Peter Abeles
 Peter Abeles     (businessman, gangster boss) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 25 April 1924 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 25 June 1999 (Age 75) Sydney, NSW |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Religion | Judaism |
Australian transportation magnate. Associate of crime boss Abe Saffron. Involved in drug trafficking with the Nugan Hand Bank. | |
Sir Peter Emil Herbert Abeles was an Australian transportation magnate. A Jewish refugee from Hungary, he became a businessman in Australia, where he also had significant connections to organized crime and the so-called Hungarian Mafia.
Background
Abeles was born on 25th April 1924 in Vienna, Austria. His father was an affluent metals dealer. The family moved to Hungary to avoid the onslaught on Jewry by rampant fascism. He grew up there, in Budapest. When Germany occupied Hungary in 1944, Abeles, who was Jewish, was sent to a Nazi work camp whilst his family managed to flee to Romania. Surviving the work camp, Abeles later became a cabaret entrepreneur, working in Romania, where in 1947 he met and married his first wife, Claire Dan, a cabaret performer.
Official career
He began his career with a single truck, launching business that prospered and expanded. He merged his company with a small express company called TNT where his talents were recognized by his appointment as chairman and CEO. During his tenure of office, he directed the growth of TNT from a modest beginning to a billion-dollar global corporation.[1] Under Abeles' guidance as managing director, TNT quickly expanded, and by the 1980s had established a presence in 180 countries and was termed "the second biggest transport empire in the world, operating by road, rail, sea and air".[2]
In 1979 Abeles entered into an agreement with media mogul Rupert Murdoch to take over Ansett Airlines. He was chief executive and joint managing director from 1982 until 1992.
In addition to his work for TNT and Ansett, Abeles sat on the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia, and was chairman of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.
Abeles was created Knight Bachelor in 1972 for services to business and the arts, on the recommendation of the New South Wales government under Sir Robert Askin, and appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1991.[3]
He was named Australian of the Year by Murdoch's The Australian newspaper in 1987.
References
- ↑ https://tiaca.org/hall-of-fame/peter-abeles/
- ↑ Hawke, Bob (29 June 1999). "Transport giant a passionate patriot". The Australian.
- ↑ https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/887687
