Harry Triguboff
Encyclopedia
Harry Oscar Triguboff AO
(born 3 March 1933) is an Australian property developer and strong proponent of population growth in Australia to a hundred million. Also known as "High-Rise Harry"
(Darien at the time), China
on 3 March 1933, the son of Russia
n Jews who fled to northeastern China after the rise of Lenin. He spent his early childhood in the White Russian
Jewish community in Tianjin
(then spelled Tientsin, just nearby Beijing
and also the third largest city now in China) before coming to Australia
in 1947 to be educated at the Scots College
in Sydney
. He later graduated with a degree
in textiles from Leeds University in England
before working in textile businesses in Israel
and South Africa
.
He returned to Australia in 1960 and became an Australian citizen
in 1961. He did a variety of odd jobs including driving a taxi and owning a milk round in Chatswood. He tried selling real estate and worked as an assistant to a lecturer at university but still wasn't successful at either. He then bought some land in Roseville and hired a builder to begin building his house. The builder turned out to be awful, so Triguboff threw him out and finished the job himself, learning from his mistakes.
in Smith Street and began building a block of eight units with a partner. This led to a second development in 1968 in Gladesville
. At Meriton Street, Triguboff built a block of 18 units which provided the name of the company he registered in 1968. Since that time he has evolved into one of Australia's most successful property developers.
Triguboff is the chairman and managing director of Meriton Apartments Pty Ltd which has built almost 50,000 residential dwellings, mainly townhouses and apartments, since its creation in 1963, making it Australia's biggest residential property developer. In 2010, Meriton was said to develop an average of 1000 apartments per year. In particular, Triguboff has concentrated on the Gold Coast
and Brisbane in Queensland
, and Sydney's central business district
, selling more apartments than any other Australian residential developer.
In 2004, Meriton completed the construction of World Tower
, Sydney's tallest residential apartment building.
The company has been a sponsor of the Wests Tigers
(and their predecessor, Balmain) since 1998.
magazine assessed Triguboff's net wealth at A$
4.30 billion, an increase of A$0.10 billion, making him the seventh richest person in Australia. A year earlier, Forbes
magazine's annual billionaires list had assessed Triguboff as the 316th wealthiest billionaire in the world. His earnings result from leasing most of his developments to short and long term tenants, with benefits from capital appreciation.
As a major provider of affordable housing, he donates heavily to political parties and uses his influence to seek policy changes. In August 2010, he proposed that the federal government should insist on Reserve Bank
interest rates being dropped to improve housing affordability.
Triguboff participated in a 2010 Business Review Weekly magazine contest to "Win a Week With a Billionaire". Three young finalists were flown to Sydney where they spent a week at Meriton being mentored by Triguboff.
(AM) in 1990 and an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1999 for his contributions to philanthropy and the housing industry. He was the first person to win Australia's Property Person of the Year award twice; he first won the award in 2003 and then again in 2009.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 3 March 1933) is an Australian property developer and strong proponent of population growth in Australia to a hundred million. Also known as "High-Rise Harry"
Early life
He was born in DalianDalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
(Darien at the time), China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
on 3 March 1933, the son of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Jews who fled to northeastern China after the rise of Lenin. He spent his early childhood in the White Russian
White Emigre
A white émigré was a Russian who emigrated from Russia in the wake of the Russian Revolution and Russian Civil War, and who was in opposition to the contemporary Russian political climate....
Jewish community in Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
(then spelled Tientsin, just nearby Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and also the third largest city now in China) before coming to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1947 to be educated at the Scots College
Scots College
There are a number of Roman Catholic seminaries called Scots College:* The Scots College, , France, * The Scots College, Douai, France,...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. He later graduated with a degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in textiles from Leeds University in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
before working in textile businesses in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
He returned to Australia in 1960 and became an Australian citizen
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
in 1961. He did a variety of odd jobs including driving a taxi and owning a milk round in Chatswood. He tried selling real estate and worked as an assistant to a lecturer at university but still wasn't successful at either. He then bought some land in Roseville and hired a builder to begin building his house. The builder turned out to be awful, so Triguboff threw him out and finished the job himself, learning from his mistakes.
Meriton Apartments
From the experience gained in the initial development, Triguboff bought a second block of land in 1963, this time at TempeTempe, New South Wales
Tempe is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Tempe is located 9 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Marrickville Council....
in Smith Street and began building a block of eight units with a partner. This led to a second development in 1968 in Gladesville
Gladesville, New South Wales
Gladesville is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Gladesville is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Ryde and the Municipality of Hunter's Hill and is part of the Northern Suburbs area.Gladesville prides...
. At Meriton Street, Triguboff built a block of 18 units which provided the name of the company he registered in 1968. Since that time he has evolved into one of Australia's most successful property developers.
Triguboff is the chairman and managing director of Meriton Apartments Pty Ltd which has built almost 50,000 residential dwellings, mainly townhouses and apartments, since its creation in 1963, making it Australia's biggest residential property developer. In 2010, Meriton was said to develop an average of 1000 apartments per year. In particular, Triguboff has concentrated on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
and Brisbane in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and Sydney's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
, selling more apartments than any other Australian residential developer.
In 2004, Meriton completed the construction of World Tower
World Tower
World Tower is a skyscraper located at 91 Liverpool Street, Sydney, Australia. Construction began in 2001 and was completed in 2004. It was constructed by Meriton Apartments Pty Ltd, which is owned by developer Harry Triguboff. World Tower was the 2004 Bronze recipient of the Emporis Skyscraper...
, Sydney's tallest residential apartment building.
The company has been a sponsor of the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
(and their predecessor, Balmain) since 1998.
Personal life
Triguboff is married and has two daughters. He lives in Sydney and owns a collection of cars. He never enters any business partnerships nor joint ventures.Wealth
As at May 2011, the Business Review WeeklyBusiness Review Weekly
BRW is an Australian weekly business magazine published by the Fairfax Media group. It regularly compiles lists which rank corporations and individuals according to various criteria, similar to Fortune magazine in the United States.BRW provides news and commentary on the economy, business and...
magazine assessed Triguboff's net wealth at A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
4.30 billion, an increase of A$0.10 billion, making him the seventh richest person in Australia. A year earlier, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine's annual billionaires list had assessed Triguboff as the 316th wealthiest billionaire in the world. His earnings result from leasing most of his developments to short and long term tenants, with benefits from capital appreciation.
As a major provider of affordable housing, he donates heavily to political parties and uses his influence to seek policy changes. In August 2010, he proposed that the federal government should insist on Reserve Bank
Reserve Bank of Australia
The Reserve Bank of Australia came into being on 14 January 1960 as Australia's central bank and banknote issuing authority, when the Reserve Bank Act 1959 removed the central banking functions from the Commonwealth Bank to it....
interest rates being dropped to improve housing affordability.
Triguboff participated in a 2010 Business Review Weekly magazine contest to "Win a Week With a Billionaire". Three young finalists were flown to Sydney where they spent a week at Meriton being mentored by Triguboff.
Honours
Triguboff was made a Member of the Order of AustraliaOrder of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AM) in 1990 and an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1999 for his contributions to philanthropy and the housing industry. He was the first person to win Australia's Property Person of the Year award twice; he first won the award in 2003 and then again in 2009.