Chris Ellison (businessman)

Christopher James Ellison
Born	1957 New Zealand
Occupation	Businessman
Years active	1978–present
Known for	Founder of Mineral Resources

Christopher James Ellison MNZM (born ) is a New Zealand-born businessman and the founder of the Australian mining services firm Mineral Resources.

Early life

Ellison grew up on a farm near Dunedin in New Zealand and attended Otago Boys' High School. He left formal education at the age of 15 in 1972.

Initial enterprises

In 1978, Ellison relocated to Karratha, Western Australia, where he established the rigging company Karratha Rigging and secured a contract with the North West Shelf Venture. He held the position of managing director until 1982, after which he sold the business to Walter Wright Industries and assumed the role of general manager for their WA/NT operations. In 1986, he launched Genco Ltd, which was purchased by engineering company Monadelphous Group in 1988. Ellison became a major shareholder in Monadelphous but faced financial setbacks following the firm's collapse in the early 1990s.

Mineral Resources

Ellison co-founded Mineral Resources in 2006 by consolidating three mining service companies: pipeline contractor PIHA, ore processing firm Crushing Services International (CSI), and Process Minerals International (PMI), where he held significant ownership. The company debuted on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) at an initial price of 90 cents per share; by 2022, its stock value had surged past $71, with Ellison retaining approximately a 12% shareholding.

In 2023, Ellison's remuneration as managing director totaled AU$6 million. During a financial results briefing in 2024, he attracted attention by expressing opposition to remote working arrangements, remarking that he preferred to "keep them [employees] captive all day long" to prevent productivity declines caused by breaks.

In October 2024, Ellison acknowledged his participation in a tax evasion scheme, an admission that negatively affected Mineral Resources' share price.

Additional involvements

By 2022, Ellison held a 10% ownership interest in ASX-listed rare earths explorer VHM Limited. In September 2023, following Mineral Resources' acquisition of a controlling interest, he was appointed non-executive chairman of ASX-listed explorer Delta Lithium Ltd.

Personal life

In 2009, Ellison acquired a waterfront mansion in Mosman Park, Perth, for a record Australian price of $57.5 million, purchasing it from mining heiress Angela Bennett. In 2022, together with former Mineral Resources board member Tim Roberts, he bought an agricultural estate near Queenstown, New Zealand, for more than NZ$30 million.

Ellison was designated New Zealand's honorary consul in Western Australia in 2013 and was honored as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours for his contributions to fostering New Zealand–Australia relations.

Net worth

Ellison entered billionaire status in 2020 when Mineral Resources' share price reached an all-time high. However, during 2024 and 2025, the stock value fell significantly, with his net worth estimated at AUD 871 million according to the 2025 Financial Review Rich List.

Year	Australian Financial Review Rich List
Rank	Net worth (Template:AUD)
2018	98 Template:Up	$0.78 billion Template:Up
2019	148	$0.66 billion
2020	103 Template:Up	$1.00 billion Template:Up
2021	87 Template:Up	$1.29 billion Template:Up
2022	64 Template:Up	$1.80 billion Template:Up
2023	55 Template:Up	$2.25 billion Template:Up
2024		$2.10 billion
2025	175	$871 million

Legend
Icon	Description
	Has not changed from the previous year
	Has increased from the previous year
Template:Loss	Has decreased from the previous year