People still holding power over the age of 80
March 24, 2025
This list tracks people who held powerful positions, particularly billionaires, when over the age of 80, starting with those currently in office and then looking at those who have retired or passed away and then those who are approaching the 80 milestone.
Warren Buffett, 94: chairman Berkshire Hathaway: born August 30, 1930.
Harry Triguboff, 92: still running his property development empire despite being born way back on March 3, 1933.
Gerry Harvey, 85: the Harvey Norman executive chairman was born on September 18, 1939.
Kerry Stokes, 84: the executive chairman of Seven West Media turned 80 in September 2020, having been born in Melbourne on September 13, 1940.
Jack Cowin, 82: the billionaire is still chairing ASX-listed Dominos. He was born on July 13, 1942.
Solomon Lew, 80: the chairman of Premier Investments was born in March 22, 1945, and showing no signs of stepping down. He is expected to soon join the Myer board.
John Grilll, 79 or 80: the billionaire founder and non-executive chair of engineering giant Worley was born in 1945 and has been non-executive chair since 2013. His staff refuse to provide his date of birth in 1945.
Prominent leaders currently approaching 80 whilst still in office
Alan Stockdale, 79: a reforming Treasurer in the Kennett Government left Parliament in 1999 to join Macquarie Bank and then took up a range of gigs including the chair at Symex Holdings for almost a decade, along with the chair at struggling technology play Senetas and even an unfortunate experience on one of Bill Ireland's Mariner vehicles. He was also a director of Melbourne Football Club 1999-2001 and a Partner at Mills Oakley Lawyers 2005 after WorkChoices came in. He's still going having joined the board of ASX-listed Knosys (current market cap $8.2m) in 2015, where he now serves as chairman. It's website has a comprehensive summary of his big career, which includes also currently chairing ASX-listed X2M Connect (market cap $8.3m). Given that Knosys and X2M investors are down plenty, perhaps it is time to retire before he turns 80 on April 21.
Donald Trump, 78: the US President was born on June 14, 1946.
Richard Court, 77: the former WA Liberal Premier has long worked for Kerry Stokes and currently serves on his BCI Minerals board. He has held Chairman roles of various companies over the last two decades, including GRD Minproc (taken over in 2009) and Iron Ore Holdings, which merged with BC Minerals in 2014. He turned 77 on September 27, 2024.
Richard White, 69: has just stormed back in as executive chair of Wisetech, even though he'll turn 70 in December 2025.
Past examples of people who were still serving when over the age of 80 but no longer do
Charlie Munger, 99: vice-chair, Berkshire Hathaway: born January 1, 1924 and died in the job on November 29, 2023.
Queen Elizabeth II, 96: UK monarch: born April 21, 1926 and died on September 8, 2022, which still reining.
Len Ainsworth, 94: finally quit as a director of Ainsworth Gaming Technology at the age of 94. Is now almost 102 and Australia's only billionaire to crack the tonne.
Rupert Murdoch, 92: executive chair News Corp and Fox Corp: born March 11, 1931. Finally retired as executive chair of News Corp and Fox Corp in November 2023 when he was 92, but still carries the title "chair emeritus". Is now 94.
Frank Lowy, 85: the former Westfield executive chairman was born on October 22, 1930, and decided to retire as Scentre Group chairman on his 85th birthday in 2015 and then bowed our as Westfield Corporation chairman when it was taken over by Unibail Rodamco in early 2018. He was 87 when the takeover completed and is now 94 and living in Tel Aviv. See AFR piece.
Alan Wilson, 83 or 84: the long-term executive chair of ASX-listed plumbing giant Reece finally quit as an executive director on February 28, 2025 at the age of 83 or 84. See Wikipedia which is unclear on his date of birth. Reece staff refuse to provide his exact date of birth
Joe Biden, 83: the US President was born on November 20, 1941 and was 83 on retiring in January 2025.
Ita Buttrose, 82: the former ABC chair celebrated her 80th birthday on January 17, 2022 after being born in Sydney way back in 1942 and retired as ABC chair in March 2024 at the age of 82. Is now 84.
Dr Anthony Fauci, 82: the leading US medico on all things COVID retired as US chief medical officer on December 31, 2022 at the age of 82. He was born on December 24, 1940, and is now 84.
Alan Jones, 80: held a lot of power in Australia over many years, largely courtesy of the 2UE and 2GB breakfast shows, but was still wielding power with his 4 nights a week show on Sky News until early November 2021, when he was de-platformed by News Corp at the age of 80 and a half. Was born on April 13, 1941, so is now 84 and facing criminal charges. Still trying to run a fringe media operation which has the backing of James Packer.
Thomas Watson Sr: 82: the de facto founder of IBM, ran the company until just before his death in 1956, at the age of 82.
FORMER LEADERS WHO ALMOST MADE IT TO 80 IN THE TOP JOB
Ian Ferrier, 79: finally bowed out as chairman of Goodman Group shortly before his 80th birthday in late 2020, but was still trucking along on another board in 2024. See this AFR interview.
Ronald Reagan, 77: retired as US President in January 1989, shortly before his 78th birthday. Was born on February 5, 1911.
Paul Ramsay: 78 when he died in office on May 1, 2014.
Jeff Kennett, 77: the former Victorian Liberal Premier turned to the corporate world and became a director and then successful chair of Equity Trustees. Other boards gigs such as Seven West Media, Q Ltd, Sofcom, National Telecoms Group, Original Juice Co and Data & Commerce Ltd weren't so good. He exited his final listed board, The Original Juice company, on December 12, 2024 after it merged with SPC. He was the chair he led the merger negotiations.
Bruce Teele, 76: born on August 19 1937 and retired as AFIC chairman in October 2013 at the age of 76.
HOW OLD WERE AUSTRALIA'S FORMER BILLIONAIRES WHEN THEY PASSED?
Marc
Besen, 99: died 6 weeks short of his 100th on Nov 8 2023.
Jack Bendat: 96 when he passed in 2022.
Stan Perron: 96 when he passed on November 23, 2018.
Victor Smorgon: 96 when the family patriarch passed in 2009.
Paul Ramsay: 78 when he died in office on May 1, 2014.
Lang Walker: 78 when the billionaire property developer passed in June 2024.
Len Buckeridge, 77: the Perth-based building products mogul was 77 when he passed in 2014.
Alan Bond: 77 when he died in 2015.
Dick Pratt: 74 when he passed in 2009.
Bernard Lewis: 70 when he passed in 2004 with an estimated fortune of $535m. His two daughters are now worth more than $1 billion.
Kerry Packer: 68 when he passed in 2005.
Robert Holmes a Court: only 53 when he died in 1990.
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