John C Young

With a background as an accountant, John Young established the Great Southern, an agribusiness which developed, promoted and oversaw managed investment schemes through which retail investors owned timber plantations, vineyards are other agricultural products. His main partner in the business was Helen Sewell.

Originally known as Great Southern Plantations (ASX: GPT), it listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 1999. Ms Sewell sold her stake for about $40 million in 2000 and quit the business. In 2006, Mr Young had an estimated worth of $184 million, however much of that fortune was in GPT shares. It is understood much of his wealth remained tied up when Great Southern, as it became known, went into administration in 2009.