Rupert Murdoch hailed as Australia’s ‘most influential’ businessman
Rupert Murdoch has been lauded as this country’s “most talented and influential” business figure after the Australian-born global media baron retired from the front lines of his empire after seven decades in charge.
Mr Murdoch, 92, stepped down as chairman at both News Corp and Fox Entertainment, resigning from both boards, but retaining the title of chairman emeritus. He passed the baton to his first son, Lachlan, finally ending questions over succession which long created drama around the mogul’s life.
Rupert Murdoch is retiring as chairman of Fox Corporation and executive chairman of News Corp. AP
“Rupert Murdoch is the most talented and influential business figure Australia has produced,” said former prime minister John Howard.
“He changed the face of media and was always intensely interested in the battle of ideas. At Wapping in the 1980s he stared down the print unions, thus striking a blow for free speech.”
The retirement and Lachlan’s ascension was still being digested in all corners of the Murdoch media operation on Friday. In Australia, senior editors and employees at News Corp’s The Australian, metro tabloids and Sky News were alerted to the news in a late Thursday night email.
Mr Murdoch’s decision to effectively retire capped off a remarkable run atop global media that started small with Adelaide’s The News, inherited from his father Keith Murdoch. By the end, Mr Murdoch had built a media empire unparalleled in modern times.
“Rupert Murdoch is one of Australia’s great business success stories, having built up News Corporation and Fox Corporation over the last seven decades both in Australia and overseas,” said fellow media mogul Kerry Stokes, who has done business both opposite and alongside Mr Murdoch for
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