Alan Bond was born in London in 1938 and moved to Australia as a child. He left school early and started several businesses, becoming a millionaire property developer by age 21. Bond expanded into stocks, breweries, media and other industries, financing growth by borrowing heavily. His 1983 America's Cup yacht victory brought fame and more loans, allowing a major acquisition spree. However, by the late 1980s Bond Corporation was crippled by huge debts and losses, though Bond tried to continue his daring deals. Ultimately his overleveraged empire collapsed, but his career remains legendary for its ambitious risks and repeated comebacks against the odds.
Alan Bond was born on April 22nd, 1938 in Ealing, London, to Kathleen and Frank Bond. His father, of Welsh descent, worked as a painter and decorator in London before enlisting as a physical training instructor in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. After being badly wounded, Frank was advised to move for health reasons, leading the family to migrate to Australia in 1950 under the assisted passage immigration program. Settling in Fremantle, a working-class port town, Frank's health improved in the warmer climate, and he started a signwriting business. Alan, who left school at 15 to work with his father, married Eileen Hughes at 18, linking him to one of Perth's most prominent Catholic families. Despite initial struggles, Alan's ventures in construction and real estate quickly flourished, making him a millionaire by 21 and setting the stage for his rise as a leading Australian tycoon.
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