Malaysian media, telecoms and oil mogul Ananda Krishnan has died at age 86, his companies reported on Thursday. No cause of death was disclosed.
Krishnan founded Malaysia’s second-largest mobile operator, Maxis Bhd, and the dominant broadcasting and media company Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd.
He also held a substantial stake in oil field services provider Bumi Armada Bhd through Objektif Bersatu and investment firm Usaha Tegas.
Earlier this year, Forbes calculated that his net worth amounted to some $5 billion, making him the third richest person in the country. He is survived by two daughters and a son, who has recently attracted significant media attention for becoming a Buddhist monk, and forgoing a massive fortune.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the demise of our chairman, T Ananda Krishnan, who passed away peacefully on Nov 28.
“He has made significant contributions to nation-building and the corporate world, and his philanthropic initiatives have touched many lives. We humbly ask that the family’s wishes to mourn in private be respected,” Usaha Tegas said in a statement.
Krishnan was born into a middle class family in Brickfields and educated at Harvard Business School. He made a fortune in oil and then another in gambling, before expanding into media and telecoms. His interests include Southeast Asia regional pay-TV giant Astro; Malaysia’s leading phone operator, Maxis; satellite operator MEASAT; U.K. newspaper group Johnston Press; Malaysia’s second-largest cinema chain, TGV; and Celestial Pictures, the company built on the Shaw Brothers Film Library that also gives a stake in the CTE channels bouquet.
In both 2017 and 2018 Krishnan was listed on Variety‘s list of 500 most powerful media types. Despite his wealth and influence he was known for studiously avoiding personal publicity and the media limelight.
He also owned Aircel, a now-bankrupt phone company that once sponsored Indian Premier League (IPL) team Chennai Super Kings.
