Maha Sinnathamby

Last updated

Maha Sinnathamby

AM
Maha Sinnathamby at State Library of Queensland, 27 August 2015.JPG
Sinnathamby, 2015
Born (1939-12-10) 10 December 1939 (age 83)
Rantau, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Alma mater University of New South Wales
Occupations
Spouse
Yoga Sinnathamby
​
(m. 1968)​
Children4

Maha Sinnathamby AM (born 10 December 1939 in Rantau, Seremban, Malaysia) is an Australian businessman and property developer. [2] [3] He is the entrepreneur behind the Greater Springfield Development in Queensland, the largest master-planned community in Australia. [4]

Contents

In 2019, Sinnathamby's Springfield City Group was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in recognition of their visionary entrepreneurship in establishing Springfield, as a nation-building project and Australia's first privately-constructed city. [5]

Early life and education

Born in Malaysia on 10 December 1939, [6] Maha Sinnathamby is a Hindu of Sri Lankan Tamil descent.

His childhood was spent on a British-owned rubber estate in the small farming village of Rantau, Negeri Sembilan. His father worked for the plantation but was taken as a prisoner of war in July 1944 during the Japanese occupation of Malaysia. In September 1945, his father was released. [7]

Maha moved to Australia and studied civil engineering at the University of New South Wales. After graduating, he worked as a civil and design engineer for several years in South East Asia before returning to Australia. [7]

Business career

He started his own property business in Perth in 1971, before moving to Queensland in the early 1980s. He continued building the company with numerous small residential subdivisions and several commercial projects in the region. [7]

Greater Springfield Development

In 1992 with business partner Bob Sharpless, Sinnathamby bought a 2,860 hectare (approx 7067 acre) area of land in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, for $7.9 million. He then lobbied for basic education and transport infrastructure to be built in the area, which required a rezoning bill to be passed. On 24 January 1997, Queensland Parliament unanimously voted in favour of the legislation. [7]

The Greater Springfield area was designed as Australia's largest master-planned community (10th largest globally), and is focused on interconnected pillars of health, education, and information technology:

Currently, more than $15 billion has been invested by public and private stakeholders into the project. [14] A$1.2 billion dual track major rail line and transit hub was established in 2013 and connected Greater Springfield to the wider South East Queensland area. [15] Greater Springfield's current population is approximately 35,000, with a predicted growth to 105,000 by 2030. [16] Greater Springfield's masterplan also retains 30 per cent of the land holding for open, green space.

Springfield City Group

Sinnathamby established Springfield City Group (formerly Springfield Land Corporation), of which he is the chairman, in conjunction with the purchase of the plot that would become Greater Springfield. The company is responsible for overseeing the development of the Greater Springfield area. [7]

Personal life

In 1968 he married Yoga, and they have three daughters – Raynuha, Meera, Uma – and a son, Naren. [7] Maha enjoys playing golf at Brookwater. [17]

Net worth

In 2017, The Australian Financial Review added Sinnathamby to its list of Australian billionaires Rich List at 57th position with a net worth of A$1.02  billion. [18]

Year Financial Review
Rich List 		Forbes
Australia's 50 Richest
Rank Net worth (A$)Rank Net worth (US$)
2015 [19] 40Increase2.svg$740 million Increase2.svg
2016 [20] 41Decrease2.svg$650 million Decrease2.svg
2017 [21] [22] [18] 57$1.02  billion
2018 [23] [24] 64Increase2.svg$1.21 billion Increase2.svg
2019 [25] [26] 72Decrease2.svg$1.27 billion Increase2.svg39Increase2.svg$980 million Increase2.svg
2020 [27] 76Decrease2.svg$1.35 billion Increase2.svg
2021 [28] 64Increase2.svg$1.78 billion Increase2.svg
202268Increase2.svg$1.80 billion Increase2.svg
2023 [29] 77Decrease2.svg$1.82 billion Increase2.svg
Legend
Icon Description
Steady2.svgHas not changed from the previous year
Increase2.svgHas increased from the previous year
Decrease2.svgHas decreased from the previous year

Philanthropy

Sinnathamby has donated more than A$[ clarification needed ]200 million of land and funds for vital social infrastructure, and established a program of scholarships within Greater Springfield to assist people with limited access to education. Sinnathamby also mentors a select group of young professionals, helping them to achieve personal excellence.

