Alan Bond dead at 77

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http://www.news.com.au/finance/busin...-1227384545874

FORMER Western Australia tycoon Alan Bond has died, aged 77.
The controversial businessman had been in intensive care earlier this week following heart surgery.
He had been placed in an induced coma at Fiona Stanley Hospital after triple bypass surgery.
He died today about 10am Perth time today.
Mr Bond, who split his time between Perth and London, reportedly became ill in London and decided to return home for the open heart surgery. It is understood he had been in Perth for the past five weeks.
In a statement to the media today, Bond’s son John reflected on his father’s life.
“To a lot of people, dad was a larger than life character ... but to us he was just dad,” John said.

“He was a larger than life character who really did experience the highs and lows of life.
“You had to have a five-year business plan when you first met him.”
He added that Bond was a family man, with eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A hospital spokeswoman said: “All efforts were made to improve his outcome. Unfortunately he passed away.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, his three surviving children John, Craig and Jody confirmed the one-time business great had been ill.
They said he had travelled back to Perth to undergo heart surgery to replace a heart valve that was installed 20 years ago. He also had surgery to two other valves in his heart.

Mr Bond gained international fame after his yacht Australia II won the America’s Cup in 1983, breaking Australia’s 132-year winning streak.
He also rose to become one of the most high profile businessmen in Australia, but his empire came crashing down in the early 1990s.
In his most infamous deal, Bond bought the Nine Network from Kerry Packer for $1 billion but sold it back to the billionaire for a fraction of the price just three years later.
The sale prompted Packer’s famous quip: “You only get one Alan Bond in your life and I’ve had mine.”

He was jailed for fraud after he used Bell Resources funds to try to stave off the 1992 collapse of Bond Corporation. The business, which spanned brewing, resources, property and media, was crippled under $1.8 billion in debts.
The Australian Security and Investment Commission (ASIC) banned Mr Bond from directing or managing companies for five years after his prison release in 2000.
He was later involved in a string of unsuccessful African gold and diamond ventures but had built further investment companies in recent years.

Later in life, he was hit by tragedy when his second wife Diana Bliss took her own life in 2012.
His former wife, Eileen Bond, who lives in the UK, was understood to have had plans to fly to Perth, but didn’t make it in time to say goodbye to Bond.

[cram_it_frog]

unreal he had a good life and changed the face and culture of WA and I still rember the hangover I got in Perth city the day we won the American Cup

4 or 5 hours of free beer wipe s most people out my ex wife was so annoying when i got home what made it worse was I meet her father in the pub a ex RAF cop and they can drink some serious grog

To join the military police the major thing is to pass the test is you have to be a alcoholic and be able to still stand after a serious drinking session

that was the before the 80s now drinking is frowned upon

[Jastel]

I was only a teenager in Perth then but remember the Americas Cup win, watching it in school, the big parade through the city etc.
It dragged Perth out of the 70's for sure.

Not a fan of what he did later on.

[Eaturbo]

RIP Alan Bond, he did more right than wrong and served his time. Everybody that knew him said he was a nice bloke that got greedy. He will go down in history as a true entrepreneur.

[xxx000]

Good riddance to him

a dishonest crook who ripped off so many people

I'll never forget Paul Barry confronting him in the street and the tantrum he threw in response to being questioned

[superyob]

^^^At the risk of speaking ill of the dead, I can't help but agree xxx000. His America's Cup win pales into insignificance when compared to his later crimes...

[yearby]

Yeah! I remember him too.

Came in brought the reputable, long standing family company I worked for, sacked everyone, then sold off the assets just to make a big profit.
I lost my apprenticeship out of that one, come out with nothing.
Must have been 500 workers lost their job that day.

Did something similar to channel nine, because they where very interested in our story, we had TV interviews and everything, but the story was squashed, was never mentioned again.
Guess who owned Channel Nine at the time.

[Itsme]

The man may have been a rotter in some of his dealings in life which is not excusable but a bit of sympathy to his family in these times of grief.

RIP.

[39ClevoUte]

Bondy was the top surfer of a wave that swept across Aus (and a lot of the western world) in the late 70s and 80s. He didn't create the wave and there were hundreds of others riding it. It was the start of the end of a fair go and naive dealing. Businesses before then were a lot different to now.
RIP Bondy it was exciting times, glad it's over, but miss the past.