The news last night was that a Malaysian group was being shown around St. James’ Park, and when you look at some rich Malaysian businessman, the one that pops out is Tatparanandam Ananda Krishnan, and he is a philanthropist of Sri Lankan Tamil origin.
Ananda Krishnan - worth around £4.6M
Nicknamed TAK, he is currently estimated to have a net worth of about $7.4M (£4.6M) according to Forbes’ latest annual list of billionaires, making him the third wealthiest man in Southeast Asia behind Robert Kuok and Ng Teng Fong and number 119 in the world.
Ananda Krishnan is also the wealthiest Tamil in the world, ahead of Shiv Nadar, who is the 10th richest man in India. Krishnan’s first entrepreneurial venture was in oil trading, setting up Exoil Trading, which went on to purchase oil drilling concessions in various countries.
He later moved into gambling (in Malaysia), stud farming (in Australia) and running a Hollywood cartoon studio and then he diversified into a host of other business opportunities. In the early part of the 1990s he started diversifying into the multimedia arena.
He runs Maxis Communications,Malaysia’s largest cell phone service provider, with more than 10 million subscribers, and in June 2007 in a $12B deal, then sold 25% to Saudi Telecom in the same month.
Last year he sold Excel, the exhibition venue in London’s Docklands, for a reported $230M and bought a 20% stake in British regional newspaper chain Johnston Press. He is also a modern art collector, and has homes in Kuala Lumpur, London and the south of France, and has a son (he has 3 children), who is a monk living in the forest.
Currently, he has business interests in entertainment, satellite television (Astro), space (MEASAT), shipping (Bumi Armada), telecommunications (Maxis, Aircel).
He owns stakes in Tanjong Public Limited Company, which operate the chain of TGV multiplex theatres, oil distribution, power generation plants, property and lottery business (Pan Pools Malaysia), and these
companies operate in a most parts of the South East Asia.
A quarter of his wealth comes from the gambling business (lottery, horse-racing wagering), and he also is said to be behind the world’s largest indoor Water Park in Tropical Islands, Germany.
He is 71 years old.
This is simply a report on one of the richest Malaysian businessmen, but we would have to hope that he is behind a Newcastle bid. 
With a multi-billionaire in charge of the club, and willing to invest in the club, and with Alan Shearer as manager you have to think the future of the club would look good, and would be an enormous draw to other players.
We don’t want to jump the gun on this, but we have to hope this is now a decent possibility.
And we could all do with some good news after the last 5 weeks – after all.
Comments welcome.
36 responses so far ↓
1 RyanToon // Jul 3, 2009 at 9:56 AM
shame it aint amanda holden
2 punk skunk... // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Well,
that crap Michael Owen is off to lowly manure!..
3 paulparker // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:08 AM
I hope it is true. The US economy is dead, Asia is going to dominate this century
4 tooneskimo // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Hope his Chopper comes down in the middle of his poxy stud farm….
him flying at the time of course…..
5 Toon Graeme // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Off the topic but noticed this on NUFC website from yesterday.
http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1711569,00.html
Dont know if anyone saw him in action in the ressies match that cost him a broken leg – one to watch.
6 tooneskimo // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:11 AM
not that I’m bitter or anything….
7 Hugh Jorgan // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Good riddance to Michael Owen.
If he does go to Old Trafford, Owen will be able to save a fortune on helicopter fuel.
It won’t be as far for the little weasel to travel.
http://francis-rossi.mybrute.com
8 Toon Graeme // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Tooneskimo – I had thought you were harbouring some form or resentment
9 Magpieskid // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:33 AM
As a Malaysian, I fully support this man to take over Newcastle United.
Even though, I am a subsbriber of his mobile phone network(Maxis, Malaysia’s largest cell phone service provider) and his satellite television (Astro,Malayisa’s ONLY satellite television provider), he is really richhhhh !!
10 sahota // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:33 AM
Its BILLION ed not MILLION I guess ? with 4.5M he can not buy us
I might be wrong though or I misunderstood your figures
11 sahota // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Get him in. he will run this club professionally I am sure about that
12 sirjasontoon // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Yes Please
13 Chris G // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:39 AM
‘…He later moved into gambling ……. and running a Hollywood cartoon studio’
It sounds like he’s exactly the kind of owner we need, Ed
14 stevep // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:41 AM
I just wish something would happen soon.
I bet Owen can’t believe his luck – surprised at Fergies decision but I suppose he’ll be paying him on a payp deal and no initial transfer costs so a decent deal.
15 LoonyToony // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Not a hope in hell on this one….Why would he be interested?
Saying that, What a coup that would be….bloomin aamzing if its true and just what we need!
And yeah ED, its billions, Not millions
16 Chris G // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:51 AM
Seriously though, where did this story come from? It looks like pure speculation on Ed’s part – he just did a search of the richest people in Malaysia and came up with this bloke
If there is a Malaysian/Singaporean connection, I still think it’s likely to be the Profitable Group
17 Kevin Nichol // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:51 AM
Great journalsim…absolute speculation; but if it fills an article???
What happened to those prospective american names randomly plucked out the air last time? Or the fella from Oman? Hey…It could be mickey mouse?
It’s not real journalism to speculatively guess from a rich list of Maylasian business men is it?
18 Rodzilla // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Llambias again showing his brilliance and natural aptitude in hiding everything from the fans – only this time to our benefit, it seems. Nobody expected Malaysians!
