Meet Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch, the successor to his father's media empire and one of the people who decided to fire Tucker Carlson

Britney Nguyen,Lakshmi VaranasiApr 27, 2023, 02:05 IST

Lachlan Murdoch and Rupert Murdoch at Day 10 of the US Open held at the USTA Tennis Center on September 5, 2018 in New York City.Adrian Edwards/GC Images

Lachlan Murdoch is Rupert Murdoch's oldest son and current successor to his father's media empire.
He currently serves as executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation, and co-chairman of News Corp.

Lachlan, 51, was born in London in 1971. He was raised in New York with his older sister Elisabeth and younger brother James.

From left: James, Elisabeth, Rupert, and Lachlan Murdoch (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Getty Images)Tom Stoddart/Getty Images

According to a 1998 profile of Lachlan, he sometimes woke up before dawn as a child to have breakfast with his father before he left for business meetings.

Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan Murdoch (left) attend the 2018 tennis US Open on Arthur Ashe stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 5, 2018 in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York City.Jean Catuffe/GC Images

Growing up, Lachlan was educated at elite private schools like Trinity School in Manhattan, and Phillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts. He graduated from Aspen Country Day School in Colorado.

Facebook/phillipsacademy

Growing up, Lachlan was educated at elite private schools like Trinity School in Manhattan, and Phillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts. He graduated from Aspen Country Day School in Colorado.

He attended Princeton and studied philosophy.

People walk through the Princeton University campus in Princeton, N.J., Thursday, April 5, 2018.AP Photo/Seth Wenig

When Lachlan was 19, he went to London at his father's request to observe the British Sky Broadcasting merger.

Westminster Abbey in London on July 11, 2020.JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

After graduating from Princeton, Lachlan oversaw Murdoch media properties in Australia.

21st Century Fox

In 1997, Lachlan became deputy chief operating officer at News Corp.

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Lachlan married Sarah O'Hare, a British-Australian model, in 1998. They have three children: Karan, Aidan, and Aerin.

Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch in Sun Valley, Idaho.Getty/Kevork Djansezian

In 2005, Lachlan resigned from his role as deputy chief operating officer of News Corp amid reported tensions between company executives and his family.

Jon Kopaloff/WireImage

He moved back to Australia where he launched the investment firm Illyria through which he invested in media entities like Nova Entertainment, a radio station group.

Murdoch moved to Sydney after resigning from News Corp.Vijay Anand/Getty Images

In 2014, after seeing some success and some failure after venturing out on his own, Murdoch returned to the family business as the non-executive co-chairman of both 21st Century Fox and News Corp.

REUTERS/Rick Wilking

In 2014, after seeing some success and some failure after venturing out on his own, Murdoch returned to the family business as the non-executive co-chairman of both 21st Century Fox and News Corp.

In 2016, Lachlan and his brother, James, worked together to oust Fox News co-founder Roger Ailes from the company after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against Ailes.

Roger Ailes.Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

In 2016, Lachlan and his brother, James, worked together to oust Fox News co-founder Roger Ailes from the company after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against Ailes.

James and Lachlan, however, have had their differences. James has reportedly been critical of the "alternative reality" that Fox News has created and his brother's role in allowing it to persist. The brothers reportedly aren't on speaking terms.

Lachlan Murdoch (left) and James Murdoch (right) don't speak to one another anymore, Vanity Fair reported.Getty / Drew Angerer

James and Lachlan, however, have had their differences. James has reportedly been critical of the "alternative reality" that Fox News has created and his brother's role in allowing it to persist. The brothers reportedly aren't on speaking terms.

In 2019, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox— the entertainment wing of the Murdoch media empire— for $71.3 billion. Lachlan became the chief executive of Fox Corp, a new entity that spun out of the deal that includes Fox News.

Bob Iger, CEO of Disney.Charley Gallay/Stringer/Getty Images

In 2019, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox— the entertainment wing of the Murdoch media empire— for $71.3 billion. Lachlan became the chief executive of Fox Corp, a new entity that spun out of the deal that includes Fox News.

Lachlan was reportedly not in favor of the Disney deal, and at the time of the deal, worried that it was rushed and undervalued the company's assets.

Drew Angerer, Getty images

Rupert Murdoch netted $12 billion from the Disney deal and gave each of his six children $2 billion. Lachlan ultimately spent $150 million to buy the 25,000-square-foot Bel Air estate featured in The Beverly Hillbillies— the highest price in California history.

The ritzy Los Angeles community of Bel Air is accessed through two sets of main gates.gregobagel/Getty Images

Rupert Murdoch netted $12 billion from the Disney deal and gave each of his six children $2 billion. Lachlan ultimately spent $150 million to buy the 25,000-square-foot Bel Air estate featured in The Beverly Hillbillies— the highest price in California history.

