Lachlan Murdoch

Lachlan Murdoch
Lachlan Murdoch
Born	September 8, 1971 (age 55); Wimbledon Hospital, London, England
Occupation(s)	Businessman, media executive
Years active	1995–present
Known for	Executive chairman of Nova Entertainment; chairman of News Corp; executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation

Lachlan Keith Murdoch (born 8 September 1971) is a businessman with British origins who holds Australian and American citizenship, recognized as the heir to the media empire founded by his father, Rupert Murdoch. He currently holds the positions of executive chairman at Nova Entertainment, chairman of News Corp, and both executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation. In 2025, his personal fortune was valued at billions according to the Financial Review Rich List.

As of , the Murdoch family is engaged in litigation within a United States court, where Lachlan's siblings—James Murdoch, Elisabeth, and half-sister Prudence—are opposing their father's efforts to alter the family trust, aiming to guarantee Lachlan's continued leadership over News Corp and Fox Corp.

Early life and education

Murdoch was born at Wimbledon Hospital in London as the eldest son of Australian-born American media magnate Rupert Murdoch and Scottish journalist Anna Maria dePeyster (née Torv). His upbringing took place in New York City after his family relocated there when he was three years old. His education included attendance at Aspen Country Day School in Colorado, followed by the Dalton School and Trinity School in Manhattan, and later Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.

In 1989, he took a year off before university during which he briefly worked for the family enterprise at Sydney's Daily Mirror. He graduated from Princeton University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy, concentrating on German philosophical thought. His senior thesis was centered on this area, guided by professors Béatrice Longuenesse and Alan Hajek.

News Corp executive (1995–2005)

At approximately 22 or 23 years of age, Murdoch was appointed general manager of Queensland Newspapers, responsible for Brisbane's Courier-Mail, where he developed a friendship with fellow media heir James Packer. Subsequently, he became publisher of Australia's inaugural national newspaper, The Australian, and in 1995 advanced to deputy CEO of News Limited in Australia. The following year, he joined the board of News Corporation. After his marriage in 1999, he assumed the role of deputy chief operating officer for News Corp’s global print division in 2000, having previously held positions as executive director (1996) and senior executive vice-president (1999–2000).

Murdoch demonstrated a keen personal interest in Australian rugby league, particularly evident during the initial Super League meeting in 1995. He held the title of number one ticket holder for the Brisbane Broncos; however, this venture ultimately resulted in financial losses.

Influenced by James Packer, Murdoch supported News Corporation’s substantial multi-hundred million-dollar investment in the start-up telecommunications firm One.Tel during the late 1990s—a decision that later attracted criticism. In April 2014, Murdoch and Packer reached a settlement worth AUD40 million concerning One.Tel’s collapse, with payments allocated between their companies. During this timeframe, Murdoch resided near his father in New York City and maintained social connections with notable personalities such as Baz Luhrmann and Nicole Kidman.

He spearheaded an initial $10.75 million investment into REA Group, advocating strongly against suggestions to divest. REA Group evolved into Australia's foremost online real estate advertising platform through Realestate.com.au and was valued by News Corp at over $3.6 billion by 2014.

Murdoch’s remuneration in 2001 was AUD2.59 million. Within News Corp, he managed HarperCollins along with Australian ventures including REA Group; he served on the board of Foxtel, chaired Fox Television stations, and oversaw publication of the New York Post, where he successfully increased circulation by more than 40%.

In July 2005, at just 33 years old, Murdoch unexpectedly resigned from News Corp following conflicts with Fox News chief Roger Ailes, who had backing from Rupert Murdoch. Relocating back to Australia with his family, he departed as the third most influential executive within the company. At that time, News Corp’s extensive media holdings comprised Twentieth Century Fox, the Fox television network, satellite broadcasters, as well as newspapers across the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. Roger Ailes succeeded him as chairman of News Corp’s television stations division while industry observers speculated that his brother James Murdoch, then CEO of UK satellite broadcaster BSkyB, might be poised to succeed Rupert Murdoch.

