James Packer

James Douglas Packer (born 8 September 1967) is an Australian businessman, investor, and philanthropist.

Packer is the son of the late media mogul Kerry Packer and his philanthropic wife, Ros. He is the grandson of Sir Frank Packer. James Packer inherited control of the family company, Consolidated Press Holdings Limited, with investments in Crown Resorts, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Zhoapin Pty Ltd and other companies. He is the former executive chairman of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) and Consolidated Media Holdings, which predominantly owned media interests across a range of platforms.

In May 2016, Packer's net worth was assessed as $5.00 billion by the BRW Rich 200, ranked as the seventh richest Australian; having been the richest person in Australia during 2006 and 2007. Meanwhile, Forbes Asia magazine assessed Packer's net worth at US$3.5 billion in January 2016, as the sixth richest Australian.

Packer is chairperson of Crown Limited, one of Australia's largest entertainment and integrated resort groups. In October 2013, Crown's market capitalisation was over A$11 billion. Every year Crown's Australian resorts attract over 25 million visits. Crown also holds a 33.7 equity interest in Macau based gaming group Melco-Crown (MCE).

In Macau, MCE has two premium properties, City of Dreams and Altira Macau, it operates the Mocha Clubs, and has a 60% equity interest in Macau Studio City, and integrated resort project on Cotai. In the Philippines, MCE, through its 69.3% owned subsidiary, Melco Crown (Philippines) Resort Corporation, has an interest in a consortium that will develop and operate an integrated resort in Manila.

In December 2012, Packer and producer-filmmaker Brett Ratner formed a joint venture, RatPac Entertainment. The firm will produce independent films and co-produce big-budget films with a major studio. RatPac and Dune Entertainment formed a film investment vehicle, which in September 2013, entered a multi-year, 75-film co-financing partnership with Warner Bros.

The first film financed by RatPac was a major success. Gravity, a space thriller directed by Alfonso Cuaron and starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, generated the strongest ever October opening in the US and took box office receipts of more than US$100 million in its first five days.