In 2017, Lachlan paid $29 million for a large equestrian property in Aspen. Based on the property listing, luxury real estate listings site Mansion Global reported that the main home is a 13,500-square-foot property with six bedrooms. There is also a two-bedroom, two-bathroom guest house, a 300-bottle wine cellar, two outdoor kitchens, a gym, and an art gallery.

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In 2017, Lachlan paid $29 million for a large equestrian property in Aspen. Based on the property listing, luxury real estate listings site Mansion Global reported that the main home is a 13,500-square-foot property with six bedrooms. There is also a two-bedroom, two-bathroom guest house, a 300-bottle wine cellar, two outdoor kitchens, a gym, and an art gallery.

Over the past few years, Lachlan has been leading Fox Corp. He worked remotely from Australia for a stretch of the pandemic.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Lachlan also helmed Fox Corp through tumultuous news cycles and long defended the controversial remarks of Tucker Carlson, anchor of the primetime Fox News show, Tucker Carlson Tonight.

Tucker Carlson.Fox News/YouTube.

Lachlan also helmed Fox Corp through tumultuous news cycles and long defended the controversial remarks of Tucker Carlson, anchor of the primetime Fox News show, Tucker Carlson Tonight.

On Monday, in a surprising turn of events, Fox News fired Carlson. The decision was jointly made by Lachlan and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott on Friday, Insider's Claire Atkinson confirmed.

21st Century Fox co-chair Lachlan Murdoch in Sun Valley, Idaho.Drew Angerer/Getty Images

On Monday, in a surprising turn of events, Fox News fired Carlson. The decision was jointly made by Lachlan and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott on Friday, Insider's Claire Atkinson confirmed.

Lachlan's net worth isn't clear, but he received $21.7 million in total compensation as Fox Corporation CEO in 2022.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

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Meet Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch, the successor to his father's media empire and one of the people who decided to fire Tucker Carlson

Lachlan, 51, was born in London in 1971. He was raised in New York with his older sister Elisabeth and younger brother James.

According to a 1998 profile of Lachlan, he sometimes woke up before dawn as a child to have breakfast with his father before he left for business meetings.

Growing up, Lachlan was educated at elite private schools like Trinity School in Manhattan, and Phillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts. He graduated from Aspen Country Day School in Colorado.

He attended Princeton and studied philosophy.

When Lachlan was 19, he went to London at his father's request to observe the British Sky Broadcasting merger.

After graduating from Princeton, Lachlan oversaw Murdoch media properties in Australia.

In 1997, Lachlan became deputy chief operating officer at News Corp.

Lachlan married Sarah O'Hare, a British-Australian model, in 1998. They have three children: Karan, Aidan, and Aerin.

In 2005, Lachlan resigned from his role as deputy chief operating officer of News Corp amid reported tensions between company executives and his family.

He moved back to Australia where he launched the investment firm Illyria through which he invested in media entities like Nova Entertainment, a radio station group.

In 2014, after seeing some success and some failure after venturing out on his own, Murdoch returned to the family business as the non-executive co-chairman of both 21st Century Fox and News Corp.

In 2016, Lachlan and his brother, James, worked together to oust Fox News co-founder Roger Ailes from the company after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against Ailes.

James and Lachlan, however, have had their differences. James has reportedly been critical of the "alternative reality" that Fox News has created and his brother's role in allowing it to persist. The brothers reportedly aren't on speaking terms.

In 2019, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox— the entertainment wing of the Murdoch media empire— for $71.3 billion. Lachlan became the chief executive of Fox Corp, a new entity that spun out of the deal that includes Fox News.

Lachlan was reportedly not in favor of the Disney deal, and at the time of the deal, worried that it was rushed and undervalued the company's assets.

Rupert Murdoch netted $12 billion from the Disney deal and gave each of his six children $2 billion. Lachlan ultimately spent $150 million to buy the 25,000-square-foot Bel Air estate featured in The Beverly Hillbillies— the highest price in California history.

Over the past few years, Lachlan has been leading Fox Corp. He worked remotely from Australia for a stretch of the pandemic.

Lachlan also helmed Fox Corp through tumultuous news cycles and long defended the controversial remarks of Tucker Carlson, anchor of the primetime Fox News show, Tucker Carlson Tonight.

On Monday, in a surprising turn of events, Fox News fired Carlson. The decision was jointly made by Lachlan and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott on Friday, Insider's Claire Atkinson confirmed.

Lachlan's net worth isn't clear, but he received $21.7 million in total compensation as Fox Corporation CEO in 2022.