Bob Ell

Bob Ell
Born William Robert Ell[1]
circa 1945 (age 70–71)
Merriwa, New South Wales
Residence Surfers Paradise, Queensland
Nationality Australian
Occupation Property developer
Net worth Increase A$1.29 bn (2014 BRW)[2]
Increase US$1.10 bn (2014 Forbes)[3]
Spouse(s)
  • (dis.)
  • Brigit Ell
Children 5

William Robert ("Bob") Ell (born circa 1945[2][3]) is an Australian property developer and businessman with interests in residential, retail, commercial and industrial property.[3]

Biography

Ell, a former carpenter[4] who was born in Merriwa in the Hunter region in New South Wales,[5] founded Leda Group, a privately owned property development company in 1976. The company's head office is located in Sydney; and it has business interests in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.[6] Included in Ell's property portfolio are residential developments at Pimpama, Queensland; and at Cobaki Lakes, and Kings Forest, New South Wales. He has raised plans to develop a cruise ship terminal, including three liner berths plus a superyacht marina, three resorts and an option for a casino at Tugun.[7] Ell has commercial property interests in shopping centres at Ipswich Riverlink, Victoria Point and Morayfield in Queensland; and at the Tuggeranong Hyperdome in Canberra.[2] In 2012 it was reported that Leda had developed properties worth a total of more than A$3 billion since Ell established the group in 1976.[8]

Ell floated Leda on the Australian Stock Exchange in the late 1980s and privatised the company in 1990.[9][10]

In 2009 it was reported that Ell acted as a surety for Michael McGurk and provided A$100,000 in bail for firebombing and assault charges against McGurk; with the charges subsequently dropped.[4][11][12] Following the 2009 murder of McGurk, Ell issued a statement detailing his business and personal relationship with McGurk,[1] including an alleged interest in the Crest Hotel, located in Sydney's Kings Cross.[13] Ell had a longstanding dispute with Greens Tweed Shire councillor Katie Milne where he successfully sued her for defamation in the NSW Supreme Court, and was awarded A$15,000 in damages. The defamation action related to an email sent by Milne alleging he had a scandalous association with McGurk.[14]

In 2012 Ell sought and was granted permission by the Privileges Committee of the New South Wales Legislative Council to lodge a Citizen's Right of Reply on behalf of Leda Holdings Pty Limited. The reply related to comments by Cate Faehrmann MLC, a member of the NSW Greens, in the Legislative Council on 9 November 2011. Ell's reply highlighted errors of fact and the distortions contained in Faehrmann's speech. The Privileges Committee ordered that the Citizen's Right of Reply be published.[15]

Personal life

Ell is married to Brigit, twenty-six years younger than Ell, and they have four children WIlliam, John, Charles and Tiffiany . Ell has a son from his first marriage.[7] Ell resides both on the Gold Coast and in Sydney,[2][7] with an additional residence in Noosa.[7]

Wealth rankings

In 2014, the Business Review Weekly assessed Ell's net worth at A$1.29 billion;[2] and Forbes Asia assessed his net worth at A$1.10 billion.[3] In February 2013, Ell listed for sale a 4,397-square-metre (47,330 sq ft) residential property in Cremorne with an asking price of between A$20 – 25 million.[7][16][17] In July the same year, Ell sold his Potts Point penthouse apartment for A$15 million[17] and purchased a non-waterfront house in Bellevue Hill for A$30 million[2] twelve months later.[18] It was reported between 2000 and 2002 that Ell owned a luxury 36-metre (118 ft) catamaran called Leda worth A$15 million.[5][10]

Year BRW
Rich 200		 Forbes
Australia's 50 Richest
Rank Net worth (AUD) Rank Net worth (USD)
2010[19] $1.10 billion Increase n/a not listed
2011[20] 27 Increase $1.20 billion Increase n/a not listed
2012[8] 28 Decrease $1.14 billion Decrease n/a not listed
2013[21] 32 Decrease $1.13 billion Decrease 26 Increase $0.96 billion Increase
2014[2][3] 25 Increase $1.29 billion Increase 22 Increase $1.10 billion Increase
Legend
Icon Description
Steady Has not changed from the previous year
Increase Has increased from the previous year
Decrease Has decreased from the previous year

References

  1. 1 2 Ell, Bob (11 September 2009). "Statement of Bob Ell: Regarding Michael McGurk" (PDF). The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "BRW Rich 200 list 2014: 25. Bob Ell". BRW (Sydney). 27 June 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "#22 Robert Ell". Australia's 50 Richest. Forbes. January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  4. 1 2 Moran, Susannah (10 September 2009). "Michael McGurk's $100,000 bail put up by billionaire Bob Ell". The Australian. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  5. 1 2 Moran, Susannah (20 August 2000). "Ell Of A Way To Swan Around". The Sun-Herald (Cruiser Yacht). Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "About Leda". Leda Holdings Pty. Ltd. 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Passmore, Daryl (25 August 2013). "Queensland's Rich List 2013: Bob Ell". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Rich 200: Bob Ell". BRW (Sydney). 24 May 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  9. ↑ Bennett, James (25 August 2007). "10 big rich mistakes". Smart Company. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  10. 1 2 Porter, Jeni (2 November 2002). "Tax rap threatens to lift the wraps on a very private magnate". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  11. ↑ Dempster, Quentin (11 September 2009). "Who Killed Michael McGurk?" (transcript). Stateline (Sydney: ABC TV). Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  12. ↑ McClymont, Kate; Carson, Vanda (20 August 2009). "Firebomb charges to be dropped". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  13. ↑ Carson, Vanda; Welch, Dylan; McClymont, Kate (6 September 2009). "How the final deals of Mr Fixit unfolded". The Age. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  14. ↑ Feliu, Luis (3 December 2014). "Judges reject appeals by developer and Tweed councillor". Tweed Echo. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  15. ↑ Ell, Bob; Leda Holdings Pty Limited; van Rij, Reg; Khan, Trevor (23 February 2012). "Report No. 58: Citizen’s right of reply" (PDF). Privileges Committee, New South Wales Legislative Council. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  16. ↑ Chancellor, Jonathan (13 February 2013). "Bob Ell lists Cremorne harbourfront residential mansion mega-site". Property Observer. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  17. 1 2 Macken, Lucy (13 July 2013). "Bob Ell sells for $15m in Potts Point". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  18. ↑ Macken, Lucy (26 September 2014). "Point Piper's $30 million boatshed". The Age (Melbourne). Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  19. ↑ Chandler, Ainslie (8 December 2010). "Frank Lowy tops BRW rich list for first time". BRW (Sydney). Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  20. ↑ "Rich 200: Bob Ell". BRW Rich 200 Wealth Index (Sydney). 26 May 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "BRW Rich 200 2013 Wealth Index: 32. Bob Ell". BRW (Sydney). 22 May 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
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