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Lloyd Williams (businessman)

Lloyd J. Williams (born 7 May 1940) is an Australian property developer and businessperson, with significant interests in thoroughbred horse racing. He holds the record as a thoroughbred owner to have won the Melbourne Cup on the most occasions, his most recent in 2020 with Twilight Payment.

Biography

Williams was educated at Xavier College, Melbourne.

He is the founder of Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex, established in 1994, located in Melbourne, Victoria. Crown is Australia's largest casino and one of the largest single casinos in the world. In 1999, Williams sold the majority of his interests to Publishing and Broadcasting Limited and other entities associated with the Packer family.

With David Gonski, Williams was the co-executor of the estate of the late Kerry Packer. Jackson Lloyd Packer, the son and male heir of James Packer, was given his middle name out of respect to Williams.[1]

Williams' family controlled business is called Hudson Conway, that has investments in a wide range of properties across Melbourne, now managed by his son, Nick.[2]

Thoroughbred horse racing

Williams is one of Australia's largest thoroughbred racehorse owners and owns a 120 ha stable outside Melbourne. With his wife, Suzie, Williams has won Australia's most prestigious race, the Melbourne Cup on seven occasions:

In 2000, he and Kerry Packer bought Enzeli from Aga Khan for about £200,000 to race in the Cup.[5]

Williams also owned/part-owned:

Williams was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2017.[6]

  • 1981 - Just a Dash, trained by Tommy J. Smith
  • 1985 - What A Nuisance, trained by John Meagher
  • 2007 - Efficient, trained by Graeme Rogerson
  • 2012 - Green Moon, trained by Robert Hickmott
  • 2016 - Almandin, trained by Robert Hickmott
  • 2017 - Rekindling, trained by Joseph O'Brien[3]
  • 2020 - Twilight Payment, trained by Joseph O'Brien.[4]
  • Fawkner, winner of the 2013 Caulfield Cup.
  • Mahogany, winner of eight group 1 races including the double of the Caulfield Guineas and Australian Guineas and the Victoria Derby and Australian Derby as a three-year-old, and the Lightning Stakes in 1995 and 1997
  • Order of St George, winner of the 2015 & 2017 Irish St. Leger and 2016 Ascot Gold Cup
  • Reset, winner of the 2004 Australian Guineas and Futurity Stakes (MRC)
  • Zipping, winner of the 2010 Australian Cup and Turnbull Stakes and the Sandown Classic four times (2010-2013).

Net worth

In 2012 Forbes Asia assessed his net worth as US$670 million.[7] As of May 2025 Williams' net worth was assessed by the Financial Review 2025 Rich List as A$1.03 billion.

Awards

In 2002 Williams was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in recognition of creating a programme for troubled teens to learn to sail as part of their rehabilitation.[17]

See also

  • Publishing and Broadcasting Limited
  • Crown Limited

References

  1. James Packer finally gets his male heir The Daily Telegraph, 3 February 2010, retrieved 2 June 2012^
  2. Australia and New Zealand's 40 Richest Forbes Asia, 12 February 2007, retrieved 2 June 2012^
  3. Who exactly is Lloyd Williams, the man obsessed with winning Melbourne Cups? | Topics: Almandin, Lloyd Williams, Rekindling, Coolmore, Joseph O'Brien, Melbourne Cup Thoroughbred Racing Commentary^
  4. Andrew Eddy. Williams chases eighth Melbourne Cup RACING.COM^
  5. Melbourne Cup: Fanshawe far from fazed by Owl's wide draw The Racing Post, 6 November 2000, retrieved 22 June 2013^
  6. Lloyd Williams Australian Racing Museum^
  7. Australia's 40 Richest: Lloyd Williams #38 Forbes Asia, 1 February 2012, retrieved 2 June 2012^
  8. Financial Review Rich List 2017 The Australian Financial Review, 25 May 2017, retrieved 8 June 2017^
  9. Mayne, Stephen. Mayne's take: The top 25 Australian billionaires, as claimed by Fairfax Crikey, Private Media, 26 May 2017, retrieved 10 October 2019^
  10. 2018 AFR Rich List: Who are Australia's richest people? The Australian Financial Review, 25 May 2018, retrieved 26 May 2018^
  11. Michael Bailey. Australia's 200 richest people revealed The Australian Financial Review, Nine Publishing, 30 May 2019, retrieved 31 May 2019^
  12. The full list: Australia's wealthiest 200 revealed The Australian Financial Review, Nine Publishing, 30 October 2020, retrieved 31 October 2020^
  13. The 200 richest people in Australia revealed Australian Financial Review, 27 May 2021, retrieved 28 May 2021^
  14. The 200 richest people in Australia revealed Australian Financial Review, 26 May 2023, retrieved 6 June 2023^
  15. Australia's wealthiest 200 now control $625b Australian Financial Review, 30 May 2024, retrieved 18 September 2024^
  16. Australia’s wealthiest 200 revealed, fortunes blow past $667b Australian Financial Review, 30 May 2025, retrieved 31 May 2025^
  17. 2 November 2000, retrieved 19 November 2020^