Harry Triguboff

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Harry Oscar Triguboff A.O (born March 3, 1933) is an Australian property developer and billionaire. He was born in Darien, China on March 3, 1933, son of Moishe and Freda Triguboff. He spent his early childhood in the white Russian Jewish community in Tianjin (then spelled Tientsin) in south of Beijing before coming to Australia in 1947 to be educated at 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 drove a taxi and owned a milk run before establishing Meriton Apartments and building his first block of units in 1963. Since that time he has evolved into one of Australia’s most successful property developers and a generous philanthropist, giving away $9 million to charity in 2005.

In 2006 Triguboff was rated the world's 606th richest man, with a fortune of approximately $1.3 billion.

Triguboff caused controversy in October 2006 when he claimed that Sydney has too much land was locked up in national parks and reserves, and that the land should be cleared to make way for new residential developments.^[1]

"If they want to see trees, they can go to Katoomba. There are plenty of trees there."

Triguboff has three Bentleys with number plates "HOT1", "HOT2" (HOT is his initials) and "OSCAR1" (His middle name).

[edit] Meriton Apartments

Triguboff is the Chairman and Managing Director of Meriton Apartments Pty Ltd. Meriton Apartments has built almost 50,000 residential dwellings, mainly townhouses and apartments, since its creation in 1963. Harry Triguboff has become synonymous with residential apartment building in Australia. During that time Mr Triguboff has won numerous awards for his contributions to the building, construction and housing industry. He turned Meriton Apartments into Australia’s largest homebuilder and into one of the most financially sound private businesses in Australia by focusing on building homes for Australians within Australia. In particular he has concentrated on the Gold Coast in Queensland, and Sydney's central business district, bringing in thousands of new residents and creating a large number of property millionaires in the process. More people purchased Meriton Apartments than any other residential developer in the country.^[2]

In 2004, Meriton completed the construction of World Tower, Sydney’s tallest residential apartment building.