Nick Politis

Nicholas George Politis AM[1] (born 25 August 1942) is an Australian businessman and chairman of the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. Politis is also responsible for the first sponsorship on a professional rugby league team's jersey.

Nick Politis

AM
Born
Nicholas George Politis

(1942-08-25) 25 August 1942
Kythira, Greece
NationalityAustralian
Other names
  • The Godfather
  • Uncle Nick
EducationIpswich Grammar School
Alma materUniversity of Queensland
OccupationBusinessman
Years active1974–present
Board member of
Awards

Early life

Politis was born in Kythira, Greece. In the late 1940s, Politis and his family immigrated to Australia, settling in Ipswich, Queensland.[2] The family moved to the town of Blackall, living there for a number of years before returning to Ipswich. Politis attended Ipswich Grammar School for his final four years of high school, graduating in 1962. In 1964, he graduated from the University of Queensland.[3][4]

Business interests

Politis ran and expanded WFM Motors Pty Ltd from March 1974, rebranding its marketing name as City Ford and transforming it into one of the largest Ford dealerships in Australia.[5] The business has been sponsors of the Roosters since 1976, when the club set a new precedent of having major sponsors' names appearing on their jerseys – making Politis the first sponsor in rugby league.[6] As controlling shareholder of Australian Health Care Ltd., he was responsible for its failed sorties into the Australian hospital market, including the celebrated LaTrobe Regional Hospital fiasco, where tens of millions were lost in disastrous contract management.[7]

In March 2014, Politis' NGP Investments (No.2) purchased Barloworld's Australian car sales business for $130 million.[8]

In 2016, Politis sold the site of his Thomson Ford business in Parramatta to property developer Dyldham for an estimated $70 million.[9]

Sydney Roosters

Since May 30, 1993, Politis has been the chairman of the Sydney Roosters. After the Roosters won the 2002 NRL Grand Final, he joined the players in getting a premiership logo tattooed on his arm.[10] He has been described as being ranked "among the most powerful, influential and ruthless figures in rugby league since taking over as Roosters chairman". Politis is sometimes affectionately known as "The Godfather" or "Uncle Nick".

Politis was responsible for getting Sonny Bill Williams to return to rugby league with the Roosters after his five-year ban from the NRL, for walking-out on the Bulldogs mid-season in 2008, expired in 2013. Politis reportedly made a handshake agreement with Williams to this effect years prior.[11] According to prominent player agent, Sam Ayoub, "there’s no doubt Sonny would not have returned to the NRL if not for Nick Politis."[12] That year, the Roosters achieved the trifecta of winning the minor premiership, NRL premiership and World Club Challenge.

Politis was chairman when the Roosters won back-to-back premierships in 2018 and 2019.

Personal life

His father was a vet in his homeland of Greece, before moving to Australia.[10] Politis is a member of the Greek-Australian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2014, Politis was appointed a Member of the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to rugby league football as an administrator.[13][14]

Net worth

Politis first appeared in the BRW magazine Rich 200 in 2010 when his net worth was estimated at A$182 million.[10] In 2017, the list was rebranded as the Financial Review Rich List. As of May 2023, Politis' net worth was assessed at A$2.14 billion.[15]

Year Financial Review
Rich List		 Forbes
Australia's 50 Richest
Rank Net worth (A$) Rank Net worth (US$)
2010[10] $182 million
2011
2012
2013 $200 million
2014[16] 117 $410 million Increase
2015[17]
2016[18] 86 Increase $594 million Increase
2017[19][20] $733 million Increase
2018[21] 55 Increase $1.35 billion Increase
2019[22] 74 Decrease $1.23 billion Decrease
2020[23] 79 Decrease $1.31 billion Increase
2021[24] 54 Increase $2.02 billion Increase
2022 50 Increase $2.20 billion Increase
2023[15] 58 Decrease $2.14 billion Decrease
Legend
Icon Description
Steady Has not changed from the previous year
Increase Has increased from the previous year
Decrease Has decreased from the previous year

See also

References
  1. Poulos, George. "Nicholas (Nick) George Politis". kythera-family.net. Kytherian Association of Australia & James Prineas. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  2. Proszenko, Adrian. "I sit back, watch. You learn more that way". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  3. "Politis reaches 25 year milestone". Ipswich Grammar School. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  4. Prenter, Geoff. "Slick Nick: How Politis kicked off at the Roosters". NRL. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  5. "City Ford History". The Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. Crawley, Paul. "Sydney Roosters supremo Nick Politis' plan to keep Sonny Bill Williams in Bondi". Perth Now. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  7. Wynne, Michael. "The LaTrobe Privatisation, Revelations of secret owner when FOI documents released". University of Wollongong. Retrieved 26 December 2016.; "Car Yard King Behind Hospital". The Age. 1 June 1999.
  8. "JWS acts for Barloworld in Australian disposal". Johnson Winter & Slattery. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  9. McClymont, Kate (16 October 2016). "Parramatta Eels, Tax Office and widow chase property developer Dyldam". Goulburn Post. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  10. Proszenko, Adrian. "I sit back, watch. You learn more that way". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  11. Pandaram, Jamie. "Sonny Bill Williams regrets agreement to return to NRL". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  12. Cleary, Matt. "Sydney Roosters' Challenge". Inside Sport. nextmedia. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  13. "Member of the Order of Australia (AM) entry for Mr Nicholas George POLITIS". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2020. For significant service to rugby league football as an administrator.
  14. "Nick Politis, Phil Gould, Ray Warren given Queen's Birthday Honours". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  15. Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (26 May 2023). "The 200 richest people in Australia revealed". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  16. "BRW Rich 200 list 2014: 117. Nick Politis". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  17. Stensholt, John, ed. (June 2015). "2015 BRW Rich 200". BRW. Sydney. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  18. Stensholt, John. "BRW Rich 200 List 2015". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  19. Stensholt, John, ed. (25 May 2017). "Financial Review Rich List 2017". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  20. Mayne, Stephen (26 May 2017). "Mayne's take: The top 25 Australian billionaires, as claimed by Fairfax". Crikey. Private Media. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  21. Stensholt, John, ed. (25 May 2018). "2018 AFR Rich List: Who are Australia's richest people?". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  22. Bailey, Michael (30 May 2019). "Australia's 200 richest people revealed". Australian Financial Review. Nine Publishing. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  23. Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (30 October 2020). "The full list: Australia's wealthiest 200 revealed". Australian Financial Review. Nine Publishing. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  24. Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (27 May 2021). "The 200 richest people in Australia revealed". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
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