Private investments (2005–2014)

Following his departure from News Corp and the completion of a two-year non-compete agreement, Murdoch established the Australian private investment company Illyria Pty Ltd in 2005. Illyria's investment portfolio featured interests in the Indian Premier League cricket franchise Rajasthan Royals, the online DVD rental service Quickflix, toy distributor Funtastic, and the digital media firm Destra. In January 2008, Murdoch and James Packer revealed intentions, via Illyria and Consolidated Press Holdings, to take Consolidated Media Holdings private in a deal valued at AUD 3.3 billion. This move aimed to secure private ownership stakes in Foxtel, Fox Sports, Universal Media Firm, LLC, and PBL Media—which controlled the Nine Network and ACP Magazines. However, between 2006 and 2008, Packer divested much of his media assets, leading to the collapse of this transaction.

Illyria purchased a 50% share in DMG Radio (later rebranded Nova Entertainment) in November 2009, with Murdoch assuming the role of chairman. By September 2012, Illyria had acquired full control of Nova Entertainment, which subsequently became Australia's premier FM radio network.

In 2010, Packer acquired an 18% interest in Network Ten but quickly sold half of his stake to Murdoch; both men joined the network's board. Murdoch was appointed acting CEO in February 2011 after the dismissal of CEO Grant Blackley. Packer resigned from the board in March of that year. By February 2012, Murdoch had transitioned to non-executive chairman of Ten Network Holdings. Despite attempts to stabilize the network amid declining advertising revenue and organizational restructuring, Illyria recorded losses amounting to AUD 110 million out of its initial AUD 150 million investment by late 2012. The company's share price plummeted approximately 80%, profits were reduced by half, and significant staff layoffs took place. Notably, Ten paid triple the original price to acquire Australian broadcast rights for MasterChef Australia from Shine Group, a News Corp subsidiary.

On 14 June 2017, Network Ten entered voluntary administration after Murdoch and fellow shareholder Bruce Gordon declined to extend its credit facility. Two competing bids surfaced: one from Murdoch and Gordon themselves, and another from CBS Corporation—Ten's largest creditor. The administrators and creditors ultimately favored CBS's offer, resulting in Murdoch losing his entire investment in the network.

Return to News Corp (2014)

In March 2014, Murdoch was named non-executive co-chairman of News Corp and 21st Century Fox—two entities created following the original News Corp’s division in 2013—as part of strategic succession planning within the media conglomerate. This appointment coincided with ongoing fallout from the UK phone hacking scandal and Rupert Murdoch’s divorce from Wendi Deng. Concurrently, Murdoch resigned as chairman and director of Ten Network Holdings.

By June 2015, he advanced to executive chairman of 21st Century Fox. After Disney completed its acquisition of 21st Century Fox in March 2019, Murdoch assumed the roles of chairman and CEO at Fox Corporation and was designated by his father as successor to his business empire; Rupert Murdoch intended to maintain active involvement despite this transition. That same year, Murdoch held a meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

In 2022, Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch proposed a merger between News Corp and Fox Corp. However, opposition from Lachlan’s brother James and key shareholders led to abandoning these plans by 2023.

Taking over from his father (2023)

In September 2023, at age 52, Lachlan Murdoch assumed the role of chairman for both Fox Corp and News Corp following the retirement of his father, Rupert Murdoch. That same year, The Australian Financial Review placed him 33rd on its list of Australia's wealthiest individuals, estimating his fortune at AUD 3.35 billion (approximately US$2.1 billion).

During a July 2024 conversation with Paul Kelly of The Australian, Murdoch highlighted the pivotal function of The Australian newspaper in influencing national policy discussions, drawing a distinction from the impact of the ABC. He noted that this objective shapes his approach to leadership and corporate governance.

As of September 2024, Murdoch holds the positions of executive chair and CEO at Fox Corporation, chairman of News Corp, and executive chairman of Nova Entertainment, an Australian media enterprise.