19 Rodzilla // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:56 AM
Chris G, you’re right – it still could be The Profitable Group, I was thinking that last night.
Kevin Nichol, it’s a blog mate. SSN and BBC Radio Newcastle reported Asian (possibly Malaysian) businessmen being showed ’round SJP yesterday. Ed is merely suggesting possibilities. What else can he do? It’s NO ARTICLE or speculation I’m afraid.
20 Chris G // Jul 3, 2009 at 10:58 AM
stevep – yeah, according to the Mail he’s on a one year pay-as-you-play deal
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1197195/Taking-Michael-Manchester-United-set-sign-Owen-free-transfer.html?ITO=1490
21 UTD111 // Jul 3, 2009 at 11:07 AM
At lest this visit shows there seems to be at least one interested consortium! And they wouldn’t have come all this way if they weren’t serious.
22 Rodzilla // Jul 3, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Agreed UTD111, I’d say takeover is imminent. I just hope they’ve got a HEEEEAAAAWWWGE wedge!
COME ARN!!!
23 ToonRich // Jul 3, 2009 at 11:27 AM
You guys that are moaning about Ed’s speculation, give it a rest and re-read the article…”This is simply a report on one of the richest Malaysian businessmen, but we would have to hope that he is behind a Newcastle bid. ”
He tells us in this statement that its his own little piece on the POTENTIAL new owner!
I do hope we hear something today or tomorrow at the latest
24 Turkish Magpie // Jul 3, 2009 at 11:38 AM
I dont get it, this guys worth 4.6mil, Ashley wants 100mil??
he cant even afford half a Coloccini never mind The whole club!
I’m sorry, i’m confused unless Ed means 4.7billion then i dont think this guy will be the new owner, anyones help appreciated?
25 sahota // Jul 3, 2009 at 11:44 AM
@Turkish Yes its billions not millions. I was also confused then confirmed on Wiki, its 4.7 billions
26 Sav // Jul 3, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Ed has a bit of a prob with mixing up his millions and his billions – either he’s got so many he’s not sure, or else he’s getting on, like the rest of us.
Tak, A Tak, A Tak A Tak A Tak!
27 Whumpie // Jul 3, 2009 at 12:04 PM
It has to be a good sign that things are moving along, and if it is this chap (nice bit of open speculation, Ed – nowt wrong with that) then fine.
BUT…
I don’t want our club to be another rich man’s play thing run at a huge loss to try to buy trophies a-la-Chelski or Citeh.
Money invested now to get us back on the rails, yes – but with a view to paying that off and returning a small profit in a few years. Keep us in the black and bringing talent through.
That’s the model I want to follow. If we win anything I want it to means something other than ‘my owner has a bigger wallet than yours’.
28 ginkoh // Jul 3, 2009 at 12:15 PM
I’m in Thailand and want to tell you all here.
Don’t make the same mistake with Mancity after Taksin bought them with unknown source money (maybe he bought Mancity because he want to PR his reputation to worldwide and erase some of his corruption news)
In Thailand, also in Malaysia have a lot illegal gambling. It’s possible they can make Newcastle to make money from this case, who know ?
I don’t know really what’s their target but I pretty sure it’s not only sportman reason. Maybe politic reason or something else, I don’t know but I won’t trust them.
29 Turkish Magpie // Jul 3, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Cheeaz Sahota mate, now the blogs getting interesting again i may start commenting a bit more often
30 Chris G // Jul 3, 2009 at 12:20 PM
ToonRich – fair comment, but it looked like a few people seemed to be getting quite excited that this might actually be the person who is buying the club, and they didn’t seem to realise that it was just a bit of speculation on Ed’s part
There’s no harm in a bit of speculation, but we’ve had too much of it lately – let’s just be patient and wait a little longer until we hear a few facts
31 Macas35 // Jul 3, 2009 at 12:24 PM
To be fair its not only Ed who has mentioned this guy as being behind the proposed takeover.
32 Sav // Jul 3, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Ginkoh, its a worry that dubious oligarchs from countries with poor record of supervision can launder their money in football. And its shameful how little regard is shown for where their money came from by clubs and the FA.
……..Well, that’s what we hear from Tak’s spokesman, Dowiestrainersavapong.
33 Big Dave // Jul 3, 2009 at 12:43 PM
dont see what the fuss is about Eds heading says it all it even has a question mark at the end ( Is Newcastle New Owner Ananda Krishnan? )
34 frankyong // Jul 3, 2009 at 12:47 PM
I am a Malaysian too. i don’t care who will buy the club. as long as, he really put his heart on it and run it properly.
But plz be fast….
35 NUFC KING // Jul 3, 2009 at 3:53 PM
as a malaysian and a die hard newcastle fan im really glad to see some malaysian takeover the club….ananda is third rich in Malaysia…due to his telecomunication business…if ananda can be our new owner i hope big AL wil be appoint asap….and fully back by the owner….happy days…
36 Solaidback // Jul 3, 2009 at 5:20 PM
I’m not sure why you picked this guy to do a report on Ed, what happens if it’s one of the other 2 guys you mentioned Robert Kuok and Ng Teng Fong??
Personally I don’t care who it is, I just want this debacle to be over & done with & let us move on & try to get our names dropped as the laughing stock of football yeah!!!
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