education and mental health initiatives.

Born

September 08, 1967 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Age

58 years

Source Of Wealth

Investments

Industries

Finance & Investments

Citizenship

Australia

Residence

Los Angeles, California

Spouse

Jodhi Meares (1999-2002), Erica Baxter (2007-2013)

Children

Parent

Kerry Packer (father), Roslyn Packer (mother)

James Douglas Packer was born on 8 September 1967 in Sydney, Australia. He is the son of media mogul Kerry Packer and philanthropist Roslyn Packer. His grandfather, Sir Frank Packer, was also a prominent media proprietor. James Packer attended Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill, Sydney, where he obtained his Higher School Certificate (HSC). Despite his family's wealth and influence, he did not attend university due to not meeting the required marks.

James Packer: Family

James Packer comes from a prominent Australian family with a long history in media and business. His father, Kerry Packer, was a renowned media mogul who built a vast empire that included television networks, newspapers, and magazines. His mother, Roslyn Packer, is a philanthropist and a director of several charitable organizations. James Packer's grandfather, Sir Frank Packer, was a media proprietor who founded the Australian Consolidated Press.

James Packer: Career Highlights

James Packer inherited control of Consolidated Press Holdings Limited and investments in Crown Resorts and other companies after his father's death in 2005. He served as the executive chairman of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) and Consolidated Media Holdings, overseeing a diverse portfolio of media assets. Packer also played a significant role in Crown Resorts, one of Australia's largest gambling and resort groups, serving as its executive chairman until 2018.

James Packer: Companies

James Packer has been involved with several notable companies throughout his career. He inherited control of Consolidated Press Holdings Limited, a media conglomerate with interests in television, newspapers, and magazines. Packer also had significant investments in Crown Resorts, a leading gambling and resort operator in Australia. Additionally, he acquired stakes in online classified sites Seek and Carsales.com, and formed joint ventures such as RatPac Entertainment and Scoopon.

James Packer: Major Achievements

One of James Packer's notable achievements was his early investment in online classified sites Seek and Carsales.com. He acquired stakes in these companies after the dotcom crash and later sold most of his stake in SEEK for a significant profit.

Packer-controlled entities also gained substantial value from his investment in Carsales.

James Packer: Awards & Achievements

James Packer has received recognition for his business acumen and contributions to the Australian economy. In 2006, he was named Businessman of the Year by The Australian Financial Review. He was also awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 for his services to Australian society.

James Packer: Personal Life & Legacy

James Packer has had a colorful personal life, marked by high-profile relationships, controversies, and philanthropic endeavors. He owns several residential properties in Sydney's eastern suburbs and has pastoral property holdings in Scone. Packer has been open about his struggles with mental health, revealing that he has bipolar disorder. He has also been involved in various philanthropic initiatives, establishing the Packer Family Foundation and the Crown Resorts Foundation to support causes such as Indigenous education and mental health research.

James Packer: Trivia

James Packer's personal life has often made headlines. He was involved in a public brawl with David Gyngell at Bondi Beach, and Israeli Police investigated reports of gifts and benefits given to Netanyahu's family. Leaked text messages also revealed his involvement in facilitating sexual encounters for personal influence.

Wealth History

Timeline

8 September 1967

James Douglas Packer is born in Sydney, Australia.

1985

Attends Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill, Sydney.

1986

Obtains Higher School Certificate (HSC).

1987

Does not attend university due to lack of required marks.

1990s

Inherits control of Consolidated Press Holdings Limited and investments in Crown Resorts and other companies.

1998

Becomes executive chairman of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) and Consolidated Media Holdings.

2000

Acquires stakes in online classified sites Seek and Carsales.com after the dotcom crash.

2004

Sells most of his stake in SEEK for a significant profit.

2005

Packer-controlled entities gain substantial value from his investment in Carsales.

2006

Considers selling Channel Nine and Australian Consolidated Press magazine group to fund expansion into international gaming and tourism.

2006

Sells 50% of media assets to private equity group CVC Asia Pacific for A$4.5 billion.

2007

Sells additional shares of the joint venture to CVC.

2012

Channel Nine faces financial difficulties and is eventually taken over by US hedge funds.

2001

Serves as a director of One.Tel, which declares insolvency.

2001

Collapse of One.Tel results in significant losses for PBL.

2002

Packer admits to learning 'painful lessons' from the failure.

2003

Reaches a settlement over the One.Tel failure with Lachlan Murdoch.

2007

Marries Erica Baxter, has three children together, and later separates.

2007

Resigns as executive chairman of Crown Resorts.

2016

Engaged to Mariah Carey but breaks up due to various reasons.

2018

Sells half of his stake in Crown Resorts to Lawrence Ho.

2019

Faced scrutiny and controversy over Crown's operations and suitability to hold casino licenses.

2020

Purchased stake in Network Ten, later sold due to conflicts of interest.

2020

Invested in daily deals sites Scoopon and Catch of the Day.

2011

Formed joint venture RatPac Entertainment with Brett Ratner, producing successful films like 'Gravity.'

2017

Bought out Peter Holmes à Court's share of South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL club.

2018

Revealed having bipolar disorder during a public inquiry.

2019

Israeli Police investigated reports of gifts and benefits given to Netanyahu's family.

2020

Leaked text messages revealed involvement in facilitating sexual encounters for personal influence.

2020

Established the Packer Family Foundation and Crown Resorts Foundation.

2021

Launched a A$200 million National Philanthropic Fund to support Indigenous education, arts, and social cohesion.

2022

Donated $7 million to the University of New South Wales for mental health research.

James Packer : FAQs

What is James Packer's current net worth?

James Packer's current net worth is $3.68 billion.

What is James Packer's current global rank among billionaires?

James Packer holds the 1141st position globally among billionaires.

What is James Packer's current ranking within the Australia?

James Packer holds the 19th position in Australia.

What was the change in James Packer's net worth compared to the previous year?

James Packer's net worth increased by 218.72 million dollars compared to the previous year 2025, when his net worth was 3.47 billion dollars.

What are James Packer's main sources of wealth?

James Packer's main source of income comes from Investments.

In which industry does James Packer primarily operate?

James Packer is primarily involved in the Finance & Investments industry.

How old is James Packer?

James Packer is 58 years old.

How many children does James Packer have?

James Packer has 3 children.

What are some major career achievements of James Packer?

James Packer inherited control of Consolidated Press Holdings Limited and had investments in Crown Resorts. He was the former executive chairman of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL), Consolidated Media Holdings, and Crown Resorts.

How did James Packer contribute to the online market after the dotcom crash?

After the dotcom crash, James Packer acquired stakes in online classified sites Seek and Carsales.com, selling most of his stake in SEEK for a profit and gaining substantial value from his investment in Carsales.

What was the impact of James Packer's involvement with One.Tel?

James Packer served as a director of One.Tel, which went insolvent in 2001. The collapse resulted in substantial losses for PBL, and Packer learned 'painful lessons' from the failure, later settling with Lachlan Murdoch over the incident.

How has James Packer engaged in philanthropy?

James Packer established the Packer Family Foundation and Crown Resorts Foundation, launched a A$200 million National Philanthropic Fund, and donated $7 million to the University of New South Wales for mental health research.