Geoff Harris
For the Canadian middle-distance runner, see Geoffrey Harris.
| Geoff Harris | |
|---|---|
| Born | circa 1952 (age 62–63)[1] |
| Residence | Melbourne, Australia |
| Occupation | Businessman, philanthropist |
| Known for | Co-founder of Flight Centre |
| Net worth | |
| Spouse(s) | div. |
| Children | 3 |
Geoff Harris (born ca. 1952) is an Australian businessman and philanthropist.
Biography
Born circa 1952,[1] Harris is the son of a grocer and World War II veteran who served in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.[3] He was bullied at school as a teenager, and later dropped out.[4]
Harris is a co-founder of Flight Centre with Graham Turner and Bill James in 1981-1982.[1][4] He served as a company executive until 1998 and as a non-executive director until 2008.[1][5][6] In 2013, he was its biggest shareholder.[5] He was also an early investor in Boost Juice.[6] In 2003, he acquired Top Deck Travel UK with five other investors.[5]
He served as the Vice President of the Hawthorn Football Club.[6]
Personal life
Harris lives in Melbourne.[1] In 2014, he purchased a historic Victorian manor for A$12 million in Albert Park, a suburb of Melbourne.[7] He is divorced, and has three children.[1][6] He is interested in military history, and has visited war sites in Malaysia, Vietnam and France.[3]
Personal wealth
In 2015, Harris' net worth was estimated to be A$881 million, listed on the BRW Rich 200[2] and US$550 million, listed on Forbes list of Australia's 50 Richest people.[8]
| Year | BRW Rich 200 | Forbes Australia's 50 Richest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Net worth (AUD) | Rank | Net worth (USD) | |
| 2011 | ||||
| 2012 | ||||
| 2013 | 49  |
$800 million |
||
| 2014[9][10] | 40 |
$975 million |
41  |
$700 million |
| 2015[2][8] | 53 |
$881 million |
50 |
$550 million |
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Icon | Description |
 |
Has not changed from the previous year |
|
Has increased from the previous year |
|
Has decreased from the previous year |
Philanthropy
In 1999, Harris acquired an A$2.5 million house for the Reach Foundation, a non-profit organization whose aim is to provide unprivileged young people with access to mental health, co-founded by football player Jim Stynes and film director Paul Currie.[4]
Similarly, in 2013, he acquired Cromwell Manor, an A$2.5 million historic mansion in Collingwood, a suburb of Melbourne, to rent it for A$5 per annumy to STREAT, a non-profit organization which teaches the homeless skills to start a career in hospitality.[6][4] He has also donated A$450,000 to STREAT.[6] The non-profit is run as a business, and Harris is also an impact investor, having invested A$55,000.[6]
Harris covers the annual rent for the headquarters of Whitelion Open Family, a non-profit organization for at-risk young people.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "2015 Australia's 50 Richest: #50 Geoff Harris". Forbes Asia. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 "2015 BRW Rich 200 list: Geoff Harris". BRW (Sydney). May 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- 1 2 Coates, Pip (July 2014). "To Have And To Hold: Geoff Harris. Worth: $975 million. Rank: 40". The Australian Financial Review Magazine. p. 22.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Short, Michael (31 March 2014). "Geoff Harris: Helping youth take off". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- 1 2 3 "BRW Rich 200: 49. Geoff Harris". BRW (Sydney). 22 May 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (23 January 2014). "Why rich lister Geoff Harris is letting this Melbourne mansion for $5 a year". BRW (Sydney).
- ↑ Simon, Marielle (21 August 2014). "Flight Centre founder worth $975 million sets record in exclusive Melbourne suburb with the purchase of a $12 million English-style manor". The Daily Mail (Australia).
- 1 2 "2015 Australia's 50 Richest: #50 Geoff Harris". Forbes Asia. March 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ↑ "2014 BRW Rich 200 list". BRW (a Fairfax Media Publication) (Sydney). 26 June 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
- ↑ "2014 Australia's 50 Richest". Forbes Asia. January 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.