Awards and recognition

Sinnathamby's work was acknowledged globally in 2010 with the emerging Greater Springfield being named the world's best master-planned community by the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI). [30] He also won the Ernst and Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year. [31]

The University of Queensland awarded Sinnathamby with an Honorary Doctorate for his continuous contribution to the community in July 2023. [32]

Member (AM) of the Order of Australia

In 2019, Sinnathamby received an appointment as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia (General Division) as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his significant service to the community and the construction sector. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Lowy</span> Australian businessman, founder and chairman of Westfield

Sir Frank P. Lowy is an Australian-Israeli businessman of Jewish Slovak-Hungarian origins and the former long-time Chairman of Westfield Corporation, a global shopping centre company with US$29.3 billion of assets under management in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe.

Lindsay Edward Fox is an Australian businessman. In 1956, Fox founded the Australian logistics company Linfox, where as of 2015 he serves as non-executive chairman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springfield, Queensland</span> Suburb of City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia

Springfield is a suburb in the City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Springfield had a population of 7,322 people.

Greater Springfield is a private development undertaken by the Springfield City Group and one of the fastest-growing developments in Australia; it is located in Ipswich, in the south-west of the Brisbane metropolitan area in Queensland, Australia. It is the first privately built city in Australia and the country’s largest master planned community, encompassing 2,860 hectares.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Triguboff</span> Australian property developer and founder of Meriton (born 1933)

Harry Oskar Triguboff is an Australian billionaire real estate developer, and one of Australia's richest people. He is the founder and managing director of Meriton and is known as "high-rise Harry".

Bruce Gordon is an Australian businessman. He is the owner of the Australian television network, WIN Television through his ownership of WIN Corporation, the largest shareholder of Network 10 & the largest shareholder of the Nine Network, and holds a significant stake in Nine Entertainment Co.

John Gandel, an Australian businessman, property developer and philanthropist, made his fortune in the development of commercial real estate as well as shopping centres located in Melbourne, Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xu Rongmao</span> Chinese-Australian entrepreneur

Xu Rongmao, or Hui Wing Mau in Cantonese, is a Chinese-Australian entrepreneur and billionaire, and the founder and the chairman of Shimao Property. Xu is estimated to be one of the largest property developers in Shanghai. According to Forbes in 2021, his net worth is estimated at $10.3bn.

The Financial Review Rich List, formerly known as the BRW Rich 200, is a list of Australia's two hundred wealthiest individuals and families, ranked by personal net worth published annually in The Australian Financial Review Magazine, a supplement of The Australian Financial Review, published by Nine Publishing. The list provides a short summary on some of the known business activities of the individuals and families, together with commentary on how their ranking has changed from the previous year, if listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Snow</span> Australian businessman and philanthopist (born 1943)

Terry Snow is an Australian businessman, accountant, entrepreneur, and philanthropist based in Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory.

Alex Waislitz OAM is an Australian investor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Cannon-Brookes</span> Australian billionaire business magnate (born 1979)

Michael Cannon-Brookes is an Australian billionaire business magnate who is the co-founder, and co-CEO of software company Atlassian.

David Hains was an Australian billionaire businessman, engineer, and horse breeder. He was the founder and once CEO of Portland House Group, Australia’s largest private investments management firm and hedge fund. According to Forbes, Hains had a personal net-worth of an estimated $2.89 billion, making him Australia’s 18th richest person.

Lloyd Stanley Perron was an Australian businessman and philanthropist.

Chris Wallin is an Australian geologist and businessman. He is the Managing Director of QCoal Group and Chairman of the QCoal Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Farquhar</span> Australian billionaire business magnate (born 1979)

Scott Farquhar is an Australian billionaire business magnate who is the co-founder and co-CEO of software company Atlassian. Farquhar often carries the epithet of accidental billionaire after he and his business partner Mike Cannon-Brookes founded Atlassian with the aim to replicate the A$48,500 graduate starting salary typical at corporations without having to work for someone else.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springfield Central, Queensland</span> Suburb of City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia

Springfield Central is a suburb in the City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Springfield Central had a population of 114 people. It is the designated business district of Greater Springfield.

