Early Life
John Van Lieshout was born in the Netherlands in 1946. In 1960, at the age of 14, he immigrated to Australia with his family, settling in Brisbane. He has a high school diploma.
Rise to Success
Van Lieshout's career began in the furniture industry. In 1970, he founded Super A-Mart, which became one of Australia's largest furniture retailers. He grew the chain to 21 stores, focusing on a "product and price" philosophy. In 2006, he sold Super A-Mart to a private equity firm for $500 million.
Key Business Strategies
Key strategies included building a furniture retail chain, and acquiring a large property portfolio. After selling Super A-Mart, he retained ownership of the buildings and transitioned into property development through Unison Projects Group. This includes acquiring 600 housing blocks and 200 townhouses in the Brisbane area.
Philanthropy
John Van Lieshout is known for his philanthropy and has donated millions of dollars to various charities.