Additional engagements

Murdoch was the keynote speaker for the Andrew Olle Media Lecture in 2002.

He is also a founding patron of "Advance" (previously known as Young Australian Professionals in America), alongside fellow founders Anthony Pratt, Peter Lowy, and Lisa Fox. The organization hosted a fundraising dinner in November 2005.

Dominion lawsuit (2021–2023)

In 2021, Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch were named defendants in a $1.6 billion lawsuit filed by voting machine manufacturer Dominion Voting Systems, accusing them of disseminating false claims about election fraud. Fox News Corporation sought to have the case dismissed; however, on 16 December 2021, the court denied this request, determining that Dominion had sufficiently demonstrated actual malice on Fox News' part.

On 6 June 2022, Fox News Corp renewed its motion to dismiss, but Judge Eric M. Davis refused again, citing evidence that both Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch were directly involved in influencing Fox News’ pro-Trump editorial stance. Documents from Dominion revealed Lachlan’s active participation in editorial decisions.

Ultimately, in April 2023, Fox agreed to pay $787.5 million in damages—the settlement ranking among the largest defamation payouts in U.S. history. Following this resolution, commentator Tucker Carlson was terminated from Fox News on 24 April 2023.

Crikey dispute (2022–2023)

In June 2022, Murdoch threatened legal action against Crikey, an Australian digital magazine, after its political editor Bernard Keane linked the Murdochs to the January 6 United States Capitol attack in an article. To avoid litigation initially, Crikey removed the piece but later republished it. Editor Peter Fray accused Murdoch of "leveraging legal means to suppress public discourse" and attempting to "intimidate our publication."

On 21 April 2023, Murdoch’s legal team filed a notice to discontinue proceedings. After dropping the case, he was ordered to cover more than in legal expenses incurred by Private Media.

Smartmatic lawsuit (2022–present)

On 4 February 2021, voting machine company Smartmatic initiated a $2.7 billion lawsuit against Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch, alleging that Fox News intentionally propagated falsehoods about Smartmatic. In March 2022, Justice David Cohen permitted removal of several hosts as co-defendants but denied Fox's motion to dismiss the case entirely, allowing it to proceed to discovery. A subsequent attempt by Fox to dismiss was also rejected; the judge acknowledged that Smartmatic had presented a "substantial basis" indicating Fox News acted with "reckless disregard for the truth."

As of mid-2024, this litigation remains ongoing. In July 2024, Smartmatic issued subpoenas to four members of Fox Corporation’s board as part of continuing legal procedures.

Family dispute (2024–)

In September 2024, a legal conflict emerged in Nevada involving the Murdoch family, where three of Lachlan Murdoch's siblings—James, Elisabeth, and half-sister Prudence MacLeod—contested Rupert Murdoch's proposal to modify the family trust. The proposed change is intended to secure Lachlan's control over News Corp and Fox Corp, rather than dividing influence equally among all six children as originally outlined in the "irrevocable" trust. Rupert Murdoch is said to prefer maintaining the companies' conservative editorial approach, perceiving his other children as more liberal.

The trust, created following Rupert and Anna Murdoch's 1999 divorce, holds the family's 28.5% ownership in News Corp and allocates equal voting rights to the four children born prior to that year, while Rupert himself retains four votes. This arrangement governs roughly 40% of both News Corp and Fox Corp, with a combined valuation near $6 billion in 2024. After Rupert's passing, those four children would keep their voting rights; however, Chloe and Grace Murdoch—Rupert’s daughters from his third marriage—do not possess voting privileges but are entitled to shares of stock dividends.

Rupert Murdoch’s 2023 initiative to alter the trust—referred to as "Project Harmony"—was revealed to his offspring in December 2023. The Nevada probate commissioner ruled that he could amend the trust if acting with honest intent for the benefit of his heirs. In September 2024, James suggested a potential settlement that might involve selling his and his sisters’ interests in the trust. This move could diminish Lachlan and Rupert’s control but might also place financial pressure on the corporations. Rupert argues that restricting sibling interference is essential for preserving Fox’s fiscal stability and conservative editorial identity, thereby protecting its market value. Although court documents remain sealed, some information has surfaced publicly.