David Siang Hai Teoh is an Australian businessman. Until March 26, 2021 he was the executive chairman of TPG, a company he founded with his Taiwanese wife Vicky in 1992 after emigrating from Malaysia in 1986. He is also the founder and executive chairman of Tuas Limited, who owns SIMBA Telecom, a telecommunications company in Singapore.

Maurice Alter is an Australian billionaire property developer.

John Van Lieshout is an Australian billionaire, the founder and former owner of the Amart Furniture store chain.

References

  1. ↑ "Maha Sinnathamby ... the man behind Australia's largest master-planned community". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Member of the Order of Australia – Maha Sinnathamby" . Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Schmidt, Lucinda (27 January 2016). "Australia's 50 Richest People". Forbes. Archived from the original on 27 June 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "Greater Springfield named Australia's best master planned development – Greater Springfield". 20 March 2015. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "2019 Hall of Fame". Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame. State Library of Queensland. 2019. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  6. ↑ Passmore, Daryl (11 December 2016). "City A Driver of Jobs Growth". Sunday Mail . p. 29. Mr Sinnathamby who turned 77 yesterday
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 McCreadie, Karen (31 July 2012). Stop Not Till the Goal is Reached: The 10 Principles for Fearless Success That Inspired Maha Sinnathamby to Build a City. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   9781742468587.
  8. ↑ "Education City – Greater Springfield". Archived from the original on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "Education in Greater Springfield: A Vision For Life-long Learning" (PDF). Greater Springfield. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Health City – Greater Springfield". Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "Aveo Springfield". The Aveo Group. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  12. ↑ "Polaris Data Centre – Greater Springfield". Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  13. ↑ "IDEA City – Greater Springfield". Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  14. ↑ Foster, Sophie (28 May 2016). "Springfield founder doubts another city like it is possible in Australia". The Daily Telegraph.
  15. ↑ Calligeros, Marissa (20 February 2011). "Springfield here we come: rail line construction to begin mid-year". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  16. ↑ "SEQRP and Greater Springfield". Springfield Land Corporation. p. 2. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "Maha Sinnathamby". greaterspringfield.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  18. 1 2 Stensholt, John; Tadros, Edmund (26 May 2017). "Billionaire Rich List ranks swell to record number". The Australian Financial Review . Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  19. ↑ "2015 Australia's 50 Richest". Forbes Asia. March 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  20. ↑ "Gina Rinehart Loses Her No. 1 Spot". Forbes Asia. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  21. ↑ Stensholt, John, ed. (25 May 2017). "Financial Review Rich List 2017". The Australian Financial Review . Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  22. ↑ Mayne, Stephen (26 May 2017). "Mayne's take: The top 25 Australian billionaires, as claimed by Fairfax". Crikey . Private Media. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  23. ↑ Stensholt, John, ed. (25 May 2018). "2018 AFR Rich List: Who are Australia's richest people?". The Australian Financial Review . Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  24. ↑ "Maha Sinnathamby". Forbes Asia . October 2018.
  25. ↑ Bailey, Michael (30 May 2019). "Australia's 200 richest people revealed". The Australian Financial Review . Nine Publishing. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  26. ↑ "2019 Australia's 50 Richest". Forbes Asia. January 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  27. ↑ Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (30 October 2020). "The full list: Australia's wealthiest 200 revealed" . The Australian Financial Review . Nine Publishing. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  28. ↑ Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (27 May 2021). "The 200 richest people in Australia revealed". Australian Financial Review . Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  29. ↑ Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (26 May 2023). "The 200 richest people in Australia revealed". Australian Financial Review . Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  30. ↑ springfieldQLD (31 May 2010), World's Best Master Planned Community, Greater Springfield, archived from the original on 23 April 2016, retrieved 14 July 2016
  31. ↑ "QLD Honours Entrepreneurs". 14 September 2003. Archived from the original on 14 April 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  32. ↑ Queensland, The University of; Lucia, Australia Brisbane St; Gatton, QLD 4072 +61 7 3365 1111 Other Campuses: UQ; Maps, UQ Herston; Queensland, Directions © 2023 The University of. "Two community members awarded UQ's highest honour". UQ News. Retrieved 28 September 2023.

Further reading

f

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.