This legal battle has caused significant tension within the family; notably, none of these three siblings were present at Rupert’s June 2024 wedding to Elena Zhukova.

Personal life

Lachlan Murdoch has three half-siblings: an older half-sister, Prudence, and two younger sisters from his father’s third marriage, Grace and Chloe. Reports highlight ongoing friction between Lachlan and his brother James.

He retains Australian citizenship and strongly identifies with Australia despite extensive residence in the United States and adopting an American accent. Born in the United Kingdom before 1983, he likely holds British citizenship by birth but maintains fewer connections to the UK compared to his father and siblings.

In 1999, Murdoch married Sarah O'Hare, an Australian model and actress originally from Britain. Together they have two sons and one daughter.

The family formerly owned "Berthong," a property located in Sydney's Elizabeth Bay, which was sold in 2003. In 2009, Lachlan acquired "Le Manoir," a mansion covering 4,097 square meters in Bellevue Hill, Sydney, later purchasing adjacent land to enlarge the estate. In 2017, he bought a $29 million equestrian ranch in Aspen, Colorado. Two years later, in 2019, Murdoch purchased the Chartwell Estate in Los Angeles for around $150 million.

As of 2023, Murdoch maintains homes across Sydney, Aspen, and Los Angeles. His family primarily resides in Sydney since 2021 while he splits his time between Sydney; Los Angeles—the headquarters of Fox Corp.; and New York City—the base for News Corp. Despite speaking with an American accent, he considers Australia his true home.

Political perspectives

While often perceived as more conservative compared to his brothers and sisters, Lachlan Murdoch reportedly opposed Donald Trump's presidency and even possessed toilet paper adorned with Trump's image during the 2016 election cycle. He has publicly backed his father's corporate strategies, including offering support for Tucker Carlson during Carlson's ascent.

In 2018, Lachlan characterized his political stance as "economically conservative and socially more liberal," although this claimed social liberalism has faced scrutiny due to Fox Corp's promotion of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments.

In February 2023, Lachlan and his spouse Sarah contributed A$1 million to Sydney's queer museum Qtopia, despite facing accusations of 'pinkwashing' stemming from the Murdoch family's long history of criticism toward the LGBTQ+ community.

Media presence and accolades

In June 2005, Murdoch was honored with the Press & Outdoor Advertising "media person of the year" accolade at an event in Cannes.

September 2024 saw ABC Television (Australia) broadcast a three-part documentary entitled Making Lachlan Murdoch on its Australian Story series. Created without Lachlan’s involvement by journalist Paddy Manning and introduced by Leigh Sales, the program features a 2001 interview with him as well as appearances by billionaire James Packer.

The documentary employs no narration, allowing interviewees to present their narratives directly. The initial episode, "Blood," delves into the lives of his father Rupert and grandfather Sir Keith Murdoch; the second installment is named "Money." This series is also accessible via YouTube.

Financial standing

Year	Financial Review Rich List		Forbes Australia's 50 Richest
Year	Position	Net worth (A$)	Position	Net worth (US$)
2018	n/a	unlisted	n/a	unlisted
2019	Template:Nts Increase	$3.62 billion Increase	n/a	unlisted
2020	Template:Nts Decrease	$3.76 billion Template:Gain
2021	Template:Nts Steady	$4.43 billion Template:Up
2022	Template:Nts Decrease	$4.00 billion Decrease
2023	Template:Nts Decrease	$3.35 billion Decrease
2024	Template:Nts Decrease	$3.75 billion Template:Up
2025	Template:Nts Decrease	$3.21 billion Decrease

Legend
Icon	Description
Steady	No change compared to prior year
Increase	Increase relative to previous year
Template:Loss	Decrease from previous year

External links

Murdoch family, Media Ownership Ireland, 2023